OMF - Rick Germani, 85, non-squamous non-small cell metastatic lung cancer, Providence, RI with Dr. Bruce Johnson, thoracic (lung cancer), Chief Clinical Research Officer, Dana-Farber 8-22-18
In November 2017, Rick Germani made two visits an Urgent Care facility, where he was given two x-rays and diagnosed with pneumonia. When the antibiotics were not working, Rick returned and was given a CT scan. He was sent home without any results.
Rick later received a call from his primary care physician who asked him and his wife, Gini, to visit his office. He informed Rick that his scan showed metastatic lung cancer in both of his lungs. Rick and his physician both agreed that he needed to be treated at Dana-Farber, as it is “one of the best cancer treatment organizations in the world.”
Rick made appointments for a biopsy of the cancer. About a week after the biopsy was completed, he was taken to the emergency room at Cape Cod for breathing difficulties where it was determined that he had numerous pulmonary embolisms. He was then rushed by ambulance to a Boston hospital. His family was told that he probably would not survive.
After 5 days of treatment to dissolve the clots, he was released from the hospital and put on oxygen. During his stay, he met Dr. Bruce Johnson, and was told that he would be his oncologist. Rick did not find out until later that Dr. Johnson was the Chief Thoracic Oncologist, as well as the Director of Clinical Research at Dana Farber.
Dr. Johnson put Rick on a new immunotherapy drug called Keytruda. This helped to dramatically reduce the size of the metastatic tumors. Dr. Johnson has ensured that Rick is able to live a normal life outside of his treatment.
Rick has been retired since 1966 after working as Vice President of Materials and Chief Procurement Officer with several leading tech companies. He also served in the U.S. Army at the end of the Korean War.
Rick has been married to his wife, Gini, for 56 years. They have two daughters, Laura, 54, and Gaiana, 51, and two grandchildren, Colin and Jamie.
Besides treating patients, Dr. Johnson is also a prominent lung cancer researcher. And as Chief Clinical Research officer at Dana-Farber, he can talk about why research plays such an important role at Dana-Farber and in the treatment of cancer.
He recently served as the 2017-2018 President of ASCO, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, a very important position in the cancer community.