Patient advocate
Kantoff, reflecting on his multiple roles, says he puts in a lot of hours, "but I like that there is a diversity to each day that keeps me highly interested in all I do." Using this philosophy, he has also found time to be a frequent lecturer and symposium leader, as well as write two widely respected books on prostate cancer. This past summer, he even joined a team of colleagues and patients and cycled 192 miles in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge bike-a-thon to raise funds for research and treatment at Dana-Farber.
Among the scientists whose research is included in the new SPORE grant for prostate cancer are (clockwise from top left) Dr. Kantoff; Sabina Signoretti, MD; Massimo Loda, MD; Elisabetta Mueller, PhD; and William Sellers, MD.
No matter how many parts he plays, however, Kantoff's patients always feel their care is his top priority. In one morning he moves seamlessly from discussing clinical trials with Jim Noonan, to examining a 42-year-old testicular cancer survivor, to easing the concerns of a colon cancer survivor and his wife who are spending their 46th wedding anniversary in a doctor's office facing the strong possibility that the husband has prostate cancer. No matter how serious the topic, Kantoff's visitors all seem at ease by the time they leave.
Take Alfred Hogan. The 78-yearold retiree now lives in Florida, yet he returns to his native Boston twice annually to meet with Kantoff and/or his radiation oncology colleagues D'Amico and Lynn Lopes, RN, for checkups following treatment for prostate cancer four years ago. While he and Kantoff may spend part of a recent visit joking about Hogan's eating too much clam chowder during his sojourns north, the patient turns serious when discussing why he so values their relationship.
"In every area of prostate cancer research, Dr. Kantoff has developed and nurtured networks that have helped expand the scope of his program."
— William Sellers, MD
"Dr. Kantoff is brilliant, compassionate, and a pleasant human being to deal with," Hogan says. "If I call him, he always calls me back right away, and he always maintains an upbeat attitude.
"It may sound strange, but coming to Dana-Farber has been one of the most pleasant experiences of my life."
