Cancer Management in the 21st Century

Cancer Management in the 21st Century

Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, FASCO

@drdonsdizon
Sep 24, 2011
I have followed with interest the exciting progress being made across oncology--progress in melanoma with the anti-CTLA agent iplimumab and the BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib, and in a specific biologic lung cancer genotype with crizotinib targeting tumors with an anapestic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutation

At the same time, as we continue to drill down to the molecular basis of cancer and identify specific tumors within the broad context of even organ-specific cancer, I wonder how general oncologists will be able to continue in practice! 

The goal of oncology in the 21st century is to personalize therapy and I believe we are starting to see this realized. Still, it means that we as oncologists must keep up with the discoveries in targeted treatments, and I find it difficult enough to do so--and I specialize in breast and gynecologic cancers! 

I wonder how our colleagues in general practice are able to handle this information (see poll on right) and what steps ASCO can improve upon to assist. It's an undertaking I believe remains at the heart of the educational mission here at ASCO, and I think we would all benefit from hearing the needs of those in general practice.


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