ASCOconnection.org is a forum for the exchange of views on topical issues in the field of oncology. The views expressed in the blogs, comments, and forums belong to the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Please read the Commenting Guidelines.
Broaching difficult topics, such as the possibility of a recurrence or the failure of treatment to control the disease, is often postponed because it is uncomfortable for both the patient and the doctor.
Many of us put a lot of effort into keeping our work and personal lives separate. It certainly helps to improve our quality of life and prevent burnout. In my training, however, I was taught that it can be very helpful to open part of yourself to your patients. They get to see you more as a person...
She had come to see me as a second opinion; diagnosed with uterine serous cancer, one of the more aggressive types of uterine cancers. At surgery they found that it had metastasized to her nodes—stage III disease.
My patient mix comes in waves—some months it is mostly women with breast cancer struggling with adjuvant endocrine therapy or men in the aftermath of surgery for prostate...
Sometimes, it seems like the easiest way to raise some physician’s hackles is to bring up something that “administration” is doing. Maybe it’s a practice change felt to make things run more smoothly. Maybe it’s a new iteration of the EMR. Maybe it’s data monitoring or asking the physicians to look...
The good kind of problem is having too many choices; the bad kind of problem is having too few choices. Today, I am writing about the ultimate in the good kind of problems: Being an exceptional responder to cancer treatment. I am even trying to enroll in the NCI Exceptional Responders Initiative.
By Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP, and Elaine M. Doroff
Significant psychological distress often accompanies the first diagnosis of cancer, but for most patients, I find the distress fades as the cancer gets treated and ultimately becomes a part of their past. Life resumes a new normalcy, interrupted only...
I’m sure I am not alone in saying that I am almost obsessively conscious of time. Namely, that there never seems to be enough of it. As busy oncologists, we all have constant demands on our time, from our leadership, colleagues, drug company reps, insurers, and our families, not to mention the time...
The auditorium was designed for around 400 people, but only a quarter of the place was occupied. Some people were sitting next to each other; some were hiding alone at the end of the hall.
Effective communication is vital in all aspects of medicine. In today’s multidisciplinary health care setting, the many members of each patient’s health care team need to work together to deliver optimal care...
I had taken care of her for many years; recommended the adjuvant treatment for her triple-negative breast cancer, then later—walking her through treatment when we found it had recurred in her liver. We had hoped for a long-lasting remission, but then she developed bone and lung metastases.
I am a psychiatrist, but I have never regarded myself as a particularly patient one. In fact, I have become even less patient since I was diagnosed with stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma in 2010 and given a prognosis of less than a year to live. This blog is not meant to reflect the thoughts of a...
Please join the Conquer Cancer Foundation as we extend the momentum of The Campaign to Conquer Cancer. As much as we need your donations to raise $150 million, we need your leadership and your voice even more.
I see patients in three kinds of supportive scenarios. There are those who come to their visits with me by themselves. I understand why they come alone to address their sexual problems; they think that the problem is theirs to fix.
We all have our fair share of so-called “difficult” patients. And, I would suggest that how we define “difficult” is as diverse as we are as health care providers and as individuals. Some patients come to us with that reputation—perhaps, a vague descriptor in a referral letter or a note in the...
Everyone deserves a chance to be healthy. Physicians, of course, focus on helping patients. Unfortunately, I often see patients’ frustrations with the health care system itself directed toward doctors.
Doctors are under increasing pressures on multiple fronts. Yes, we’re imperfect, but making...
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ASCOconnection.org is a forum for the exchange of views on topical issues in the field of oncology. The views expressed in the blogs, comments, and forums belong to the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Please read the Commenting Guidelines.
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