Changing perspectives: Dr. Michael Weiner recounts his experiences as an oncologist who became a cancer patient and then a caregiver

Pediatric 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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