There are thousands of websites that provide information on complementary cancer treatments. However, when looking for information, you should refer only to those sites that do comprehensive reviews of the published literature and have current and accurate information.

Be wary of sites that:

• report only testimonial evidence from former users
• are promoting a particular product
• are promotions by manufacturers of the product
• refer only to research done by their own company

When referring to websites, try to be sure that they are authoritative and that the information provided is based on sound evidence.

Reading reports on medical research can be quite difficult. You may wish to refer to the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Dictionary of Cancer Terms.

Evidence about effectiveness and safety of both herbal and nonherbal complementary therapies may be found at the following authoritative public websites:

• The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Complementary/Integrative Medicine Education Resources (CIMER) provides detailed scientific reviews of complementary and alternative therapies from aloe vera to Qigong. The site gives information to physicians and other healthcare professionals, the public, and patients to improve the lives of those who choose to use complementary and alternative therapies under the direction of informed physicians. Some pages are available in Spanish and Chinese. The site also includes information on how to communicate with your physician about CAM and an online lecture series featuring leaders in the field of integrative medicine.
• American Cancer Society. This respected organization provides summaries of information about many complementary and alternative therapies that are based on reliable and authoritative resources.
• The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. NCCAM is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is the Federal Government's lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine. NCCAM funds research, trains researchers, and provides authoritative information through their website, including a lecture series, an information clearinghouse, [not relevant to patients] and publication databases.
• The National Cancer Institute's physician data query database contains peer-reviewed summaries on complementary and alternative medicine, along with conventional cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, and supportive care. The summaries contain information about the treatments, their development, how they are thought to work, and relevant laboratory, animal, and clinical studies. Most of the summaries of complementary and alternative therapies are presented in nontechnical language and are easy to understand. There are more technical versions for health professionals. Both include glossary links to scientific terms. The PDQ database has a list of more than 4,000 open cancer clinical trials from around the world (and 15,000 trials that are no longer enrolling patients) and instructions on how to search for a particular trial. It also provides information on physicians and other cancer treatment-related organizations.
• Memorial/Sloan Kettering Cancer Center provides clinical summaries for many complementary therapies, including details about ingredients, adverse effects, interactions with other drugs, and potential benefits or problems. Evaluations of alternative cancer therapies and products for sexual dysfunction are included. A special version of each monograph investigates the often confusing claims made for over-the-counter products and regimens. News and safety alerts, information for pediatric patients, clinical trials, and classes and workshops that are offered are also included.
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations from those covering "conventional" foods and drugs. This site includes warning and safety information, adverse event reporting, industry information, labeling regulations, consumer education, and other information, including who is responsible for the safety of supplements and how safety is monitored.
• Credentialing of healthcare practitioners: The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. This government agency lists the training and education needed for healthcare and other occupations. Additional information about standards may be found at individual professional association websites.

This section also contains information on subscription websites.