Actor Atila Pesyani in cancer fight

Of course, you would never want to hurt your friend's feelings, but sometimes you might say something that you don't even realize is offensive or insensitive. Here are some general phrases to avoid.

• "I know exactly how you feel." Even if you've experienced a serious illness yourself, you don't know exactly how your friend is feeling, so don't pretend you do. This can make the person feel that their situation is not that big of a deal, when to them, it may be the biggest deal in the world.