The Future is Female
- When 11th grader Laasya Konidala learned about her grandmother’s cancer diagnosis, she didn’t let it get her down, instead it drove her to do her own research.
- The Henrico, Virginia teen taught herself how to code, did a load of research, and presented her detailed findings to a science fair. She won!
- National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery Steven Rosenberg recommends doing your research and seeking out multiple professional opinions after a cancer diagnosis, stressing to SurvivorNet that finding a doctor with all the latest information in medicine is crucial.
“So many people are diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s the second leading cause of death for women globally. I thought someone should do something about it,” she said.
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The budding scientist taught herself how to code, and entered the MEDARVA Science Fair. She presented research that “bridges the gap between predicting breast cancer sub-types with robust classification models.”
Konidala won the science fair with her highly-detailed project, making her grandmother proud.
Related: A Cancer Survivor's Ode To Friends and Family: ‘My Support System Helped Me Heal’
“She knew I was into science and research, but she never expected me to do something, like, directly related to her,” Konidala said. “She was honestly at a loss for words,” she said.
Her mother was not surprised by her overachieving daughter.
“Some days we tell her just relax, you know?” her mother Rekha Rasineni said. "You don’t need to be productive and working all day. Take it easy. But she doesn’t like that.”
The greatest achievements in medicine do not happen by people taking it easy. Bravo Laasya! We can’t wait to see where you’ll end up.
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Doing Your Research After a Cancer Diagnosis
The medical field is not perfect, that’s why it’s constantly improving and evolving. There are more and more treatments getting approved than ever before, and newer technology is frequently springing up to help improve cancer screenings and procedures. A handful of doctors may have a handful of different opinions. That’s why it’s so important to do your own research from the right medical sources, and get multiple opinions from various members of your medical team.
Related: Second (& Third) Opinions Matter When Deciding Between Surgery or Radiation
Also, in some instances the specific course of treatment is not clear cut. That's even more reason why understanding the potential approaches to your disease is crucial.
National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery Steven Rosenberg recommends seeking out multiple professional opinions.
“If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care, because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important,” Rosenberg tells SurvivorNet. “And it’s always important to get other opinions so that you can make the best decisions for yourself in consultation with your care providers.”
Rosenberg acknowledges that they have made some progress, and he’s proud of the progress they have made. “But when I lay awake at night, I don’t think about the patients that we’ve benefited, some of which we’ve cured,” he said. “I think about all the patients that have not responded and still will not respond to the treatments that we’ve developed. And that’s what keeps me working almost around the clock.”
If you've exhausted options in treating very advanced cancer, there is a huge new wave of clinical trials. While some trials absolutely show hope, you should know the data and the risks. The best recommendation is to push your doctor to help you look for appropriate options. You can also use clinicaltrials.gov, which is the national registry of trials.
The National Cancer Institute, which has a long track record of pushing the envelope on new treatments, has a patient referral service that helps guide patients so they can gain access to experimental therapies and clinical trials.
Here at SurvivorNet, we are here to guide you through these resources so that you can be more informed, which can motivate you to be more proactive with your health.
Cancer Research Legend Urges Patients to Get Multiple Opinions
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
