National Resources Links

Internet Resources

Risk Factors and Prevention – General Information

BreastCancerTrials.org
Search for clinical trials on risk reduction for healthy women and women at high risk for breast cancer.
https://www.breastcancertrials.org/bct_nation/prevention

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Information on risk factors for breast cancer.
http://www.cdc.gov

Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE)
Information for people at higher risk of breast cancer due to family history or genetic mutations.
http://www.facingourrisk.org/

International Agency for Research on Cancer
Information on risk factors for breast cancer.
http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/PDFs/index.php

National Cancer Institute – Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
Information on breast cancer risk and the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.
http://bcra.nci.nih.gov/brc/q1.htm

National Toxicology Program
Information on risk factors for breast cancer.
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/

PubMed (part of the National Library of Medicine)
Search for summaries of science journal articles.
http://www.pubmed.com/

State Cancer Legislative Database Program
Find out if your state has legislation requiring coverage for prophylactic mastectomy.
http://www.scld-nci.net/

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Information on product safety in terms of breast cancer risk and information on drugs used to lower the risk of breast cancer.
http://www.fda.gov/

Risk Factors and Prevention – Information on BRCA and Other Genetic Mutations

BreastCancerTrials.org
Search for clinical trials recruiting people with BRCA or other genetic mutations.
http://breastcancertrials.org

National Cancer Institute – Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Information on genetic risk factors for breast cancer and genetic testing.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/genetics/breast-and-ovarian

National Cancer Institute – Genetic Testing
Information on genetic testing.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/BRCA

National Institutes of Health
Search for clinical trials recruiting people with BRCA or other genetic mutations.
http://clinicaltrials.gov

National Society of Genetic Counselors
Find a genetic counselor or information on genetic counseling.
http://www.nsgc.org/

Early Detection and Screening – General Information

National Cancer Institute – Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
Information on breast cancer screening and the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.
http://bcra.nci.nih.gov/brc/q1.htm

National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Guidelines on breast cancer early detection and screening.
http://www.nccn.org/

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
List of FDA-approved mammography facilities.
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/mammography/certified.html

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Mammography Facility Adverse Event Report
Check for reports of poor quality and any correcting actions for mammography centers.
http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/MammographyQualityStandardsActandProgram

Early Detection and Screening - Breast Cancer Screening Services

National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
Information on free and low-cost mammograms.
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/

Planned Parenthood
Offers clinical breast exams and referrals for mammograms.
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

YWCA
Provides breast cancer education and screening to women who lack access to health services.
http://www.ywca.org/

Diagnosis

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Clinical guidelines and information on diagnosis.
http://www.cancer.net/

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Information on inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis and care.
http://www.ibcresearch.org/

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Information on different types of breast cancers as well as other types of cancer that can occur in the breast.
http://www.cancer.gov

National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Guidelines on breast cancer diagnosis.
http://www.nccn.org/

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation
Information on triple negative breast cancer.
http://www.tnbcfoundation.org/

Treatment – Clinical Trial Information

American Cancer Society – Clinical Trials: State Laws Regarding Insurance Coverage
Find a list of state laws on insurance coverage of clinical trial costs.
http://www.cancer.org/

BreastCancerTrials.org
Search for clinical trials on breast cancer treatment.
http://breastcancertrials.org

CancerConsultants.com
Free and confidential clinical trial matching and referral services.
http://www.cancerconsultants.com/

CenterWatch
Information on joining a clinical trial and a searchable list of current clinical trials.
http://www.centerwatch.com/

Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups
Information on finding and joining a clinical trial.
http://www.cancertrialshelp.org/

ECancerTrials.com
Free and confidential clinical trial matching and referral services.
http://ecancertrials.com/

National Cancer Institute – Clinical Trials
Information on joining a clinical trial.
http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/

National Cancer Institute – States That Require Health Plans to Cover Patient Care Costs in Clinical Trials
Find a list of state laws on insurance coverage of clinical trial costs.
http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/

National Institutes of Health – Clinical Center and Clinical Trials Information
Information on current clinical trial research and joining a clinical trial.
http://www.cc.nih.gov/

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)-University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Interactive Web site includes information about clinical trials and personal stories.
http://www.upmccancercenters.com/trials/index.html

Treatment – Information on Treatment Options

American College of Radiology
Information on current radiation therapy treatment options.
http://www.acr.org/

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Breast cancer treatment guidelines and information on treatment options.
http://www.cancer.net/

American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
Information on breast reconstruction.
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Consumer Information on Breast Implants
Information on breast implants.
http://www.fda.gov/

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Drug Safety
Information on the safety of drugs used to treat breast cancer.
http://www.fda.gov/

National Cancer Institute
Breast cancer treatment guidelines and information on treatment options.
http://www.cancer.gov/

