Esophageal Cancer Resources
This list includes resources you're likely to use most often and those that are
the richest sources of specific information on esophageal cancer. All entries in
each category are listed in alphabetical order, not by importance.
While searching for information, if you cannot find esophageal cancer in a list
of cancers in a reference book or on a web site, look under cancers of the
digestive system or head and neck.
Organizations providing general cancer
information
-
American Cancer Society (ACS) National Office
1599 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329-4251
(800) ACS-2345
http://www.cancer.org
The American Cancer Society has many national and local programs to help cancer
patients with travel, lodging, and emotional support. They also offer a 24-hour
support line for both English- and Spanish-speaking cancer patients.
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Bethesda, MD 20892
(800) 4-CANCER
http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov
A division of the US National Institutes of Health, the NCI has an enormous web
site, numerous statements, booklets, and books about cancer treatment and care,
and a hotline to help cancer patients with a variety of issues such as physician
referrals. To learn of the newest treatments available, call (800) 4-CANCER and
ask for the PDQ (Physicians Data Query) summary for esophageal cancer. These
free statements explain the disease, state-of-the-art treatments, and ongoing
clinical trials. There are two versions available: one for patients that uses
simple language and contains no statistics and one for professionals that is
technical, thorough, and includes citations to the scientific literature. The
PDQ can also be found on the Internet at http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/pdq.html.
Esophageal cancer Internet support
groups
Internet support groups (listservs or chat rooms) are free, email or chat room
discussions on specific topics of interest. Email subscribers receive copies of
emails sent by any members of the group to the Listserv. Some active groups
generate dozens of messages a day. If you subscribe to the "digest" mode, you
will receive one email containing all of the messages posted that day. Email
discussion groups are an excellent way to connect with people in similar
circumstances. Chat rooms can be either "live" chats or "bulletin board" type
chats. A live chat is similar to walking into a room where a discussion is
already taking place except you will be typing your messages. In the bulletin
board type of chat room, a participant may post a message, and others will
usually respond right below that message. With any of these support groups, you
may elect to participate or just observe by reading the messages of others and
the responses that their messages generate.
-
ACOR (Association of Cancer Online Resources) hosts dozens of cancer
email discussion groups including one on esophageal cancer called EC-GROUP. This
mailing list is for physicians, patients, and their families to discuss all
issues concerning esophageal cancer and to offer individual support. ACOR also
hosts discussion groups on CANCER, CANCER-FATIGUE, CANCER-PAIN, CANCER-PARENTS,
and dozens of others. ACOR offers a convenient automatic subscription feature
for discussion mailing lists at www.acor.org. Click on mailing lists (on the left nav
bar); then click on the group you are interested in joining.
- Yahoo hosts two esophageal chats each week: Sunday at 7:00 PST/10:00
EST and Wednesday 6:00 PST/9:00 EST. You can sign up for the Yahoo Esophageal
Cancer Club and Chat Room at http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/esophagealcancer.
- OncoLink, at the University of Pennsylvania, has an online FAQ
(document answering frequently asked questions) about cancer listservs at http://oncolink.org/resources/faq/listserv.html.
General cancer reading and reference
material
-
The Cancer Dictionary, Second Edition, by Robert Altman and Michael Sarg.
Checkmark Books, 1999.
- A Cancer Survivor's Almanac: Charting Your Journey, edited by Barbara
Hoffman, JD.
John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
- Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy, Third Edition, edited by Malin
Dollinger, MD.
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 1998.
- Final Gifts by Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley. Bantam Books,
1997
- Informed Decisions: The Complete Book of Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and
Recovery by Gerald P. Murphy, MD, Lois B. Morris, and Dianne Lange. Viking,
1997.
- Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and
Complementary Approaches to Cancer by Michael Lerner. The MIT Press, 1996.
- When a Parent Has Cancer: A Guide to Caring for Your Children by
Wendy Schlessel Harpham. HarperCollins, 1997.
- The Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Survival Guide by Judith McKay
and Nancee Hirano. New Harbinger Publications, 1998.
- Sexuality and Fertility after Cancer by Leslie R. Schover. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc., 1997.
- When Life Becomes Precious by Elise Needell Babcock. Bantam Books,
1997.
- Working with Your
Doctor by Nancy Keene. O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. 1998
Online Resources
-
CancerGuide
http://www.cancerguide.org
Steve Dunn, a cancer survivor, clearly explains cancer types and staging,
chemotherapy, pathology reports, and the pros and cons of researching your own
cancer. He recommends books, includes inspirational patient stories, and has
links to many of the best cancer sites on the Internet.
- CancerNet
http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/
An NCI sponsored comprehensive source of cancer information including types of
cancer, treatment options, clinical trials, genetics, coping, support,
resources, and cancer literature. CancerNet is one of the most comprehensive
information sources for cancer patients on the net.
- CanSearch: Online Guide to Cancer Resources
http://www.cansearch.org/canserch/canserch.htm
Service of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship that leads you
step-by-step through an online search.
- Clinical Trials
http://clinicaltrials.gov
A consumer friendly database sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that
provides information on more than 4,000 federal and private medical studies
involving patients at more than 47,000 locations nationwide.
- Esophagus CancerLinks
http://www.cancerlinks.org/esophaguscanlinks.html
A web site designed to help make searching the Internet for information on
esophageal cancer easier. A Spanish version is also available.
- Kathy's Esophageal Café
http://www.tznet.com/wolfgram/ec/cafe/index.html-ssi
Members of the esophageal cancer listserv EC-GROUP created this web site to
provide links to esophageal cancer-related sites.
- OncoLink
http://www.oncolink.org/disease/esophageal/
OncoLink was founded in 1994 by University of Pennsylvania cancer specialists to
help cancer patients, families, health care professionals, and the general
public get accurate cancer-related information at no charge. It contains general
information, symptom management, psychosocial support and personal experiences,
overviews of different types of cancer, answers to frequently asked questions,
treatment options, and current news.
- PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed
The National Library of Medicine's free search service provides access to the 9
million citations in MEDLINE (with links to participating online journals), and
other related databases. Also includes FAQs, news, and clinical alerts.
- Ron Ginnetty's Health Links
http://www.tznet.com/wolfgram/ec/cafe/articles/healthlinks.html-
ssi
Extensive list of alphabetized links to sites covering dozens of topics
including esophageal cancer, clinical trials, online dictionaries, fatigue,
finances, law and insurance, libraries and journals, and Internet hoaxes.
Free Air Services
-
Air Care Alliance
(800) 296-1217
http://www.aircareall.org/
ACA is a nationwide association of humanitarian flying organizations. Founded in
1990, ACA members have safely flown 24,000 patients to and from medical
treatments.
- Corporate Angel Network, Inc. (CAN)
Westchester County Airport, Building 1
White Plains, NY 10604
(800) 328-4226 or (914) 328-1313
A nationwide nonprofit program designed to give patients with cancer the use of
available seats on corporate aircraft to get to and from recognized cancer
treatment centers. Patients must be able to walk and travel without life-support
systems or medical attention. There are no cost or financial need requirements.
Companies that will do medical information
searches for a fee:
-
Can Help (360) 437-2291
- Planetree Health Resource Center (415) 923-3681
- Schine On-Line Services (800) FIND-CURE
- The Health Resource, Inc. (501) 329-5272
This fact sheet was developed by Nancy Keene, an author of several
Patient-Centered Guides, including, with Wendy Hobbie and Kathy Ruccione,
Childhood Cancer
Survivors: A Practical Guide to Your Future, ©
Patient-Centered Guides, 2000. Call (800) 998-9938 or check
www.patientcenters.com
for more information.
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