From all of this work, my real passion emerged – fertility preservation – especially as it relates to cancer patients undergoing the “fertility attacking” therapies of chemotherapy and radiation. As we become more and more successful at seeing cancer patients go into remission, oncologists are beginning to consider “quality of life” issues for the lives they are saving – in particular, the preservation of fertility in women of child-bearing age.

This will require a more holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment than is common now, one where physicians and specialists come together and not just focus on a single issue – whether it’s oncology or fertility related or something else – but on all aspects of the patient’s health and well-being. We’re no longer dealing with black or white outcomes and people with cancer and other chronic diseases are living longer and healthier lives because of the great advances in medicine and treatment options.

This makes it more imperative for their doctors to work together and treat the whole patient, by understanding how all of the pieces – physical health, mental health, reproductive health, etc. – interact and affect each other. In fact, this is why I’ve just added a psychologist to my team, who will meet with fertility patients when they first come in and then follow up with them to see how they are faring emotionally and otherwise.

In addition to this more holistic approach, we’ve also got to break through any cultural barriers that may exist between the patient and the medical community that is serving them. For example, through some of the cultural sensitivity training that we’ve done, we’ve learned that patients from different cultures deal with pain differently. Some equate pain medication with the stigma of becoming a drug addict. One Latina told me her mother didn’t want to take her pain medication because of the myth in the community that “it has to hurt for cancer to leave the body.” This is the type of cultural intelligence that we need to develop in our ongoing efforts to optimize care for each individual patient.

Fortunately, the pendulum is shifting with regards to more holistic and culturally sensitive patient care. As the medical community continues to move in this direction, here are three things we can do to take better advantage of the opportunities this shift represents:

• Slow down and look at the big picture. In the rush to start chemotherapy as soon as possible and not waste any time, quality of life issues often get relegated to the back burner. Looking out for patients means looking at the big picture. If fertility measures are important to the patient and there’s time to intervene without adding risk, now is the time to address it.
• Provide better council by being a good listener. Women in general and Latinas in particular may be resistant to talking about other issues once they find out about the cancer. Find out why by listening to their concerns. They may not realize they still have options that could enable them to deal with treatment on their own terms.
• Set expectations about the financial reality. Fertility treatment is a great expense for many people. It’s not a burden to be taken lightly, especially when the focus should be on the patient’s health and recovery. This may not be the time to add financial worry to the mix.  That said, patients need to understand and be able to weigh their own options in this matter, so sound financial advice is part and parcel of the holistic approach.