'oncology' posts

 
 


  


Swedish Cancer Institute at Edmonds opens to the public at an April 17 ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Swedish/Edmonds campus. (Left to right) David Loud, aide from Congressman Jim McDermott, M.D.; Swedish Cancer Institute Medical Oncologist Richard McGee, M.D.; Swedish/Edmonds Chief Executive Dave Jaffe; and Swedish Cancer Institute Executive Director Thomas D. Brown, M.D., MBA, cut the ribbon during the event that attracted 250 visitors. The two-story facility, located at 21632 Highway 99 in Edmonds, provides high-quality and comprehensive medical oncology to patients through an infusion unit, laboratory, pharmacy, and access to Swedish’s electronic medical record system.
 
EDMONDS, WASH., March 21, 2013 – Swedish Health Services will open a new outpatient cancer center at the Edmonds campus on Monday, April 1, 2013 in response to the growing need for medical oncology and infusion (chemotherapy) services in the south Snohomish and north King County area. The new two-story, 17,102-square-foot facility is anticipated to handle as many as 175 patient visits each day and provide increased access to cancer-care services for people living north of Seattle.

1. Benefit the patient, that is the most important thing
     a. That means optimizing the outcome
           i. preserving the highest quality of life
           ii. For as long as possible
           iii. Optimizing the quality of life when prolongation is no longer possible
           iv. Sometimes it means a good death.
2. There is no excuse for not using the most current information
     a. RSS feed
     b. Look it up for every patient, no matter how familiar it feels
3. Honesty
     a. With the patient
          i. Phrasing is important
              1. we all need hope
     b. With the family
     c. With myself
          i. Am I doing my best at all times?
4. The patient is not a vessel of the disease.
      a. Sometimes shrinking a cancer is not a good investment for the patient.
             i. The treatment can lower quality of life
             ii. Sometimes, the treatment can shorten life.
     b. Research can emphasize the impact on the disease to the exclusion of impact on the patient
5. It is at least as important to know what doesn’t work as what does.
     a. Sparing the patient side effects is sometimes the best thing the doctor can do.
6. All assumptions should be questioned.
     a. More intensive, ineffective treatment is not good care
     b. The most dramatic therapy has the same burden of proof as any other therapy
     c. Sometimes a clinical trial is the most appropriate path
           i. But evaluate all of the alternatives

SEATTLE, Jan. 31, 2013 – Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) recently announced the appointment of Thomas D. Brown, M.D., MBA, as its new executive director. Dr. Brown will join SCI March 16.

Should serum tumor markers be used to guide treatment decisions for lung cancer?