Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/197379
MEET THE DOCTOR QA MEET THE DOCTOR & WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO SPECIALIZE IN ONCOLOGY? Cancer is an intriguing condition on so many levels. It is complex, it involves an extraordinary amount of research and technology and it is probably the most feared illness. In medical school I was especially attracted to the technology that was used in radiation oncology. I don't think anyone could have imagined back then, just 20 years ago, the level of technology that would exist today in treating cancer. Twenty years from now it will also be radically different. That is a big reason why I am in this feld— I like to see and be involved with the advancements. WHAT DOES YOUR WORK AS DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH INVOLVE? My role is primarily to help facilitate the development of research protocols, bring new ideas to fruition and educate the public and other doctors about research. I am part of a growing network of physicians and PhDs in the CTCA organization involved in research. CTCA has always had innovative doctors and unique treatment programs, but we haven't always published details about those treatments and made the 34 cancer fighters thrive | winter 2013 Douglas Kelly, MD Medical Director of Research and Radiation Oncologist Cancer Treatment Centers of America®, Tulsa, Oklahoma public aware of the great results we have achieved. The emphasis now is to make the public and other doctors aware of the tremendous things we are already doing and to stay in the fore- ARE THERE SPECIFIC TRENDS IN CANCER RESEARCH OR TREATMENT THAT YOU FIND ESPECIALLY PROMISING OR EXCITING? front of new cancer treatments so that we can always offer hope for patients. The movement toward "precision medicine" is very exciting. It involves identifying genomic markers in an individual's tumor that help predict which treatment is appropriate. In addition, I think it is intriguing to explore the fip side of personalized medicine by looking carefully at the patient's overall health, not just the tumor, and asking, "How can I make this patient healthier and make his or her body more hostile toward tumor growth?" There is a term called "the oncologic milieu" that describes this aspect. I am working on some research ideas with several physicians to try to implement some of these ideas. CTCA is an exciting place to work on YOU ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH PATIENTS IN YOUR ROLE AS A RADIATION ONCOLOGIST. WHAT DO YOU FIND REWARDING ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF YOUR WORK AT CTCA? It makes you feel good to know you've helped someone—that you have offered them the best treatment for their situation. I enjoy being able to collaborate with the other doctors at CTCA to offer a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, providing patients with the best care that each of us can offer. Specifcally, I like being able to provide the advanced technology treatments that we provide through the Radiation Department, including TomoTherapy® Hi-Art and CyberKnife® VSI™, which allow us to precisely target tumors and reduce side effects. CyberKnife in particular lets us complete a treatment in just a few days and get the patient back home as quickly as possible. these ideas. I think many of our healthcare practitioners were way ahead of the curve when they started thinking about the body's natural defenses against cancer, and now this is being coupled with a very strong push for precision medicine. Combining these two lines of attack would seem to hold the greatest promise for helping cancer patients. cfthrive.com