This Week in Oncology

On the Wednesday, October 1st 2014 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our special guest is Florence Comite, MD. Dr. Comite is an endocrinologist specializing in the emerging field of 'precision medicine'.  More about Dr. Comite: Dr. Florence Comite is a noted Manhattan endocrinologist.  Dr. Comite graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in 1976 with awards for original research and continued at Yale with a residency in Medicine. She then completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology (multidisciplinary training incorporating Medicine, Pediatrics, Gynecology and Andrology) at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). She remained at NIH as a Senior Clinical Associate until 1984 and joined the Yale faculty in 1985, where she continued her clinical efforts and research focused on Hypothalamic – Pituitary – Gonadal function in men, women, and children.  From 1988 to 1998, Dr. Comite founded and directed Women’s Health at Yale as an Associate Professor in Endocrinology in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics as well as Reproductive Endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. From 1994 to 1995, Dr. Comite was a senior Clinical and Research Advisor to the NIH Offices of Alternative Medicine (OAM) and Research in Women’s Health (ORWH). Dr. Comite is a member of the Age Management Medicine Group, conference planning committee, and has served on numerous advisory councils and committees with the NIH, the Egyptian Ministry of Health, the International Spa Association, the Institute of Medicine. For complete bio, click here. Join is for an informative chat!  

On the Wednesday, October 1st 2014 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our special guest is Florence Comite, MD. Dr. Comite is an endocrinologist specializing in the emerging field of 'precision medicine'.  More about Dr. Comite: Dr. Florence Comite is a noted Manhattan endocrinologist.  Dr. Comite graduated from Yale University School of Medicine in 1976 with awards for original research and continued at Yale with a residency in Medicine. She then completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology (multidisciplinary training incorporating Medicine, Pediatrics, Gynecology and Andrology) at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). She remained at NIH as a Senior Clinical Associate until 1984 and joined the Yale faculty in 1985, where she continued her clinical efforts and research focused on Hypothalamic – Pituitary – Gonadal function in men, women, and children.  From 1988 to 1998, Dr. Comite founded and directed Women’s Health at Yale as an Associate Professor in Endocrinology in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics as well as Reproductive Endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. From 1994 to 1995, Dr. Comite was a senior Clinical and Research Advisor to the NIH Offices of Alternative Medicine (OAM) and Research in Women’s Health (ORWH). Dr. Comite is a member of the Age Management Medicine Group, conference planning committee, and has served on numerous advisory councils and committees with the NIH, the Egyptian Ministry of Health, the International Spa Association, the Institute of Medicine. For complete bio, click here. Join is for an informative chat!  

On the Wednesday September 17th 2014 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern we meet the amazing Kym Martin, MBA. Kym is a three-time, 30-year cancer survivor who is passionate about enhancing the patient experience in healthcare. Kym endured three different cancer diagnoses through three distinct stages of life. To treat her latest diagnosis of breast cancer in 2012, Kym elected to undergo conventional surgery for a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction coupled with wholisitic nutrition and medicinal herbs to create a personalized, integrative care plan. Kym aligned her physical, emotional and spiritual preferences with her understanding of the human body’s restorative capabilities, her medical needs, her goals and her faith.    She also identifies herself as followd: ePatient, Consultant & Speaker, and Co-chair, Patient Experience Council for the Sullivan Institute for Healthcare Innovation.  For a video interview with Kym at the Health Datapalooza in June, click here and here. For more information on Kym, click here. Join us for an informative chat with this thoughtful and determined woman.      

On the Wednesday September 17th 2014 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern we meet the amazing Kym Martin, MBA. Kym is a three-time, 30-year cancer survivor who is passionate about enhancing the patient experience in healthcare. Kym endured three different cancer diagnoses through three distinct stages of life. To treat her latest diagnosis of breast cancer in 2012, Kym elected to undergo conventional surgery for a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction coupled with wholisitic nutrition and medicinal herbs to create a personalized, integrative care plan. Kym aligned her physical, emotional and spiritual preferences with her understanding of the human body’s restorative capabilities, her medical needs, her goals and her faith.    She also identifies herself as followd: ePatient, Consultant & Speaker, and Co-chair, Patient Experience Council for the Sullivan Institute for Healthcare Innovation.  For a video interview with Kym at the Health Datapalooza in June, click here and here. For more information on Kym, click here. Join us for an informative chat with this thoughtful and determined woman.      

