DCISionRT® really fits into our strategy of providing patients with the maximum amount of information to make a personalized treatment decision.
Dr. Janie Grumley had an eclectic start. She was born in Taiwan, raised in Canada and became a competitive figure skater, competing in the world championships, before beginning her training to become a surgeon. Her personal experience with a significant skating injury at the age of 18 piqued her interest in medicine and clearly demonstrated the value of taking time to ‘treat the whole patient’.
“The first doctor I saw after my injury didn’t spend the time to alleviate my fears or answer my questions. I sought a second opinion, and that orthopedic surgeon took the time to clearly explain things to me and take care of me as a person. That experience helped shape my patient care philosophy today.”
“When I first went to medical school, I thought that I wanted to do sports medicine and be a surgeon. A typical stereotype for a surgeon is that you lose contact with your patient when the surgery is done. I wanted to retain my relationship with my patients so I chose breast cancer as my surgical specialty because you can have a significant impact on your patients’ lives, and you get to follow them over time.”
“One of my missions is to help women understand the options that they have in breast cancer treatments. My best advice for someone who is first diagnosed is to ‘take a deep breath’. The initial reaction is to get online and find a doctor fast, when you really should find a doctor that is the right fit for you.”
“I was very lucky early in my career to travel the country and see a lot of different breast care programs. Three years ago, when I was tasked with reshaping our program, I was able to pick and choose the best components of what I had witnessed to build here. At the Margie Petersen Breast Center, we have developed a different approach.”
“We started our comprehensive breast program with a huge emphasis on teamwork. It’s a collaborative team comprised of the medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, surgeon, nurse practitioner, radiologist, pathologist, social work and genetics. We are basically a One-Stop-Shop for breast cancer patients. A unique aspect of our model is that patients stay in one room and the physicians meet the patient individually and then collaborate to develop a plan. This has been a very successful program. It allows the multidisciplinary team to easily communicate with each other and quickly develop a treatment plan for the patient. And it’s been a huge patient pleaser in the community.”
“At our clinic, the patient gets the entire picture and they do not need to patch it all together. You may not need a medical oncologist or a radiation oncologist, but how do you know the best decision if you don’t know what all the pieces entail.”
“In the case of ductal carcinoma in situ, commonly called DCIS, I believe that as a profession we tend to overtreat a disease that is not necessarily life threatening. We have not previously had a test to identify which patients would benefit from radiation therapy (RT) following breast conserving surgery and which patients could safely omit RT. Many women don’t want radiation if they can avoid it. We use a test called DCISionRT, a molecular test that predicts radiation therapy benefit. DCISionRT really fits into our strategy of providing patients with the maximum amount of information to make a decision. It is a quantitative score, so it really helps the patient see the big picture and be more confident in what they decide. I have had patients who were adamantly opposed to radiation therapy change their minds when they see the Decision Score. And certainly, the opposite is true. Patients really appreciate DCISionRT because it gives them a personalized score, not an algorithm applied to everyone. So, it is a very helpful tool.”
Dr. Grumley’s favorite part of practicing medicine is meeting patients and their families. She views the patient/surgeon relationship as a unique bond. Unlike with most other types of surgery, the relationship she has with her patients continues over time. Through surgery and follow-ups, the bond continues for years. Dr. Grumley feels that nothing is more rewarding than seeing patients doing well years after breast cancer.
Dr. Grumley is married with 3 kids and lives in Manhattan Beach. “I try to use my spare time with my kids. It grounds me from the working world. I also make sure that patients have access to me. They can email me with questions. I want each patient to feel like they are my only patient. Breast cancer is a scary thing to go through and my goal is to alleviate some of the stress.”
