FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	CONTACT:  Heather Goethe
May 25, 2006	703-299-1016

Site Serves as the Authoritative Resource for Reliable, Oncologist Vetted Cancer Information on the Web

Alexandria, VA -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today unveiled its new and improved patient information website, People Living With Cancer (www.plwc.org), designed to provide cancer patients and their loved ones with reliable, oncologist-approved cancer information. Over the past four years, PLWC has served as the preeminent resource for oncologist-approved cancer information on the web. Improvements to the website, which include a restructuring of the site to enhance navigational performance and three new content sections, are intended to better meet the needs of the patient and public community.

"We revamped the PLWC website based upon meetings and surveys with our key audiences--patients, family members, caregivers, and patient advocates,” said Diane Blum, MSW, Editor-in-Chief of PLWC. “With an increased understanding of our users’ needs, we set out to build an even better tool to house the most current, accurate cancer information available on the web.”

A top priority of the restructuring was to improve the navigational performance of the website. The home page now provides a more intuitive platform to help visitors quickly find answers to their questions. A drop down menu leads to information on more than 90 cancer types. A listing of frequently asked questions provides quick links to resources within the site to better help visitors find the information they need. Three new sections were added to increase usability of information already available to site visitors. These include areas of continually expanding content such as Survivorship and Diagnosis and Treatment, in addition to a comprehensive research library.

PLWC is now divided into eight main content sections:

-Learning About Cancer -- a basic overview of cancer including statistics, risk factors, genetics, prevention strategies, explanations of staging, and information on clinical trials

-Cancer Types -- a comprehensive guide to more than 90 types of cancer, including disease-specific treatment and side effects information

-Diagnosis & Treatment -- guidance on how to find an oncologist, descriptions of common tests and procedures, and information on treatment options with proven therapies or through clinical trials

-Coping -- practical suggestions for dealing with the emotional and physical effects of cancer, and resources on navigating relationships, caregiving, end-of-life care, and grief and bereavement

-Survivorship -- advice for healthy living after cancer, rehabilitation, and coping with the fear of recurrence

-Library -- anatomical and staging illustrations, prescription drug information resource list, and links to support organizations

-ASCO Resources -- portal to ASCO’s other patient information resources including patient guides, technology assessments based on ASCO’s clinical practice guidelines for physicians, and the Cancer Advances newsletter series

-News and Events -- cancer awareness dates and activities, ASCO events, and the latest cancer news

Other Notable PLWC Features

Spanish Language Content: PLWC now offers informational resources on the 12 most common cancers affecting Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States. Additional Spanish language content will be added to PLWC in the coming months.

Age-Specific Resources: Cancer causes differing emotional responses depending upon one’s age and life experience. That is why PLWC now provides age-specific coping information for children, teens, young adults, and older adult audiences.

Ask an Expert: Each month, PLWC hosts question and answer forums on various cancer related topics moderated by nationally recognized cancer experts. Both patients and the public are welcome to submit questions that will be answered in an anonymous and supportive forum. An Editorial Board comprised of more than 150 medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists, oncology nurses, social workers, and patient advocates oversees the content on the site.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians of all oncology subspecialties who care for people with cancer. ASCO’s more than 20,000 members from the United States and abroad set the standard for patient care and lead the efforts to discover more effective cancer treatments, increase funding for clinical and translational research, and, ultimately, improve cancer care for the estimated 10 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year. ASCO publishes the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), the preeminent, peer-reviewed, medical journal on clinical cancer research, and produces People Living With Cancer (www.plwc.org), a comprehensive consumer website providing oncologist-vetted cancer information to help patients and families make informed health-care decisions. # # #