The Rise of the Expert Patient in Cancer: From Backseat Passenger to Co-navigator

Long-term survivors have been using the internet to understand their Late Effects for years.  The value of self-advocacy is highlighted in this article, published in the American Society of Clinical Oncology Journal.
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"Patients who have cancer have leveraged the Internet to gain a better understanding of their disease and connect across geographic boundaries with others facing the same challenges. Online cancer communities have developed into resources that highlight new research and evolving care pathways. Combined with increasing health literacy and social media, they have enabled some patients to become experts in their cancer. This combination of empowerment and expertise describes the new “e-patients.”"

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