Cancer is no longer regarded solely as a disease that affects the body. The psychological and social demands of cancer must also be addressed therapeutically – this marks the birth of psycho-oncology. Mercedes Hölting critically engages with this new science. She analyzes the phenomena of fear, grief, and the topic of death associated with the illness from a philosophical perspective, drawing inspiration from Heidegger's existential analysis of being and Foucault's analysis of power, and advocates for a changed approach to those affected.