How do I tell someone I think they have cancer?

[JägerDerNacht]

I lost my mother when I was 14 years old to lung cancer. For the past 5 years I've lived with my little brother and step-mom. I'm unfortunately a night owl so I'm up when everyone else sleeps. Over the past few months, I've noticed that my step-mom coughs in her sleep the same way my mother did a few years before she was diagnosed with cancer.

My mom was diagnosed in stage 4, so it was too late for her, but I think if my step-mom was checked and diagnosed early she can be saved. I don't want my brother to lose his mother, how do I go about telling her I think she has cancer without sounding rude?

Updates

+1 y

Just information, yes, she is a smoker, for as long as I've known her (since I was a toddler), and it's roughly a pack every 2-3 days (down from a pack a day)

[Hajar_Whitestone]

go to her and tell her you wanna talk to her after that tell her this : mom you know how much I Love You, tell her I did noticed you do coughs a lot in your sleep and that make me worried tell her about what did happen to your real mom tell her you are so worried and you want her to check it up.

[TheINTJ]

I don't think you can ever sound rude when you're sincerely just expressing your concern. There isn't any reason for her to feel offended or anything, because it wouldn't really be her fault if it did turn out something was wrong. Just tell her the way you just did in your question.

[TheINTJ]

Glad I could be of help. :)

[jmr2191]

When symptoms are so subtle and nonspecific, people are usually in pretty vehement denial if you're right. The best thing you can do is tell her she needs to see a doctor for her cough and that you're worried about her. Go to the appointment with her and talk to the doctor yourself.

[yaddayaddayadda02]

First, you don't know if she has cancer. Is she a smoker? Just say something like this:

"I've heard you coughing a lot. Have you been to the doctor, yet? It sounds like you're uncomfortable"

[Betwyn]

Honestly...

Just tell her straight like this.

Maybe it's nothing.. Maybe it gets caught early.

[kangy]

Before you think she has cancer, I would suggest that she go to see a doctor and let him examine whether she has it. Maybe she doesn't have.

[mei0313]

Tell her to go see a doctor. You might be right or she might have something else.

[AdamThomas]

It could be anything, not necessarily cancer. Just insist that she get it checked out.

[paperfriendd]

Tell her she should get it checked :)