How Reimagined Research Endeavors Intersect With Dignified End-of-Life Care: With D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD; and Charles D. Blanke, MD, FACP, FASCO

How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life’s experiences.

In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Charles D. Blanke, MD, FACP, FASCO, a professor of medicine in the School of Medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute in Portland.

Drs Camidge and Blanke discuss Dr Blanke's unique career path from pioneering targeted cancer therapies to becoming a leading advocate for medical aid in dying. A Type 1 diabetes diagnosis directed Dr Blanke toward an interest in internal medicine and oncology. During his fellowship and early faculty days, he established a reputation for his hard work pursuing research opportunities, even when initial projects were unsuccessful.

Blanke’s most transformative scientific achievement occurred at OHSU, where he spearheaded the use of Imatinib (Gleevec) for the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). By targeting the KIT mutation, this research turned a previously untreatable malignancy into one with a high response rate, marking a landmark moment for personalized oncology.

Equally significant in Dr Blanke’s career is his role in medical aid in dying. Practicing in Oregon, the first state to legalize the option, he has written hundreds of prescriptions for patients with terminal diseases. Blanke views medical aid in dying as a vital extension of patient care.

As the former chair of SWOG, Dr Blanke modernized clinical research by introducing term limits, increasing access to clinical trials among, and championing the development of pragmatic trials with broader patient eligibility criteria. Throughout his tenure, he emphasized the importance of patient advocacy and the altruistic nature of cooperative research. Having recently stepped down from his leadership at SWOG, he intends to focus his future efforts on patient rights and medical aid in dying advocacy.