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Don’t Be Obnoxious

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I sometimes hear people say that they best way to get good health care is to be obnoxious. By this, they mean that you should demand that the doctor see […]

The Art and Science of Oncology

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I suspect most people-and many health professionals-think of treating cancer patients as being especially challenging. Some of those challenges are fairly obvious-people with cancer are often very sick, death sometimes […]

Doctor-Patient Interactions

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I spend much of my time helping seriously ill patients navigate the health care system. As a result, I’m constantly talking with patients about their interactions with doctors and other […]

Human Side of Cancer

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Cancer treatment often involves operating rooms, chemotherapy protocols, and high tech radiation therapy equipment. All of which have reduced cancer deaths and improved the lives of those who have been […]

Communicating with Your Doctor

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I’m always struck that some people diagnosed with cancer want to know absolutely everything about their disease while others just want to be told when to show up for treatment. […]

Cancer and Alternative Therapies

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I’ve written that people with cancer often benefit from complementary or alternative therapies such as acupuncture, massage therapy and yoga. In addition to treating symptoms and reducing stress, pursuing these […]

Waiting and Watching

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Most cancer diagnoses lead to treatment within a few weeks. For some cancers, however, the recommended course of action is to delay treatment until if and when the cancer becomes […]

Too Little and Too Much Treatment

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Although I firmly believe that everyone should be in control of their own treatment decisions, I have observed that some people seem to seek too little treatment when they are […]