Dr. Karen Gelmon believes that not enough has been done to research and
prevent cancer from killing millions of people each year. She's devoted her
life to fighting cancer, and to seeing her patients as more than just statistics.
She is the head of several clinical cancer trials, the author of several books
on cancer and breast cancer treatment and a leading researcher into the disease.
Despite a grueling schedule that includes treating patients, lecturing
and traveling, Gelmon wouldn't trade her life for anything.
"We have not realized our goals around breast cancer research. It has never
been considered a significant priority in this country. It's truly time that
we take some energy and commitment to resolving this issue, and giving back
years of life to women."
Most oncologists, like Gelmon, are hard-driven and tireless crusaders against
the ravages of this disease. This drive is a vital component of the job: often,
these doctors see themselves as soldiers who are desperately trying to fight
off an enemy.
Dr. Beth Karlan thrives on challenge.
"When I was 14, I had crushes on several TV doctors and I couldn't imagine
anything more exciting than working in a hospital."
Seven years later, she won early admission to Harvard medical school and
then an MIT program in medicine and technology, where she was the only woman
in a class of 25.
Karlan also likes to take on cases that others consider hopeless, such
as a 31-year-old mother of three who'd been told she had three months to live.
"I refused to give up on this young woman. First, I did additional surgeries,
then I got her into an experimental treatment protocol. Last December, she
sent me flowers on a day she never thought she'd see -- her 34th birthday."
Gelmon and Karlan are not the only ones who see the people behind the statistics.
Oncologists care deeply about their patients. Their persistence comes from
a concern for the people affected by the disease.
"The diagnosis of cancer is overwhelming," says Dr. Robert E. Bloom. He
is a section chief of hematology and medical oncology. "Not only is the patient
distressed about the diagnosis and future prospects, but they must also deal
with the hassles of a cumbersome medical system of referrals, laboratory tests
and going to unfamiliar specialists. Coordinating appointments for all the
different specialists and tests is time-consuming and difficult."
That's why Bloom came up with a "team" approach for his patients. "Rather
than going from specialist to specialist to collect a variety of treatment
plans, a comprehensive individual treatment plan can be recommended by a team
of experts from different fields of medicine. Oncology is a rapidly developing
science and we're all students. It's an important part of our job to keep
on the cutting edge of cancer therapy."
It's the successes that these doctors achieve that keep them working on
the front lines against a killer disease. For Karlan, these triumphs intensify
her dream of defeating a disease that claims many thousands of lives every
year.