Public health
Plain-language public-health explainers grounded in National Cancer Institute education.
Every page here follows one idea: what happened, why it matters, and what it does not mean. Educational only — not medical advice.
- Infection risk and weak immune systems during cancer treatment · 2026Suspected Pneumonic Plague Case in Russia: What Experts and the CDC SayA lab technician in Russia died of pneumonia that may have been plague. Experts and the CDC say the risk elsewhere is very low. Here is what was reported and what the CDC says about plague.
- Mold, fungal infections and people with weak immune systems · 2026HHS Hosts a Mold Roundtable: What Was Announced, What Experts Said, and What the Evidence SupportsOn September 18, 2026, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hosted a roundtable on mold and fungal illness. Here is what was announced, what different speakers said, and what CDC and EPA say the evidence shows.
- Cancer statistics · 2026Which Cancer Kills the Most People in the US? The 2026 NumbersLung cancer causes the most cancer deaths in the United States, about 1 in 5 of the total. Here are the leading cancer killers for 2026 and what has changed.
- Cancer statistics · 2026Which Cancer Is the Most Deadly? It Depends on How You CountLung cancer kills the most people in the US each year. Pancreatic cancer is among the hardest to survive once found. Both can be called "most deadly." Here is how the numbers differ.
- Cancer statistics · 2026The 10 Leading Causes of Death in the US (2024) and How to Lower Your RiskHeart disease and cancer lead the CDC's 2024 list. Here are all 10 leading causes of death in the United States, with the prevention steps health agencies recommend.
- Cancer awareness · 2026Cancer Awareness Months: What Each Month Highlights, and What October MeansOctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Liver Cancer Awareness Month. Here is a month-by-month guide to cancer awareness observances, and how to use them wisely.
- patient-questions · 2026Chlorthalidone Blood Pressure Pills Recalled: What to Check and What to DoA batch of chlorthalidone 25 mg tablets was recalled nationwide. It is not a cancer story, and no cancer risk was reported. Here is what the FDA record says and what to do if you take this medicine.
- general · 2026Florida Is Investigating a Flour Additive Called Potassium Bromate — Here's What It IsA WFLA Instagram reel reports that Florida's Attorney General is investigating a flour additive that may cause cancer, including flour sold for school meals. That is accurate. Here is what potassium bromate is, how IARC rates it, and what a subpoena does and does not prove.
- Cadmium in counterfeit jewelry and cancer risk · 2026Cadmium in 'Silver' Jewelry from Amazon and TikTok Shop: What The Sunday Times Found, and What It Means for YouAn Instagram post from The Times cites a Sunday Times investigation that found jewelry sold as sterling silver on Amazon and TikTok Shop was mostly cadmium, a known carcinogen. Here is what that does and does not mean for someone who bought a piece.
- skin · 2026A Dermatologist's Instagram Post on Spotting Basal Cell CarcinomaA viral Instagram reel from a dermatologist shows what basal cell carcinoma looks like, including on darker skin. The post checks out — here's the fuller picture and what to do next.
- Physical activity, exercise adherence, and cancer risk reduction · 2016Can 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.
- Physical activity access and community exercise options, relevant to cancer prevention and survivorship · 2026Free 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.
- skin cancer · 2026Does 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.
- skin cancer · 2026Tretinoin, Azelaic Acid, and Glycolic Acid: What These Dermatologist-Favorite Ingredients Actually DoViral dermatology accounts frequently promote stacking tretinoin, azelaic acid, and glycolic acid. Here's what each ingredient actually does, and why sun protection matters more than ever while using them.
- skin cancer · 2026Tinea Versicolor vs. Age Spots (and When a Skin Spot Needs a Cancer Check)A dermatologist's viral post explains tinea versicolor, a common skin condition often confused with age spots. Here's what it is — and how it differs from the skin changes that do need a cancer check.
- general · 2026Nattokinase and Blood Flow: What's Actually Studied, Separated From Detox ClaimsA viral post promotes nattokinase, a soy-derived enzyme, for blood flow and 'detox' purposes. Here's what's genuinely studied about it, apart from unproven detox framing.