National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Breast cancer treatment guidelines.
http://www.nccn.org/

Integrative and Complementary Therapies – General Information and Search Tools for Scientific Studies

National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM)
Information on integrative and complementary therapies for people living with cancer.
http://www.cancer.gov/cam

National Institutes of Health – National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Detailed information on integrative and complementary therapies.
http://nccam.nih.gov/

National Library of Medicine – Pubmed
Search for scientific articles on integrative and complementary therapies.
http://www.pubmed.com

Natural Standard
Detailed information on integrative and complementary therapies.
http://www.naturalstandard.com/

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Medicine Database
Information on integrative and complementary therapies.
http://www.naturaldatabase.com

Integrative and Complementary Therapies – Safety Information

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
Information and safety alerts on dietary supplements.
http://ods.od.nih.gov

U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Check for safety alerts on integrative and complementary therapies.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/health.shtm

U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Cure-ious Resource Page
Find information or file a report on false health product claims.
http://www.ftc.gov/curious

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Check for safety alerts on integrative and complementary therapies.
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html

U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Fake Cancer Cures
Check for scam treatments.
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/EnforcementActivitiesbyFDA

U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Medwatch
Find drug and medical product information or file a report on a drug or medical product safety concern.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch

U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)
Check if a dietary supplement has been tested and USP verified for integrity, purity and safe manufacturing.
http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dietarySupplements/

Integrative and Complementary Therapies – Check the Licensing Status of a Complementary Therapy Provider

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
http://www.naturopathic.org/

American Massage Therapy Association
http://www.amtamassage.org/

Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards
http://www.fclb.org/

National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
http://www.ncbtmb.com/

National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
http://www.nccaom.org/find/index.html

Integrative and Complementary Therapies – Clinical Trials

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Information on and a listing of clinical trials of integrative and complementary therapies.
http://nccam.nih.gov/research/clinicaltrials/

See also Treatment-Clinical Trials (above).

Integrative and Complementary Therapies – Find Integrated Health Care Organizations and Centers

Dirline
Find a local health care organization or center offering integrative and complementary therapies.
http://dirline.nlm.nih.gov

Getting Good Care

Administrators in Medicine-Association of State Medical Board Executive Directors
Search for a licensed physician.
http://www.docboard.org/

American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
Verify a physician is board certified.
http://www.abms.org/

American Medical Association – DoctorFinder
Search for a licensed physician.
http://www.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm

American Society of Clincial Oncology (ASCO)
Search for an oncologist.
http://www.cancer.net/

Health Care Choices
Search for information on many breast cancer care issues, including patient volume data and insurance coverage.
http://www.healthcarechoices.org

Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
Find a health care organization that meets the Commission’s safety and quality standards.
http://www.qualitycheck.org/consumer/searchQCR.aspx

Intercultural Cancer Council
Promotes programs and policies to remove ethnic/racial barriers to breast cancer care.
http://iccnetwork.org/

National Center for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
Find the accreditation rating (based on quality standards) for a health management organization (HMO).
http://reportcard.ncqa.org/

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
Find the publication “Teamwork: The Cancer Patient’s Guide To Talking With Your Doctor”.
http://www.canceradvocacy.org/

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
List of FDA-approved mammography facilities.
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/mammography/certified.html

Getting Good Care – Resources for Co-survivors

American Cancer Society
Find a guide for families and caregivers on giving good cancer care at home.
http://www.cancer.org

Information for caregivers.
http://www.cancer.org

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Information on care for people living with cancer.
http://www.cancer.gov/

After Treatment – General Health Issues

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Information on weight control and physical activity.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

After Treatment – Fertility and Other Issues for Younger Survivors

Fertile Hope
Provides financial aid to women with breast cancer whose insurance will not cover fertility treatment.
http://www.fertilehope.org/

Young Survival Coalition
Information and networking services for young breast cancer survivors.
http://www.youngsurvival.org/

After Treatment – Lymphedema

Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Find information on lymphedema.
http://www.lbbc.org/

Lymphatic Research Foundation
Find information on lymphedema and clinical trials on lymphedema.
http://www.lymphaticresearch.org

Lymphology Association of North America (LANA)
Find a list of physical therapists who specialize in lymphedema treatment.
http://www.clt-lana.org

Lymph Notes
Find a local or online support group.
http://www.lymphnotes.com

National Cancer Institute—Lymphedema
Find information on lymphedema.
http://www.cancer.gov

National Lymphedema Network
Find a support group, physical therapist, financial assistance for garments and information on lymphedema.
http://www.lymphnet.org

After Treatment – Genetic Testing

National Cancer Institute – Prevention, Genetics, Causes
Information on genetic testing for inherited gene mutations related to breast cancer.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancer_information/prevention/

Social Support

American Cancer Society - Cancer Survivors Network
Online community for cancer survivors and caregivers.
http://www.acscsn.org/

