Let us consider possible financial impacts of being a cancer patient:

•  More than two million Americans a year are forced into bankruptcy by the cost of medical care. Cancer is high on the list of diseases that drain people's pockets.

•  A recent sampling of cancer's 10 million survivors found that the cost of their medical adventures is the greatest problem survival has given 47 percent of them.

•  The American Cancer Society recommends that cancer patients employ qualified financial counsel. It offers a free pamphlet on the subject.

Nobody is automatically protected from financial ravishment. If you rely on an HMO, it would be wise to speak to another cancer patient in your health net about how to work through the problems and experiences ahead of you. If you have a PPO or other health insurance, beware of the loopholes. Get your policy vetted by an expert.

These are complicated times for many cancer patients. Please review the chapters in Living with Cancer that relate, unless you are very certain of your finances.