Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
A plain-language directory of the organizations behind cancer care in the United States — what each federal agency actually does, which guideline bodies set the standards, how NCI-designated and academic cancer centers differ from community practices, and which nonprofits give real, free help with money, travel, lodging, legal questions and peer support. Every page explains what the organization is for, what it can and cannot do for you, and links to its own official resources.
Articles about Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
1-800-QUIT-NOW and free help to stop smoking
The CDC points smokers to free quitline coaching at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, text support, and the quitSTART app. Here is what these services do and do not offer.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
211: the free helpline most cancer patients never try
211 is a free, confidential helpline via United Way that connects people to local help with housing, food, and bills, useful for cancer needs.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
AACR and how cancer research gets shared
The American Association for Cancer Research, founded in 1907, is a scientific membership organization. Here is what AACR offers patients and what it does not.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Academic vs community cancer care: how to compare them
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and community oncology practices offer different strengths. Here is how the designation works and how to weigh the trade-offs honestly.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
ACR accreditation and what it says about an imaging center
The American College of Radiology accredits imaging facilities. Here is how to check whether a center is accredited and what that does and does not promise.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
AHRQ and how care quality gets measured
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality funds research and tools to make care safer. What AHRQ does, and what it cannot do for a cancer patient.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
American Cancer Society resources and how to use them
The American Cancer Society runs a 24/7 Cancer Helpline, free rides to treatment, and free lodging. Here is what it can actually do for you and how to ask.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
ARPA-H and high-risk cancer research
ARPA-H funds bold health research aimed at breakthroughs in years, not decades. Here is what its cancer programs try to do, and why that is not treatment now.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
ASCO and Cancer.Net: guidelines written for patients
ASCO writes guidelines oncologists use and long ran the patient site Cancer.Net. Here is what ASCO offers patients and where its patient content lives now.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
ASTRO and patient resources for radiation therapy
ASTRO, the radiation oncology society, makes free patient brochures and videos in English and Spanish and runs the APEx accreditation program for practices.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Cancer Legal Resource Center: free legal information for cancer
The Cancer Legal Resource Center gives free legal information on jobs, insurance and benefits during cancer. Here is what it offers and its limits.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Cancer registries: who counts cancer in the United States
The CDC National Program of Cancer Registries funds the registries behind US cancer statistics. What they collect, how data is protected, what they cannot do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Cancer Research Institute and immunotherapy information
The Cancer Research Institute funds immunotherapy research and publishes patient information about it. Here is what CRI offers patients and what it does not.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
CancerCare: free counseling and financial help from oncology social workers
CancerCare offers free counseling from oncology social workers, a Hopeline, support groups, and limited financial and co-payment assistance. Here is how to reach it.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Colorectal Cancer Alliance: helpline and patient support
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance runs a free helpline, patient navigation, and financial help for colorectal cancer. Here is what it offers and its limits.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Commission on Cancer accreditation, explained
The Commission on Cancer accredits nearly 1,400 US cancer programs. Here is how to check whether yours is accredited, and what accreditation does not mean.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
FDA expanded access: getting a drug outside a trial
FDA expanded access, or compassionate use, can let a patient try an investigational drug outside a trial. Here are the criteria and what it cannot promise.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Free breast and cervical cancer screening through the CDC program
The CDC National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free or low-cost screening to women who qualify. What it covers and what it does not.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Getting a second opinion at a cancer center
The National Cancer Institute says second opinions are very common and often covered by insurance. Here is how to arrange one and what to evaluate when you have two plans.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Healthcare.gov and getting covered when you have cancer
Healthcare.gov is the CMS-run Health Insurance Marketplace. Plans must cover ten essential health benefits and cannot reject you for a cancer history.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Hope Lodge and other free lodging near cancer treatment
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge offers free rooms near treatment centers. Here is who qualifies, what it provides, and what it does not cover.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
How Family Reach helps pay for cancer's everyday bills
Family Reach is a nonprofit that helps cancer patients cover rent, food, utilities and transportation. Here is what it offers and how to apply.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
How free flights for cancer treatment actually work
Volunteer pilot networks like Air Care Alliance coordinate free flights for cancer patients traveling to treatment. Here is how it works and what it does not cover.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
How to check an oncologist's credentials
How to verify board certification through the American Board of Medical Specialties and check a state medical license, plus what those checks can and cannot tell you.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
How to use ClinicalTrials.gov without getting lost
ClinicalTrials.gov is the U.S. government database of clinical research studies. Here is who runs it, what a study record holds, and how to search it calmly.
