Sometimes a less-is-more approach can make a difference for people diagnosed with cancer. This strategy is known as cancer treatment de-escalation. To find out more, host Karolyn A. Gazella talks with integrative radiation oncologist Matt Mumber, MD. Mumber is the editor of the textbook Integrative Oncology: Principles and Practice and many scientific papers. He discusses the therapeutic ratio and how integrative practitioners can help support patients who are utilizing a de-escalation treatment approach. 

 

Matt Mumber, MD, is a board-certified radiation oncologist with the Harbin Clinic in Rome, Georgia. He received his medical doctorate from the University of Virginia and he also did a fellowship in integrative medicine with the University of Arizona. He is the coauthor of the book Sustainable Wellness and the editor of the textbook Integrative Oncology: Principles and Practice.

The June 2, 2023, issue of JAMA featured an interesting article by Danielle Chammas, MD, about “the stories we tell ourselves.” In this interview, Chammas shares more details on how clinicians are influencing the stories of their patients' lives and how they can use the power of language to help patients alter their narratives so they can heal. She believes clinicians can simultaneously honor their patients’ narratives while also helping the patient process, integrate, and accept their circumstances.

Danielle Chammas, MD is a palliative care physician and psychiatrist who works in the University of California - San Francisco (UCSF) Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Symptom Management Clinic. She completed her medical school, General Adult Psychiatry residency, chief resident year, and Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship all at UCSF. In addition to providing clinical care, Chammas pursues professional and scholarly interests, including the intersection of psychiatry and palliative care, the psychological dimensions of life-limiting illness, therapeutic communication, medical education, clinician wellness, and medical humanities.