On the Wednesday July 2nd 2014 at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our guest is Tatyana Kanzaveli CEO and Founder at Open Cancer Network (OCN). Tatyana Kanzaveli is a serial entrepreneur, mentor at 500Startups and Richard Branson Entrepreneur Centre, including TEDxBayArea organizer. More about OCN: 'The Open Cancer Network’s goal is to build the most comprehensive 360-degree view of all non-clinical patient-related data. This dataset will be a must use source of info by doctors, researchers, pharma companies. To collect all these data OCN built the most advanced mobile highly customizable and configurable  social networking application that connects all the players within certain chronic diseases communities: patients, caregivers, friends and family, doctors, researchers.' OCN has.... 'developed a mobile, patient-oriented tool that couples data collection with patient engagement and gamification in order to close the compliance, recall and resolution gaps — at lower cost than traditional human-administered surveys. Join us for an informative chat.  

On the Wednesday July 2nd 2014 at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our guest is Tatyana Kanzaveli CEO and Founder at Open Cancer Network (OCN). Tatyana Kanzaveli is a serial entrepreneur, mentor at 500Startups and Richard Branson Entrepreneur Centre, including TEDxBayArea organizer. More about OCN: 'The Open Cancer Network’s goal is to build the most comprehensive 360-degree view of all non-clinical patient-related data. This dataset will be a must use source of info by doctors, researchers, pharma companies. To collect all these data OCN built the most advanced mobile highly customizable and configurable  social networking application that connects all the players within certain chronic diseases communities: patients, caregivers, friends and family, doctors, researchers.' OCN has.... 'developed a mobile, patient-oriented tool that couples data collection with patient engagement and gamification in order to close the compliance, recall and resolution gaps — at lower cost than traditional human-administered surveys. Join us for an informative chat.  

On the Wednesday, June 25th 2014 broadcast at 1:30PM Pacific/4:30PM Eastern our special guest is medical oncologist Dr. Jim Sinclair who is making an encore appearance on the show, for the previous interview click here. Per bio: 'Dr. Sinclair was raised in Wisconsin where he completed his undergraduate and medical school training at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His mentor at Madison, Robert Schilling, M.D. suggested he do his post M.D. training at UCSD with Helen Rainey, M.D. and Mark Green, M.D. who continued to mentor him in the field of hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Sinclair began his private practice in 1987 and has spent the last several years fully engaged in the private practice of hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Sinclair has offices in La Jolla and Encinitas. He is the Medical Director of the Scripps Cancer Center at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. His interests include benign hematology, all forms of cancer as well as palliative medicine that lead to his position as medical director of a local hospice program. He sees himself as the “quarterback” for his patients as they try to navigate their way through the complex arena of cancer care. In his spare time, Dr. Sinclair enjoys spending time with his family and pets.' For a ScrippsHealth Physician Spotlight click here.     

On the Wednesday, June 25th 2014 broadcast at 1:30PM Pacific/4:30PM Eastern our special guest is medical oncologist Dr. Jim Sinclair who is making an encore appearance on the show, for the previous interview click here. Per bio: 'Dr. Sinclair was raised in Wisconsin where he completed his undergraduate and medical school training at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His mentor at Madison, Robert Schilling, M.D. suggested he do his post M.D. training at UCSD with Helen Rainey, M.D. and Mark Green, M.D. who continued to mentor him in the field of hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Sinclair began his private practice in 1987 and has spent the last several years fully engaged in the private practice of hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Sinclair has offices in La Jolla and Encinitas. He is the Medical Director of the Scripps Cancer Center at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. His interests include benign hematology, all forms of cancer as well as palliative medicine that lead to his position as medical director of a local hospice program. He sees himself as the “quarterback” for his patients as they try to navigate their way through the complex arena of cancer care. In his spare time, Dr. Sinclair enjoys spending time with his family and pets.' For a ScrippsHealth Physician Spotlight click here.     

