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Cancer and Treatments > Childhood / Pediatric Cancers > Pediatric Cancer Resources
The purpose of this information guide is to direct patients and
health care professionals to sources of information on cancer and related topics,
it does not constitute an endorsement of the information contained in the resources.
This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather to provide starting points for Information seeking.
All listed materials can be found at the Patient Education Resource Center of the University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center in room B1-361. The materials can be found at the Patient Education Resource Center of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center in room B1-361.
updated 5/10
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American Cancer Society
On this site you can fine overviews of specific cancer types and topics such as
nutrition, coping with side-effects, support and practical issues. Specific
articles on coping with childhood cancer may be accessed through the
"Patients, Family & Friends" section of the site.
Cancer.net
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) provides an excellent site
to keep up with new developments in cancer research and treatment. The
site includes a news database, abstracts, treatment guidelines, information
from ASCO meetings and online discussions with oncologists.
Cancer.gov
This site contains PDQ statements -- peer-reviewed summaries on treatment
of adult and pediatric cancer types, and various supportive care topics. PDQ
statements are updated monthly by oncology specialists. Also on this site is a
database of all cancer clinical trials.
Mcancer.org
The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center has information about
cancer treatment at our center, support services for patients and families and
clinical trials.
Candlelighters.org
Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation provides support and information
to families of children and teenagers with cancer. Site visitors may order free
copies of books and publications.
CureSearch.org
Provided by the National Childhood Cancer Foundation and the Children's
Oncology Group this site includes information for children and parents.
National Children's Cancer Society (N.C.C.S.)
Information about support services to children with cancer and their families.
This site includes the full-text of three educational publications: a coloring
book for children ages K-3rd, a guidebook for survivors ages 15 to 24 and a
guidebook for parents.
PED-ONC Resource Center
Created and maintained by parents of children with childhood cancer this site
focuses on psychosocial and medical issues as well as ways to connect with
other parents of children with cancer.
"The Internet is a wild frontier whose landscape changes frequently. It contains all sorts of health information
-- good and bad, true and false, complete and dangerously incomplete. Before you act on anything you learn online,
we recommend that you make sure you check with your doctor." --Consumer Reports
Anyone with a computer can set up a website or publish information through a blog, wiki, medical or social
networking sites. It is easier to publish information on the Internet than to publish books, magazines and other traditional
forms of communication.
People and/or commercial companies create sites in order to promote a product or the opinion of the site's creator.
Be aware of the site's creator's goals and bias when you read the information.
It is important to check the credentials of health information providers - just as it is important to check the credentials
of your healthcare provider. Find out if the information is provided by a health professional or by a lay person.
If you obtain health information from sites other than the ones listed above, please be sure to
evaluate the information according to the following guidelines:
Many cancer survivors share their wisdom and experience on blogs, wiki's, listservs, medical and social networking sites.
Always check to see who provides the information and why. Information that comes from lay people may have errors and the
experience of the information provider is not always relevant to the user. Check with your doctor before you make any
decisions about your medical care.
Cancer is a complex disease with many factors and variables that affect diagnosis, prognosis and treatment
decisions. Every cancer patient is a unique case with a different set of circumstances. Even if the information
you find on the Internet is accurate and current, it may not be applicable to your specific situation. To
understand how the information you find relates to your case, you must consult with your doctor.
The following are suggestions to promote efficient and effective communication between you and your doctor:
1. Be organized.
Keep your printouts well-organized in a folder or in a set of labeled folders that
will allow you to find each piece quickly.
Prepare a list.
Review the information before the appointment and prepare a set of questions with the most important and relevant ones first.
Next to the questions record the information sources on which they are based. These references will help you to pull out
a specific piece if the doctor asks for it.
Be realistic in planning a reasonable number of questions within the time limit of your appointment.
3. Keep a record of what was said.
It is difficult to maintain a conversation and take good notes at the same time. Bring a friend
or a family member who can take the notes. You may also ask for permission to tape the conversation. This will help
you to recall what was said in the meeting after it is over.
When searching for information on cancer, it is important to establish a good foundation of knowledge about the
disease, before focusing the search on treatment options. A good understanding of the disease and its specific
aspects such as: sub-typing, staging, tumor markers, etc. will help the information seeker retrieve more relevant
information and ask better questions.
This document is not intended to take the place of the care and attention of your personal physician or other
professional medical services. Our aim is to promote active participation in your care and treatment by providing information
and education. Questions about individual health concerns or specific treatment options should be discussed with your physician.
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