Welcome! This Web site provides current and accurate information from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the federal government's principal agency for cancer research. You will find a wide range of cancer information, including treatment options, clinical trials, ways to reduce cancer risk, ways to cope with cancer, and resources for researchers and health care professionals.

I am new to the site, where do I start?

To learn how to find information on this site, go to Help Using the NCI Web Site. The Site Map contains direct links to all the site's main sections. Also, you will gain a good overview of the site by reading these FAQs.

What information is available on the site?

This is the central Web site for NCI, the federal government's principal agency for cancer research. Patients and their loved ones, advocates, health professionals, researchers, and anyone else interested in cancer will find a wide range of authoritative cancer information here. Arranged topically for easy navigation, the site's broad content categories include:

Cancer Topics

Clinical Trials

Cancer Statistics

Research & Funding

News

About NCI

Is the information on the site credible?

Yes. This Web site represents NCI on the Web. NCI is the federal government's principal agency for cancer research and a component of the National Institutes of Health. The information sources on the site include NCI's comprehensive cancer database, PDQ, which contains peer-reviewed summaries of the latest information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine, as well as a searchable directory of cancer clinical trials. This Web site also offers authoritative information about NCI research funding opportunities and current research programs, NCI news releases and in-depth news articles, and key cancer statistics compiled by NCI.

How frequently is the site updated?

The information on this site comes from a wide variety of sources within and outside NCI and is updated regularly on a variety of schedules. Wherever possible, a page will display the date on which it was originally posted or last updated.

Is this site accessible to all users?

This is NCI's umbrella site, and it includes links to many other sites within and outside NCI, some of which may not be entirely accessible. The umbrella site (http://www.ncipoet.org) is designed to be accessible to all users, regardless of special need, and is compatible with screen readers and other assistive devices. If you are using assistive devices and have difficulty accessing NCI information, please send an e-mail to ncipoet.org_staff@mail.nih.gov and include the URL(s) of the page(s) you are having trouble with.

What is PDQ®?

PDQ (Physician Data Query) is an NCI database containing the latest information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine, plus a searchable directory of clinical trials. This information is based on advances in cancer research and is updated and reviewed frequently by cancer experts.

How do I find information about participating in clinical trials?

For background information about clinical trials - what they are, whether they might be of benefit to you - go to Educational Materials About Clinical Trials. To find a specific cancer clinical trial, see the Clinical Trials Search Form. More clinical trial-related information is available in other areas of the Clinical Trials section.

Does NCI have information about complementary and alternative therapies?

The Cancer Topics section of the site has information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). NCI's Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine coordinates NCI activities and research related to CAM.

What if there are medical terms I don't understand?

The NCI Web site's Dictionary contains definitions of more than 4,000 cancer-related terms, along with a phonetic spelling for many terms. A link to the Dictionary can be found in the Quick Links box in the left margin of each page of the site.

How do I order NCI publications?

NCI offers a wide variety of free educational print materials. You can view and order publications online through the NCI Publications Locator. A link to this resource can be found in the Quick Links box in the left margin of each page of the site. You can also order publications by calling the NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

Do I need permission to reproduce material on the NCI Web site?

Many of the information products developed by NCI, such as brochures, booklets, and fact sheets, may be reproduced without permission from NCI. For details, see Copyright and Registered Trademarks.

How can I find information about preventing cancer?

NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention is a central source of prevention information. In addition, the Cancer Topics section of the NCI Web site has an area titled Cancer Prevention, which offers information about preventing cancer.

Where can I find statistics about cancer?

The Cancer Statistics section of this site has information on Understanding Cancer Statistics (including a glossary of terms), links to reports and Web sites to help with Finding Cancer Statistics, as well as Statistical Tools and Data for researching statistics. A link to this section appears in the navigation bar at the top of all pages of the site.

Where do I find information about research NCI is currently supporting?

The Research & Funding section of the site has detailed information about research NCI is supporting at institutions throughout the country and here at the NCI. This section links to the NCI Funded Research Portfolio, a searchable database of all NCI-funded research grants, contract awards, and intramural research projects.

How can I find funding for my research?

The Funding Opportunities area of the Research & Funding section includes links to NCI funding announcements, application forms, and information on application review procedures and funding policies.

How do I request NCI documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)?

FOIA gives individuals the right to access many documents and data in the possession of the federal government. If you would like to request NCI documents or data that are not available in the public domain, please see this Web site's policy page about FOIA requests.

What is a Best Bet?

The site's Best Bets feature matches cancer-related search terms and editorially selected Web sites or pages (the Best Bets). When you use the basic "search" tool at the upper right corner of each page and a Best Bets list is available, the search retrieves the appropriate Best Bets list and displays it at the top of the total search results.

What if I can't find the information I'm looking for?

Our Help page tells you how to get NCI assistance by phone, e-mail, mail, or online chat. Our Site Map provides a clickable outline of the main sections of the site. Help Using the NCI Web Site introduces the site and its policies regarding information on the site.

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