Career

From Patient to Physician: Dr. Pedro Vianna’s Journey – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Pedro Vianna/dana-farber.org

Mar 29, 2025, 08:38

From Patient to Physician: Dr. Pedro Vianna’s Journey – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute posted on LinkedIn:

“When Pedro Vianna, MD, was 5, his mother took him to a pediatrician in their home country of Brazil.

A lymph node on the left side of his neck had been swollen for weeks. While the pediatrician reassured his family that it was likely a reactive viral infection, Vianna’s mother, a hematologist, had a gut feeling that it was something more.

“My mother insisted on a biopsy,” recalls Pedro Vianna, now a physician in the Amyloidosis Program and the Hematology Treatment Center. The procedure confirmed his mother’s instincts – Vianna was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that originates in the lymph nodes.

Vianna, now in remission for more than 30 years, doesn’t remember much about the cycles of chemotherapy and radiation he underwent, nor the years of follow-up care. What he does remember vividly is the impact that his illness had on his family

“The intense concern my parents felt lasted for many years,” he recalls. “They were hypervigilant about any symptoms I had.”

Now a hematologist, Vianna is keenly aware of how a cancer diagnosis affects a family unit. “I watched my mother and stepfather, who was also a hematologist, build strong therapeutic relationships with their patients,” recalls Vianna. “They had genuine concern for their patients, and that left a lasting impression on me.”

After earning his medical degree from the University of Central Florida, Vianna completed his residency at Stanford University, followed by a fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University.

Determined to earn good marks, Vianna devoted his time to studying and clinical rotations, but it took a toll on his personal well-being.

“During those years, I gained a significant amount of weight because I wasn’t prioritizing my personal health,” Vianna explains. “My fiancée and I started going on runs together because she’s a seasoned long-distance runner. Running is a sport that made me more well-rounded as a person, and it taught me the importance of nurturing my physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”

That holistic view of well-being now informs his approach to patient care.

“Because of my own experience with cancer and my personal health journey, when I meet with patients, I don’t treat just the disease,” says Vianna. “I care for the whole person. Medicine has always been both humanistic and scientific, and my goal is to create a balance. I care for the person in front of me while understanding that they have a life and loved ones before and after they leave my office.”

Vianna also embraces the personal touch he observed growing up. In addition to discussing treatment regimens and side effects, he takes time to get to know his patients beyond their medical charts.

“I see my patients and their families almost every week for months or, in some cases, years,” explains Vianna. “My approach to patient care is informed by my own experiences and knowledge of how cancer affects the patient, their family, and their lives.””

From Patient to Physician: Dr. Pedro Vianna's Journey - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute