Aman Chauhan, Associate Professor at University of California, San Francisco shared a post on LinkedIn:
“A Day in the Life of an Early Therapeutics (Phase 1) Trialist (On my non NET clinic).
What a roller coaster of a day.
From head and neck cancer to pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, and several other malignancies, each clinic visit brought a different story, a different challenge, and a different patient placing their trust in us.
The reality of early-phase oncology is that many patients arrive at our doors when standard treatment options are limited, exhausted, or simply do not exist. Those conversations can be difficult. The uncertainty is real. The stakes are high.
Yet what carries us forward is hope.
Hope that the next clinical trial may offer an opportunity where none existed before. Hope that science will uncover a new vulnerability in a cancer that has long resisted treatment. Hope that today’s experimental therapy may become tomorrow’s standard of care.
There is something deeply gratifying about sitting with a patient’s molecular profile, identifying a targetable alteration, and matching that patient to a promising clinical trial. And when that treatment works – when scans improve, symptoms lessen, and patients gain meaningful time – it is hard to describe the excitement and privilege of being part of that journey.
None of this would be possible without the patients and caregivers who courageously participate in first-in-human and early-phase studies. Their willingness to take part in research advances science for everyone who comes after them. We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude.
On a lighter note, one of my favorite parts of the day at UCSF Mission Bay is stepping out of clinic, grabbing a coffee, and taking a brief walk along the bay. The views, the fresh air, and a few quiet moments by the water provide the perfect mental reset before diving back into the next challenge.
Days like today remind me why I chose this path.”
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