Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 79-year-old man is evaluated for pain in the buttocks region. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin large B-cell lymphoma 6 months ago. Althoug…
Category: Oncology/Hematology
Is cancer truly the enemy?
Cancer is the enemy. So, our immediate desire is to get rid of it, throw it away, and never hear from it again. Current therapies that require living tissue are proving that false. We know that your living tumor tissue is like your fingerprint, unique to each individual patient. It contains information specific to you, […]
When breast cancer screening guidelines conflict: Some patients face real consequences
Are my breast cancer and I on the wrong side of statistics, or just caught in the confusing and potentially devastating conflict between medical societies about when women should start breast-cancer screening? One morning more than a year ago, it didn’t seem like either. As both of my kids cuddled in bed with my husband […]
Prostate cancer screening campaigns are giving men the finger
Fifty years ago, in a golden moment of television comedy shows, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In program regularly featured “The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate” award. Wikipedia says it “recognized actual dubious achievements by public individuals or institutions.” Do a Google search. You’ll quickly see how popular this award became. Yes, I’m dating myself by going […]
The key to this patient? Horseshoes.
“Those who suffer illness learn by hearing themselves tell their stories, absorbing others’ reactions, and experiencing their stories being shared.” – Arthur Frank We stand together at the clinic room door, preparing to enter. “Tongue cancer. This is a 78-year-old man with an oral cavity mass and some memory loss. He had an ulcer on […]
What my mother needs is a daughter, not a doctor
My mom was recently diagnosed with cancer. I can’t even begin to describe the shock I felt or how my heart just sank. In an otherwise healthy person with no family history, this is not something you ever expect to happen. My mind immediately jumped to so many different conclusions, and I immediately wanted answers. […]