Understanding Your Diagnosis

Cancer can start any place in the body. It starts when cells grow out of control and crowd out normal cells. This makes it hard for the body to work the way it should.

Learn about the tests used to diagnose and stage cancer, and get help understanding your test results.

Advanced cancers have usually spread from where they started to other parts of the body. This is known as metastatic cancer. But not all advanced cancers are metastatic.

Before getting any treatment, your doctor will first need to learn more about your cancer. The results of a biopsy, blood tests, physical exams, and imaging tests (x-rays or scans), along with any problems the cancer is causing are used to decide which treatment options might be best for you. Your doctor may also talk with other experts to get their opinions. Your doctor will then discuss the goal of treatment and the pros and cons of each treatment option with you.

It can be hard to talk about cancer, even with the people you love. Your loved ones may also have a hard time talking about cancer. It’s not easy for them to know what to say to help you or make you feel better. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones deal with cancer.

At first, most people need some time to adjust to the fact that they have cancer. It’s normal to feel disbelief, shock, fear, and anger. You may need some time to absorb and understand what your diagnosis and treatment options mean for you and your loved ones.