Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides information and answers for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.
Chat live online
Select the Live Chat button at the bottom of the page
Our highly trained specialists are available 24/7 via phone and on weekdays can assist through online chat. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with essential services and resources at every step of their cancer journey. Ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include:
- Referrals to patient-related programs or resources
- Donations, website, or event-related assistance
- Tobacco-related topics
- Volunteer opportunities
- Cancer Information
For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
- Why People Start Smoking and Why It’s Hard to Stop
- Reasons to Quit Smoking
- Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time
- Benefits of Quitting Tobacco If You Have Cancer
- Planning Your Quit Day
- Quitting Smoking or Smokeless Tobacco
- Quitting E-cigarettes (Vapes, Vape Pens)
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy
- Prescription Medicines to Help You Quit Tobacco
- Dealing with the Mental Part of Tobacco Addiction
- Are There Other Ways to Quit Tobacco?
- Staying Tobacco-free After You Quit
- Help for Cravings and Tough Situations
- Talking With Your Cancer Care Team About Tobacco Use
- How to Help Someone Quit Smoking
- Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products
- Is Any Type of Tobacco Product Safe?
- Keeping Your Children Tobacco-free
- Empowered to Quit
- Health Risks of Smoking Tobacco
- Health Risks of Smokeless Tobacco
- Health Risks of Secondhand Smoke
- ACS CancerRisk360
Parasites that Can Lead to Cancer
Certain parasitic worms that can live inside the human body can also raise the risk of developing some kinds of cancer. These organisms are not found in the United States, but they can be a concern for people who live in or travel to other parts of the world.
Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis are liver flukes (a type of flatworm) that have been linked to increased risk of developing cancer of the bile ducts. The bile ducts are tubes that connect the liver to the intestines. These infections come from eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish. They occur mostly in East Asia and are rare in other parts of the world.
Schistosoma haematobium is a parasite found in the water of some countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Infection with this parasite (an illness called schistosomiasis) has been linked to bladder cancer. Possible links to other types of cancer are now being studied as well.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Holzinger F, Z’graggen K, Buchler MW. Mechanisms of biliary carcinogenesis: A pathogenetic multi-stage cascade towards cholangiocarcinoma. Ann Oncol. Trinchieri G. Inflammation 1999;10:122–126.
Last Revised: July 11, 2016
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
American Cancer Society Emails
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.