A. The subject is scientifically unproved. I have never met an oncologist who did not agree that people with cancer who believe they will die from it compromise their chances of survival. Even with the simplest, most treatable cancer, there is often no way to successfully treat someone who wants to die or thinks he will die. However, some patients can be cured in spite of themselves. One psychiatrist called cancer a legal method of committing suicide. That is not to say that, if you think you will get well, you will, but at least then you have a chance. There is a saying, "Nice guys don't win the fight against cancer." Meek, mild-mannered people who are afraid to question their doctors, who don't understand or get involved, tend not to do as well. In my opinion, a system of complete mental relaxation along with having an image of your cancer and thinking it away could be helpful. It is recommended, like prayer, in addition to any medical treatments by your doctor. I used it when I was being treated. I personally believe it helped. I know it improved the quality of my life, and I am positive it did not hurt me. Cancer is a very serious disease. There is generally only one chance to beat it. Muster all your resources and do everything possible the first time, so you will never look back and be sorry. Include relaxation, imagery and a positive mental attitude, because they can only help and cannot hurt.

Q. What is meant by a multidisciplinary opinion?

A. Because cancer is more than 100 different diseases and there are at least six primary forms of cancer treatment, it is impossible for any single doctor to know the latest and best treatment for every type of cancer. A doctor who knew the latest surgical technique for a specific type of cancer could be unaware of the up-to-the-minute chemotherapy, immunization therapy, hyperthermia or radiation therapy for that particular type of cancer. A multidisciplinary opinion means getting together physicians from various specialities (disciplines), depending on the type of cancer, such as a pathologist, a diagnostic radiologist, a medical oncologist, a surgeon and a radiation oncologist. They discuss the type of cancer, the location, the state, all the possible treatments and then recommend, in order, the preferred series of treatments most likely to successfully treat that particular patient. Remember that many cancers can be successfully treated if they are treated promptly, properly and thoroughly. To ensure that you are doing everything you possibly can to help yourself beat this insidious disease, I would strongly recommend getting a multidisciplinary opinion before any treatment, if at all possible.

Q. My doctor just told me that I have to take chemotherapy to recover from cancer. I have heard so many horror stories about it, such as getting violently ill and losing your hair. Is it worth it?

A. Chemotherapy is treating the body with chemicals. Taking two aspirins is chemotherapy. Cancer chemotherapy covers a spectrum. Many drugs create absolutely no side effects such as those you describe. On the other hand, a drug called Adriamycin is affectionately known as "the Red Devil" because of the side effects it may cause. Most people have never heard of it, but Adriamycin saves more lives every year from cancer than the Salk vaccine saves from polio. Sure, some drugs are rough to take, but the idea is not to take treatments. The idea is to get rid of the cancer. I knew that if these drugs were making this big body of mine so sick and so infirm, they were absolutely destroying those little cancer cells. I dreaded the miserable feeling of nausea each month, but I actually looked forward to being made sick because I knew it gave me a chance to live. Today, chemotherapy, like radiation, is a science. It is not witchcraft. It is not guesswork. Your qualified oncologist knows exactly how much of a particular drug must be administered to destroy tumor cells and do no damage to any organ. In answer to your question, be grateful that scientists and doctors discovered and perfected these drugs so that you have a chance to live. Having been there, it is my feeling that seeing the sun come up one more morning is worth every treatment I went through.

Q. I feel very uncomfortable discussing my cancer because I don't want to be pitied. My husband says I am wrong. Who is right?

A. Your feeling of not wanting sympathy is understandable. At a time like this, however, it's most important to have the support of your family and friends. The normal worry and fear from the shock of finding you have cancer and the impending treatments is a tremendous burden to carry alone. Share your feelings with your family and friends. Not only will it help you, but it will make them feel more comfortable. They want to be helpful to you, but they can't if you shut them out. Talk about it openly, not incessantly. Cancer is not a dirty word or something to be ashamed of, nor is it something to brag about or discuss continuously. Act your normal self and follow your doctor's advice with help from those who care about you.

Q. I have heard of a new computer program about cancer in which you are somehow involved. Can you tell me something about it?

A. The program you are referring to is called PDQ by the National Cancer Institute and is housed in the R.A. Bloch International Cancer Information Center in Bethesda, MD. I spent many sleepless nights formulating the plans for this program. After I was cured, I realized others were dying, not because they could not be cured, but because cancer is such a complex disease and their physicians were not aware of the recent developments. Billions of dollars have been spent. Thousands of scientists and doctors spend their lives developing new treatments, but if the one doctor treating the patient is unaware of the state-of-the-art therapy for that particular cancer, everything is wasted. The idea was to get every treatment for every type of cancer from every center in the country into a computer. Then a doctor anywhere could call this computer with his computer, explain the type of cancer and immediately he would be advised of all the options. The National Cancer Institute has gone a step or two further by getting 22 countries to list their protocols in the system, and they give a state-of-the-art statement for each known cancer. This has been a monumental task that could never have been done by any other organization. The National Cancer Institute and its employees have done an incredibly outstanding job. This program is available to any physician or patient simply by calling 1-800-4-CANCER and specifically requesting PDQ for a particular type and stage of cancer including the state-of-the-art therapy and all current open protocols on a national basis in short form. It is also available instantly by computer from the National Library of Medicine and various private sources. The exciting thing about PDQ is that it should allow physicians in every community to instantly have access to all the latest information, accurate and up-to-the-minute from major cancer centers worldwide. The net result should be the saving of pain, suffering, expense and many lives.