On the Wednesday June 11th 2014 at 1:30PM Pacific/4:30PM Eastern our special guest is noted melanoma expert Edward McClay, MD. Dr. McClay is making an encore appearance on the show, for our earlier chat, click here. 'Dr. McClay is a recognized nationally as a leader in Melanoma treatment and clinical research. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dr. McClay served as a staff sergeant in the US Air Force. He received both his B.A and M.D. degree from Temple University, graduating in 1980. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University, where he was subsequently appointed to the faculty as an Assistant Clinical Professor. Dr. McClay has held several positions in academic medicine, including Associate Professor and Medical Director at the Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Cancer Center, and Professor of Medicine and Director of Clinical Affairs at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Cancer Center. Dr. McClay continues his special interests in malignant melanoma and brain tumors. He co-authored the book 100 Questions and Answers about Malignant Melanoma and other Skin Cancers with his wife, Mary-Eileen. They have been married for over 30 years and have two children.' Join us!  

On the Wednesday June 11th 2014 at 1:30PM Pacific/4:30PM Eastern our special guest is noted melanoma expert Edward McClay, MD. Dr. McClay is making an encore appearance on the show, for our earlier chat, click here. 'Dr. McClay is a recognized nationally as a leader in Melanoma treatment and clinical research. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dr. McClay served as a staff sergeant in the US Air Force. He received both his B.A and M.D. degree from Temple University, graduating in 1980. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University, where he was subsequently appointed to the faculty as an Assistant Clinical Professor. Dr. McClay has held several positions in academic medicine, including Associate Professor and Medical Director at the Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Cancer Center, and Professor of Medicine and Director of Clinical Affairs at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Cancer Center. Dr. McClay continues his special interests in malignant melanoma and brain tumors. He co-authored the book 100 Questions and Answers about Malignant Melanoma and other Skin Cancers with his wife, Mary-Eileen. They have been married for over 30 years and have two children.' Join us!  

On the Friday, May 9th broadcast at 12 Noon Pacific, 3PM Eastern our special guest is Stephen Wilkins, who publishes the 'Mind the Gap' blog. Stephen notes he is: '...a writer, researcher, entrepreneur and speaker with a passion for all facets of physician-patient communications and its impact on patient engagement, patient activation, patient outcomes, visit productivity and the patient experience.' For more click here. The history if not genesis of his blog is noted as follows: “Mind the Gap”  is a warning heard on subway systems around the world.  It is intended to alert individuals to avoid accidentally stepping in the “gap” that separates the train from the platform. As used here, it is an expression that alludes to the communications gap that exists all too often today between patients and their physicians.   Like the subway, this blog is a kind of warning.  It is intended to making health care provider and organizations aware of the consequences of poor physician-patient communications…and how to avoid them.' Join us for an informative chat!  

On the Wednesday, April 9th 2014 broadcast at 2PM PT/5PM ET our special guest is Dr. James Mason, hematologist and oncologist with a special interest in blood and bone marrow transplantation. In addition to his experience with therapy programs for breast cancer and certain solid tumors, he performs blood and marrow stem cell transplantation for patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute and chronic leukemia, and other diseases of the blood and bone marrow. Dr. Mason is director of the Scripps Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program and the stem cell lab at Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines. Under his leadership, the BMT Program offers innovative care — incorporating dose-intensive chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy — and is recognized as a leader in the BMT field on the West Coast. He believes in taking a collaborative approach to medicine and is part of a large, integrated system of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and specialists — all dedicated to providing excellent patient care. Join us for an informative chat!  