7 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
How university cancer research is funded
How National Cancer Institute grants reach university labs, what R01 and P30 awards pay for, and why academic centers often have new trials before anyone else.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
HRSA: health centers and safety-net care for cancer patients
The Health Resources and Services Administration funds health centers and safety-net care for vulnerable patients. What HRSA can and cannot do for you.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Imerman Angels: free one-on-one cancer mentor matching
Imerman Angels matches cancer patients and caregivers with a trained peer who has faced a similar diagnosis. Here is how the matching works and its limits.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Indian Health Service and cancer care
The Indian Health Service provides care to eligible American Indians and Alaska Natives. Here is how the system works, what Purchased/Referred Care means, and its limits.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Kesem: free camp and support for kids of a parent with cancer
Kesem runs free Camp Kesem and year-round programs for children ages 6 to 18 whose parent has cancer. Here is what it offers and how to sign up.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society resources, now Blood Cancer United
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society now operates as Blood Cancer United. Here are its named financial aid, copay, travel, and Information Specialist programs.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Look Good Feel Better: free help with appearance side effects
Look Good Feel Better offers free workshops and guides for skin, hair and nail changes during cancer treatment. Here is what the program does and does not do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
MedlinePlus and PubMed: reading the research yourself
MedlinePlus and PubMed are both run by the National Library of Medicine. Here is what each one is for, how they differ, and where each one stops being useful.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
NCCIH and complementary approaches during cancer
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health studies complementary approaches for safety and usefulness. Here is what NCCIH is and is not.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
NCCN guidelines and the patient versions you can read
NCCN writes the cancer treatment guidelines many oncologists follow, and publishes free plain-language versions for patients. Here is how to find and use them.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
NCI-designated cancer centers and what designation means
NCI-designated cancer centers meet federal standards for cancer research. Here is what the designation means for patients, and what it does not promise you.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
NeedyMeds and prescription assistance for cancer drugs
NeedyMeds is a nonprofit database of prescription assistance programs and discount tools. Here is what it offers cancer patients and what it does not.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
NIOSH and research on cancer risk at work
NIOSH is the federal research institute for worker safety. It studies cancer risk on the job and makes recommendations, but it does not enforce workplace rules.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
OSHA and cancer-causing exposures at work
OSHA sets enforceable limits on hazardous substances at work and protects workers who report unsafe conditions. Here is what it can and cannot do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Patient Advocate Foundation case management explained
Patient Advocate Foundation case managers work on your behalf with insurers, employers and agencies. Here is who qualifies for PAF and how to start a case.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Prevent Cancer Foundation and screening awareness
The Prevent Cancer Foundation focuses only on cancer prevention and early detection. Here is what it offers people today and what it does not do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
SEER: where cancer survival statistics come from
The NCI SEER Program collects cancer data from registries covering much of the United States. Here is what it publishes and what its numbers cannot tell you.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Social Security disability and cancer, including Compassionate Allowances
The Social Security Administration runs disability benefits and a program called Compassionate Allowances that speeds up claims for certain serious conditions, including many cancers.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Susan G. Komen resources for breast cancer patients
Susan G. Komen runs a Breast Care Helpline and a Patient Care Center offering navigation, emotional support and financial assistance. Here is how to reach them.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
The Defense Department's cancer research programs
The Defense Department's CDMRP funds cancer research with money Congress sets aside, and patient advocates help decide what gets funded. Here is what that means.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
The Department of Labor, FMLA and time off for cancer
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division explains and enforces FMLA. Here is what the law provides, who is covered, and what the agency can and cannot do for you.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
The EEOC and your workplace rights with cancer
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces the ADA and publishes guidance on cancer at work. Here is what it says about accommodations, privacy, and filing a charge.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
The National Toxicology Program and the Report on Carcinogens
The National Toxicology Program prepares the Report on Carcinogens for HHS. Here is who they are, what a listing means, and what it does not say about your own risk.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
The NCI Cancer Information Service: free help from a real person
The NCI Cancer Information Service answers cancer questions by phone, chat and email, free, in English and Spanish. Here is what it can and cannot do for you.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
The USPSTF and where screening recommendations come from
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an independent panel that grades screening tests. How its A through D and I grades work, and their limits.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
VA cancer care and the National Oncology Program
