Medical Oncology Resources¶
Eric Lander
Resources¶
NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Center Network, https://www.nccn.org/): consensus based treatment guidelines for most hematopoietic and solid tumors. Free for house staff.
https://www.HemOnc.org - comprehensive, expert-curated, wiki-style resource, seeks to catalogue all treatment regimens across all cancers. Born at VUMC.
VUMC Oncology Rotation Tips¶
The inpatient oncology rotation involves complex decisions often resulting from advancing diseases. The question “What do you want?” is too simple. Rather, it should be “Given your current circumstance, and given our choices, which path would you prefer to take?” Patients want advice from their outpatient doctors who have been caring for them for years. Therefore, treatment and goals discussions often must pass through the inpatient attending to the outpatient attending. Be sure to define how communication with this primary oncologist will be handled.
Oncology summary sentence in presentation:
- Cancer type and stage (at diagnosis – stage never changes even if progressed)
- Pertinent tumor genetic information
- Any relevant surgeries (e.g. resections)
- Most recent treatment
- Trajectory of disease (e.g. progressive, improving, or stable)
- Patient’s primary oncologist
Ex: Ms. X is a 64 y/o female w/ stage IIIa adenocarcinoma of the lung post resection now with metastases to the spine (patient of Dr. Y) admitted w/intractable back pain and leg weakness. Full NGS at diagnosis with no actionable mutations, and was 40% positive for PDL1. No previous chemo.