Treating the Whole Patient, Not Just the Cancer

The Think Neuro podcast from Pacific Neuroscience Institute takes you into the clinic, operating room and laboratory with doctors and surgeons who are tackling the most challenging brain diseases and disorders. Host: Dan Fost

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Episode 73: Show Notes

When someone is diagnosed with a brain tumor, their world can shift overnight, bringing challenges that reach far beyond the medical diagnosis. A tumor is, first and foremost and most obviously, a health challenge. Like any serious illness, however, it also taxes people mentally and psychologically. Patients and their families have to navigate a complex medical system, take in new and challenging information, and make large, potentially life-changing decisions. Because of this stressful environment, Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Dr. Shanthi Gowrinathan, a psychiatrist who specializes in treating people with cancer, is part of a team that helps people cope with the mental aspects of their illness. In today’s episode, Dr. Gowrinathan explains how she helps patients and their families maintain their sense of self in the face of tremendous challenges.

About Dr. Shanthi Gowrinathan

Shanthi Gowrinathan, MD, is an accomplished inpatient and outpatient psychiatrist, specializing in both Women’s Psychiatry and Psycho-oncology (Cancer Psychiatry) who works collaboratively in the care of her patients in active cancer treatment at Providence Saint John’s Health Center.

Dr. Gowrinathan integrates her recommendations with the patient’s medical teams to ensure a whole person, interdisciplinary and cohesive treatment approach.