Based on extensive interviews carried out by the author, a series of individual narratives explores the impact of being diagnosed with cancer on those with the disease and the people around them. It reveals how the experience of the disease and even the way it develops is affected by the social context of the people involved, as well as their own characteristics. The volume will be an invaluable resource, not only for social scientists and health professionals, but also for those coming to terms with the impact of cancer on their own lives.