How to Find Information About a Specific Cancer Type on the MSK Website

Updated

To find information about a specific cancer type on mskcc.org, use the "Find Cancer Types and Conditions" selector on the homepage: open the dropdown, choose your cancer type, and the site takes you to a dedicated page for that condition. The list covers adult and pediatric cancers as well as some non-cancerous blood disorders, so most people can locate their diagnosis by name without navigating menus.

Where the Selector Lives

The homepage section headed "Find Cancer Types and Conditions" carries the instruction "Understand your diagnosis and learn how MSK experts provide personalized cancer care." Directly beneath it is a dropdown labeled "Select your cancer type." The page states that making a selection takes you to a new page to learn about the selected cancer type — so the dropdown is a navigation shortcut, not an on-page filter.

Step by Step

  1. Open the homepage at mskcc.org and scroll to the "Find Cancer Types and Conditions" section.
  2. Open the dropdown under "Select your cancer type."
  3. Match your diagnosis to a list entry. The list uses formal disease names, so expect clinical wording rather than everyday terms.
  4. Select the entry. The site loads a dedicated page for that cancer type.
  5. Verify you landed on the right page by checking that the page title matches the condition you selected.

The expected result is a condition-specific page; the dropdown itself does not display summaries, so the information appears only after you select an entry.

Matching Your Diagnosis to a List Entry

The list is long and organized loosely by body system and disease category. These patterns help you find the right entry:

If your diagnosis is… Look for entries such as…
A common organ cancer Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Colon Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer
A blood cancer or disorder Leukemia and Other Blood Cancers, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), Rare Blood Disorders
A pediatric cancer MSK Kids Rare Tumors Program, Pediatric Brain Tumors, Pediatric Leukemias, Pediatric Lymphomas, Pediatric Sarcomas, Neuroblastoma, Retinoblastoma
A sarcoma or rare tumor Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Osteosarcoma, Ewing Sarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumors (DSRCT)
A skin cancer Melanoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Kaposi Sarcoma
A metastatic site rather than a primary cancer Brain Metastases, Liver Metastases (Secondary Liver Cancer)
A non-cancerous condition Benign Blood Disorders, Pancreatic Cysts, Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD), Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Parathyroid Tumors

A few naming details are worth knowing before you search:

  • Alternate names are often in parentheses. Bile Duct Cancer appears as "Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma)," kidney cancer as "Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Cancer)," and acoustic neuroma as "Acoustic Neuroma (Vestibular Schwannoma)." If your diagnosis goes by a different name, scan for the parenthetical.
  • Some entries are grouped by system. "Gynecologic Cancer," "Genitourinary Cancer," "Head & Neck Cancers," and "Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors" are broader categories rather than single diseases.
  • Related conditions sit near each other. Liver Cancer, Liver Metastases, and Liver Tumors in Children are separate entries, as are Brain Tumors & Brain Cancer, Brain Metastases, and Primary Brain Tumors. Read the full label rather than the first words.
  • Pediatric and adult entries are separate. A childhood leukemia is listed under Pediatric Leukemias, not under the adult blood cancer entries.

If Your Exact Diagnosis Is Not Listed

The list is extensive but not exhaustive. If you cannot find a match:

  • Try the broader category that contains your diagnosis — for example, a rare gynecologic tumor may be covered under "Gynecologic Cancer."
  • Check whether the condition appears under a related entry, such as a metastatic site page when the primary cancer page is what you expected.
  • Use the site's other homepage paths: "Request an appointment," "Meet our doctors," and "Explore our locations" are presented alongside the cancer-type section and lead to contact and provider information rather than disease content.

What the Site Does Not Provide in This Step

The dropdown is a routing tool only. It does not show treatment details, survival statistics, or appointment availability before you select an entry, and the homepage excerpt does not state whether any part of the site requires an account or payment. Treat the selector as the starting point: choose your condition, then read the dedicated page it opens.