Frederick Greene, MD, FACS

From both a patient and physician standpoint, the discussion of a new cancer diagnosis is both difficult emotionally and necessary to begin devising a plan for treatment and a positive outcome. Following the initial response, many patients will then ask, “Doctor, what is my stage?” While many patients are not familiar with the specifics of cancer staging, more and more patients understand that strategies exist that classify their cancer in order to direct treatment, follow-up, and prediction of outcomes.

It was September 2019. My colleagues and I had been immersed in articles and presentations regarding the “financial toxicity” that was affecting a large cohort of our cancer patients.