CHICAGO (AP) — A study finds that having cancer patients use home computers to report problems like nausea and fatigue surprisingly improved survival, by almost half a year. That’s longer than many new cancer drugs do.

The online tool was intended as a way for people to regularly report symptoms rather than trying to call their doctors or waiting until their next appointment. Those who used it had a better quality of life and lived five months longer on average than those who did not.

Doctors say patients should speak up about side effects and not assume they’re unavoidable. Symptoms may mean a treatment isn’t working, so reporting them quickly gives a chance to try something new.

The study was discussed Sunday at a cancer conference in Chicago.