Online information for patients on cancer diets – a comparison of German- and English-language websites

Abstract Background The internet has become an important source of information for cancer patients. Numerous websites provide nutritional advice that promises benefits for the outcome of cancer therapy. The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare the online information about cancer diets on German- and English-language websites. Methods A patient’s online search was simulated using the search engines Google and Bing. Websites were evaluated by means of content and formal criteria according to a standardized instrument. Results The analysis of 31 websites revealed heterogeneous quality regarding content and formality, distributed evenly among the German- and English-language websites. The quality of content and formality does not correlate with the website’s order of appearance in a browser-based search. Conclusions The high discrepancy in quality of content and formality represents a risk for cancer patients, who are searching for information online. Content of poor quality and formality increases the risk of mal-information and consecutive false decisions on diet. It results in the decline of therapy response, an increased probability of therapeutic toxicity and a poorer prognosis in general. The visibility of high-quality websites needs to be improved.