What claim categories does Cancer FactFinder cover?

Cancer FactFinder organizes its claim database into five main categories: Consumer products, Diet & nutrition, Lifestyle, Medical Issue or Treatment, and Occupational & environmental exposure. If your question falls into one of these areas, you can search the existing database; if it doesn't, the site also accepts new claim topic submissions for its research team to consider.

The five claim categories

The homepage lists each category with a count of how many claims it currently contains:

These counts reflect what was displayed on the site at the time of writing, so treat them as a snapshot rather than a fixed number — the database grows as new claims are researched and added.

What each category covers

• Consumer products — claims about everyday items people buy or use, such as household goods and personal care products.
• Diet & nutrition — claims linking specific foods, drinks, ingredients, or eating patterns to cancer risk. This is the largest category on the site.
• Lifestyle — claims about behaviors and habits, such as smoking, alcohol use, or physical activity.
• Medical Issue or Treatment — claims related to medical conditions, medications, or treatments.
• Occupational & environmental exposure — claims about workplace exposures and environmental factors, such as chemicals or pollutants.

How to find out whether your topic is covered

1. Go to the Cancer FactFinder homepage.
2. Use the search box to look for your claim or topic.
3. If a matching claim exists, it will appear in the database under one of the five categories above.
4. If nothing matches, you can submit your topic idea using the form on the page.

The submission form asks for your email and name, a category selection (the five categories above plus an "Other" option), and a description of your topic idea. You can also opt in to be notified if the topic is added to the FactFinder. Submitting a topic does not guarantee it will be researched or published — the site states that ideas are shared with its research team for consideration.

Why the categories matter for judging coverage

The category structure tells you what kind of evidence the site is built to address. Cancer FactFinder describes its goal as debunking cancer myths and sharing "accurate and reliable information about what does and does not cause cancer," based on summaries of evidence-based scientific information from studies in humans, written in everyday language.

That means:

• If your question is about a product, food, habit, medical treatment, or exposure, it likely fits an existing category.
• If your question sits outside those areas, the "Other" option in the submission form is the route to suggest it.
• The site is designed to answer "does this cause cancer or not" claims — not to provide personal medical advice or individual risk assessments.

Quick answer

Cancer FactFinder covers five claim categories — Consumer products, Diet & nutrition, Lifestyle, Medical Issue or Treatment, and Occupational & environmental exposure — and accepts new topic suggestions through a submission form for anything outside them. Start with a search of the database; submit a topic only if your question isn't already there.