One of the primary requirements of cancer patients is psychological help. One of the key factors that help in the survival of cancer patients is the will to survive. Patients usually conjure up this will through the support of friends and family. In some cases even this may not help. In these kinds of situations, a support group is effective and it has the potential to make the cancer patient feel good. A constraint in this regard is the unavailability of a support group in the neighbourhood. Cancer on the internet teleconferencing is very helpful in this regard. The patient can get in touch with other cancer patients through the internet and thus forming a virtual support group.
Cancer on the internet teleconferencing can cater to some other requirements of cancer patients too. The unavailability of a cancer specialist in the neighbourhood can be extremely inconvenient as the patient has to travel long hours to meet a cancer specialist. Internet teleconferencing can help to remove this inconvenience. A pathologist can transmit the images of a cancer patient to a consultant through the internet. At the same time, they can discuss the various issues through internet telephony. This application is powerful as the patient does not have to exert which comes as a result of travelling long distances.
Cancer on the internet teleconferencing technology is still in its nascent stages. A study was conducted by the people working in the department of pathology in Cedars Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles to test the feasibility of diagnosis via teleconferencing. This study says that it is currently best suited for quick consultations which might be to discuss a minor issue which involves the sharing of a minor specimen. The internet telephony is unreliable most of the times and the pathologist may have to re establish connection every now and then. The images obtained from the biopsies are transmitted to the consultant in real time. This is done by setting up a video camera with a microscope at the transmitter end. The receiver who is the consultant gets the images onto his computer using a microcomputer with net meeting software. Using the internet telephony, the consultant directs the pathologist to move the microscope so that he can see other parts of the image clearly. This way the consultant can provide his diagnosis and treat the cancer patient by providing a list of cancer treating drugs.
Cancer on the internet teleconferencing used for support groups has also met with some success. This is considerably helpful for patients in the rural parts. The tests conducted for assessing the feasibility of such support groups have met with success as participants of such tests felt better after sharing experiences with other cancer patients. These tests were specifically conducted for breast cancer patients. The psychological help such events provided for the women were tremendous and thus reduced the depression levels and stress disorder symptoms due to trauma. The patients were able to discuss about cancer and women’s health issues.
Cancer on the internet teleconferencing has the potential to help cancer patients reduce their suffering by providing timely treatments ad organising support groups that involve cancer patients from all around the world.
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