According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 8.4 million Americans alive today have suffered from or currently suffer from cancer. Newly diagnosed patients and their loved ones are in for a long battle--not only against the disease but against a healthcare system that can be impersonal and frighteningly complicated to navigate. How can patients ensure they get the care they so desperately need? Informed patients are the best advocates for their own health--and inSurviving the Cancer System, renowned oncologist Mark Fesen arms readers with the in-depth information they need to take control of their own care. With his candid advice, patients will learn to: *choose the right team of doctors and ask the right questions * understand cancer as both a disease and a business * develop greater understanding of a cancer diagnosis and what the prognosis might be * evaluate treatment options * establish proper communication with their oncologists * prepare mentally and physically to fight the illness * get the most from their insurance coverage--and what to do if they have none At last, those coping with cancer can cut through the red tape and take charge of their own treatment--and their own health.