Cancer is complicated.
We make it easier to understand.
Plain-language, evidence-based guidance for people with cancer, caregivers, and anyone worried about symptoms.
Examples: breast cancer, staging, chemotherapy side effects, colonoscopy, immunotherapy
Lower your risk.
Starting with a walk.
Physical activity is linked to lower risk of 13 cancers. Find free programs, walking groups and parks near you — no gym membership required.
Explore healthy living
Eating well,
explained simply.
What the evidence actually says about food and cancer risk — without the fear, fads or supplement sales pitch.
Eating & nutrition
Seen a scary headline?
We check the claims.
Viral cancer claims, checked against the FDA, NCI and published research — so you know what to believe before you share it.
See our claim checks
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Type a question in your own words. You’ll get a calm, plain-language answer built from our National Cancer Institute–based content, with links to every source.
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Our mission
Free plain-language cancer education for patients, caregivers, and the public.
Cancer Explained is the public education program of the National Cancer Information Foundation, an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity. We turn National Cancer Institute resources into plain-language explanations, guided reading paths and practical tools, and we give them away — to patients, caregivers, families, and anyone worried about a symptom. Everything here is free: no ads, no paywall, no account, in English and Spanish.
About us →Our mission & principles →Nonprofit status & governance →
What we provide
- plain-language articles
- 2,989 plain-language articles
- answered questions
- 462 answered questions
- Spanish-language articles
- 457 Spanish-language articles
- verified support services
- 108 verified support services
- National Cancer Information Foundation — a Wyoming public benefit nonprofit corporation, recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity on July 13, 2026.
- EIN 42-3639534 — donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
What brings you here today?
Tell us where you are, and we’ll take you to the right place.
- I am worried about symptoms
- I was just diagnosed
- I am caring for someone
- I am living with or after cancer
Prefer to browse everything yourself? Explore everything →
Newly diagnosed?
It is normal to feel overwhelmed. Start with plain answers to the questions most people have in the first week.
If this feels like an emergency, call 911.Otherwise call your cancer care team — most have a 24-hour number. Signs that need care now →
Understand cancer step by step
Common questions after a cancer diagnosis
Latest cancer news
Fresh, plain-language fact-checks and explainers on new research, viral claims, approvals and public health news — new posts added constantly.
- Public healthCan a Phone Game Get You Moving? What Pokémon Go's Step Data Actually ShowedStudies measured real step-count increases among Pokémon Go players. Here's what the data shows, why exercise matters for cancer risk, and where the two connect — and don't.
- Public healthFree Ways to Get Moving in Bangkok's ParksBangkok has genuinely free, no-registration group exercise every evening and a free weekly 5K run — practical, real options for anyone trying to move more, wherever they are in cancer care.
- Claim CheckDo Air Fryers Cause Cancer? What the Evidence Actually ShowsViral claims say air fryers cause cancer. Here's what's actually known about acrylamide, air frying versus deep frying, and where the real health benefits of air frying lie.
- Scientific developmentsSucralose Byproduct and DNA Damage: What the Study Actually FoundA North Carolina State University study found a sucralose manufacturing byproduct damaged DNA in lab-grown human cells. What it found, what it cannot show, and where regulators currently stand.
- Claim CheckDr. Eric Berg's Instagram Fenbendazole Claim: What the Evidence Actually ShowsAn Instagram post from Dr. Eric Berg, DC, says a $5-a-dose dewormer helped stage 4 cancer patients reach complete remission, and that no one will study a drug that cheap. Here's what's actually been tested — and what ASCO says about it.
- Drug approvals & regulationTelomelysin, a Cancer-Killing Virus Therapy, Was Just Approved in Japan — Here's What It Is (and Isn't)A viral post celebrates Japan's approval of Telomelysin, an oncolytic virus therapy, for esophageal cancer. Here's what was actually approved, and why it isn't available in the U.S. yet.
- Claim CheckDave Asprey Says Sunscreen Ingredients Get Absorbed Into Your Blood — Here's the Real StoryA viral post featuring biohacker Dave Asprey warns that chemical sunscreen ingredients are absorbed into the bloodstream. The underlying FDA data is real — here's what it actually means, and what it doesn't.