- skin cancer · 2026Imiquimod Cream: The Real Immunology Behind a Skin Cancer TreatmentA viral dermatology post explains how imiquimod cream works. It's a real, FDA-approved topical treatment used for certain precancerous and cancerous skin lesions — here's what it does.
- general · 2026Food Containers and 'Toxins': What Microplastics Research Actually Shows About Cancer RiskA viral post warns that heated plastic and takeout containers leach 'toxins' into food. Here's what's actually established about microplastics and cancer risk — and what's still unproven.
- general · 2026A Cancer Neurosurgeon's Advice on Breathing Through Hard News — and Why It Holds UpA viral clip features Dr. Rahul Jandial, a cancer neurosurgeon, explaining why controlling your breathing is a first step when facing bad news. Here's the context on him and the underlying science.
- Pancreatic cancer · 2026What 'The Worst Person in the World' Gets Right About a Late-Stage Cancer DiagnosisIn Joachim Trier's 2021 film, Aksel's pancreatic cancer diagnosis reshapes his final months with Julie. Here's how the film's portrayal compares with what NCI says about the disease.
- Cancer (general) · 2026Wade Wilson's Cancer in Deadpool: Comic Origin, Movies, and the Real MedicineWade Wilson's terminal cancer diagnosis is the reason he becomes Deadpool. Here's how the comics and films use that plot, and what multi-organ cancer actually means.
- Coping with serious illness; adolescent and young adult cancer · 2026What 'Then Came You' Gets Right (and Skips) About Cancer Bucket ListsThe 2018 film follows a teenager with cancer chasing a bucket list before she dies. Here's the real psychology behind that impulse, and why it isn't the only way to cope.
- Cancer vs. other neurological diagnoses (differential diagnosis) · 2026What 'The Resident' Got Right (and Simplified) About Diagnosing Neurological SymptomsDr. Randolph Bell's multiple sclerosis storyline on 'The Resident' is a reminder that cognitive and motor symptoms have many possible causes — and why doctors work through them methodically before landing on a diagnosis.
- Fictional cancer systems in games; real diagnosis and treatment timelines · 2026When Your Sim Gets Cancer: What Game Mods Get Right (and Wrong) About TreatmentPlayer-made illness mods for The Sims 4 let fans simulate cancer diagnosis and treatment as gameplay. Here's what those mods are for, and how real diagnosis and treatment actually unfold.
- Breast cancer · 2026The Wig Speech: Samantha Jones's Breast Cancer StorylineSamantha Jones's breast cancer arc in Sex and the City gave TV one of its most memorable wig-removal moments. Here's what the show got right about mastectomy, chemo, and hair loss.
- Breast cancer; family relationships during treatment · 2026What 'Pieces of April' Gets Right About Family, Estrangement, and Breast CancerThe 2003 film follows an estranged family reuniting for Thanksgiving around a mother's breast cancer. Here's what the movie shows accurately about treatment and family strain — and what it compresses for the screen.
- Lung cancer · 2026The Lie That Held a Family Together in The FarewellIn The Farewell, a family hides a lung cancer diagnosis from the grandmother they love. The film is fiction, but the question it raises about truth-telling in cancer care is real.
- Breast cancer · 2026How Murphy Brown's Breast Cancer Storyline Changed the ConversationIn 1997, the sitcom Murphy Brown gave its title character breast cancer — one of the first major storylines of its kind. Here's what happened on screen and what real breast cancer care looks like today.
- Patient communication and terminal illness · 2026What 'Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.' Gets Right About Talking to Cancer PatientsThe 2003 Bollywood hit's 'magic hug' storyline is fiction, but the gap it highlights between cold clinical talk and compassionate communication is a real, studied problem in cancer care.
- Terminal cancer and disclosure to loved ones · 2026More Than Blue: What K's Hidden Cancer Diagnosis Gets Right and WrongThe film More Than Blue turns a hidden terminal diagnosis into romance. Oncologists and grief counselors see it differently — here's the real medicine and psychology behind concealing cancer from the people who love you.
