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The communications revolution and cancer control

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 5, pages 828–835 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Advances in communications technology, particularly with regards to computer-based media, have opened up exciting possibilities to intervene and influence the trajectory of cancer control, from disease prevention to survivorship, and to reduce the cancer burden. The resulting explosion in cancer information in the mass media and on the Internet, however, also offers challenges in terms of equality in access to information and the ability to act on it, as well as in making sure that it is accurate, readily available and easy to use.

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Figure 1: Analysis of cancer information on the Internet and in the media.
Figure 2: Percentage of respondents who went 'online' to look for health information in the United States.

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Graham Colditz for his close reading and critique of earlier versions of this manuscript. The assistance of Karen Lee, Shoba Ramanadhan, Emily Zobel and Anastasia Lehman in the preparation of this manuscript, and the critiques of the anonymous reviewers are also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Department of Society, Department of Medical Oncology, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, SM 251, 44 Binney street, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    K. Viswanath

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Related links

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DATABASES

National Cancer Institute

breast cancer

colorectal cancer

lung cancer

prostate cancer

FURTHER INFORMATION

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: efficacy of interventions to modify dietary behaviour related to cancer risk. Summary, evidence report/technology assessment number 25

American Cancer Society: facts and figures 2005

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; cancer prevention and control

Entertainment Industry Foundation

Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention

International Agency for Research on Cancer

Lexis/Nexis

National Cancer Institute: 5 a Day for Better Health Programme Evaluation Report

National Cancer Institute: cancer control and population sciences

National Cancer Institute Health Information National Trends Survey

National Cancer Institute: SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2001

Television News Archives at The Vanderbilt University

United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: National Healthcare Disparities Report

United States Bureau of Census, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 2004–2005

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Viswanath, K. The communications revolution and cancer control. Nat Rev Cancer 5, 828–835 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc1718

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