I've Lived a Good Life

Today I was asked to see a patient with a newly diagnosed cancer. We are still in the planning stages for how to best treat this person, but there was one thing that s(he) said that really struck me. "I've lived a good life." It was said with such sureness, and I understood exactly. The patient meant that s(he) had enjoyed a rich life - full of great family and memories - and that there was nothing to fear or regret in the face of cancer. I hope we can all be so lucky late in life.

Each person's life experience shapes his/her goals with cancer treatment. I try to keep this in mind each time I meet a patient. Sometimes we have great treatments that can cure cancer entirely, but in many cases, there are side effects that could take awake from the quality of life. I think it's incredibly important to weigh those against a person's goals. Is having more time more important than having quality time? The answer is different for each person, and I'll never take that for granted.

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