- Thyroid cancer; adolescent and young adult hospice care · 2026What 'The Midnight Club' Gets Right — and Skips — About Terminally Ill TeensNetflix's 'The Midnight Club' imagines terminally ill teenagers telling stories at a hospice called Brightcliffe. Here's how that compares to real adolescent and young adult palliative care — and why thyroid cancer, Ilonka's diagnosis, is usually far more treatable than the show suggests.
- Cervical cancer · 2026What 'The Room Next Door' Gets Right About Cervical CancerTilda Swinton plays a war correspondent with advanced cervical cancer in Pedro Almodóvar's The Room Next Door. Here's the real medicine behind her story.
- Breast cancer · 2026What 'Ma Ma' Gets Right About Breast Cancer, Motherhood, and What It CompressesThe 2015 film 'Ma Ma' follows Magda through mastectomy, chemotherapy, pregnancy, and recurrence. Here's how her story lines up with real breast cancer treatment.
- Breast cancer · 2026Kristina Braverman's Breast Cancer Storyline on ParenthoodHow NBC's Parenthood portrayed Kristina Braverman's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment through the eyes of her whole family, and what the show got right about real care.
- Thyroid cancer · 2026The Oxygen Tank in Dil Bechara: What Kizie Basu's Thyroid Cancer Gets RightDil Bechara's Kizie Basu carries an oxygen tank everywhere because her thyroid cancer has spread to her lungs. Here's the real medicine behind her story.
- Inflammatory breast cancer · 2026What Firefly Lane Gets Right About Kate's Rare Breast CancerKate Mularkey's storyline on Firefly Lane centers on inflammatory breast cancer, a rare subtype that shows up as skin changes rather than a lump. Here's the real medicine behind the fiction.
- Stomach cancer · 2026What Marry My Husband Gets Right (and Compresses) About Stomach CancerKang Ji-won's terminal stomach cancer diagnosis sets Marry My Husband in motion. Here's the real medicine behind the plot, from the National Cancer Institute.
- Cervical cancer · 2026What Dead to Me Gets Right — and Compresses — About Judy Hale's Cervical CancerIn its final season, Dead to Me gives Judy Hale a terminal cervical cancer storyline. Here's the real medicine behind it, and why this cancer is one of the most preventable.
- Breast cancer, chemotherapy adherence · 2026When Being a Superhero Undoes Chemo: Jane Foster in The Mighty ThorIn Jason Aaron's 2014 comic run, Jane Foster's transformations into Thor purge her chemotherapy along with her cancer. Here's the real medicine behind that fictional conflict.
- Metastatic melanoma · 2026Izzie Stevens' Melanoma Storyline: What Grey's Anatomy Got Right and SimplifiedIzzie Stevens survives stage IV melanoma that spread to her brain on Grey's Anatomy. Here's what metastatic melanoma really means, and how the show's outcome compares to reality.
- Pancreatic cancer · 2026What 'Her Love Boils Bathwater' Gets Right About a Pancreatic Cancer DiagnosisThe 2016 Japanese film follows a mother preparing her family for her death from pancreatic cancer. Here's how its portrayal compares to the real disease.
- Thyroid cancer with lung metastases; osteosarcoma · 2026The Real Cancers Behind The Fault in Our StarsHazel has thyroid cancer that spread to her lungs; Gus has osteosarcoma. Here's what those diagnoses actually mean, and where the film compresses the medicine.
- Cancer mimics and the diagnostic process · 2026What Grey's Anatomy Got Right About Richard Webber's Cobalt Poisoning ScareA Grey's Anatomy storyline where Dr. Richard Webber's alarming symptoms turn out to be cobalt poisoning from a hip implant, not cancer, is a real, documented condition — and a good lesson in why doctors work through a differential diagnosis before settling on any answer.
- Multiple cancers depicted in episodic medical drama · 2026How Accurate Are Grey's Anatomy's Cancer Storylines, From April Kepner's Cases On?Grey's Anatomy surgeon April Kepner is a way into a bigger question: how well does the show's long run of episodic cancer cases match real oncology?
- Cancer research fundraising campaigns · 2026What Stand Up To Cancer's MLB Placard Moments Actually FundStand Up To Cancer's on-field baseball campaigns turn stadium moments into research dollars. Here's what the organization actually does with the money.
