As the articles in this special issue demonstrate, the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Cancer Information Service (CIS) is a remarkable and unique service to patients, their families, health professionals, and the public.  In existence for over 20 years, the CIS is a model of how to deliver high quality information about a specialized scientific topic with compassion to large numbers of people (over 7.5 million calls in 20 years).  They must do this with a great sense of immediacy.  For example, when a major cancer story breaks, the CIS information specialists must be poised to respond to the calls of anxious patients and health professionals alike.  In such situations, the must also be able to answer all the questions of every caller knowing that the queue of callers is growing.  The CIS must be like the Swiss Army knife of communications, able to perform many functions smoothly and expertly, with no fuss.

The CIS has adapted to the changing communications landscape.  Not content to respond merely to the prototypical caller who is white and female, the CIS has developed strategies to reach out to a wider audience through proactive calls, targeted promotions, and a network of outreach services to reach minority and other undeserved populations.  These techniques have increased the reach of the CIS and have brought new types of users into the system.  As the evaluation show, the overwhelming majority of users are highly satisfied.  Even more important, a substantial  proportion of them have taken some health action, including for example, enrolling in clinical trials.  Thus, the CIS has not only provided information but has improved cancer-related health behaviors.

The CIS has also served as an important national laboratory for health communications and behavioral research.  In keeping with its role as an innovator, the CIS is conducting the largest test anywhere of tailored print communications.  In a society characterized by increasing homogenization of services, it is refreshing that the CIS has been able not only to survive but to thrive and not only to meet the needs of individual callers but also to advance a larger research mission.  The CIS proves that it is possible both to serve individuals and science.  We look forward to both continued service and innovation.

As changes in the health care system place a greater burden on individuals for decision making and reduce the length of the doctor patient encounter, the CIS is likely to become even more important in the future.