The VA National Oncology Program coordinates cancer care across VA medical centers, including teleoncology, precision oncology, screening and clinical trials for veterans.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What brain tumor nonprofits like NBTS and ABTA offer patients
The National Brain Tumor Society and American Brain Tumor Association fund research and offer support navigation, peer mentors, and trial finders.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What childhood cancer nonprofits like St. Baldrick's and ACCO offer families
St. Baldrick's Foundation and the American Childhood Cancer Organization fund pediatric cancer research and offer families information and support.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What CMS does and why it matters to cancer patients
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services runs Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and the Marketplace. What CMS is, and what it can and cannot do for you.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What GO2 for Lung Cancer's HelpLine and screening resources offer
GO2 for Lung Cancer runs a free HelpLine, a screening center locator, and peer support programs. Here is what it offers lung cancer patients and what it does not do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What HHS does in cancer care
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services runs the federal agencies behind cancer research, coverage and public health. Here is what HHS does and does not do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What Living Beyond Breast Cancer offers metastatic patients
Living Beyond Breast Cancer runs a free helpline, financial grants and virtual communities for people with metastatic breast cancer. Here is what it offers and what it does not do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What NMDP (Be The Match) does for transplant patients
NMDP, formerly Be The Match, matches patients with blood stem cell donors and offers patient navigation. Here is what it does and what it does not do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What PanCAN offers people with pancreatic cancer
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) offers free case management, biomarker testing guidance and support groups. Here is what it can and cannot do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the American Institute for Cancer Research does
The American Institute for Cancer Research funds research and publishes cancer prevention recommendations on diet, weight, and activity. Here is what its guidance is and is not for.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network offers patients
BCAN, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, offers bladder cancer patients education, matched peer connection, and disease advocacy support programs.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Cancer Support Community's free helpline offers
Cancer Support Community runs a free helpline, support groups and an online community for people affected by cancer. Here is what it offers and what it does not do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the CDC does about cancer
The CDC Division of Cancer Prevention and Control runs screening, prevention and data programs. Here is what the CDC can offer a patient today and what it cannot do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the EPA does about chemicals and cancer risk
The EPA estimates the chance that environmental chemicals cause harm. Here is what EPA risk assessment means, and what it cannot tell you about your own cancer.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the FDA does when a cancer drug is approved
The FDA Oncology Center of Excellence reviews cancer treatments. Here is what it does, what its programs offer patients, and what the FDA cannot do for you.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Kidney Cancer Association offers patients
The Kidney Cancer Association funds research and offers free patient education, adapted from its own publication on living with kidney cancer.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Livestrong Foundation offers cancer survivors
The Livestrong Foundation offers fertility help, survivorship guides and cancer-informed fitness classes. Here is what it provides and what it does not do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Lymphoma Research Foundation offers patients
The Lymphoma Research Foundation funds lymphoma research and offers a support line, peer connections, financial help, and treatment navigation.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Melanoma Research Alliance does for patients
The Melanoma Research Alliance funds melanoma research and offers patients a clinical trial locator, peer support community, and travel assistance.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and its patient navigators do
The MMRF funds multiple myeloma research and offers a Patient Navigation Center, peer mentors, and financial and transportation support.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the National Cancer Institute is and how to use it
The National Cancer Institute is the federal government's main agency for cancer research and training. Here is what NCI offers patients and what it cannot do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the NIH does and how it funds cancer research
The National Institutes of Health funds most federal cancer research through grants to universities and hospitals. Here is what NIH does and what it cannot do.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance offers patients
OCRA funds ovarian and gynecologic cancer research, and offers peer mentoring, counseling, a doctor locator, and a free genetic testing program for patients.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What the Prostate Cancer Foundation does for patients
The Prostate Cancer Foundation funds prostate cancer research and offers patient guides, a clinical trial finder, and support resources at no cost.
5 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
What Triage Cancer offers for legal and insurance questions
Triage Cancer is a nonprofit that provides free education on cancer-related legal, insurance and employment issues. Here is what it offers and what it does not do.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
WHO and IARC: how substances get labeled cancer-causing
The International Agency for Research on Cancer is the WHO's cancer agency. Here is what IARC does, what a classification means, and what it cannot tell you.
6 min read · Beginner
Who Does What: Agencies & Organizations
Who to call about hospice and palliative care organizations
The National Alliance for Care at Home sets standards for hospice and home care. Here is what it does, and where to actually find a provider.
5 min read · Beginner
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