- Recurrent breast cancer · 2026"The Family Stone": What Sybil's Recurrent Breast Cancer Gets RightIn the 2005 holiday film, matriarch Sybil Stone is living with breast cancer that has come back and spread. The real medicine of recurrence differs from a first diagnosis in ways the movie only gestures at.
- Cancer diagnosis process · 2026What Bones' Cam Saroyan Can Teach Us About a Cancer ScareForensic pathologist Camille Saroyan of the TV series Bones faces a suspected cancer diagnosis — a chance to look at how doctors actually confirm or rule out cancer, and why waiting for results is so hard.
- Cancer treatment costs and financial toxicity · 2026The Real Reason Walter White Cooked: What 'Breaking Bad' Gets Right About Cancer's Price TagWalter White's insurance couldn't cover his lung cancer treatment, and pride kept him from taking his friends' money. Here's what the real financial burden of cancer care looks like — and where patients can actually find help.
- Cancer in adolescents; family dynamics · 2026What 'Babyteeth' Gets Right About Loving a Teenager Through CancerThe 2019 film 'Babyteeth' follows a teenager with cancer falling in love for the first time, capturing a real dilemma families face: how much to protect, and how much to let a sick teenager simply live.
- Acute myeloid leukemia · 2026April Carver's Leukemia in Chasing Life: The Real Medicine Behind the DramaThe ABC Family/Freeform series Chasing Life follows a young journalist through an acute leukemia diagnosis. Here's what the show gets right about young-adult leukemia, and what real treatment looks like.
- Ovarian cancer · 2026What We Live in Time Gets Right About Ovarian CancerFlorence Pugh's character Almut faces an ovarian cancer recurrence in the film We Live in Time — here's the real medicine behind the story.
- Absolute lymphocyte count and blood test monitoring during cancer treatment · 2026What Is Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC), and Why Do Oncologists Track It?A viral educational reel about absolute lymphocyte count is a good reason to explain what this common lab value measures and why cancer care teams watch it.
- Children coping with a parent's cancer · 2026What 'A Monster Calls' Gets Right About Kids and a Parent's CancerThe 2016 film's tree monster and fables are fantasy, but the grief, guilt, and anger they help a boy process reflect real, documented experiences of children whose parent has cancer.
- Younger-adult cancer trends · 2026Cancer Trends in Younger Adults: Rising Rates, Falling Death Rates, and Open QuestionsSome cancer rates are rising among younger adults while death rates may move differently. The pattern varies by cancer and does not have one proven cause.
- Risk-based breast screening · 2026Risk-Based Breast Screening: Why One Schedule May Not Fit EveryoneResearchers are studying screening schedules based on individual risk. Current decisions still depend on validated risk factors and guidance.
- Public cancer diagnoses · 2026When a Public Figure Shares a Cancer Diagnosis: What Responsible Coverage Should DoA public diagnosis can raise awareness, but it does not justify guessing about stage, treatment, cause, prognosis, or private health information.
- Metabolic health and cancer · 2026Metabolic Health and Cancer Risk: What We Know Without Blaming PeopleExcess body weight is linked with higher risk for several cancers, but risk is not certainty and body size is shaped by many factors.
- Colorectal cancer screening · 2026Less-Invasive Colorectal Screening: More Options Still Require Follow-UpStool and blood-based screening may improve access. An abnormal noninvasive test usually needs colonoscopy to find the cause.
- HPV vaccination and cervical cancer · 2026HPV Vaccination and Cervical Cancer Elimination: What Has to Happen TogetherHPV vaccination can prevent infections that cause most cervical cancers. Screening and follow-up remain essential for reaching elimination goals.
- Global cancer access · 2026Cancer Science Is Advancing, but Access Determines Who BenefitsThe world has better tools for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, yet large gaps remain in who can receive them in time.
- Global cancer burden · 2026The Global Cancer Burden Is Rising: What the 2026 Numbers MeanGlobal cancer cases are projected to rise as populations grow and age. The burden is not shared equally, and projections are not destiny.
