Ameish Govindarajan, MD, a Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shares his journey outlined in the Journal of Clinical Oncology's Art of Oncology piece, "Chasing Milestones," which sheds light on his personal experience as a patient diagnosed with stage 4 NSCLC. Dr. Govindarajan shares how this diagnosis influenced his career trajectory, including the pivotal decision to switch oncologists due to a lack of connection with his initial clinician. Together, he and Chadi explore the critical aspects of establishing trust with your healthcare provider and the indicators that signal a strong patient-physician relationship. Delving into his path toward enrolling in an early-phase clinical trial, Dr. Govindarajan provides valuable insights into navigating treatment decisions. Moreover, he discusses how his own care journey has shaped his approach to patient interactions, offering a unique perspective on compassionate and empathetic healthcare delivery.

Read Dr. Govindarajan’s publication in JCO.

https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.22.01379

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Chadi is joined by experts Jennifer Wargo, MD, Nazli Dizman, MD, and Sumanta (Monty) Pal, MD, from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and City of Hope, to unravel the intricate relationship between the microbiome and cancer. Delving into the historical context and evolution of this connection in oncology, they share insights on manipulating the microbiome and its potential impact on specific cancers, discuss the role of dietary interventions in cancer research and management, and more. Together, they address skepticism surrounding the microbiome's significance in cancer, offering evidence-based arguments that demystify misconceptions and present compelling facts about the microbiome's crucial role in understanding and treating cancer.

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Allison Rosenthal, Assistant Professor of Medicine and a driving force behind Mayo Clinic's Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program, candidly shares her personal odyssey as a leukemia survivor during her young adulthood and how this transformative experience steered her career toward advocating for AYA cancer patients. She navigates through complex topics such as survivor guilt, identifying when survivorship begins in the patient journey, and the crucial decision-making between pediatric and adult specialists based on patient age. Dr. Rosenthal also sheds light on the indispensable role of financial counseling and support services for AYA patients while unraveling ongoing research endeavors in this setting.

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Dr. Clifford Hudis, the ASCO CEO, shares ASCO's approach to the continued ABIM-MOC saga. With many oncologists expressing their angst about the MOC process, ASCO, under his leadership, approached the situation methodically, sending a survey to its members to quantify the problem and explore next steps. This is the FIRST time the results of this survey are shared publicly. Learn about Dr. Hudis's inspiring career journey, his leadership style, and how he and ASCO are addressing this MOC Dilemma. This is a must-listen episode; be the first to know what has happened within ASCO and what the next steps might be.

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Join Chadi as he engages with Petros Grivas, MD, PhD, Professor in the Clinical Research division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, to unravel the groundbreaking updates in bladder cancer revealed at the ESMO Congress. Dr. Grivas provides a comprehensive overview, dissecting the advancements in the realms of muscle invasive bladder cancer, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and advanced bladder cancer. Delve into the specifics of EV-302, THOR, and many other studies and gain a deeper understanding of the implications these findings may hold for the future of bladder cancer treatment.

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Chadi is joined by two distinguished experts in the field of oncology and dermatology, Dr. Soo Park and Dr. Farah Abdulla. Together, they unravel the complexities of melanoma, non-melanoma, and non-cancerous dermatological diseases, shedding light on sun-related vs. non-sun related melanoma, race-related disparities in dermatologic malignancies, and the intricate choices between surgery and therapy options, including the sequencing of treatments. Tune in for a comprehensive look into the world of skin-related diseases, diagnosis, and treatment with these seasoned professionals.

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Chadi sits down with Jennifer Mack, MD, MPH, pediatric oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston, to delve into the delicate art of communicating difficult news to cancer patients. Dr. Mack shares her expertise on the timing of revealing an incurable diagnosis, distinguishing communication strategies for children and adults, handling the "How long do I have to live" discussions, and the nuanced process of recommending therapies while balancing the pros and cons, along with addressing potential side effects.

Read Dr. Mack’s editorial in JCO Oncology Practice, “The Day One Talk, 20 Years Later: What Have We Learned?”

https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OP.23.00005

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

With Moshe Chasky and Lor Terzian of Alliance Cancer Specialists, Chadi explores the high-stakes lawsuit filed by Alliance against Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, alleging anti-competitive practices that have reverberated throughout the healthcare industry. The duo provides insights into the case, its impact on patient care, and the broader implications for the healthcare landscape. Discover the motivations, legal intricacies, and ethical considerations behind this compelling legal battle that could reshape the future of healthcare in the United States.

Read more about the lawsuit.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/oncology-group-sues-jefferson-over-anti-competitive-practices.html

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Chadi is joined by Dr. Robert Brodsky, President of ASH, and Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, Chair of Communications at ASH, to discuss what led to the recent ASH statement on the ABIM MOC and to gather their reactions to the ABIM response and to what next steps might look like. The guests detail the relationship and progress made between ASH and ABIM since the beginning of the partnership in 2001, the process involved for ASH to eventually release a letter related to the MOC, the contents of the letter, the ABIM’s response to the letter, and next steps needed to make progress toward a better system – including talking to hospitals and payers. If you have been following the ABIM-MOC issue, you cannot miss this podcast.

Read ASH’s letter.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Ab1842c4c-22d9-3e59-be50-22e811ce5b70

Read ABIM’s response.

https://blog.abim.org/american-board-of-internal-medicine-response-to-american-society-of-hematology-statement/

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA

Shelly Rosenfeld, Director of the Disability Rights Legal Center, Cancer Legal Resource Center, joins the show to share some pearls of wisdom regarding the intersection between medical and legal concerns in cancer care. She begins by explaining what the Cancer Legal Resource Center offers patients with cancer, how patients should handle their employer relationship upon diagnosis—including when potential discrimination cases arise and the rights of patients regarding medical leave—and how to navigate life insurance policies and premiums, among many other topics.

Check out Chadi’s website for all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes and other content. www.chadinabhan.com/

Watch all Healthcare Unfiltered episodes on Youtube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCjiJPTpIJdIiukcq0UaMFsA