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Dr. Mary-Ellen Taplin on Treating Prostate/GU Cancers | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

3,359 views · Published 8 December 2015 · 2:11 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute · 2015 · Science & Technology

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Learn more about our personalized approach to the treatment and care of patients with prostate cancer, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer at Dana-Farber's Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology: http://www.dana-farber.org/Adult-Care/Treatment-and-Support/Treatment-Centers-and-Clinical-Services/Genitourinary-Cancer-Treatment-Center.aspx

Dr. Mary-Ellen Taplin is a medical oncologist who specializes in treating patients with prostate cancer and other GU malignancies. She discusses how Dana-Farber goes beyond standard treatments by offering patients additional opportunities (including new clinical trials) when they are making their cancer treatment decisions.


Transcription:


My name is Mary-Ellen Taplin. I’m a physician in the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology. I treat patients with prostate cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and testes cancer. Primary specialize in clinical trials in all stages of prostate cancer, and I also specialize in treatment of high-risk localized prostate cancer.

When a new patient calls Dana-Farber for the first time, they get a person whose sole job is New Patient Coordinator. They spend time on the phone discussing with the patient what the needs are and matching that patient up with the right providers at Dana-Farber. And then our team at Dana-Farber actually does the work to collect the patient’s outside records, their outside pathology. A very important part of the consultation at Dana-Farber is to have your outside pathology reviewed by a pathologist who is an expert in that particular diagnosis.

I think when patients come to Dana-Farber, they are amazed that such a sophisticated facility is so seamless and well run for the patients from the very first phone call through many years of care. What’s very special about Dana-Farber is that first off, we’re focused on ‘What does the patient need today?’ But we also provide an extensive resource of new options that are in development. We call them ‘clinical trials,’ so when we’re meeting a patient for the first time or at any time in the course of their illness, we will focus on “What is standardly available?’, but then ‘What is new?’ What do we have in the context of a research trial either here or at other places we collaborate with that might give a patient another opportunity or several other opportunities in the context of making their cancer treatment decisions? That’s how Dana-Farber is different—it goes beyond standard to offer patients new and evolving treatments.

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