Opinion

Presence
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
We met in the hospital, but I was adamant to “keep” you as my patient when you got to the clinic. I made swaps to see you, to get the continuity I...
Opinion

‘How did I get cancer?’
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
My answers do not always satisfy their questions. Because it’s not a question seeking an informational answer. The truth is, medically and...
News
Behind the scenes of a radical new cancer cure
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
I’ve now treated several patients with the new cancer gene therapy called CAR-T, but there’s still a lot to learn.
Opinion

Snapshots of an oncologist
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
You teach about this disease in your classes and never thought it would happen to you. It started simply enough – you were bruising. Your joints...
Opinion

Curative intent and palliative care – compatible goals?
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
Whenever I order chemotherapy, the electronic record prompts me for my intent: Is this palliative or curative intent? I always type curative...
Opinion

Illusion of options
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
Advances have exploded; it’s an exciting time to be learning and practicing. And yet, we are still gently holding hands and saying that we have no...
Opinion

Whose needs come first – the patient’s or the trial’s?
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
“Not eligible.” The two words that took away everything reverberated in her mind.
Opinion

Dear Marisol
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
I know you don’t remember me. We met when you were just a baby. Now that you’re older, I want to tell you a story about your mom you may not know...
Opinion

Blast crisis, no crisis? Caring for the apathetic patient
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
There’s no right or wrong or sensible reaction to cancer. There’s only a swirl of messy, overwhelming feelings. It’s trying to bring effective...
Opinion

Doctor, will you please lie to me?
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
Looking for hope in the face of terrible news is a common reaction. It’s natural. We tend to be optimists, and we look for a silver lining. We...
Opinion

Charity case
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
I deliver a lot of bad news in oncology, but I usually get to blame the disease. What I hate perhaps even more is the other type of bad news: We...
Opinion

Aftermath
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
It was Marty who showed me, early in my career, what happens after leukemia. I frequently see related issues in my patients now, and I credit...
Opinion

Should doctors disclose preliminary results?
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
False alarms are terrifying, and false reassurance is cruel, yet all the while, excessive waiting can feel excruciating.
Opinion

Gatekeeper
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
Many people with metastatic cancer say they wouldn’t want invasive treatment near the end of life. But how do we know when it’s the end?
Opinion

Information overload
- Author:
- Ilana Yurkiewicz, MD
Once a patient hears “cancer,” they often stop listening. We could go on, spelling out the next steps and treatment options. But patients usually...