- Dense breasts and screening · 2026Dense Breasts, AI, and Extra Imaging: Three Questions Often Blended TogetherBreast density can make mammograms harder to read and is linked with risk. AI and supplemental imaging are separate decisions with separate evidence.
- Cancer health disparities · 2026Cancer Progress Is Unequal: Asking Who Actually BenefitsBetter screening and treatment do not reach every community equally. Access, exposure, insurance, geography, and healthcare quality all matter.
- Colorectal cancer risk, prevention, and screening · 2026Fact-Check: Do These Everyday Habits Really Raise Colon Cancer Risk?A popular EatingWell list names sitting, low fiber, alcohol, smoking, and skipped screening as colon cancer risks. We checked each claim against NCI, FDA, ACS, and the WHO's cancer agency.
- screening-access · 2026Public Health Headline: Why Screening Rates MatterA public-health news explainer on cancer screening rates, access barriers, overdiagnosis, and questions patients can ask locally.
- screening reminders · 2026Public-Health Headline: Cancer Screening RemindersWhat screening reminder headlines can and cannot tell patients, with questions about follow-up, access, and abnormal results.
- rural cancer care · 2026Public-Health Headline: Rural Cancer Care and Travel BurdenA patient-question explainer for rural cancer care headlines, including travel, lodging, telehealth, records, and local oncology coordination.
- access · 2026Public Health Headline: Rural Cancer Care AccessA public-health news explainer on rural cancer care barriers, travel, telehealth, second opinions, and support questions.
- HPV vaccination and cancer prevention · 2026Public-Health Headline: HPV Vaccination and Cancer PreventionA source-table explainer for HPV vaccination and cancer-prevention headlines, with patient and parent questions.
- drug-access · 2026Public Health Headline: Cancer Drug Shortage QuestionsA public-health news explainer on cancer drug shortage headlines and what patients can ask without panicking.
- study-literacy · 2026Cancer Study Headline, Translated: Cannabis Smoking and Cancer RiskHeadlines about cannabis smoking and cancer risk need careful reading: method of use, dose, tobacco co-use, and study type matter.
- Diet and digestive cancer risk · 2026Ultra-Processed Foods and Digestive Cancer Risk: What the 2026 Review SaysA 2026 systematic review found an association between higher ultra-processed food intake and digestive system cancers, especially colorectal and colon cancers. The evidence is concerning, but not proof by itself.
- Cannabis smoking and cancer risk · 2026Heavy Marijuana Smoking and Cancer Risk: How to Read the New HeadlinesRecent coverage of USC research raised questions about heavy marijuana smoking, lung cancer, and head and neck cancer. The signal deserves attention, but the dose question is still unsettled.
- Tobacco and cancer · 2026World No Tobacco Day: The Single Biggest Preventable Cause of CancerEvery May 31, World No Tobacco Day highlights the harms of tobacco. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at the link between tobacco and cancer — and the benefits of quitting.
- UV radiation and skin cancer · 2026UV Safety Awareness Month: Small Habits That Protect Your SkinEvery July, UV Safety Awareness Month reminds us to protect our skin and eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Here is calm, NCI-based guidance on sun safety.
- Stomach (gastric) cancer · 2026Stomach Cancer Awareness Month: Learning About a Cancer With Some Preventable CausesEvery November, Stomach Cancer Awareness Month highlights a cancer where certain risk factors, including an infection, can often be addressed. Here is what NCI says.
- Colorectal cancer · 2026Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, and the Colonoscopies That Started With a BetThe Wrexham co-owners filmed their colonoscopies for the Lead From Behind campaign — and both had polyps removed. Here is why that punchline is actually the point of screening.
- Oral, head and neck cancer screening · 2026Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week: Why Free Oral Screenings MatterEach April, Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week brings free walk-in oral cancer screenings. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what those exams can and cannot do.
- Cancer survivorship · 2026National Cancer Survivors Day: Honoring Life After a DiagnosisOn the first Sunday of June, National Cancer Survivors Day celebrates life after a cancer diagnosis. Here is what survivorship means, in NCI's own words.
- Cancer prevention · 2026National Cancer Prevention Month: What We Can Actually Do to Lower RiskEvery February, National Cancer Prevention Month focuses on the everyday choices and steps that can lower cancer risk. Here is a grounded, NCI-based look.
