Crossing the line
A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order was entered in his chart. Treatment for the gallbladder was continued, but it was decided that there was a line that the doctor...
Bench to bedside victory
Myelofibrosis is an unstoppable progressive disease which affects thousands and for which we have had no treatment. ...
Sunrise Rounds
I will make sunrise rounds on the day we cure cancer....
The Best Care Possible
One of the world’s guardians and leaders in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Dr. Ira Byock, has published another excellent and powerful book. The Best Care ...
Hospice for Doctors
It is hard to lie to patients who are dying. To look a fellow human in the eye and tell them “everything will be OK,” is painful. To give treatment that i...
The Kenahora Office
It is hard giving good news. I must be kidding, right? No, for an Oncologist giving news that the cancer is in remission, that the scan is normal or that the ...
A melanoma miracle
Ellen and I stared at the scan. For a moment, there were no words. It was obvious. Where ever we looked, in lungs, bones, lymph nodes and even in the sack ar...
The lesion’s curse
A frightened Diane called me today. She was in big trouble. Her primary doctor’s office had called with terrible news. The MRI showed Diane had a lesion. ...
Narcotics and Cancer
For many people the word “cancer” is synonymous with ”pain.” The nightmare of uncontrollable agony is perhaps as terrible as fear of the disease. On ...
Breast Cancer Update
The foremost conference in the world for breast cancer care is the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS). 7000 breast cancer experts attended the 34th u...