Latest Blogs

Anne Katz, PhD, RN, FAAN
Aug 05, 2020
Unanticipated Consequences of COVID-19
Hospitals and clinics are restricting visitors to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19, but this precaution can be difficult for family caregivers who are struggling to get the information they need to help their loved ones.
Guest Commentary
Aug 04, 2020
Until We Meet Again: A Letter to Members and #ASCO20 Attendees From Choose Chicago
Ahead of the ASCO20 Virtual Education Program, Mr. David Whitaker of Choose Chicago sends his best wishes and gratitude on behalf of the city where the ASCO Annual Meeting is traditionally held.
Inas Abuali, MD, FACP
Jul 27, 2020
“Why Us?” — Reflections on Grief and Loss
Ten years after losing my mom to breast cancer, I find myself reflecting on who I am today and what I have learned from the loss and grief that propelled me to relocate across the globe and dedicate my career to serving patients with cancer. 
Guest Commentary
Jul 23, 2020
Do We Really Know What Our Patients Need?
Sometimes the best treatment isn't a medical intervention, but an emotional one, as Dr. Dawood Findakly discovered when a patient seemed to lose his will to live.
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Linda R. Duska, MD, MPH

Linda R. Duska, MD, MPH, is the editor in chief of ASCO Connection. She is a professor and fellowship director for Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Virginia (UVA). An active member of the Gynecology Oncology Group, she also serves on multiple committees and has authored several investigator-initiated clinical trials at UVA. Her research interests include the evaluation of novel therapeutics and targeted therapy for ovarian and endometrial cancers. Dr. Duska is active in the Foundation for Women's Cancers, where she is the Team Leader for the Surgeons Team for the Race to End Womens Cancers.

Mar 03, 2017
Making Connections, Building Relationships
Whether it's your first or twenty-first time attending the ASCO Annual Meeting, you'll find that connections can happen anywhere, not just during sessions or designated networking events.
Aug 12, 2014
Pilots and Surgeons: What Does A Really Good One Look Like?
A few days ago I had the opportunity to fly in a small passenger (9-person) plane. I’m not a good flyer in general and really small planes make me nervous. I sat directly behind the pilot and decided he must be a good pilot based on his appearance and demeanor (the only data I had). He looked old...
Mar 13, 2014
What Do You Do When There Is Nothing to Do?
It’s a hard question, especially for a surgeon. We surgeons like the instant gratification of going in and fixing things. As a surgeon who also gives chemotherapy, managing the end of life is really hard for me in a fundamental way: it’s (in a strange and very personal sense) an admission of...
Jun 10, 2013
Patient Altruism and Clinical Trials
Why do patients agree to go on cancer treatment clinical trials? We know that they choose to enroll for a lot of complicated reasons. As a physician and clinical investigator, it makes logical sense to me that patients with cancer want to take advantage of the best and newest treatments, even when...
1 Comments
Jan 04, 2013
Gaining Self-Awareness from Unexpected Places
A few months ago I took my then 17-year-old daughter to the Operating Room with me. I had a full day of surgery and she wanted to observe. She’s not really interested in being a doctor, but she is interested in seeing what surgery is all about, and (maybe) seeing how her mother spends her days. It...
1 Comments
Jul 25, 2012
House Calls
Not many of us make house calls anymore. Certainly not those of us in academic medicine. There is just so much to do: patients to see, research to conduct, grants to write and rewrite. A house call can take up the whole day or more. A house call for an oncology patient at the end of life is also...

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