Q. How do I know I'm getting the right treatment for my cancer?

A. That is an excellent question. Cancer is a very serious disease. You generally have one chance to beat it. If you fail to treat it properly the first time, often there is no second chance. Your question, however, shows much more than that. I believe it takes three things to beat cancer: a strong desire to live, complete faith in your doctor and confidence that the treatments that you are receiving will successfully treat you. Your question demonstrates that you lack the last two requisites. I have two suggestions. You may want to call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER. This is a toll-free service of the National Cancer Institute. Their purpose is to give you any factual information about your cancer that you care to know.  The other suggestion is to get a second opinion from a qualified physician specializing in your type of cancer or, if possible, from a multidisciplinary panel. Get the answers so that you can have full confidence in your physicians without any doubts. Then you have the best chance of beating this disease.

Q. I would like to get a second opinion about treating my cancer. My doctor has been our family physician for years, and I don't want to hurt his feelings.

A. An outstanding oncologist once told me he has never treated a cancer patient without a second opinion, for four reasons. First, cancer is a very serious disease and, if you do not treat it properly the first time, generally there is no second chance. Second, somebody else could see something that he does not see. Third, somebody else could have some knowledge that he does not have. Fourth, he is a human being and he could make a mistake. After hearing this, I came to the conclusion that any doctor treating cancer without a second opinion is not practicing medicine but trying to play God, because supposedly it is only God who is perfect, sees everything, knows everything and never makes a mistake. The critical thing is to find a qualified physician in whom you have confidence who says he can successfully treat you. The physician should be an oncologist, which is a doctor trained to specifically treat cancer. You must have confidence in your physician and be able to communicate well with him. This will enable you to understand and be involved with your treatment. Finally, if your doctor says you will not make it, you have absolutely nothing to lose by trying to find a qualified doctor who believes he can successfully treat you or an institution that is doing successful research. This is your life, and you must think of yourself first. I have never met a good doctor yet who did not welcome a second opinion. It can only reinforce your confidence in him and enable you to be more receptive to your treatment.

Q. I'm so angry at myself that I didn't stop smoking sooner. I keep asking myself if I could have avoided getting cancer if I had quit a few years ago.

A. What's the difference? Why torture yourself? The important thing now is to cure your cancer. A vital ingredient is to never look back and have guilt feelings. Every individual has a limited amount of energy. Don't waste precious energy looking back. You must muster all your resources and apply them toward your recovery. Turn these negative questions and doubts into positive thoughts of cooperation with your physician. In the two years of my treatments, not a single doctor asked me if I had been a smoker. It was perfectly obvious that I had, but what good would it have done to make me feel guilty? You have lots of options that require all your energies in addition to receiving the treatments recommended by your physician. They include support from your family and friends; being certain you receive proper, well-balanced nutrition; reading and learning more about your condition and treatment; and maintaining a positive mental attitude.

Q. Why do you feel that I should have detailed knowledge of my cancer and my treatments? I have full confidence in my physician and I would rather be spared the gory details.

A. An outstanding radiation oncologist in Detroit explains in detail to new patients all the factors about their cancer and the forthcoming treatments. When the oncologist is finished, he gives patients a tape recording of the entire interview to take home. He knows that if he had not given them the tape they would have worried about many things in the future that he had explained, but which they would have forgotten. He believes that the worry would be detrimental to their condition, while a thorough understanding would contribute to the success of the treatments. The National Cancer Institute sent to the directors of 110 cancer centers the following poster, with the recommendation that it be placed in patient waiting areas over the director's signature. Notice to patients: To obtain maximum benefit from your treatment, become a partner with your physician. You should understand everything being done for you and how and why it works. To do this you must ask questions! Your doctor wants you to understand, but will not know your concerns unless you express them. A physician or nurse will take as much time as necessary to explain anything about your condition that you do not understand. A partnership like this will ensure that the care you receive is optimal.

Q. Why is your Cancer Hot Line different from all the other groups available.

A. There are many wonderful and helpful support groups available. Primarily, the Cancer Hot Line is a group of individuals who have had cancer who are available to talk to newly diagnosed cancer patients, ideally within 15 minutes of their diagnosis. We do not make a prognosis or give medical advice. We talk strictly from personal experience, emphasizing prompt treatment, proper treatment, thorough treatment and a positive mental attitude. Psychologically, we enable them to get over the initial shock and fear and to understand that death and cancer are not synonymous. The patient realizes that, because he is talking to someone who has had a similar cancer, it is possible for him to overcome it. However, we give a lot more than psychological help. We recommend the patient consult a qualified physician, such as an oncologist. Because we accept no cash contributions from any patient (when these are offered, we recommend they donate to their church or hospital), we are free to suggest any qualified physician we personally like. We further recommend a qualified second opinion, because we know how serious cancer is and no one is perfect. We try to help them find a qualified doctor in whom they have faith who says he can successfully treat them. If this doctor cannot be found, we then try to get them to the institution that is doing the most successful work on their type of cancer. Because we have been there with a similar cancer, we can explain in lay terms what the treatments their doctor recommends are like and how they affected us. We can give practical hints on what we did to help ourselves. We try to take fear of the unknown out of cancer treatment. We attempt to get the callers in control of their cancer and become more of a partner with their doctor. We recommend to each patient that they read "Fighting Cancer", available free by requesting it from 1-800-4-CANCER, and "CANCER...there's hope", by Richard and Annette Bloch, available in most public libraries or by calling 1-816-WE BUILD. We believe we improve the quality of life for every patient and extend the quantity of life for many. Our sole goal is to give the next person getting cancer the best chance of beating it. The Cancer Hot Line number is (816) 932-8453.