Who, when, and how do you tell people you have cancer?

Someone who replied to one of my earlier posts here encouraged me to keep the questions comin', so here goes:

Earlier this week, my doctor called to tell me my biopsy results came back positive for prostate cancer: low- to intermediate grade in 4 of 12 points. I'm scheduling an appointment with the doctor who performed the biopsy to discuss treatment.

But that day, I called my siblings and shared the news with each of them over the phone. They know, and my spouse knows. I also told my two closest friends, one of whom is a cancer survivor.

I know there's no one-size-fits-all answer here as to who else to tell about my diagnosis, but I'm curious to hear what the helpful and understanding group here on this thread has to say.

One piece of advice I read said, "Only tell the people who would be upset you didn't tell them immediately." This rules out people at work, cousins I only talk to once a year, and the mailman.

Part of what's bothering me? Technically, yes, I "have cancer," but it's not like I'm experiencing awful symptoms (not right now, anyway) and I'm not going to keel over any minute. I feel like when you say "I've got cancer," people — who haven't had and recovered from cancer — think "death sentence." I don't want to freak people out, or have them think I'm trying to get attention or sympathy, you know?

How did you handle telling people about your diagnosis, and what did you learn from the experience?

Thanks in advance to people on this invaluable thread.