Grief is how a person responds to loss. After the death of a loved one, you may feel sadness, anger, emptiness, confusion, and many other emotions. You may act in different ways than you normally would. Grief is a process, so you may feel different things over time. There is no wrong way to experience grief.

You may also grieve after a cancer diagnosis or during cancer treatment. Experiences like the loss of independence, fertility problems, or the sense of uncertainty that comes with a cancer diagnosis can all cause grief for yourself or your loved ones.

Managing the various side effects -- including physical, emotional, social, and financial effects -- of cancer is called "palliative and supportive care." It is an important part of a person's overall cancer care. Palliative and supportive care can be given in addition to treatments to slow, stop, or cure the cancer.