Characteristics of Human Cancer

Abstract

Abstract During my career as a cancer scientist, I have frequently received calls from individuals who recently heard a physician tell them the ominous words “You have cancer,” or from people who have heard that statement about a family member or close friend. The first question usually is “What can you tell me about this kind of cancer?” They may have already visited several Internet sites and have some information, not always accurate or scientifically based. If the patient is a child and the inquiry comes from parents, they frequently have a great feeling of guilt and want to know what they did wrong, or they may lash out at some perceived environmental agent that they think is the cause, such as water pollutants or electromagnetic fields from high-power lines in their neighborhood.