Chemo Sucks? I Had No Idea 🤦🏻♂️
Oh jeez. Where to even start?
How is this news? Why is this news? Seriously?
Thank you, intrepid reporter.
But, with all due respect, if anyone in oncology is surprised — outside of the unwitting patient — you either live under a rock or should be just as pissed as I am.
We talked about this in 1998 at the March on Washington.
We talked about this in 2002 at the ACS Celebration on the Hill.
We talked about this in 2005 at the Cure Media Summit in Dallas.
We talked about this in 2006 at the LIVESTRONG Summit in Austin.
We talked about this in 2008 at the OMG! Cancer Summit in NYC.
We talked about this at COG, SWOG, ONS, ASH, AACR, NCCN, ASCO, ESMO, APOS, IPOS, ASTRO, APHON, AONN, AOSW, APOSW, etc...
Hell, in 1996, when I was diagnosed, they knew chemo caused these horrible side effects, both acute and long-term, explicitly hearing loss and neuropathy.
BUT THEY DIDN'T TELL ME.
(Note: read my "Uncle Jay" story to see how, as a concert pianist with brain cancer, I evaded these horrible side effects by the grace of God)
Can anyone say, "ADVANCED DISCLOSURE," please?
Chemo sucks. All of it. But it's a necessary evil, and, as with all unnecessary evils, there are consequences. It's called CHEMO BRAIN for a reason, and it comes along with a whole host of acute long-term crapness you didn't ask for, like crippling neuropathy, osteopenia, cardiomyopathy, infertility, and hearing loss. (Oh, and other cancers popping up later)
How is it 2024, and still, every patient receiving Cisplatin (who names these things anyway?) isn't told in advance treatment will almost certainly affect their hearing? Plus, It is also wholly unfair to somehow expect newly diagnosed patients to discuss side effects they don't even know could happen unless otherwise disclosed by their care team.
As much as we like to talk about SDOH in terms of race, socioeconomic status, and geography, "Here are all the side effects you should prepare for in advance of treatment" would be an excellent addition.
End of rant. MZ out.
https://www-foxnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.foxnews.com/health/chemotherapy-drug-serious-surprising-side-effect-study-finds.amp