A bookstore in the airport of Boston exposes the headline on its cover "The death doctors", which exposes euthanasia in Canada. I acquired it to read during the flight, back to Brazil.
The Patient, in 2015, soon after supreme-court decision about euthanasia, had just been diagnosed with lung cancer, and while processing this fact in the parking lot of the clinic, turned to his wife and announced: “I'm not going to have cancer. I'm going to kill myself.” His wife told her husband this was a bit dramatic: “You know, dear, you don't have to do that,” she recalls responding. “The government will do it for you, and they'll do it for free” He had marveled at the news, because although he was open to surgery, he had no interest in chemotherapy or radiation (the cancer had been spread to the brain) and the 72-year-old became largely bedridden. “ He scheduled his procedure for May 10 - the couple's wedding anniversary.
"Cancer is a terrific disease. We need volunteers, not superheroes", I said this to Dr. Ugalde, a leading thoracic surgeon, in the hall of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, after a session discussing difficult lung cancer cases. She didn’t disagree. After listening and reflecting, she returned to the classroom with a coffee in her right hand.
"The Immersion Course on Comprehensive Lung Cancer Treatment and Surgical Innovation" was held at Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. Some 120 Latin Americans, most of them thoracic surgeons, had arrived for the annual event. There were lunch buffets, badges, and complimentary bags and surgical caps as souvenirs.
The most important aspect was learning new technologies and concepts from experts in lung cancer treatment. After all, this allows us to reflect on one of medicine’s most important challenges. While there might have been other conventions around the world, Latin American thoracic surgeons are enthusiastic participants who pay close attention, because lung cancer is an important cause of death worldwide and facing advanced cases remains so challenging.
The difference is that 10 years ago, what many of these surgeons do for work would have been considered merely an attempt, but nowadays we breathe hope. That is why many of us are at Harvard, interpreting a new era of genomics and immunobiological drugs, while facing each surgical indication when we return home.
It is too soon to predict the future, whether it’s tomorrow or in the next 10 years, but it isn’t so far away when you add new drugs and new surgical techniques (VATS, robotics, ECMO, etc.). Leading this explanation, as I understand it, are Thomas D’Amico, Bernardo Park, and Isabelle Opitz—all supported by Paula Ugalde, the team leader for Latin surgeons and an associate professor of thoracic surgery at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
We know that lung cancer remains challenging due to its high mortality, but if we commit ourselves to scientific production in major medical centers, perhaps voluntarism will move forward and relegate the current limitations to a page in the past, especially in Latin America.of these surgeons do for work would have been considered merely an attempt, but nowadays we breathe hope. That is why many of us are at Harvard, interpreting a new era of genomics and immunobiological drugs while facing each surgical indication when we return home.
It is too soon to predict the future, whether it’s tomorrow or in the next 10 years, but it isn’t so far away when you add new drugs and new surgical techniques (VATS, robotics, ECMO, etc.). Leading this explanation, as I understand it, are Thomas D’Amico, Bernardo Park, and Isabelle Opitz—all supported by Paula Ugalde, the team leader for Latin surgeons and an associate professor of thoracic surgery at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
We know that lung cancer remains challenging due to its high mortality, but if we commit ourselves to scientific production in major medical centers, perhaps voluntarism will move forward and relegate the current limitations to a page in the past, especially in Latin America.
Roger Normando,
Professor de Cirurgia Torácica - Universidade Federal do Pará, Brasil.
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