From BMT Newsletter March 1995 Issue # 28 - BMTs for Chronic Myelogeneous Leukemia Reprinted by NYSERNet with Permission from BMT Newsletter
In March 1992 I was diagnosed with AML and underwent induction chemotherapy, followed by high dose consolidation chemotherapy. In January 1993 I relapsed and had an allogeneic BMT the following month. I think the hardest thing about having cancer is the feeling that you've lost control over your life. One way I tried to get back some control was to learn as much as I could about AML and its treatment. Getting "on-line" was the first step. To get on-line you need a computer. Some people can get on-line through computer networks at work or at school. Others have computers at home equipped with modems that can connect with commercial on-line services such as CompuServe, Prodigy and America On-Line. Once you are on-line and have learned how to send electronic mail (e-mail) you have access to a wealth of information. I use my computer to access the Internet-an international computer network that links educational institutions, non-profit agencies, and a growing number of commercial companies that provide on-line service. A large amount of information about diagnosing and treating cancer is available on the Internet. There are electronic copies of the BMT Newsletter as well as information from universities, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other government agencies. NCI's CancerNet, for example, lets you request information from the NCI Physician Data Query (PDQ) database, fact sheets on various cancer topics, and citations and abstracts of articles on cancer.
To learn to use CancerNet, send an e-mail message via your computer to cancernet@icicb.nci.nih.gov, leave the subject blank, and put the word HELP in the body. There are also three electronic mailing lists that are helpful for BMT patients and survivors. The membership of each list includes cancer patients, their loved ones and a few medical professionals. Once you "subscribe" to the mailing list, you can read all the messages that other people write as well as send your own message to everyone on the list using a single e-mail address. There is no charge to subscribe to these lists. The first list is devoted to BMTs and is called BMT-TALK. To subscribe send an e-mail message to bmt-talk-request@ai.mit.edu. Put only the word subscribe in the body of the message. To send mail to people on the bmt-talk list address your e-mail to bmttalk@ai.mit.edu.
The second list, CANCER-L, is a general mailing list for people with cancer. To subscribe send an e-mail message to LISTSERV@WUVMD.WUSTL.EDU . In the body of the message put SUBSCRIBE CANCER-L . For example, I would put SUBSCRIBE CANCER-L Art Flatau. To send mail to CANCER-L, address your e-mail message to CANCER-L@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU.
The third mailing list is called breast-cancer. To subscribe to breast-cancer send an e-mail message to LISTSERVER@MORGAN.UCS.MUN.CA. In the body of the message put SUBSCRIBE BREAST-CANCER. To send a message to people on the breast-cancer list send e-mail to BREAST-CANCER@ MORGAN.UCS.MUN.CA.
Most of the major commercial on-line services (e.g., CompuServe, Prodigy and America Online) also have cancer forums where cancer patients can "chat" with one another via their computers. While I have not used these myself, I have read that they are very good. Getting on-line has helped me take back some control over my life. For me, knowledge is power. If anyone needs help using these resources, send me an e-mail message at flatau@cli.com. I'll be happy to help you.
The electronic version of this document was created by NYSERNet, Inc. as part of the Breast Cancer Information Clearinghouse.