I rarely begin a story with a statistic. But this time I’m making an exception. Why? Because I just learned that cancer rates in women in the United States under 50 are 82% higher than men the same age. Those stats aren’t as big a deal these days unless you are someone who is passionate about saving lives.
Dr. Sagun Shrestha, Chief of Medical Oncology at City of Hope Cancer, is a kind and brilliant physician who cares deeply about her patients.
“I try to persuade young women to eat better, sleep better, take care of their own bodies and more. Treat your body better. These are all cliché’s to staying healthy, of course, but they’re all legitimate,” she told me this week.
But she does what she can to lower the dure death numbers, especially among women, where the cancer is being driven by the rising cases of lymphoma, melanoma, thyroid, breast, lung, cervical and ovarian cancers.
Dr. Shrestha, a member of various professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology, is recognized as a top medical oncologist by Castle Connelly and a seasoned instructor serving as a faculty member at several institutions.
“I’m determined to raise awareness, especially among women. I am very concerned with the lifestyle of young women, and men,” she says. “There is more alcohol, poor diets, smoking, more younger pregnancies, more women in the workplace which of course causes more stress, and many other stressors for many reasons.”
She says that at City of Hope Phoenix, the doctors have a “comprehensive approach to patient cancer care that focuses on the whole-person approach and ensures that people with cancer and their caregivers receive essential support—before, during, and after treatment.
“Unlike traditional cancer treatment, which focuses only on the cancer, we treat the whole person—helping them navigate the physical, psychological, financial, and social challenges that come with diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. It improves patient outcomes, enhances quality of life, delivers higher value care, and lowers healthcare costs. For all of us.”
She sees far more young women and even young girls in her practice these days than she used to. How did this get so out of hand? There are of course multiple reasons, she says. But there are very few people living in the United States right now who are not aware of the issues our young people have now. Female and male.
The new cancer numbers in women? They are now 82% higher in women than in men, which is nothing less than shocking.
“At City of Hope we hope to change the way young women’s cancers are treated and how doctors speak to their patients. It starts with Supportive Cancer Care, which is simply an entire whole-person approach that ensures people with cancer and their caregivers receive essential support—before, during, and after treatment,” Shrestha says.
“Unlike traditional cancer treatment, which often focuses solely on treating the disease, supportive cancer care treats the whole person—helping them navigate the physical, psychological, financial, and social challenges that come with diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. It improves patient outcomes, enhances quality of life, delivers higher value care, and lowers healthcare costs.”
Supportive cancer care isn’t just about survival— it’s about ensuring people can live well with cancer. Every year, millions of people living with cancer, along with their caregivers, face life-altering journeys. The impact goes beyond the disease itself, touching every aspect of their lives—health, careers, family dynamics, and financial stability.
Because of advances in diagnosis and treatment, people now live nearly six times longer after their cancer diagnosis than was the case 40 years ago, she says.
Yet, too many patients still endure fragmented care during and after treatment that leads to unmanaged symptoms, financial stress, and emotional burdens—ultimately resulting in poorer outcomes and unmet needs, she says.
Dr. Shrestha is the Chief of Medical Oncology at City of Hope® Cancer Center Phoenix, where she oversees clinical care for patients undergoing treatment for a wide range of cancer types. She focuses particularly on treating lung cancer, melanoma, head and neck cancer, breast cancer, sarcoma and brain tumors.
Drawn to her role at City of Hope by the organization’s focus on treating the whole person, mind, body and soul, Dr. Shrestha works alongside other physicians, supportive care providers and care managers to establish a personalized care plan for each patient, with the goal of helping patients and their loved ones make informed decisions about their care.
The folks who come to this hospital have made a good choice. As Chief of Medical Oncology, Shrestha is also dedicated to ensuring that clinical direction, protocols and standard-of-care guidelines are met and exceeded. Her focus is on the entire person, as are all of Hope’s physicians.
Images courtesy of City of Hope® Cancer Center Phoenix
