AICR Launches Online Cancer Survivor's Guide

American Institute for Cancer Research
Thursday, 11 July 2002

New Web Pages Offer Guidance on Nutrition During and After Treatment

At the AICR/WCRF International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, AICR Vice President for Education Jeff Prince announced the launch of a new online guide devoted to nutrition for the cancer survivor. The new site features guidelines for eating and exercising as well as nutritional advice from experts.

"The good news is that there are now 9 million cancer survivors in the United States. The challenge is meeting their need for science-based information and guidance in coping with the aftermath of their disease," Prince said.

One of the areas in which science-based information has been lacking is nutrition and exercise. Research has tended to focus on the relation between diet and reducing risk of primary cancers rather than healing and prevention of recurrence.

AICR has been active in fostering research into survivor issues through a series of conferences, sessions at its annual conference for researchers and other communications with the research community. It has also created a fellowship program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in which fellows will focus on nutrition and cancer survivorship.

"While promoting this search for science-based information on diet and the cancer survivor, AICR has attempted to communicate what we do know to survivors through two new publications, a conference offered in several cities and now its web site," Prince said.

The new Cancer Survivor's Guide includes a set of seven dietary guidelines, exercise tips, recipes for good health, lists of resources and helpful organizations, survivor stories and frequently asked questions.

It also offers access to two longer texts prepared by a panel of experts. One discusses problems and solutions for the cancer survivor during treatment. The other covers dietary options for survivors after treatment.

In addition, the site links survivors to a registered dietitian who will answer questions. By clicking on "Ask a Registered Dietitian," an email form appears on which survivors can send a question to an AICR dietitian. A reply will be emailed back within two workdays. "As time passes, our interaction with survivors will generate new questions and the work of researchers will produce more answers. As a result, the new online guide will expand in size and usefulness," Prince concluded.

The website address for the new Cancer Survivor's Guide is www.aicr.org/survivor.

For more information, or to contact American Institute for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.aicr.org