Content Overview 
- Summary
- Let your emotions settle. A cancer diagnosis is usually not an emergency.
- Contact the doctor who diagnosed you or the doctor's nurse or office manager. Ask for a repeat of the basics, including how long you have to make a decision..
- Take time choosing a cancer doctor - generally a specialist called an Oncologist.
- Focus on getting the medical care you need. A patient navigator can help. Postpone major non-medical decisions until after treatment ends if possible.
- Learn the basics about your cancer.
- Decide whether you or someone else will be the decision maker about your health care. Learn how to maximize time with a doctor.
- Before deciding on a treatment, consider getting a second opinion. Understand the pros and cons of each possibility.
- Think of non-traditional treatments as complementary or in addition to - not instead of what your doctor has to offer.
- Decide who to tell about your condition, when, and how much to tell.
- Think of family and friends as part of your health care team. Ask them for help when you need it. Your health needs should come first, but also consider theirs. If you have underage children, tell them about your diagnosis in an age appropriate manner.
- If you work, whether you are an employee, business owner, or self employed, be cautious telling about your diagnosis right away. There is no legal obligation to tell. Consider taking some time to focus on your condition first.
- Share your emotions. Watch for depression. Consider seeking counseling. Keep busy while waiting for test results. You may also want to consider getting a pet if you don't have one (yes, a pet).
- Start looking at your insurance and financial situation to determine how you will pay for medical care. Even with health insurance, medical care can be costly. Free or low cost care is available if you are uninsured or underinsured.
- Attend to your financial basics. Pay your rent or mortgage and minimums on your credit card. Start keeping track of all medical services you receive and expenses you pay. Don't pay a medical bill just because you receive one.
- Financial assistance may be available if needed.
- Learn to be wise about purchasing, living with, storing and disposing of drugs. Free drugs may be available.
- Drugs and treatments do not work in a vacuum. Start to think of the food you eat, the exercise you get, rest/sleep and even proper care of your mouth as steps you can take to make treatments and drugs most effective.
- Speak with other people who are going through what you are.
- If you have underage children, tell them about your diagnosis in an age appropriate manner. Monitor their behavior. Arrange for their care in case something happens to you.
- Schedule a dental check up.
- If you want to have children, take steps to preserve your ability prior to starting chemotherapy or radiation.
- IF YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS AN ADVANCED STAGE OF CANCER OR AN UNUSUAL OR A RARE CANCER
- ONCE A TREATMENT DECISION IS MADE
Newly Diagnosed With Cancer
Learn the basics about your cancer.
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The kind of cancer you have is stated on a a pathology (path-AWL-uh-gee) report. Pathology reports have to be written in language a layperson can understand. If you have a tumor, the report also states whether the tumor is likely to grow quickly or slowly. The pathology report uses a system of numbers and letters to show how serious your cancer is and to decide your 'cancer stage.' Sometimes cancer cells break away from a tumor and spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream. The cells can settle in other places in the body and form new tumors. This is called metastasis (meh-TAS-tuh-sis). Even when cancer has spread to a new place in the body, it is still named after the part of the body where it started. Information about each type of cancer is available from the American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org You can also do research on your own. If you search the internet: If research tends to increase your stress levels, ask a family member or friend to do it and to tell you what you need to know. Alternatively, you can hire a medical research service to do the work for you for a fee. The services will take the details of your situation, search the literature, and prepare a report for you. 
. Click on "Learn About Cancer." Then click on the type of cancer.
Keep in mind that:
Keep track of all questions that come up from your research, so you can ask your doctor about them.
Please share how this information is useful to you.
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