- Multiple myeloma · 2026Myeloma Action Month: Understanding a Cancer of the Plasma CellsEvery March, Myeloma Action Month raises awareness of multiple myeloma. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what this cancer of the plasma cells actually is.
- Men's cancer screening · 2026Movember and Men's Health: Cancer Screening Worth Talking AboutEach November, Movember spotlights men's health, including prostate and testicular cancer. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at screening and awareness for men.
- Liver cancer · 2026Liver Cancer Awareness Month: Understanding a Cancer Closely Tied to the Liver's HealthEvery October, Liver Cancer Awareness Month draws attention to a cancer where protecting liver health matters. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what it is.
- Kidney (renal cell) cancer · 2026Kidney Cancer Awareness Month: Knowing the Risk Factors That Can Be ChangedEvery March, Kidney Cancer Awareness Month highlights a common cancer. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what it is and which risk factors you can influence.
- Gynecologic cancers · 2026Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month: Five Cancers, One Month of UnderstandingEvery September, Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month brings attention to five cancers of the female reproductive system. Here is a calm, NCI-based overview.
- Glioblastoma (brain cancer) · 2026Glioblastoma Awareness Day: Understanding an Aggressive Brain CancerOn the third Wednesday of July, Glioblastoma Awareness Day honors those affected by this brain cancer. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what it is.
- Esophageal cancer · 2026Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month: The Role of Reflux, Tobacco, and AlcoholEvery April, Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month highlights a cancer with several changeable risk factors. Here is a calm, NCI-based overview.
- Cancer awareness, causes & prevention · 2026World Cancer Day: A Calm Look at What Cancer Is — and What We Can DoEvery February 4, World Cancer Day invites people around the globe to learn, talk, and take action. Here is a grounded, NCI-based look at what cancer is and how some cancers can be prevented.
- Ovarian cancer · 2026What Wit Can Teach Us About Ovarian Cancer and Clinical TrialsIn Wit, professor Vivian Bearing faces advanced ovarian cancer and an experimental trial. Here's what those mean, from the National Cancer Institute.
- Thyroid cancer · 2026Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month: A Measured LookEach September, Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month highlights a cancer that is usually treatable. Here is a calm, NCI-based overview, including the nuances of screening.
- Breast cancer · 2026What Thor: Love and Thunder Can Teach Us About Metastatic Breast CancerIn the film, Jane Foster faces stage IV breast cancer. Here's what that diagnosis really means — and why understanding staging matters.
- Stomach cancer · 2026What This Is Us Can Teach Us About Stomach CancerIn This Is Us, William is living with stomach (gastric) cancer. Here's what that diagnosis really means — and the facts behind the story.
- Thyroid cancer and bone cancer · 2026What The Fault in Our Stars Can Teach Us About Thyroid and Bone CancerHazel lives with thyroid cancer that spread to her lungs; Gus has osteosarcoma. Here's what those diagnoses really mean, from the National Cancer Institute.
- Lung cancer · 2026What The Bucket List Can Teach Us About Lung CancerIn The Bucket List, Edward faces advanced lung cancer. Here's what lung cancer really is — and the facts behind the film.
- Melanoma · 2026What The Big C Can Teach Us About MelanomaIn The Big C, Cathy is diagnosed with stage IV melanoma. Here's what melanoma and that staging really mean, from the National Cancer Institute.
- Testicular cancer · 2026Testicular Cancer Awareness Month: A Calm, Clear OverviewEach April, Testicular Cancer Awareness Month focuses on a cancer that most often affects younger men and can usually be cured. Here is what NCI says.
- Breast cancer · 2026What Terms of Endearment Can Teach Us About Breast CancerIn Terms of Endearment, Emma is diagnosed with breast cancer. Here's what breast cancer really is — and the facts behind the film.
- Breast cancer · 2026What Sex and the City Can Teach Us About Breast CancerIn Sex and the City, Samantha Jones is diagnosed with breast cancer and goes through chemotherapy. Here's what breast cancer really is — and why awareness matters.
