You're in a state of shock, and that can result in people clamming up. They're too scared to even talk about treatment. That isn't what the man is intending to be expressing at all. But if the couple doesn't talk, it could really serve as a barrier to getting on with treatment and getting her well. Her partner can be instrumental in helping collect information.
Men are really good at being information centers.
I'm a strong advocate of humor. When I was 12 years old, my mother's best friend was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, at a time when there was very little treatment to offer. She told me she was going to be optimistic and laugh every day. There wasn't any research to prove that laughter helps your immune system, but she thought it did. And instead of dying in five months, which was the amount of time doctors expected, she lived for 21 more years.