Reporting cancer complications online help survival rates

Researchers in the US have found that patients suffering from cancer, who had access to a personal computer at home and were able to communicate symptoms, had improved survival rates of almost half a year. In comparison to patients who were simply prescribed cancer drugs, individuals who were able to report symptoms, such as nausea, had their issues dealt with far quicker. This allowed them to continue their treatment plans for longer as the symptoms were quickly addressed.

The participants used an online tool which was designed to allow them to regularly communicate any complications and improve their quality of life sooner, rather than having to wait until their next appointment. Speaking to Associated Press, study leader Dr Ethan Basch was surprised by the success of the experiment. “I was floored by the results, we are proactively catching things early,” he said.

Experts revealed that the early reporting of symptoms, such as shortness of breath, are vital, as they may indicate that an existing treatment plan isn’t working and needs to be changed. This improved survival rates by more than many new cancer drugs. The report was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.