When you receive your chart the first time, it will be accompanied by a Digest File that has been modified to work with MultiGraph.  The modifications are small enough so that I hope you will use it as your main digest file rather than maintaining a separate one for MultiGraph.

You can review exactly what data was read from the Digest and plotted by checking the Report File that you receive with your chart.

From this point on, you are responsible for maintaining your digest file, using a text editor or word processor.  Here are some clues to help you figure out how to make changes:

Numerical variables plotted in the upper part of your graph:
Numbers preceded immediately by a date or the name "psa" are plotted as PSA values.  For other variables to be plotted, the name must precede the value.

If you have several numerical variables to plot, a new feature of MultiGraph allows you to include a table in the format below. You can use both tables and variables in your chronology.

Table:     PSA     PAP      T      Chol      PSA2
22 May 98   4.5     --     200      180
15 Jun 98   4.0
23 Jul 98   3.5     7.2
26 Aug 98   3.0     --      --      ---       18

If you have multiple numerical variables, you can choose which ones to plot by editing and/or adding Chart: definition lines after the Digest: line.  The first word after Chart: is the name of the chart, and is followed by the names of the variables to plot on that chart.

Events plotted in the middle of your graph:
The keywords Dg:, Pr:, and Ev:, or Diag:, Proc:, and Event: are used to identify Diagnostics, Procedures, and generic Events, respectively.  You should use those keywords to identify single-date events you want plotted across the middle of your chart.

Diagnostic event details and report information, or any other information associated with an event can be captured by inserting the Keywords Report: or Details: after the event and including as much text as desired.  It must be terminated by a blank line.  That information will be included in the Report file and also will be available in a pop-up screen to anyone running MultiGraph.  (MultiGraph is not being distributed at this time.)

Treatments and other continuous happenings plotted as bars:
Words with 'stop' and 'start' in them are used to identify Treatments with a start and stop date. Make sure that stopping dates for treatments incorrectly shown as continuing are included.  You can add new treatment bars using the words 'stop' and 'start'.

Diagnostic Information Displayed in Box on Graph:
These items may appear anywere in your Digest, followed by the relevant data.

Diagnosis Date:
Prostate Volume: or PV:
Clinical Stage: or CS:
Gleason:
Ploidy:
Partin:
Narayan:

If you are having trouble viewing or printing the .gif file, you may want to check out http://www.hamrick.com for VuePro32.  It is an excellent image and movie viewer and printer.  All disclaimers apply.

Dr. Barken, who collaborated on the creation of MultiGraph, likes to use them to review a patient's situation.  If you ask a question of the doctors on the P2P mailing list http://www.prostatepointers.org/barken/p2psub.html, and you think the chart would be useful, let me know, or better, copy me on the message, and I will make sure Dr. Barken has a copy of your graph.

Also, if you are a member of the Prostate Help Mailing List http://www.phcagroups.org/grsubsc.htm you can attach your graph to your  message when you post a question there.  It is welcome on that list, although not many people have done it yet.

Don't hesitate to send in a revised PCD file with corrections and updated info whenever you want a new chart.

I don't hear too much from most of the people who receive charts.  I would like to know whether the chart and the other files matched, exceeded, or fell below your expectations, and what use you were able to make of the chart.  If you have any suggestions for improvements, I would like to hear them too.

Cheers,
John Fistere

MultiGraph was developed by John Fistere with
Dr. Israel Barken, M.D., F.A.C.S..

MultiGraph charting is a free service of the
Prostate Cancer Research and Education Foundation (PC-REF),
6699 Alvarado Road, Suite 2301, San Diego, CA   92120.
A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Your donations are appreciated, and in fact, encouraged!
They are fully tax deductible.
Phone: (619) 287-6682     FAX: (619) 287-8890
Check our website at http://www.prostatecancer.com.

Your data may be used for statistical research purposes.
Your confidentiality will be maintained.
For technical support send email to JFistere@cox.net.