American Cancer Society – Reach to Recovery
Provides in-person and telephone support for people living with cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/

American Cancer Society – I Can Cope
Supports people living with cancer as well as spouses and partners.
http://www.cancer.org/

The Association of Cancer Online Resources
Find an online support group.
http://www.acor.org/

Cancer and Careers
Information for working women with cancer.
http://www.cancerandcareers.org/

CancerCare
Find an online support group.
http://www.cancercare.org/

Gilda’s Club Worldwide
Offers support services to people living with cancer and their family and friends.
http://www.gildasclub.org/

Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Information on breast cancer support and care.
http://www.lbbc.org/

Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer
Social support services for lesbian women living with cancer and their partners.
http://www.mautnerproject.org/

Men Against Breast Cancer
Provides services to help men be good caregivers of women with breast cancer.
http://www.menagainstbreastcancer.org/

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
Find the publication “Teamwork: The Cancer Patient’s Guide To Talking With Your Doctor”.
http://www.canceradvocacy.org/

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Find local hospice care.
http://www.nhpco.org/

Pink-Link
Offers online support groups.
http://www.pink-link.org

The Wellness Community
Provides support to people living with cancer and their families.
http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/

Well Spouse Foundation
Provides social support to spouses and partners.
http://www.wellspouse.org/

Financing Issues – General Information

A.M. Best Company
Find insurance company ratings.
http://www.ambest.com/

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Find the publication “Choosing and Using a Health Plan”.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/

America’s Health Insurance Plans
National directory of health insurance plans and information on types of coverage.
http://www.ahip.org/

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
Information on health issues, Medicare and health insurance programs for people over 50.
http://www.aarp.org/health/

American Cancer Society – Taking Charge of Money Matters workshop
Provides a financial workshop for people living with cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/

Association of Community Cancer Centers
Find the publication “Cancer Treatments Your Insurance Should Cover”.
http://www.accc-cancer.org/

Medicare (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Information on the Medicare health insurance program, including Medicare prescription drug plans.
http://www.medicare.gov

Medicaid
Find your state’s Medicaid toll-free hotline.
http://cms.hhs.gov/medicaid

National Association of Insurance Commissioners
Find your state insurance commissioner.
http://www.naic.org/

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
Find publications including, “Working It Out: Your Employment Rights as a Cancer Survivor”, “What Cancer Survivors Need to Know About Health Insurance” and “A Cancer Survivor’s Almanac: Charting Your Journey”.
http://www.canceradvocacy.org/

Patient Advocate Foundation
Offers legal and advocacy help when disputing insurance claim denials, as well as financial assistance information.
http://www.patientadvocate.org/

Financing Issues – Medical Assistance

Breast Cancer Network of Strength
Financial assistance for wigs, prostheses and mastectomy bras.
http://www.networkofstrength.org/

CancerCare – Co-payment Assistance Foundation
Offers health insurance co-payment assistance to breast cancer patients undergoing some types of chemotherapy.
See also Transportation Assistance.
www.cancercarecopay.org

Department of Labor – Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act
Information on federal laws requiring insurance coverage of breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/whcra.html

NeedyMeds.com
Drug assistance program information.
http://www.needymeds.com/

Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Drug assistance program information.
https://www.pparx.org/

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Directory of drug manufacturers’ assistance programs.
http://www.phrma.org/

Social Security Administration
Find your local social security office.
http://www.ssa.gov/

Financing Issues – Transportation and Lodging Assistance

Transportation Assistance

Air Charity Network
Air travel assistance for people living with cancer and their caregivers.
http://aircharitynetwork.org

American Cancer Society – Road to Recovery
Local transportation assistance .
http://www.cancer.org/

CancerCare
Offers limited financial help to cover treatment-related transportation and childcare costs.
http://www.cancercare.org/

Corporate Angel Network
Air travel assistance for people living with cancer.
http://www.corpangelnetwork.org/

Lifeline Pilots
Air travel assistance for people living with cancer and their caregivers.
http://www.airlifelinemidwest.org/index2.htm

Mercy Medical Airlift
Air travel assistance for people living with cancer and their caregivers.
http://www.mercymedical.org/

National Patient Air Travel HELPLINE
Air travel assistance for people living with cancer and their caregivers.
http://www.patienttravel.org/

Raquel’s Wings for Life
Air travel assistance for people living with cancer and their caregivers.
http://raquelswingsforlife.com/default.html

Lodging Assistance

American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodges
Provide lodging for families during cancer treatments.
http://www.cancer.org/

Financing Issues – Clinical Trial Costs

American Cancer Society – Clinical Trials: State Laws Regarding Insurance Coverage
Find a list of state laws on insurance coverage of clinical trial costs.
http://www.cancer.org/