25 Years of Cancer Information Service at the German Cancer Research Center
Cancer Prevention and Early Detection – Top Topic of KID’s Online Service
© dkfz.de
People who are themselves not affected by cancer or do not seek information for affected family members primarily use the Cancer Information Service (KID) to learn about ways to prevent cancer. “Our Internet pages show, in particular, how great an interest there is in this topic,” says Dr. Birgit Hiller, who is responsible for the online service offered by the Cancer Information Service, www.krebsinformationsdienst.de. About one fifth of inquiries in 2010 concerned information about risk factors, prevention and early detection. In total, the pages were accessed more than 70 million times last year.
The Cancer Information Service offers an extremely broad range of facts about these topics on the Internet, supplemented by detailed information on how to recognize individual types of cancer in their early stages. “The Internet is a low-threshold service. People use it primarily when the information search is not as urgent yet as in an actual case of disease,” says Hiller. “Users who have further questions such as about early detection exams for familial cancers may then contact the Cancer Information Service individually by telephone or e-mail any time.”
Many users of KID’s online service seek information about benefits and risks of available early detection examinations for various types of cancer: Why is the PSA test for early detection of prostate cancer still disputed? How reliable is the result of a mammography examination for early detection of breast cancer? Can colonoscopy really prevent cancer?
Another topic which is increasingly important to users of the Cancer Information Service is lifestyle and cancer: What is the role of nutrition in cancer prevention? Can I protect myself from cancer by regular physical exercise? When it comes to cancer risk factors, it is mostly about ‘classics’ such as stress as a cause of cancer, along with environmental factors such as electric smog and hormones in food. “Here it matters, above all, what the current media coverage is about,” says Hiller. “Thus, after the nuclear accident in Japan, we really had to hurry to provide on the Internet as much information, links and background as possible about cancer and radioactivity. Our pages on the topic of radiation were more in demand than ever.”
Cancer information has one number: 0800 420 30 40
Cancer information via e-mail: krebsinformationsdienst@dkfz.de
Cancer information on the Internet: www.krebsinformationsdienst.de
With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.
To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:
The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.
