The Language of the Body: Why Patient-Reported Symptoms Predict Survival

A few months ago, I met a man in his late sixties with advanced gastrointestinal cancer that had spread to his liver and lymph nodes. His wife had recently died. He lived alone in a three-story house. He knew his disease was incurable, but he was motivated; he wanted “more time.” At each visit, he told his oncologist he felt okay. His pain was controlled. … Continue reading The Language of the Body: Why Patient-Reported Symptoms Predict Survival

What If This Is the Best I’ll Ever Feel?

Im not afraid of dying, she said, smiling at me. I feel like Im on a runway, about to take off. Her words, spoken with such clarity by a woman facing two advanced cancers, have stayed with me. As a palliative care physician, I wish more patients felt empowered to face their mortality with such openness. But the truth is, we, as a society and … Continue reading What If This Is the Best I’ll Ever Feel?