As we honor Cancer Prevention Awareness Month, what do you feel is the most important message to share with our community (patients/colleagues/general community)?
We have made so much progress over the past 25 years in decreasing the number of patients who are diagnosed with cancer, and the number of deaths has dropped dramatically as well. And this progress is in large part due to our prevention efforts. We've cut the smoking rate from 44% to 13%. Effective screening tests such as colonoscopy and mammograms are widely available, and now vaccines such as the HPV Vaccine are dramatically decreasing the incidence of cancers such as cervical cancer. But at the same time – there are opportunities for us to make an even larger impact: nearly 1 in 4 adults in Connecticut haven't been screened for colorectal cancer, for instance, and only about 65% of people eligible for the HPV vaccine have received it. We can double-down on our prior successes, and Cancer Prevention Awareness Month is a great opportunity to get the ball rolling!
How do you collaborate with oncology teams at Smilow Cancer Hospital to care for your patients with cancer?
As a primary care physician, I am often the initial point of contact for patients, after a screening test or a new, concerning symptom. So, it’s all about communication and coordination, ensuring that our patients are able to access the experts at Smilow Cancer Hospital, and getting everyone on the same page. I feel so fortunate to have Smilow right here in our backyard.
How do you connect with clinicians treating patients with cancer to bridge laboratory research to clinical care?
Our team in the Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy and Effectiveness Research (COPPER) Center focuses on cancer outcomes research, where we assess the benefits, risks, and costs of cancer treatments in the real world setting and explore whether access to and outcomes from cancer care is equitable. We work closely with clinicians across several Yale Cancer Center clinical programs, identifying key clinical questions that arise from their early-phase translational research, and exploring how those inferences play out in actual practice.
Mentorship is an important part of cancer research—what is your favorite way to keep your colleagues and students engaged and learning from one another?
Mentorship is such a privilege; I can't believe that I get to collaborate with and learn from such dedicated and talented people every day. I encourage an environment that focuses on people's goals, prioritizes diversity of thought and experience, and nurtures a long-standing curiosity and a healthy skepticism of conventional wisdom. The mentorship connection needs to start with a personal connection, rather than a transactional relationship. This is a bit challenging during COVID, but we've found that frequent, open lines of communication are critical.