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.
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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.
- What Is Cancer?
- Can Cancer Be Cured?
- Understanding What Cancer Is: Ancient Times to Present
- Understanding Cancer Causes: Ancient Times to Present
- History of Cancer Epidemiology: 18th Century to Present
- History of Cancer Screening and Early Detection: 20th Century to Present
- History of Cancer Treatments: Surgery
- History of Cancer Treatments: Hormone therapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Radiation Therapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Chemotherapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Immunotherapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Targeted Therapy
- Advancement of Cancer Survivorship
- Finding Cancer Information on the Internet
The History of Cancer
The study of cancer, called oncology, is the work of countless doctors and scientists around the world whose discoveries in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, epidemiology, and other related fields made oncology what it is today. Technological advances and the ever-increasing understanding of cancer make this field one of the most rapidly evolving areas of modern medicine.
The growth in our knowledge of cancer biology has led to remarkable progress in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. Scientists have learned more about cancer in the last 2 decades than had been learned in all the centuries preceding. This doesn’t change the fact, however, that all scientific knowledge is based on the knowledge already acquired by the hard work and discovery of our predecessors – and we know that there’s still a lot more to learn
- Understanding What Cancer Is: Ancient Times to Present
- Understanding Cancer Causes: Ancient Times to Present
- History of Cancer Epidemiology: 18th Century to Present
- History of Cancer Screening and Early Detection: 20th Century to Present
- History of Cancer Treatments: Surgery
- History of Cancer Treatments: Hormone therapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Radiation Therapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Chemotherapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Immunotherapy
- History of Cancer Treatments: Targeted Therapy
- Advancement of Cancer Survivorship
American Cancer Society Emails
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