Letter of Hope from Rachna Malani, MD

Dear Patients, Families, and Colleagues,

As the season changes from fall to winter, the transition invites introspection and an opportunity to reflect. When I contemplate this past year, I am reminded of why I chose to be a neuro-oncologist. As a neuro-oncologist, I have the privilege of caring for patients with primary brain cancers as well as metastatic spread to the nervous system. Because the brain and nervous system are such specialized spaces within the body, cancers that develop there can be extremely difficult to treat. Not only do patients and their families face an incredibly difficult diagnosis, but they are also forced to deal with the uncertainty and challenges that can arise as a result of having cancer in the brain. It is in this environment that I am constantly reminded that I get to see the best of humanity every day. Each patient teaches me the importance of what it means to be human and what it means to love. In turn, my colleagues—who span the fields of neurosurgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and lab research—and I are continually motivated to search for better treatments and solutions.

"Each patient teaches me the importance of what it means to be human and what it means to love."

Clinical Trials

Our existing treatment strategies afford limited control of brain cancer; therefore, we need to do better. There is a clear need to understand how and why brain cancers develop. Clinical trials are currently the standard-of-care treatment for many brain cancers. Fortunately, at Huntsman Cancer Institute, we offer patients with brain cancers access to innovative clinical trials. We are one of the only centers able to do so in the Mountain West. Moreover, although clinical trials require more tests and visits to doctors, we are constantly innovating trials that allow rural and out-of-state patients better access to cutting-edge care. We are conducting ongoing research to identify biomarkers from blood and cerebrospinal fluid for patients with brain cancers so that one day we can introduce targeted early intervention strategies. It is incredibly exciting to see the level of innovation among my colleagues here at Huntsman Cancer Institute and the collaborative relationship between the laboratory and the clinical setting, developing clinical trials and getting those innovations to patients as quickly as possible.

Hope for the Future

"Our greatest hope is that our patients and their families will have more meaningful time together..."

As I reflect on what this past year has brought us, I also think about what lies ahead. We need more urgent advancements for patients with brain cancers, and I am always hopeful that the new year will bring continued research developments and, as a result, promising new clinical trials and—most importantly—hope. Our greatest hope is that our patients and their families will have more meaningful time together and that one day advancing our standard of care will lead to earlier detection, better treatments, and brighter outcomes.

Sincerely,