Over the past 32 years, the Cancer Information Service (CIS), a cancer communication network for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), has been serving as NCI’s link to the public by interpreting and explaining cancer-related information and research findings in a clear and understandable way. Launched in Connecticut in 1976, the program now reaches all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Islands. Yale Cancer Center is one of five founding members of the CIS and continues the tradition today.
The CIS is divided into 14 regions across the country. The main office for the CIS New England Region is located at Yale Cancer Center. Linda Mowad, RN, is Director of the New England CIS division. She oversees programs, research, and community outreach activities. “The goals of the CIS are reached using a three-pronged approach. We have an information service, a research initiative, and a Partnership Program,” Ms. Mowad said. “The information service provides the public with the latest cancer information tailored to patients, their families, and health professionals, while the research initiative supports collaborative research on cancer communication and education. The Partnership Program reaches out to diverse populations through collaboration with organizations that are trusted in the communities.”
The Cancer Information Service expands its reach by developing partnerships with nonprofit, private, and other government agencies at the national, regional, and state levels, through the Partnership Program. The CIS specifically reaches out to partners that have an established presence in the region, are trusted within their communities, and are dedicated to serving minority and underserved populations. This allows organizations to collaborate on ways to effectively address the health disparities and cancer control issues of specific regions, especially in the medically underserved groups.
Up until 2005, a telephone service was also operated at Yale where people could call in and receive information over the phone from highly trained specialists. This service is still carried out through the Partnership Program with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and the data collected from this phone service is used for research purposes and clinical trials at Yale. “Clinical trials are a very important part of our research component. We look at behavior, what makes people change their behavior, what kind of information patients need, and how they best receive that information,” said Ms. Mowad.
The CIS works closely with Yale Cancer Center on many different projects. The Cancer Lecture Series, Understanding Cancer, is one such project, and is for patients and their families living with cancer. Held once a month, this program reaches out to the New Haven community and relays new and important information regarding cancer to the underserved populations.
The CIS also works closely with the Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic, directed by Dr. Kenneth Miller of Yale Cancer Center. The Connecticut Challenge Survivorship Clinic is the first dedicated, multidisciplinary resource for cancer survivors in the State of Connecticut to provide patients and their families with vital information on cancer prevention, wellness, supportive services, and the latest health research related to cancer survivorship.
The NCI’s Cancer Information Service has received many awards over the years, and continues to serve as an important link to the public. “We are very closely involved with the projects that go on at Yale Cancer Center, especially those that reach out to the underserved populations in the community. The CIS, and the resources provided at Yale, have been a well-kept secret for awhile, and that’s a shame,” said Ms. Mowad. “These are free programs that are designed to provide the public with information regarding the causes, prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer, and should be taken advantage of.”
If you would like to learn more about the NCI’s Cancer Information Service, please visit http://www.cancer.gov/aboutnci/cis/page1, or contact Linda Mowad at linda.mowad@yale.edu