Highlighting Hope: Jude Nawlo, MD, and the Future of Geriatric Oncologic Care
Jude Nawlo, MD, a gynecologic oncology fellow of NYU Langone Health, earned the 2023 Patient Advocate’s Hope Award for her innovative and patient-centered approach to cancer care. From her early academic days shadowing oncologists to her novel work today, Dr. Nawlo embodies a commitment to advancing care for oncology patients through a lens of compassion and equity.
Dr. Nawlo’s journey into gynecologic oncology began with an appreciation for its complexity. “Gynecologic oncology is unique in that it integrates chemotherapy, complex surgical planning, and clinical trials counseling, offering a depth and complexity that I find deeply compelling,” she explained. This unique combination of responsibilities inspired her to delve deeper into understanding and addressing the challenges faced by older cancer patients.
As the population ages, the demand for equitable, patient-centered cancer care grows. Dr. Nawlo’s dedication to survivorship and geriatric management stems from a desire to “put ourselves in the patient’s shoes” to ensure effective care that addresses their unique challenges.
Receiving the Patient Advocate’s Hope Award has further energized Dr. Nawlo’s mission. For her, the award signifies a call to action. “It motivates me to understand and appropriately translate what a cancer patient requires at various junctures of their care,” she shared. Dr. Nawlo emphasizes the importance of addressing unmet needs often overlooked in clinical encounters, including the socioeconomic, psychological, and social impacts of treatment. Her ongoing research throughout her fellowship bridges clinical needs with palliative care principles, particularly for geriatric patients, who disproportionately face these challenges.
Dr. Nawlo’s research focuses on chemotherapy decision-making for elderly patients and trends over time. Comorbidities and performance status often dictate treatment pathways, but she advocates for evidence-based trials to better guide these decisions. “There is growing incentive to standardize treatment decisions in this population based on evidence-based guidance,” she noted.
Looking ahead, Dr. Nawlo envisions a future where targeted therapies based on molecular profiles expand treatment efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. These advancements could revolutionize oncologic care for the elderly, offering more personalized and effective options. A central tenet of Dr. Nawlo’s perspective is integrating active treatment with supportive care needs. She credits her oncology mentors and palliative care colleagues with prioritizing principles of quality of life at critical stages. “Even the act of listening can help reinforce an environment that emphasizes essential goals of care and fosters patient autonomy,” she said.
Another key focus of Dr. Nawlo’s work is the often-overlooked areas of previvorship and survivorship care. She stresses the unique challenges faced by each group, from genetic counseling and risk-reduction strategies for previvors to the long-term sequela and quality-of-life concerns for survivors. Addressing these gaps, she asserts, requires a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach.
Dr. Nawlo draws daily inspiration from her patients’ resilience and her mentors’ dedication. This motivation drives her to balance intense clinical care with impactful research, fueling her passion for advancing the field of gynecologic oncology. Through her work, Dr. Nawlo exemplifies the spirit of the Patient Advocate’s Hope Award, embodying the hope and innovation that the future of gynecologic oncology promises.
