These are the steps to take in dealing with a cancer diagnosis: 1) Get some basic information about the cancer, and write it down: - The initial symptoms of the cancer - How and where the cancer was diagnosed - The exact name of the patient's cancer - The particular tests done to stage the cancer - The Stage of the cancer (AJCC or GOG) - The recommended treatment, and by whom - How many patients with this cancer has this physician seen and treated, with what results? 2) Get some further information about the cancer, armed with the above data, from the following sources: - American Cancer Society (ACS) Brochures, they give a brief sketch of the cancer and treatments. - National Cancer Institute (NCI) pamphlets give some basic information about the cancer and hospitals involved with new trials of therapy. CancerAnswers is a specialzed organization which provides cancer information for both physicians and patients. The materials are available for a small fee on the Internet or via telephone recordings, and soon to be released video- tapes. The material is in plain English, and discusses particular cancers as the doctor conceptualizes them as well as the latest effective therapies and their results based upon recently published medical literature. copyright©CancerAnswers, 1994 all rights reserved last updated May 26, 2010