Winter 2006, Vol. 1 Issue 1

Introducing the 1st Issue of NCI CAM News

The Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) is pleased to announce the first issue of its biannual newsletter NCI CAM News. OCCAM, located within the Office of the Director at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), serves to coordinate and stimulate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research across all divisions of the Institute. We have created this newsletter to bring you the latest on NCI-sponsored research, funding opportunities, meetings and workshops, as well as educational information on cancer and CAM. While this issue was designed to introduce OCCAM’s programs and highlight our activities, future issues will feature cancer CAM projects from the full range of NCI’s activities in addition to OCCAM program updates.

What is OCCAM?

Established in October 1998, OCCAM is responsible for NCI's growing research agenda in CAM as it relates to cancer prevention, treatment, symptom management, and rehabilitation. OCCAM also acts as NCI's primary link to CAM communities and cancer researchers regarding CAM and cancer. OCCAM is directed by Dr. Jeffrey D. White, a medical oncologist with a background in laboratory and clinical cancer research.

OCCAM has been building bridges between CAM practitioners and the cancer research community, creating additional funding opportunities to test CAM approaches using scientifically rigorous research methods, working with other NCI programs to facilitate the testing of CAM approaches to cancer management, helping CAM researchers with the grant application process, and investigating research challenges unique to CAM approaches. In addition, OCCAM has collaborated with other non-governmental and governmental organizations, such as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCIH), on cancer CAM issues. Through its activities and those of many other programs at the Institute, NCI's research expenditures for CAM have more than quadrupled (fiscal year 1998 — $28.2 million, fiscal year 2004 — $129 million). Read more…

NCI CAM News is produced by the Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM). The Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) was established in October 1998 to coordinate and support the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) activities related to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). OCCAM also serves as a focal point for NCI’s collaboration with other governmental and non-governmental organizations on cancer CAM issues.

For inquiries on CAM and cancer, call 1-800-4-CANCER or visit cam.cancer.gov.