• Who sponsors or maintains the site? Is the individual or organization considered an authority or expert in the field? You should be able to clearly identify the sponsor on the home or first page of a site.
• When was the information written and last updated? (Date of last update is often posted at the bottom of the page).
• Are there other reputable sources that verify the factual information presented? Do organizations like the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and American Cancer Society (ACS) provide the same information?
• Is the information presented objectively or does it represent a particular bias? For example, if a site is discussing vitamin and mineral supplements, is it a Registered Dietician from the local hospital or the owner of a store wanting to sell you a product that is making recommendation?
• Is the content at the site original work of the individual or organization, or are they posting someone else/s material on their page?
• Does the site tell the whole story or is it a partial presentation? For example, does the information include all of the treatment options for a particular stage and type of cancer, or is it leaning toward or promoting just one particular type of treatment?
• Is it easy to navigate within the site and does it include a search function?

Three organization that have WWW sites with reliable information include the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at The University of Iowa, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Society.

If you have questions about cancer or need help evaluating a WWW site, please don't hesitate to contact the staff of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center's Cancer Information Service at (800) 237-1225 or cancer-information@uiowa.edu.