The diagnosis of cancer often brings a unique sense of dread and foreboding, for the person who has been diagnosed and others. Many people with cancer can be cured, and that number is increasing all the time. Nevertheless, for many reasons and despite those encouraging statistics, the word 'cancer' has a more devastating effect than most other diagnoses.

Hearing bad news about someone you care for can make you feel helpless, maybe almost paralyzed -- most of us, just don't know what to say. To make matters worse, we probably think that there are things we should be saying or should be doing which will automatically make things easier for the person with cancer -- if only we knew what they were.

The first thing to realize is that there are no magic formula, no idea, phrases or approaches that are the 'right thing' to say or do in all circumstances. Knowing the best way to communicate is not a skill that everybody else has and you don't. Just knowing that you sincerely want to help often is the best gift you can give a person living with cancer.

Here are some additional articles with helpful tips:

National Cancer Institute:

• When Someone in Your Family has Cancer

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO):

• Talking to Someone With Cancer