More people younger than 50 are getting cancer, and clinicians are not immune to this trend.
Because of how long training is in the medical field, cancer tends to strike clinicians in the prime of their careers, when they have the busiest practices, Nancy You, MD, a professor of colon and rectal surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, told Becker's. "In my practice, I've seen many physicians being diagnosed."
Many of these clinician patients are between 35 and 45 years old.
There are a few ways that treating patients who are also clinicians are similar to and different from treating other populations.
What's the same
Dr. You said although clinicians have high health literacy, the anxieties and challenges with cancer are shared by everyone, including clinicians.
"When it comes to how they approach life, family, and living with a diagnosis, those challenges are universal," she said.
There is a joke that physicians make for the worst patients, but due to the increase in specialization, many clinicians diagnosed with cancer do not have the same knowledge base as their treating physician.
Dr. You said there is another layer of complexity when a physician is working with a physician as a patient, but "while there's a baseline level of medical knowledge, which can make things easier, it's important not to assume they know everything."
What's different
There are a few notable differences to be aware of when treating clinicians as patients.
"Many physicians go into the profession willing to sacrifice their personal needs," Dr. You said. "This can become a challenge when they reach a limit and need to balance patient care with their own health issues. It's a complicated aspect, especially considering burnout is already so common."
She said she has had patients in solo practice who have had to shut down part of their business during treatment, and others in larger settings who had to change work flows to accommodate treatment and healing.
"In some ways, [psychological challenges] might even be worse for physicians because they have more knowledge about the disease, which can make things more complicated," she said. However, she added that physicians as a group tend to be more conservative and follow conventional medical advice and less likely to explore alternative treatments.
"It’s important to see past their professional role and connect with them as an individual," she said. "Sometimes, discussing different treatment options might be easier because of their medical knowledge. However, their personality and approach to medicine might influence their treatment preferences. For example, someone who is aggressive in their medical practice might want to pursue more aggressive treatment options. This isn't unique to physicians, but it's something to be aware of."
Better support for clinicians with cancer
There are few resources for clinicians with cancer, Dr. You said.
"I would love to see a network of physician cancer survivors who are willing to support colleagues going through this."
But within systems, leaders can do more to help their colleagues.
"It starts with promoting wellness, prevention and a healthy work-life balance," she said. "Employers need to be flexible and supportive. In smaller groups where relationships are closer, there might be more willingness to lean in and provide support. In larger institutions, it might depend on the existing policies. Promoting wellness and fostering strong relationships within the work environment can make a big difference."