SurvivorNet is embracing a new era in medical education, one that involves the patient voice on a larger scale.
That approach was on display at the 2025 ASTRO Conference, where SurvivorNet convened a panel of leading glioma experts to explore the promise and limitations of targeted therapy. One of the most important takeaways from SurvivorNet’s panel discussion, featuring some of the world’s pre-eminent experts in glioma. They addressed a growing debate surrounding the use of old and new targeted therapies in clinical practice. Clinical data are limited in glioma-targeted therapy, meaning patients and doctors must work together through shared decision-making to determine the optimal treatment course for each patient at the right time.
For Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association, the issue is personal. After being diagnosed with a grade II astrocytoma, his view of treatment has shifted, he said as part of the panel discussion. Experiencing the health care system as a patient has given him a sharper understanding of the obstacles patients face and a deeper appreciation for the role of shared decision-making.
“Being an otolaryngologist and now being a patient with a grade two astrocytoma, navigating the healthcare system from a patient perspective, I guess that’s made me a different doctor because of this experience,” Dr. Mukkamala explained as part of the panel discussion.
Dr. Mukkamala now elevates patient concerns, including common questions that may not be top of mind for physicians, but weigh heavily on patients.
“When I talk about diagnoses, everything is grounded in science—and I’m completely comfortable saying, ‘We’re not sure.’ But from a patient’s perspective, hearing that uncertainty—especially around a new medication like vorasidenib, which might help, might harm, or might trigger other chemical effects—can plant doubt in an otherwise hopeful mindset,” Dr. Mukkamala explained.
In the coming months, SurvivorNet will be connecting with top cancer experts across the nation, including at The Society for NeuroOncology in Hawaii, The American Society of Hematology Conference in Florida, and the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas.
