Book excerpt: The odds are more than forty percent that cancer will touch your life. Including families, cancer affects almost four million people per year. There are few common medical realities surrounded by as much malefaction, mystique, and misunderstanding as cancer. In When Tumor Is the Rumor and Cancer Is the Answer, author Dr. Kevin P. Ryan helps you see past the macabre mythology. Stressing patient autonomy and the need to build an Oncology team, Dr. Ryan addresses the need for knowledge when receiving the overwhelming news that you may or do have cancer. He covers not just the fear of the diagnosis and certain aspects of the journey of care, but also discusses the entire trek from when the tumor is suspected and cancer is diagnosed. He talks about ethics of cancer care, challenges of managed care, psychosocial issues, ethical and legal components, and end-of-life issues and spirituality. Dr. Ryan also touches on difficult concepts such as physician-assisted suicide, durable power of attorney, living wills, failure to diagnose, treatments and staging, lost opportunities in life, euthanasia, and how death by secondary intent has led to cancer cases being second in frequency of lawsuits. A common-sense, straight-talking guide, When Tumor Is the Rumor and Cancer Is the Answer provides answers to many questions in order to reduce anxiety and help those confronted with this disease to marshal their internal resources, conquer their natural fears, and ultimately learn to become cancer survivors.