Date: 2009-11-24
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The holiday season is a time of celebration and togetherness with family and friends, but for people with cancer, it can be a difficult time of year. A cancer diagnosis can mean fear and anxiety for patients, and their family and friends, who may worry about the effects of treatment and prognosis for survival.
(Media-Newswire.com) - ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The holiday season is a time of celebration and togetherness with family and friends, but for people with cancer, it can be a difficult time of year. A cancer diagnosis can mean fear and anxiety for patients, and their family and friends, who may worry about the effects of treatment and prognosis for survival.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today re-launched its award-winning patient information web site, Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net), to make it easier for patients to navigate the most accurate, reliable cancer information available on the web. Developed by doctors for their patients, Cancer.Net contains comprehensive information on more than 120 different types of cancer, and includes a special feature that addresses common questions about cancer and the holidays, including managing fatigue and tips to help patients take care of themselves emotionally and physically, especially during this time of the year.
Cancer.Net also is partnering with the ice skating community to help increase awareness of the reliable, doctor-approved information it provides. Cancer.Net has been named the official clinical cancer information resource for Kaleidoscope, a holiday entertainment variety special featuring Olympic skating champions and Grammy®-award winning artists airing on FOX Television Thanksgiving Day (November 26, 2009, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. EST).
Kaleidoscope will feature Olympic Champions and cancer survivors Scott Hamilton and Dorothy Hamill, who return to the ice after battling a brain tumor and breast cancer, respectively. Hamill will skate to a touching tribute by singer and cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John. In addition, American Idol’s David Archuleta and Katharine McPhee will perform, and Olympic Champion Kristi Yamaguchi, two-time Olympic Medalist Nancy Kerrigan, and Olympic figure skating hopeful Rachael Flatt also will skate.
“Good cancer care starts with good cancer information, and ASCO is honored to work with the skating community to get the best cancer information to the people who need it most,” said ASCO President Douglas W. Blayney, MD. “People living with cancer have enough to deal with – finding good information needs to be as easy as possible, and Cancer.Net is a well organized web site that can take patients through any diagnosis in a comprehensive way.”
In addition to information on more than 120 types of cancer, Cancer.Net resources include sections devoted to clinical trials, managing side effects, coping and survivorship, and even original medical illustrations to help people better understand cancer.
“Someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer needs to have the latest information available to make an informed decision about treatment,” said Diane Blum, MSW, Cancer.Net Editor-in-Chief. “Cancer.Net brings the expertise and resources of ASCO to people living with cancer and those who care for and about them.”
The updated web site highlights new features and content, including a “Find an Oncologist” database, news from ASCO meetings and journals, videos and podcasts from ASCO experts, and weekly feature articles. Cancer.Net also offers a host of information for the public about cancer in a format that is easier to read and navigate, including:
Free audio files, or podcasts, that visitors can download to an MP3 player or listen to online. Topics cover everything from making grocery shopping easier to how to keep a personal medical record. Another podcast series features ASCO members discussing the latest news in cancer care and treatment.
New videos featuring cancer survivors and doctors discussing cancer treatment and the latest research news on Cancer.Net or the CancerDotNet YouTube channel.
The Find an Oncologist database lists all ASCO members by zip code and by specialty, so visitors can customize a search for a cancer doctor in their community.
Site visitors can now share the information with family and friends through e-mail and social networking sites, like Facebook, and follow Cancer.Net on Twitter.
Many sections of Cancer.Net are now translated into Spanish and used by Spanish-speaking people in the United States and around the world.
Cancer.Net is supported by The ASCO Cancer Foundation, which provides funding for cutting-edge cancer research, education and patient and family support.
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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world’s leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 27,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.
Cancer.Net brings the expertise and resources of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the voice of the world’s cancer physicians, to people living with cancer and those who care for and care about them. ASCO is composed of more than 27,000 oncologists globally who are the leaders in advancing cancer care. All the information and content on Cancer.Net was developed and approved by the cancer doctors who are members of ASCO, making Cancer.Net the most up-to-date and trusted resource for cancer information on the Internet. Cancer.Net is supported by The ASCO Cancer Foundation, which provides funding for cutting-edge cancer research, education, and patient and family support.