On the Wednesday April 2nd, 2014 broadcast at 2PM PT/5PM ET our special guest is breast surgeon, #BCSM co-moderator, teacher, advocate, writer, organic vegetable gardener & 'gluten-free' Deanna Attai, MD aka @DrAttai. Dr. Attai is a board-certified surgeon practicing in Southern California. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and is an active member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS). She is the Secretary /Treasurer and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Society, and also serves as Chair of the Communications Committee. She is certified by the American Society of Breast Surgeons for the performance of breast ultrasound, and is an ultrasound instructor for the American College of Surgeons. Her private practice, The Center For Breast Care, Inc, is accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. An ardent proponent for patient education and empowerment, Dr. Attai is frequently sought out by local and national media for her thoughts on breast disease, diagnosis and treatment. She is a regular contributor to social media sites and is a co-moderator for #BCSM – Breast Cancer Social Media – a popular breast cancer support community based on Twitter. A native of New York, Dr. Attai grew up in a medical family. Her father is a retired cardiac surgeon, and her mother, godmother and aunt are registered nurses. In addition to running her practice, teaching and speaking, Dr. Attai is an avid organic vegetable gardener and an enthusiastic cook. Join us!    

On the Wednesday, February 12th broadcast at 2PM PT/5PM ET our special guest making an encore appearance on 'this week in oncology' is Dr. Howard J. West, lead author of the recent article titled: 'A New Model: Physician-Patient Collaboration in Online Communities and the Clinical Practice of Oncology.'  Howard (Jack) West, MD is the Medical Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program at Swedish Cancer Institute and the President & CEO Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education (GRACE) in Seattle, WA. Quoting in part: 'The practice of medicine is in the midst of a fundamental transformation based on the new availability of health information through the Internet and other sources accessible by the broad lay public, as well as on the easy sharing of experiences and content through social media. This is occurring at a time when the volume of new information required for optimal medical care is exceeding that which an individual physician can feasibly follow and master.  The changes in cancer care are especially acute as we experience an ongoing reclassification of many disease entities to reflect divisions by molecular variables, often with new clinical options now optimized for very limited patient subsets. The increasing complexity of the field, combined with the high stakes of optimizing treatment decisions and the growing availability of a wide range of information in the public domain, make oncology an area in which patients and caregivers are most motivated to become active seekers of medical information and participants in their care decisions.' Join us for a deeper dive into the significance of this convergence.

On the Wednesday December 4th 2013 broadcast our special guest is Lorenzo Cohen, MD (aka @DrLCohen) Professor and Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Distinguished Clinical Professor, Fudan University Cancer Hospital, Shanghai, China. Dr. Cohen is a founding member and past president of the international Society for Integrative Oncology. Dr. Cohen is currently conducting a number of NIH-funded randomized controlled clinical trials examining the biobehavioral effects of contemplative mind-body practices aimed at reducing the negative aspects of cancer treatment and improving quality of life including studies of meditation, Tibetan yoga, Patanjali-based yoga, Tai chi/Qigong, and other behavioral strategies such as stress management, emotional writing, and neurofeedback. He is interested in examining different types of complementary programs that can be easily incorporated into conventional treatment to decrease the psychophysiological consequences associated with treatment and improve outcomes. He is principal investigator of a newly funded phase III clinical trial of yoga for women with breast cancer with colleagues from Bangalore, India and a phase III clinical trial of acupuncture to prevent radiation-induced xerostomia with colleagues from Shanghai, China. Dr. Cohen is also conducting research to demonstrate that lifestyle changes can influence cancer outcomes.  Join us and learn more about this thought leader in integrative medicine.

On the Wednesday, November 27th broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our special guest is fellow oncologist Don S. Dizon, MD, FACP. 'Dr. Dizon is an Assistant in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and sees patients at the Gillette Center for Gynecologic Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center, where he also Founder and Director of the Oncology Sexual Health Clinic. Dr. Dizon serves on ASCO’s Cancer Communications Committee. In addition to his regular column on ASCOconnection.org, which won a 2013 Apex Grand Award, he is a blogger for MGH and Deputy Editor at UpToDate.' We first met Dr. Dizon on twitter via the 2nd Annual ASCO Quality Symposium held in San Diego. Having attended the first gathering last year, I did not attend this year though crossing paths with Dr. Dizon afforded certain relection time in the ASCO quality conversation. During our twitter exchange ASCO chimed in with the following recap links here and here. Join us as we get to know Dr. Dizon and the state of quality initiatives in cancer care. Follow Dr. Dizon on twitter via @drdonsdizon.        

