National Cancer Institute.

Find the information you need first

The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, publishes information about cancer types, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research. Start with the specific subject you want to understand. An introductory explanation of a cancer type serves a different purpose from a research update, so choose the section that matches your reason for reading.

Ways to focus your reading

• Begin with a cancer type when you need background on a diagnosis.
• Use prevention and screening information to prepare questions about your own history.
• Keep unfamiliar treatment or research terms in a separate list for your care team to explain.

Separate learning from individual decisions

A description of a treatment or a study does not tell you whether it fits a particular person. Save the resource address and ask your care team how it relates to the diagnosis and care plan being discussed. When several clinicians are involved, record who will explain results and coordinate follow-up. Our chronic condition guide offers a simple way to organize those responsibilities and your next questions.