Title of the column:
The Washington Post: “My patients are dying. But it’s their right to keep going by Isaac Chan.”
Position:
Mr Chan relies as a doctor to support his patients’ decisions throughout chemotherapy sessions.
Even when doctor Chan talks to his patients about different treatments such as palliative care which
is about reducing symptoms related to cancer providing relief, they reject this method because
they believe they can fight against cancer. However, Mr Chan’s position in his opinion column
is that he stands out communication as part of the process and that is why he assists his patients
on any decision they make according to their desires.
Even when doctor Chan talks to his patients about different treatments such as palliative care which
is about reducing symptoms related to cancer providing relief, they reject this method because
they believe they can fight against cancer. However, Mr Chan’s position in his opinion column
is that he stands out communication as part of the process and that is why he assists his patients
on any decision they make according to their desires.
Arguments:
Mr Chan states that aggressive treatments, such as more chemotherapy are not going to
cure his patients (the ones he presents in his opinion column). But he says that therapy like
palliative care aims at controlling cancer symptoms and it helps patients live their remaining
days more comfortably. This is the reason number one because he also finds himself caught
between his medical recommendation to pursue less aggressive care and his patient’s primal
desire to rid their bodies of cancer. However, he does not want to put out of the way his patients’
desire to choose what they want to bring to bear because if he does that, it might lead to paternalistic
medicine which is where physicians make decisions for the patients in the belief that they know best.
cure his patients (the ones he presents in his opinion column). But he says that therapy like
palliative care aims at controlling cancer symptoms and it helps patients live their remaining
days more comfortably. This is the reason number one because he also finds himself caught
between his medical recommendation to pursue less aggressive care and his patient’s primal
desire to rid their bodies of cancer. However, he does not want to put out of the way his patients’
desire to choose what they want to bring to bear because if he does that, it might lead to paternalistic
medicine which is where physicians make decisions for the patients in the belief that they know best.
Explanation:
Doctor Chan says that end-of-life care is not just about statistics or studies but it
is about achieving true shared decisions. End of life care is an interactive process that
takes time and engagement which leads to mutual trust. He later explains that it is
about continuously setting honest expectations for what is possible and making sure
all parties truly understand what the consequences are likely to be. Sometimes what
patients need most is just more time: time to accept the terminal diagnosis and time to
grieve and hopefully to find peace. As part of a doctor’s guidance involves agreeing
on the personalized therapies or more symptomatic control, that can deliver that meaningful
extra time to its patients.
is about achieving true shared decisions. End of life care is an interactive process that
takes time and engagement which leads to mutual trust. He later explains that it is
about continuously setting honest expectations for what is possible and making sure
all parties truly understand what the consequences are likely to be. Sometimes what
patients need most is just more time: time to accept the terminal diagnosis and time to
grieve and hopefully to find peace. As part of a doctor’s guidance involves agreeing
on the personalized therapies or more symptomatic control, that can deliver that meaningful
extra time to its patients.
Agreement: Mr Chan expresses agreement with the Palliative care as a strategy to
live longer and to have a better quality of life than what chemotherapy does.
He also shows his patients research studies about palliative care so that his patients
can be aware of what this could boost to their lives.
live longer and to have a better quality of life than what chemotherapy does.
He also shows his patients research studies about palliative care so that his patients
can be aware of what this could boost to their lives.
Disagreement:
Mr Chan believes that chemotherapy is a very aggressive
treatment to cure patients who suffer from cancer. He does not share this treatment because
it makes the patient feel more deteriorate on their last days of living.
treatment to cure patients who suffer from cancer. He does not share this treatment because
it makes the patient feel more deteriorate on their last days of living.
Description:
The opinion column describes the health of two patients
suffering from different types and stages of cancer.
The doctor of those two patients Mr Chan treats them with chemotherapy
as they are in the late stages of cancer. Even though the patients absolutely
reject the idea of quitting chemotherapy because of many different reasons or
believes Mr Chan shows them research studies about Palliative care. However,
those two patients decline the idea of starting this new treatment. Mr Chan feels
a little uncomfortable because he has to deal with his professional recommendation
and his patients primary desires. He also shares that both of his patients died
because of cancer but he never put out of the way his patients’ ways to cure using
chemotherapy even when he told them to use another treatment.
suffering from different types and stages of cancer.
