Serious illness: the things people say

Deborah Orr recently listed 10 things not to say to someone who is seriously ill. Readers responded with their horror stories, guilty confessions and advice. Here are some highlights

Breast cancer study could lead to new generation of drugs for the disease

Dr Harpal Kumar: We hope that one day drugs will exist for all 10 forms of breast cancer, so a woman need never be told she has the 'wrong' type

10 things not to say to someone when they’re ill

Deborah Orr: When I was diagnosed with cancer, the support of my friends was invaluable – but I also learned that there are 10 things you should never, ever say to someone when they're sick

Dr Dillner’s health dilemmas: will chemotherapy affect my job?

Treatment can be tiring and isolating, but some research suggests that leading as normal a life as possible may help cancer patients

The insider’s guide to cancer prevention

These experts spend their lives fighting cancer. They have heard every tip, sensible or not, for how to avoid it. They tell Oliver Laughland how their lifestyles have changed as a result

UK Biobank puts medical records of half a million Britons online

Anonymous database will help public health researchers around the world unpick the genetic and lifestyle factors behind disease

I oppose the bill, but don’t idealise the NHS. There’s room to improve

Deborah Orr: My family is from one of the parts of the country that is, statistically, less well-served by the health service. I'm not bitter, but the NHS did not save my father's life

Coping with cancer: you, me and the big C

Cancer is a life-changer, not just for sufferers but for those who care for them, too. A friend, a husband and a mother share their stories

The UK’s hidden cancer

Two women who have had ovarian cancer talk to Laura Barnett about the importance of an early diagnosis

Chemo in pregnancy does not necessarily harm baby, says study

Children born to women undergoing cancer drug treatment show normal results in physical and mental development tests

Cancer campaigners say levels of fat, salt and sugar in food must be reduced

Health researchers claim maintaining healthy lifestyle and eating well could prevent as many as a third of all cancers

Abiraterone prostate cancer treatment to be covered by Axa PPP

Change of stance on abiraterone by UK's second largest private medical insurance firm brings it in line with Bupa and WPA

Cancer patients on abiraterone face cost conundrum

Prostate cancer drug is currently available through the Cancer Drugs Fund, but funding issues mean patients could either have to buy it themselves or take out health insurance