Alice Shaw, MD, PhD, a thoracic oncologist at the Mass General Cancer Center, treats her patients with the best of science and the best of humanity.
“Alice is an uncommon blend of brilliance and compassion,” writes Linnea Duff, who finds in Dr. Shaw the expertise of a top clinician and researcher and the joyful spirit of a mother of two young children.
“My relationship with her has greatly advanced my understanding of lung cancer while validating my personal experiences,” says Linnea. “When coping with a serious illness, that validation is empowering.”
An expert in the genetic signature of Linnea’s lung cancer, Dr. Shaw is principal investigator of a clinical trial of a targeted therapy, the oral ALK inhibitor crizotinib. The trial led to FDA approval of the drug last year.
“When I first entered the trial,” writes Linnea, “I believed I was near the end of my life. I am alive and well and the trial shows great promise. But should we need to change course, Alice has her finger on the pulse of new developments.
“Alice is my super-hero. She is contributing to the future of cancer research and treatment. And she is doing her best to make sure I have a future as well.”
