Facing a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Yet, understanding what to expect when visiting your medical oncologist for the first time can help make this challenging journey more manageable. Your first visit to a medical oncologist marks the beginning of your personalized cancer treatment journey. It is my hope this article will provide some guidance …
Replaying this post as a reminder that this study is enrolling at multiple sites globally. More detailed information can also be seen here at clinicaltrials.gov as well as the sponsor Iovance. All information and data stated in this article are available publicly through online resources that I’ve also linked below for reference. This new trial …
Motherhood is an extraordinary journey – one filled with love, joy, challenges, and a good dose of late-night kitchen raids. But when cancer enters the picture, it’s like a plot twist that no one saw coming. Suddenly, there are new mountains to climb, tougher battles to fight, and a deeper appreciation for every sunrise. So, …
mRNA technology has revolutionized the world of medicine. Known for its role in the creation of COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA has been lauded as a game-changer in the fight against infectious diseases. But mRNA’s impact extends far beyond pandemic control. It’s now making waves in another critical area of healthcare: cancer treatment and prevention. mRNA stands …
Imagine a maestro, skillfully guiding a symphony of talented musicians, each playing their part in harmony to create a powerful, emotive performance. Now picture a medical oncologist, orchestrating a complex and personalized treatment plan for a patient diagnosed with cancer. The parallels are striking, and the importance of the oncologist’s role cannot be understated. We …
I am really excited about this new protocol specifically for patients with MAGE4+ HLA restricted SPEAR TILs for Metastatic Melanoma, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Head Neck cancer, Ovarian, Endometrial, and Urothelial cancers. The Gastric and Esophageal Cancer cohorts are closed. The social media material seen here was approved both the sponsor and IRB. Please contact …
My very first mentor was Dr Larry Kvols who I trained under at the Moffitt Cancer Center during my internal medicine residency. He would tell some good stories on some of the first patients he treated back in the day with a drug no one has ever heard using “octreotide” which today is the main …
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, affecting millions of individuals every year. Currently, the treatment paradigm for resected stage 2 and 3 colon cancer patients typically involves surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. However, the prognosis for these patients varies significantly, with some experiencing a complete …
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is the unsung villain of the skin cancer world – rare, aggressive, and often flying under the radar. MCC is a neuroendocrine skin cancer that usually rears its ugly head as a firm, painless nodule on sun-exposed areas of the skin. Risk factors for this sneaky skin invader include advanced age, …
“How am I doing?”, asked one of my colorectal patients. Ten years ago, I first met John (name changed for privacy), a warm and spirited individual diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. After undergoing surgical resection of the primary colon tumor and six months of standard adjuvant chemotherapy with mFOLFOX, John and I optimistically looked …