Join us as we welcome Dr. Fauzia Riaz, Samira’s oncologist, who believes in treating the whole person—not just the cancer.

In this episode, we explore survivorship care: What does it truly mean? What insights does a thousand-person study reveal about different cancer survivorship care models? How can oncologists optimize treatment plans to improve quality of life for survivors? And what gaps must care providers address to ensure lasting, meaningful impact? This episode features the following PCORI study: Quality of life among cancer survivors by model of cancer survivorship care by Holly Mead.

Your Cancer GPS is here! Step-by-step breast cancer maps based on what others have gone through and what oncologists recommend: https://mantacares.com/pages/new-see-how-it-works

Sound Bites

• "You're helping me live and thank you for saving my life."
• "It's important to look at the emotional and psychological impact."
• "Survivorship is recognizing that cancer care extends beyond treatment."
• "Quality of life is influenced by emotional and psychological factors."
• "Survivorship care should be integrated from the beginning."
• "We need to think about how we're delivering cancer care."
• "Treatment optimization is going to be so important."

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Cancer Care

09:59 Understanding Survivorship

19:50 The Impact of Treatment Models

30:08 Research and Future Directions in Oncology

Key Highlights:

- Being attentive as a physician involves more than just careful monitoring during each step of treatment; it also requires providing support and compassion to the whole person you’re treating.

- The goal of survivorship is more than just surviving; it is to thrive and lead a high-quality life moving forward. There are two main survivorship care models from the study we reviewed, post-survivorship treatment and oncology-embedded survivorship. Each survivorship care model has their role.

👤 Guest Bio:

Dr. Riaz is dedicated to advancing breast cancer treatment through an innovative clinical trial program that focuses on cutting-edge therapeutics and biomarkers. Dr. Riaz is studying circulating tumor (ct) DNA-minimal residual disease (MRD) as a pivotal biomarker for early-stage breast cancer. She aims to enhance its use in surveillance and early detection while guiding personalized treatment strategies through novel clinical trials. Furthermore, she is committed to improving immunotherapy efficacy by modifying the tumor microenvironment. Her research involves developing early-phase trials that integrate novel therapeutic approaches, combining immunotherapy and radiotherapy.

As a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Riaz is also committed to improving the accessibility of cutting edge therapies to all patients. She is leading a collaborative effort with multiple institutions to develop databases that track patient outcomes and inform treatment practices.

Dr. Riaz’s overarching goal is to expand early-phase clinical trials and foster academic-industry partnerships to advance the field of breast oncology and improve patient care.

Disclaimer:

All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only. This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Manta Cares, cancer survivorship, survivorship care, cancer treatment, oncology care models, cancer survivor care, cancer treatment optimization, effective cancer care, personalized cancer treatment

This episode was supported by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)