Rochester, MN (PRWEB) January 10, 2005
A medical doctor, concerned about the quality of medical information online decided to create a website to educate patients, families and caregivers about cancer. The website, called cancerforums.net uses a message board where anyone may post their questions and concerns about anything related to the disease. The volunteer physician then answers their questions and offers his support.
Dr. Leonardo Faoro, a medical resident specializing in Hematology-Oncology, started the website after perceiving a need to guide patients and families through the enormous amount of medical information currently available. ÂThere is a lot of medical information on the Internet that is misleading, biased, or just plain wrongÂ, says the young doctor. ÂAlso, there are many people that just want to learn more about their disease, but end up leaving the medical office with too many doubts and questions that went unansweredÂ, he adds. While not giving medical advice on his website, he answers general questions and frequently instructs people on how to find answers to their questions. Dr. Faoro has been in the same situation, when one of his family members faced the difficult diagnosis. ÂI had to show this person how to find relevant and up-to-date information, which helped him to make informed decisions about treatmentÂ, he explains.
Since its creation in September of last year, there have been almost 2000 topics on the website, which continues to experience remarkable growth. Many users share their stories, successes and frustrations on the forum. A good portion of them returns regularly, welcoming new users and forming a network of users united against cancer. ÂSince I found out about this site, I have been totally amazed and pleased with Dr. Faoro and other participantsÂ, notes a regular user of the website. In addition to being a completely free service, cancerforums.net is accredited by Health on the Net, an international organization that verifies that health-related websites comply with ethical standards.
The incidence of human cancer in the United States is fortunately decreasing. It reached its peak in 1992, then slowly started to decline. Still, more than half of all cancers diagnosed in 2003 were breast, lung, prostate and colorectal. ÂWe have to make a lot of progress in screening and making sure that tobacco use diminishesÂ, says Dr. Faoro.
While the website is centered around the message boards, additions are being developed. There are plans to include a blog system, where the users may contribute with their own experiences and thoughts. A chat room is also in the works. ÂCancerforums.net is a place where users can come and be confident that their concerns will be taken seriously, and that they will find others who may help them through this difficult journeyÂ, Dr. Faoro summarizes.
For additional information log on to: http://www.cancerforums.net
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Leonardo Faoro
Cancer Forums
507-216-4143
###