On the Wednesday, November 13th, 2013 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our special guest is Jessie Gruman aka @JessieGruman on twitter. Jessie Gruman is president and founder of the Center for Advancing Health, a nonpartisan, Washington-based policy institute which, since 1992, has been supported by foundations and individuals to work on people’s engagement in their health care from the patient perspective. Prior to founding CFAH, Gruman worked on these same concerns in the private sector at AT&T, the public sector via National Institutes of Health and the voluntary health sector with the American Cancer Society. A 5-time cancer survivor, Jessie is also the author of AfterShock. Join us for an informative chat with this dynamic advocate for evidence based and patient centered healthcare.

On the Wednesday, November 6th 2013 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our special guest is Punit Dhillion who's making an encore appearance on our show. For more information on Punit click here and Oncosec here. According to the Oncosec SEC filings, the company: '..an emerging drug-medical device and therapeutic company focused on designing, developing and commercializing innovative and proprietary medical approaches for the treatment of solid tumors that have unmet medical needs or where currently approved therapies are inadequate based on their efficacy or side-effects.' And from company website: 'Oncosec is a biotech company developing treatments for advanced-stage skin cancer. Our noninvasive therapies destroy solid tumors and metastatic cancer and preserve quality of life.' Punit Dhillon is Co-founder, Director, President, and CEO of Oncosec. Prior to Oncosec he served as VP of finance and operations at Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mr. Dhillon raised over $125 million through multiple financings and several licensing deals. He was also instrumental to the successful in-licensing of key intellectual property and a number of corporate transactions, including the acquisition and consolidation of Inovio AS, a Norwegian DNA delivery company, and the merger with VGX Pharmaceuticals. Please join us for an informative chat.    

On the Wednesday October 30th 2013 broadcast at 2PM Pacific/5PM Eastern our special guest is Glenn Sabin. According to his bio Glenn is a: 'Media and marketing veteran, a 22-year cancer “thriver” who created a comprehensive, integrative oncology approach to achieve a complete pathological remission of his CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia)—considered an “incurable” disease—without conventional intervention. Glenn’s case has been chronicled through Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and his personal oncologist, Lee M. Nadler, MD, Dean of Clinical and Translational Medicine at Harvard Medical School. For his entire bio click here. Glenn is a staunch proponent of evidence-based integrative medicine and has a special interest in evidence-based integrative cancer care and the scientific exploration of whole systems protocols through well-designed clinical studies implemented in academic settings. Born out of his personal journey with cancer, Glenn also launched FON Therapeutics. He devotes energy to advancing medical research models, helping integrative health enterprises and providers grow their companies and practices, and to patient coaching. Today we discuss his journey into recovery and the single minded determination to leverage every tool possible including both traditional western medicine but also a growing portfolio of wholistic or integrative medicine practices. Join us for a deep dive into this determined and amazing man. For a range of resources including access to a soon to be released book 'N of 1' see his website here.     

On the Wednesday October 16th 2013 broadcast our special guest is Aliza Cicerone, ND, FABNO a Naturopathic Oncology physician based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Program note: In November 2013 Dr. Cicerone will relocate to San Diego and serve as the Medical Director at Spark Health.   As integrative oncology continues to make inroads into what has been considered the sole turf of traditional western medicine oncology practice the value proposition of an 'integrative approach' (primary, adjuvant, complementary etc.) continues to be discussed both in and outside of the medical community as well as in empowered patient circles. Yet the 'evidence based' debate continues.   As nationally prominent 'cancer centers' continue to incorporated integrative practices into their treatment protocols, today we hear from someone close to the action and dive into the plans of one San Diego based oncology practice to add intergrative oncology to a traditional western medicine scope of practice.   Join us!