"A system of automated twicedaily texts and the ability to use text messaging to receive answers to questions about treatment helps relieve some of the stress of chemotherapy for women with breast cancer researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia reported Monday.  The feasibility study was designed to see if texting could relieve some of the anxiety that comes with the fatigue hair loss and other body changes that can accompany anticancer drugs.  Compared to  women who only received an American Cancer Society pamphlet on chemotherapy the  women in the texting group reported an overall lower level of distress and a higher quality of life during their therapy. They also felt they had better communication with their doctors.  The text messages were most effective at reducing distress at the  and month marks according to the data presented by chief author KuangYi Wen an assistant professor in the Cancer Prevention and Control program at Fox Chase. At the fourth month mark the gap was huge between the texting and control groups she told Reuters Health in a telephone interview.  Texting also played a role in helping patients feel like they were in control of their treatment particularly during the first month.  Texting did not affect the odds of developing symptoms of depression.  Surprisingly the older the patient the greater the likelihood that she would text back seeking more information.  One of the patients texted the program  times. Thats whats good about this program. Everyone has different informationseeking behavior and the system can respond to that Dr. Wen said.  The findings were released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago.  SOURCE bit.lyMezRw httpbit.lyMezRw American Society of Clinical Oncology June  . Our StandardsThe Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. httpthomsonreuters.comenaboutustrustprinciples.html"