Less Radical

Episode 2: The Knife is the Cure

At the end of the 19th century, a New York surgeon determined that the only way to cure breast cancer was with radical surgery. For the next hundred years, millions of breast cancer survivors bore the mark of his disfiguring approach. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://cancerculture.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=CTA_1">cancerculture.substack.com</a>

Less Radical is the story of Dr. Bernie Fisher, the surgeon-scientist who not only revolutionized breast cancer treatment, but also fundamentally changed the way we understand all cancers. He was an unlikely hero-- a Jewish kid from Pittsburgh who had to make it past antisemitic quotas to get into med school. And the thanks he received for his discoveries? A performative, misguided Congressional hearing that destroyed his reputation and haunted him until his death.
Over six episodes, radiation oncologist Dr. Stacy Wentworth will take you into operating rooms, through the halls of Congress, and into the labs where breakthrough cancer treatments were not only developed, but discovered.
If you or someone you know has had breast cancer, Bernie is a part of your story-- and you’re a part of his. <a href="https://cancerculture.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast">cancerculture.substack.com</a>