Advances in cancer and the media

While the scientific community recognizes that medical research is a painst aking process, news that even hints of an advance in cancer treatment attai ns lightning speed in the hands of the media. PI Preliminary findings becom e "breakthroughs," and patients eager for a cure assume the ideal treatment looms on the near horizon. In an increasingly commercial environment, the line is easily blurred between editorial and advertorial content. In the he althy stock market, even money managers clamor to get the inside scoop an d rug research. Freedom of the press means access to an overload of informati on. While the need for public education is acknowledged, is all information "good" for patients? A panel of experts from several arenas-cancer researc h, patient advocacy, publishing, and financial investment-examined how canc er research can best be conveyed to the public, the effect of this informat ion on a vulnerable population, and ways to better manage the often difficu lt relationship between science and the media.