Cancer Researcher Becomes Cancer Patient
Scientist Gregory Karczmar, PhD, has dedicated much of his career to developing better and more affordable screening methods for early detection of breast and prostate cancer.
Still, he never imagined a screening test would lead to his own diagnosis of cancer. During a routine colonoscopy in November 2017, Karczmar’s gastroenterologist found colorectal cancer.
“Now as a cancer survivor, I have become a passionate advocate for cancer screening,” said Karczmar, 64. “I tell everyone: ‘get screened.’ Screening can find cancer earlier when it’s more treatable and cure rates are higher.”After getting his diagnosis, Karczmar turned to the cancer specialists at the University of Chicago Medicine. As a researcher for UChicago Medicine’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, he knew many of the doctors who would be treating him and about their team approach to care.
