I review the typical behavior of this disease, the likely outcome without further therapy, and the uncertain benefit relative to the risks of further therapy. We have known each other several years, so she is not surprised when I suggest that further therapy, if she chooses it, should be through a clinical trial. This is an unprecedented time in the study of the biology of human disease. Exciting discoveries are reported almost daily concerning the causes of cancer. But the distance between understanding cancer's cause and effectively treating it is vast.
Many people continue to die of their illness or of complications related to treatment.
My personal choice is to actively engage in research while practicing medicine. My goal is to translate laboratory insights into drugs and treatment strategies that improve the outcome for individuals with cancer. However, first and foremost, I am a physician who cares for people today. I believe patient-oriented research, dedicated to improving future medical care, allows me to take the best possible care of people today. This claim may surprise many physicians.