Changing perspectives: Dr. Michael Weiner recounts his experiences as an oncologist who became a cancer patient and then a caregiver
Release Date: 04/22/2021
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info_outlinePediatric oncologists are used to dealing with emotional, heart-wrenching situations, but oncology took on a new dimension for Michael Weiner, MD, when both he and his daughter were diagnosed with cancer.
Dr. Weiner, a pediatric oncologist at Columbia University, New York, describes his roles as oncologist, patient, and caregiver to host David H. Henry, MD, in this episode.
Oncologist as patient: Lessons learned
- Dr. Weiner’s journey as a cancer patient began when he felt a lymph node on his neck that he knew wasn’t “normal.”
- A colleague examined Dr. Weiner and suggested the “watch-and-wait” approach, but Dr. Weiner insisted on immediate biopsy.
- The diagnosis was follicular lymphoma, and Dr. Weiner had a hard time accepting that his malignancy was treatable but not curable.
- One of the things Dr. Weiner learned as a cancer patient is that “you really need to connect with your doctor,” so he chose a doctor who felt like a good fit for him.
- Another lesson Dr. Weiner learned was that cancer can be very isolating. Though friends and family can offer help and support, “you take this journey alone,” he said.
- Dr. Weiner was treated with rituximab and radiation, which proved successful. It’s been 3 years since he completed his treatment.
- Dr. Weiner had been reluctant to undergo radiation because of the risk of thyroid cancer, and, unfortunately, he now has a small thyroid nodule that’s under observation.
- Update: After this episode was recorded, Dr. Weiner was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. He is set to undergo a total thyroidectomy.
Oncologist as caregiver: Taking a backseat
- Dr. Weiner’s daughter was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma after a nodule was found on a routine exam.
- Dr. Weiner and his daughter decided to educate themselves about her malignancy and opted for an aggressive course of treatment.
- “I tried very, very hard to be a parent and not a physician,” Dr. Weiner said.
- He decided to put his faith in her care team. “I in no way participated in the final decision-making,” he said.
- His daughter ultimately had a total thyroidectomy and high-dose radioactive iodine.
- The process, like his own cancer journey, was difficult.
Dr. Weiner recounts these experiences in his book “Living Cancer: Stories from an Oncologist, Father, and Survivor,” which can be found here: https://bit.ly/3n7TB5Z.
Show notes written by M. Alexander Otto, a reporter for MDedge and Medscape.
Disclosures
Dr. Weiner and Dr. Henry have no relevant disclosures.
These show notes were updated on 4/22.
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