BC.org gets a plug

This was in yesterday's NY Times:

February 11, 2008,  2:48 pm

Most Breast Cancer Sites Get It Right

The Internet is filled with unreliable health information and bogus claims. But sites dedicated to breast cancer information appear to have a high level of accuracy, a new study shows.

Texas researchers recently analyzed 343 Web pages, retrieved using search engines that consumers are likely to use when seeking information about breast cancer. The study, published online today in the medical journal Cancer, turned up 41 inaccurate statements on 18 of the Web sites, or an error rate of just 5.2 percent.

Previous studies of cancer-oriented Web sites have found a high prevalence of false or misleading information online, the authors noted. Although breast cancer Web sites have a surprisingly good track record for accuracy, the downside is that there is no reliable way for consumers to determine which sites contain accurate information, the researchers found. Web sites displaying complementary and alternative medicine were 15 times more likely to contain false or misleading health information than more conventional medical sites, the researchers said.

Dr. Funda Meric-Bernstam, associate professor of surgery at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and the study's senior author, said many of her patients clearly use the Internet to become knowledgeable about their condition before their first appointment with her.

"Often it's clearly a benefit,'' Dr. Meric-Bernstam said. "I've had patients who were recommended mastectomies that were really breast conservation candidates. They actually figured this out by going online and then seeking out surgeons capable of performing the surgery."

But unfortunately, some patients stumble across inaccurate information. "There are times patients read about treatments that clearly do not apply to them, which can increase their level of anxiety or expectations for a treatment that they are not a candidate for,'' she said.

Although online breast cancer information appears to be reliable, the best advice for patients is to check their research with a doctor before taking action.

One of my favorite Web sites is http://www.breastcancer.org/, which was founded by Philadelphia-area oncologist Dr. Marissa Weiss. The site contains extensive information for breast cancer patients and their families. It regularly features breast cancer stories that are in the news, accompanied by commentary from a breastcancer.org doctor to help women make sense of the report.