- Soft tissue sarcoma · 2026Sarcoma Awareness Month: A Rare Cancer That Deserves AttentionEach July, Sarcoma Awareness Month highlights cancers that begin in the body's soft tissues. Here is a calm, NCI-based overview of what they are.
- Prostate cancer & screening · 2026Prostate Cancer Awareness Month: Understanding a Common — and Often Slow-Growing — CancerEach September, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month encourages men to learn about a common cancer and to have an informed conversation about screening. Here is what NCI says.
- Pancreatic cancer · 2026Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month: Understanding a Difficult Diagnosis with ClarityEvery November, Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month brings attention to a cancer that is often found late. Here is a calm, honest, NCI-based look at what that means.
- Ovarian cancer · 2026Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: Knowing the Signs and the FactsEach September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month encourages people to learn about a cancer often found late. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what it is and what NCI supports.
- Leukemia · 2026What My Sister's Keeper Can Teach Us About LeukemiaIn My Sister's Keeper, Kate lives with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of acute myeloid leukemia. Here's what leukemia really is.
- Skin cancer & melanoma · 2026Skin Cancer & Melanoma Awareness Month: A Calm Look at Your SkinEvery May, skin cancer awareness campaigns encourage sun safety and paying attention to your skin. Here is what that actually means, grounded in NCI information.
- Lung cancer, screening & prevention · 2026Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Beyond Blame, Toward UnderstandingEvery November, Lung Cancer Awareness Month focuses on a cancer surrounded by stigma. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what lung cancer is, and what screening and prevention can offer.
- Head and neck cancer · 2026Head and Neck Cancer Awareness: What the Terms Really MeanEach April, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness highlights a group of cancers many people have never heard named. Here is a calm, NCI-based overview.
- Melanoma · 2026What Grey's Anatomy Can Teach Us About Metastatic MelanomaIn Grey's Anatomy, Izzie Stevens is diagnosed with metastatic melanoma that has spread to her brain. Here's what melanoma and metastatic cancer really mean.
- Soft tissue sarcoma · 2026What 50/50 Can Teach Us About Soft Tissue SarcomaIn 50/50, Adam is diagnosed with a rare spinal soft tissue sarcoma. Here's what soft tissue sarcoma really is, from the National Cancer Institute.
- Colorectal cancer & screening · 2026Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Why Screening Can Prevent, Not Just DetectEvery March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month highlights a cancer where finding and removing small growths can stop cancer before it starts. Here is what NCI says.
- Childhood cancers · 2026Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Supporting Children and FamiliesEach September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month stands with children affected by cancer and their families. Here is a calm, NCI-based overview.
- Cervical cancer, screening & HPV · 2026Cervical Cancer Awareness Month: One of the Most Preventable CancersEach January, Cervical Health Awareness Month highlights a cancer that screening and vaccination can help prevent. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what that means.
- Cancer in popular culture · 2026What Movies and TV Get Right — and Wrong — About CancerFrom tearjerker films to hospital dramas, cancer is one of screenwriting's most-used storylines. Here is how on-screen cancer differs from real life.
- Breast cancer & screening · 2026Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Beyond the Pink RibbonEvery October, pink ribbons appear everywhere. Here is how to turn a symbol into something genuinely useful — calm, accurate understanding.
- Lung cancer · 2026What Breaking Bad Can Teach Us About Lung CancerWalter White's inoperable lung cancer sets the whole series in motion. Here's what lung cancer really is, drawn from the National Cancer Institute.
- Brain tumors · 2026Brain Tumor Awareness Month: Understanding a Complex DiagnosisEach May, Brain Tumor Awareness Month supports people affected by brain and spinal cord tumors. Here is a calm, NCI-based look at what these tumors are.
- Blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma · 2026Blood Cancer Awareness Month: Understanding Leukemia, Lymphoma, and MyelomaEach September, Blood Cancer Awareness Month brings attention to cancers of the blood and lymph system. Here is a calm, NCI-based guide to the three main groups.
- Bladder cancer · 2026Bladder Cancer Awareness Month: Knowing the Warning SignsEach May, Bladder Cancer Awareness Month highlights a common cancer whose main warning sign, blood in the urine, is easy to overlook. Here is what NCI says.
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