Central Care Cancer Center Sponsors Policy Forum

A Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Dr. Mark Fesen is a medical oncologist. Assisting patients in all aspects of conquering cancer, he has written Surviving the Cancer System: An Empowering Guide to Taking Control of Your Care to support patients and their families in securing optimal care. Dr. Mark Fesen practices medicine at two Central Care Cancer Center locations in Kansas, one in Wichita, the other in Great Bend.

Recently, Central Care Cancer Center provided sponsorship for a policy forum that highlighted current cancer research initiatives and the costs of treating the disease. Hosted by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), the meeting took place at Via Christi Hospital - St. Francis in Wichita and received sponsorship from additional organizations, including Merck and PhRMA, Pfizer, Janssen Oncology, and AmeriHealth Caritas.

According to ACS CAN, cancer patients across the United States paid almost $4 billion to cover out-of-pocket expenses in 2014. That same year, employers, insurance providers, and public health assistance plans such as Medicaid and Medicare paid an additional $87.8 billion to cover treatment-related expenses.

The Approach of the National Physicians' Council for Healthcare Policy

A medical oncologist with Central Care Cancer Center who practices in Great Bend and Wichita, Dr. Mark Fesen serves on a nationwide healthcare advisory committee, the National Physicians' Council for Healthcare Policy. He has been serving on that committee for nearly three years and is the vice chair of oncology for the council.

Dr. Marcy Zwelling-Aamot and Dr. John Gill founded the National Physicians' Council for Healthcare Policy in 2014 to enable physicians to speak out publicly about medical issues and government policies. The council also aims to support those in medicine to prevent burnout and early exit of the profession due to burdensome regulations and policies. Each year, it selects two or three specific areas in which to enhance the private practice of medicine and works with legislators and regulatory agencies to achieve specific goals that will improve healthcare in the United States. Further, the council advocates for patient-centric care to receive appropriate levels of funding.

For more information about the council and its efforts, visit www.npchcp.org.

The Causes and Symptoms of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Great Bend and Wichita, Kansas, oncology practitioner Dr. Mark Fesen provides diagnosis and care to patients with many types of cancer. Among the areas in which Dr. Mark Fesen has extensive knowledge is chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

A cancer impacting the marrow, CLL typically progresses over many years and is different from many types of leukemia, primarily impacting adults as they age. The disease involves the degradation of lymphocytes, a white blood cell type that attacks infections. Through a genetic mutation, the lymphocytes lose their ability to fight infection and live longer than they otherwise would. This mutation causes them to accumulate in specific organs, which can result in complications. Additionally, they may multiply and take the place of healthy cells in the marrow, which then impacts regular blood cell production.

Symptoms are often absent during the early stages of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Symptoms experienced include enlarged but painless lymph nodes, fatigue, and an enlarged spleen, which causes pain in the upper abdomen. As the disease progresses, infections may become more common and immune system issues manifest.

Leukemia in the United States

An oncologist caring for patients in and around Wichita and Great Bend, Kansas, Dr. Mark Fesen underwent fellowship training in medical oncology through the National Cancer Institute. Leukemia is among the many cancers Dr. Mark Fesen treats. 

Leukemia is an umbrella term that encompasses cancers originating in blood cells, including the white and red blood cells and the platelets. For 2017, experts expect more than 62,000 Americans to receive a leukemia diagnosis. Presently, nearly 364,000 people in the United States live with leukemia or have had leukemia. 

In terms of frequency, leukemia ranks ninth in the country, just under kidney cancer and just above endometrial cancer. However, leukemia is more deadly than either endometrial or kidney cancer in that it’s expected to kill more than 24,000 patients in 2017. The other two cancers combined are expected to kill about that many Americans in the same year. 

Data indicates that though the rate of new leukemia cases has increased in the past decade, death rates have decreased and five-year survival rates have increased.

ASCO Develops New Communication Guideline

A graduate of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Mark Fesen works as a medical oncologist at Central Care in Kansas. In order to keep up with the latest trends in oncological medicine, Dr. Mark Fesen maintains membership in the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

In order to encourage more effective and patient-centered dialogue in oncological care, ASCO recently released a new guideline that gives providers a baseline standard of best practices for use when talking with patients and other family members involved in their care. ASCO believes this guidance will help to improve doctor-patient relationships while helping patients to feel better informed about the care they are getting. 

According to the guideline, institutions should implement a communications curriculum for oncologists of all experience levels that includes role play, in order to help them empathize with patients. The guideline also calls for clear dialogue between doctor and patient on the specific goals of care, as well as the prognosis for different types of treatment. Furthermore, doctors should do everything they can to encourage patients to take an active role in their care by inviting questions and working with them in a collaborative decision-making process. 

Other important information is found in the guideline, which can be accessed at asco.org.

Three Benefits to Hiring a Personal Trainer

As a medical oncologist for the Central Care Cancer Center, Dr. Mark Fesen currently practices in Wichita and Great Bend, Kansas. During his free time, Dr. Mark Fesen stays fit by exercising with his personal trainer. 

Although hiring a personal trainer may seem intimidating at first, the experience can ultimately push you to take your exercise to the next level. Here are three of the most common benefits to hiring a personal trainer. 

1. Setting precise goals - Many people exercise with only a loose goal in mind, like “lose 20 pounds” or even simply “get in better shape.” A personal trainer will help you transform your general goal into more detailed ones by examining your current fitness level and desired results through the lens of their experience. What’s more, a trainer will help motivate you to see those goals through to the end.

2. Fixing form and technique - If you exercise without a trainer, you have no way of knowing what you are doing wrong and how you could improve. A personal trainer will examine your movements and correct your technique, thus helping you get the most from each exercise session while also helping to prevent injury. 

3. Adjusting for medical conditions - While exercise can help mitigate the effects of health issues like heart disease and diabetes, exercising with such conditions requires special considerations. An experienced and knowledgeable trainer who has specific experience working with people who share your condition can help you stick to your fitness goals without putting your health at risk.