COM10003 – Leaning and Communicating Online
Assessment 1 – An exploration of the digital world

My research topic in relation to exploring the digital world is on Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer is developed from breast tissues. Various signs of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, nipple discharge, a red scaly patch on the skin, or even a change in the shape of the breast. There are various risk factors involved in developing breast cancer such as lacking in physical exercise, over consumption of alcohol, taking hormone replacement therapies during menopause and of course, major contributing factor is the gene inheritance.

I commenced my research on the above topic using the informational website Wikipedia. I have found Wikipedia has the most comprehensive amount of information on breast cancer. It has information on Signs and Symptoms of breast cancer and how it is detected. It consists of pictures of breast showing signs like red scaly patch on skin, inverted nipple which is also a sign of breast cancer and a lump on a breast which is the most common symptom in today’s world. There is also a mammographic picture of a normal breast and a breast with cancer. Wikipedia also has information on the life style, how excessive smoking and consumption of alcohol leads to breast cancer. I did not have the knowledge that being exposed to radiation or doing shift work could also lead to breast cancer until I read this information on Wikipedia. The site also consists of the processes of when cancer is diagnosed, all the procedures that are involved such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and recovery after treatment. It also explains on the Pathology side of the breast on how specimens are collected from patients like a core biopsy or a fine needle aspiration, how the specimens are tested and how the results are interpreted and the stages of cancer are determined. There is also a picture showing how a chest looks like after mastectomy. Towards the end of the webpage, there is a bit of history of when breast cancer was first discovered, how it was treated in the olden days and what processes were involved in removing the cancer.

I continued my research further on the topic on Pinterest. This social media contains an immense amount of breast cancer awareness programmes. Cancer survivors are pinning and sharing their experiences and what they have been throughout the process of being diagnosed. Not necessarily every woman needs to have mastectomy, some women discover a small lump in the early stages of cancer and they have a small procedure which is know as lumpectomy. For some women, by the time they discover the lump to the time they see a doctor and the treatment process begins, the cancer has already spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the breast. These women need further surgery where the lymph nodes are removed. Based on my research ‘Pinterest’ is used mostly to advertise on has all these information on how each one goes through different processes and experience. Postures containing words of encouragement, how to fight breast cancer, the chances of survival and organisations raising money to continue researching on increasing survival rates and further advanced medical research. Organisations pinned postures such as “Prink Ribbon” and “Ray of Hope” fundraising events to raise money and awareness.

Further into my research I decided to look for some visual or spoken information on Breast Cancer. One of the most informative and resourceful site I utilised was You tube. You tube contains vast amount of information on breast cancer. Patients share their experiences and their fight to survive and beat breast cancer. Doctors’ talk on different topics with detailed explanation of all the processes involved, how a person can discover if she or he has breast cancer, how to do self examination.
I come from a country where medical facilities are not so advanced and there is not much awareness programs for these types of diseases. These documentaries contain very useful and vital information and can be used in educating people in these undeveloped countries and under privileged people by educating them through awareness programs.

I also had a look at the face book, another social media platform to see if there was any information on breast cancer. Face Book mainly had …………………………………

I feel this digital world is great and more and more people are having access to the technology and the internet and more awareness programs are held. and they can also be used by students want to further their knowledge or have taken up courses or research on breast cancer. Even doctors who want to specialise in a particular field of breast cancer, such as Surgery, Medical Oncology or Pathology can use it as a vital source of information.

One documentary shows the whole process of surgery, how the breasts are operated depending on the seriousness of the diagnosis. It shows simple procedures with early stages of breast caner and then to the advanced stage where mastectomy is necessary. Some women do not wish to loose their nipple and due to the advanced medical treatment, the doctors perform a surgery called “Nipple Sparing Mastectomy” where the nipple is saved and later the patients can have breast implants. Other documentaries on You tube showed the procedures on breast implants, Lymphoedema, a condition where the arms are swollen post surgery and a …………………………. Dr Shaun Thornton, a Pathologist with Cellnetix Laboratories and Pathology from Swedish Cancer Institute speaks about Pathology and biology of breast.

To continue my research