- Scientific developmentsPatrick Soon-Shiong's ANKTIVA Claims Are Spreading Fast on Social Media — Here's What the FDA Itself SaidMultiple viral posts feature Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong describing ANKTIVA (IL-15 immunotherapy) treating brain tumors and reframing cancer as immune collapse. The FDA sent his own company a warning letter over similar claims — here's what it found.
- Scientific developmentsPersonalized Cancer Vaccines Are Real — But Cost and Access Are the Part Viral Posts SkipExcitement over personalized mRNA cancer vaccines is spreading on social media. Here's what's genuinely promising about them, and the real cost and access barriers that come with individualized treatment.
- Public healthDoes Zinc Cream Work? Its Real Uses — Including in SunscreenA dermatologist's viral post asks a simple question: does zinc cream work? Here's what zinc oxide is actually good for, including its role as a mineral sunscreen ingredient tied to skin cancer prevention.
- Public diagnoses & survivorshipThe Viral Clip of a News Anchor's On-Air Skin Cancer Diagnosis: What HappenedA viral clip shows a TV anchor getting a mole diagnosed as skin cancer live on air. Here's the context, and why the moment is a good reminder to get unusual spots checked.
- Public diagnoses & survivorshipDolph Lundgren's Cancer Story: What to Know Beyond the Viral VersionA viral post recounts actor Dolph Lundgren's cancer journey and the routine he credits for his recovery. Here's context on his real, publicly documented diagnosis and treatment, and what to take from his story.
Explore Cancer Explained
- Cancer typesLearn about specific types of cancer.Explore →
- Tests & scansUnderstand tests, scans, and procedures.Explore →
- TreatmentsTreatment options and approaches.Explore →
- Side effectsWhat to expect and how to manage them.Explore →
- Reports & resultsMake sense of lab and pathology reports.Explore →
- Cancer termsDefinitions of common cancer words.Explore →
- Prevention & healthy livingNutrition, exercise, and lowering your risk.Explore →
- Myths & fact-checksViral claims, checked against real sources.Explore →
Healthy living
Cancer information is not only for people who have cancer. What you eat, how you move, and what you screen for all change your risk — here is the evidence, in plain language.
- Eating & nutritionWhat the evidence says about food and cancer risk — no fads, no supplement pitch.Eat well →
- Exercise & movementActivity is linked to lower risk of 13 cancers, and to better recovery after treatment.Get moving →
- Lower your riskTobacco, alcohol, sun, vaccines and weight — the changes that actually move the needle.See prevention →
- Find a group near youFree walking groups, parks, run clubs and cancer-specific fitness programs.Find a program →
Free downloadable guides
Our articles on one topic, gathered into a single printable PDF — read online or download to keep.
- Just DiagnosedA calm, ordered starting point for the first weeks after a cancer diagnosis — reading your pathology report, getting a second opinion, and building your care team.Read the guidePDF
- Understanding TreatmentHow the major cancer treatments work — chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy — and how to think through a treatment plan and clinical trials.Read the guidePDF
- Cancer ScreeningA plain-language walkthrough of cancer screening — what it can and can't do, the tests for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer, and what a false-positive result actually means.Read the guidePDF
- Prevention & RiskWhat actually raises or lowers cancer risk — alcohol, weight, sun exposure, HPV vaccination — separated from the claims that don't hold up.Read the guidePDF
- Eating Through TreatmentGentle, practical guidance for eating during cancer treatment — nausea, mouth sores, taste changes, food safety, and keeping enough calories and protein in you.Read the guidePDF
- CaregivingPractical guidance for people caring for someone with cancer — daily tasks, communicating with the care team, burnout, and taking care of yourself too.Read the guidePDF
Cancer words, explained simply
Every term on the site is defined in plain language, based on National Cancer Institute resources.
Metastasis
The process by which cancer cells spread from where they first formed to another part of the body.
Stage
The extent of a cancer, such as how large the tumor is and whether it has spread.
Biopsy
A procedure in which a doctor removes a sample of abnormal tissue so a pathologist can examine it under a microscope. It is often the only way to tell for sure if you have cancer.
Chemotherapy
A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells or stop their growth. Also called chemo.
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