This is for a class project/exercise on sourcing information through social networking websites & web 2.0 applications. The question is - what type of answers would be received through this communication medium? What kind of communal knowledge exists about this subject? Please note that I do not have skin cancer and would advocate consulting a doctor above all other options. Thank you for your answers!!
Cancer - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I can not comment about skin cancer social networking but can tell you that with rare cancers social networking can save a patients life. The social networking cancer groups support one another, empower by sharing information and stories about their own cancer journeys. Through social networking we learned about experimental treatments that others had tried . .and we took that information back to the doctors office with us. Social networking, especially with the rare cancers, is instant . .you can always find someone who will answer your questions or encourage you to seek out different options. Many of the patients I communicate regularly with have very, very few treatment options . . many of them have not survived their disease. Through social networking we were able to piece together treatments that might work against those that we knew were not working . . . long before any clinical trial evidence became publically available. We also shared clinical trial information . . what was working or what was failing . . and unfortunately with my sons type of cancer almost everything has failed. I would say through the support groups I've been a member of . . I have seen vast improvements in treatment options over the last four or five years . . and most of the information was learned from the experiences of group members as opposed to being presented the information from our pediatric oncologist. This way of learning also helped when we did consult with the oncologists because we became familiar with the medical terminology and could understand more clearly what the oncologist proposed to do. Social networking has helped in understanding the treatments . . if a doctor didn't explain it clearly, often another patient could explain it. Doctors clearly have an understanding of the medical process, but many of them are definitely behind when it comes to social networking about cancer . . many have yet to embrace the phenomenon of cancer support groups sharing information online. Our sons doctor often asked us what other doctors were doing in other parts of the country since she knew we were in communication with other patients. And our doctor always listened to us . . she was able to process the information we shared with her and do her own research to verify what we shared. Through this means my son was offered an experimental treatment called intra abdominal hyperthermic chemoperfusion . . something that had never been done for his age group or disease type . . and I believe that this treatment extended his life by three years. Social networking is important, how important remains to be seen. It also seems like in terms of treatment that we were more involved with our doctor . . we felt more in control of the process and more a part of a team fighting for our sons life instead of just letting the doctor decide everything.
2 :
There is a cancer website I came across that has a pretty good concise list of different cancers and relative information: http://forthefightagainstcancer.webs.com Hope this helps!
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