Editorial policy

We maintain information on over 100 types of cancer and a wide range of cancer-related information. Research findings and advocacy efforts that impact cancer control play a key role in shaping this information. Ideas also come from people who use our information, including people with cancer, caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers, volunteers, partners and staff.

Writing and review

We work with writers and subject experts to develop our content.

Subject experts – for example, oncologists, other healthcare providers or researchers – review content for accuracy and credibility and to make sure it reflects the current clinical practice in Canada. Our internal experts and editors check and approve all content.

People who have cancer or have had cancer, along with their caregivers, families and friends, become experts on the experience of cancer. Their involvement as participants or reviewers in audience research and projects helps make sure that the content we produce is understandable and useful.

Updating

The information we provide about cancer on cancer.ca pages is reviewed and updated regularly. And if the evidence changes, online content is updated as soon as possible.

Print materials are reviewed and updated regularly. All print materials include our toll-free phone number and email address so that people can contact us for the most up-to-date information.

Corrections and improvements

Feedback about our information is kept on file so that we can consider it when the content is revised. Changes that make the text clearer or more accurate are made as quickly as possible.

You can be sure that our health policies, messages and cancer information are guided by scientific research. We start by reviewing the best scientific evidence available, gathering evidence from research published in medical and scientific journals, scientific conferences, medical textbooks and respected organizations that review research on cancer prevention and treatment, such as:

• World Health Organization and its International Agency for Research on Cancer
• World Cancer Research Fund
• National Advisory Committee on Preventive Health Services
• Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
• CAREX Canada
• provincial cancer agencies
• National Institutes of Health in the US, including the National Cancer Institute
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Toxicology Program in the US

Perspectives from other respected organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK and Cancer Council Australia, are also considered.

Evaluating the evidence

Our information is generally based on many studies. This is called the overall body of evidence. To be sure that we’re providing you with the most accurate and up-to-date information we can, we evaluate the:

• quality of each individual study
• number of studies that have assessed the research question
• consistency of the study results

We couldn’t offer you the information we do without the help of external experts (for example, healthcare providers, scientists and researchers). We rely on these experts to:

• review our information to make sure it is based on evidence and that it reflects clinical practice – or how things are done in the healthcare field – in Canada
• help us understand research in their field of expertise
• provide medical expertise
• help evaluate individual studies
• consider the weight of evidence

We are grateful to the many researchers, cancer specialists and other healthcare providers who give their time and expertise to help develop our information about cancer. If you are a health specialist and would like to know more about being a reviewer, contact us at cancerinfo@cancer.ca.

Language is always evolving, and so are the ways in which we talk about the human body, gender, sex and cancer. We welcome more research and discussion about cancer and gender, and we are committed to listening, learning and using language that helps everyone see themselves in our information.

Our cancer information is guided by scientific evidence. These studies often collect and analyze data based on categories such as male or female, or men or women. We cannot change past studies. We can only report on these studies in the way that they were designed. As we update cancer information, we will use gender-inclusive language when it can be used without affecting accuracy.

Content on cancer.ca is owned by the Canadian Cancer Society, unless otherwise noted. This includes text, videos, art and all of our print publications. 

Do you need written permission to copy or reproduce our cancer information?

It depends. The best thing to do if the information below does not fully provide your answer is to contact us at cancerinfo@cancer.ca.  We’ll help you understand when written permission is needed.

In all cases, you must reference the Canadian Cancer Society as the source for the content that you use. Examples of how to do this are included below.

You do not need our written permission to use a small excerpt from a web page or print publication.

You do need our written permission to reuse, adapt or translate entire pages of online content or print publications or to use a graphic, such as our anatomical art, or any videos featured on our pages.

To get written permission to reuse, adapt or translate the Canadian Cancer Statistics publications, visit www.cancer.ca/statistics or email stats@cancer.ca.

What’s the policy for using CCS content?

Excerpts from this website or from our print publications may be copied or reproduced without permission for educational and non-commercial purposes. If quotes or excerpts are used, full acknowledgement must be given to the Canadian Cancer Society.

What does the reference need to look like?

When using a small excerpt of our content, you can clearly reference it by including the elements outlined below. In all cases, you can arrange the order of the information and style of the titles to fit your preferred reference style.

When citing Canadian Cancer Society website content, include all of the following:

• our full name, Canadian Cancer Society
• title of the web page and of the specific image or anatomical art if that’s being used
• URL of the web page
• date on which the information was accessed

EXAMPLES

Canadian Cancer Society. How You Can Help Someone with Cancer. https://cancer.ca/en/living-with-cancer/helping-someone-with-cancer/how-you-can-help-someone-with-cancer. Accessed on 9 June 2021.

Canadian Cancer Society. Bone Metastases. https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/metastatic/bone-metastases. Accessed on 15 November 2023.

Canadian Cancer Society. What Is Anal Cancer? “The Digestive System.” https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/anal/what-is-anal-cancer. Accessed on 4 December 2023.

When citing content from one of our print publications (including PDFs), include:

• publication title
• our full name, Canadian Cancer Society
• copyright year
• page number (if appropriate)

(Tip: if you’re citing a print publication, check the outside back cover for the details you need.)

EXAMPLES

Eating Well When You Have Cancer. Canadian Cancer Society 2023. Page 33.

Advanced Cancer. Canadian Cancer Society 2023. Page 19.

What about using or adapting more than an excerpt from content, or translating an entire web page, video or print publication?

Please contact us at cancerinfo@cancer.ca to discuss what you’d like to do using Canadian Cancer Society content.

Is there a fee for using Canadian Cancer Society content?

There isn’t a fee to use quotes or excerpts of our content. But we hope you will consider making a donation to support the vital work that we do to improve the lives of all those affected by cancer. Find out about ways to give.