TROG: Twitter Use in Research and Clinical Care

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Twitter Use In

Research and Clinical Care

Matthew Katz, MD

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Overview

• Introduction

• Potential Influence in Cancer Care

• Who is Involved?

• Examples in Radiation Oncology

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Introduction to Twitter

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How It Works

• Short real-time messaging

– Tune in to ‘hot topics’ related to research or clinic

– Network with people interested in cancer care globally

• Hyperlinks allow you connect it to richer content

– Details of newly opened clinical trials

– Share your research

• Not private, but neither is your research!

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Anatomy of a Tweet

140 characters

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Anatomy of a Tweet

Hashtags• Searchable metadata• Catalyst for

• Viral content• Communities

• Data analytics firms track us, including NPI numbers

Creation Pinpoint, http://bit.ly/1hU6Kqd

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You are not Anonymous

IP Address = Identity

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Audience by communication method

Bik HM, Goldstein MS. PLOS Biol 2013

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Sharing Research with Social Media

Allen et al, PLoS ONE, 2013

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Social Media and Citations

G Eysenbach, J Med Int Res 2011

• Correlation only?

• One RCT: no increased citations*

• Altmetrics used for Impact Factor

*Fox CS et al, Circulation 2014

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Relevance to Research

• Only 0.04% of published medical research

gets mainstream attention

• Social media provides a way to share your

research with patients, caregivers who may

directly benefit

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Practical

• Cancer patients and caregivers are increasingly

online, seeking help and support

• If clinicians and researchers don’t engage,

expect more influence on health decisions by

– Peers and family

– Fearmongerers, opportunists

– Industry

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Clinical Trials Groups on Twitter

Group Twitter Handle Followers* Tweets*

AllianceNCTN @Alliance_org 564 498

ECOG-ACRIN @EAOnc 365 569

EORTC @EORTC 1989 670

NRG [formerly RTOG]

@NRGOnc 334 299

SWOG @SWOG 1342 886

TROG @TROGfightcancer 366 304

* As of 22 March 2015

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Organizations and Journals

Organization Twitter Handle Followers

World Health Organization @WHO 2.2 M

Mayo Clinic @MayoClinic 1.1 M

Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine 249 K

NEJM @NEJM 252 K

Lancet @TheLancet 168 K

National Cancer Institute @theNCI 79 K

ASCO @ASCO 35 K

Union for International Cancer Control

@UICC 5.7 K

Cancer Australia @CancerAustralia 1.5 K

Twitter data, March 23, 2015

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Medical Oncology Is Leading

M Katz, Mayo SMHN, http://mayocl.in/1tqewx2

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ASCO Annual Meeting

Create New Worlds

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#radonc Journal Club

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#radonc Journal Club

Symplur.com

Symplur.com, http://bit.ly/1cAmuR7

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Twitter Creates Research Opportunities

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Conclusions

• Twitter provides opportunity to share, learn

• Simple to use, global reach

• Currently best platform for cancer researchers to connect with each other and general public

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Thank you!

• David Ball

• Dion Forstner

• Jarad Martin

• Puma Sundaresan

• Sandra Turner