The doctor of those two patients Mr Chan treats them with chemotherapy
as they are in the late stages of cancer. Even though the patients absolutely
reject the idea of quitting chemotherapy because of many different reasons or
believes Mr Chan shows them research studies about Palliative care. However,
those two patients decline the idea of starting this new treatment. Mr Chan feels
a little uncomfortable because he has to deal with his professional recommendation
and his patients primary desires. He also shares that both of his patients died
because of cancer but he never put out of the way his patients’ ways to cure using
chemotherapy even when he told them to use another treatment.
Summary:
Isaac Chan is a medical oncology member at John Hopkins Sidney Kimmel
Comprehensive Cancer Center. He shares his experience through an article on
The Washington post which is about two of his patients who suffer from cancer.
They both are in the late stages of cancer. The first patient, a 68-year-old man who
has kidney cancer which continues to grow until it gets to many of his organs and
the second patient, a 34-year-old woman who has gallbladder cancer that has
metastasized into her lymph nodes, liver, lungs and bones. Mr Chan does the everyday
tests and while he studies the last ones, he decides to discuss the Palliative care treatment
with his patients. Both of his patients reject the idea of starting that new treatment which
is about reducing symptoms of cancer that leads to give its patients live a better quality
life of the time they have left. The first patient denies to start this new method because
he is very positive about fighting cancer with chemotherapy. The second patient does
not even pay attention to his doctor when he is telling her about this new treatment which
is a way to ignore and reject that idea. To conclude, doctor Chan believes that his role
as a doctor is to support his patients so that they can have the dignity to make these difficult
choices and feel empowered to make their own paths, no matter how frightening the decision may be.
Comprehensive Cancer Center. He shares his experience through an article on
The Washington post which is about two of his patients who suffer from cancer.
They both are in the late stages of cancer. The first patient, a 68-year-old man who
has kidney cancer which continues to grow until it gets to many of his organs and
the second patient, a 34-year-old woman who has gallbladder cancer that has
metastasized into her lymph nodes, liver, lungs and bones. Mr Chan does the everyday
tests and while he studies the last ones, he decides to discuss the Palliative care treatment
with his patients. Both of his patients reject the idea of starting that new treatment which
is about reducing symptoms of cancer that leads to give its patients live a better quality
life of the time they have left. The first patient denies to start this new method because
he is very positive about fighting cancer with chemotherapy. The second patient does
not even pay attention to his doctor when he is telling her about this new treatment which
is a way to ignore and reject that idea. To conclude, doctor Chan believes that his role
as a doctor is to support his patients so that they can have the dignity to make these difficult
choices and feel empowered to make their own paths, no matter how frightening the decision may be.
Introduction:
“Dr. Chan, please, please keep me alive a little longer and God will surely bless you.”
Isaac Chan, the writer of the column begins with a petition given by one of his patients
and he turns it into a textual quotation that makes it the introduction of his column.
and he turns it into a textual quotation that makes it the introduction of his column.
Background information: Doctor Chan has treated patients with cancer by doing
chemotherapy on them even when he believes that chemotherapy is not the most
accurate strategy to treat them. He does support his patients throughout this whole
process of fighting cancer with chemotherapy though he does not share the idea of
using chemotherapy.
chemotherapy on them even when he believes that chemotherapy is not the most
accurate strategy to treat them. He does support his patients throughout this whole
process of fighting cancer with chemotherapy though he does not share the idea of
using chemotherapy.
Conclusion:
Mr Chan maintains that his role as a doctor is to support his patients so that they can
have the dignity to make these difficult choices and feel empowered to make their
own paths, no matter how frightening the decision may be.
have the dignity to make these difficult choices and feel empowered to make their
own paths, no matter how frightening the decision may be.
Hi Natalia!
ResponderBorrarI am really glad to read your blog post because you managed to share the most important parts of the article, and they were written in the rigth section or category. It is pretty clear that you took the time to read and analize the article deeply.