"Dear, dear, I'm very sorry for you," is one way to sympathize with someone who has cancer. Another way is to say, "I'm so angry that you have to battle this crummy disease, but I'm here to help you DESTROY that mofo! Yeah! And if I can't help, at least I can empathize entirely." While the former may be more polite, that latter may be more helpful.If cancer were a person, it would be the A-hole friend who keeps turning up at the door, tapping lightly...