An old man goes for a checkup at the doctor's. The doctor runs the tests then sits the old man down.

"I'm very sorry," he says. "I've got a couple of bits of bad news to impart. Firstly, you have cancer."

The old man is shocked and a tear wells up in his eye. The doctor waits for a minute for the news to sink in and then carries on, "And you are also showing early stages of Alzheimers disease. I'm really, very sorry."

The old man sits in silence for a little while longer, head hung down. Finally he looks up and puts a brave smile on his face.

"I suppose it could be worse," he says. "I could have cancer."