Oncologist driven by ‘passion for the mission’ of providing cancer care

Nitika Sharma, MD, said that she was driven to oncology based on a mission of providing compassionate care to patients undergoing treatment for cancer.

“It’s a special connection you build with patients as an oncologist that you value,” Sharma, an expert in thoracic, gastrointestinal and breast cancer care who recently joined the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), told Healio.

Sharma said that her work in cancer care gives her an opportunity to practice internal medicine but at a much higher stake, which she loves.

She also appreciates the fact oncology is a dynamic field with many nuances and constant advancements in technology. As an avid learner, Sharma likes to stay up to date on developments and breakthroughs in oncology.

“That’s actually the reason I chose to specialize in oncology in the first place,” she said.

“I love it for all the hope it has to offer our patients,” she added. “I look forward to my day when I wake up in the morning and, at the end of the day, I feel like I have been energized by the purpose behind my work.”

Sharma completed her hematology-oncology fellowship at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, where she also served as chief fellow. She then stayed to serve as medical director and lead physician of thoracic medical oncology.

During her fellowship in 2014, the field of oncology was evolving with increased use of immunotherapy and targeted therapies, along with diagnostic and therapeutic tools of liquid biopsies and tissue next-generation sequencing. It was during that time that Sharma met her mentor.

“Mentors play a role in guiding what we do in our career, and I feel fortunate to have met my mentor during my fellowship,” Sharma said. “Meeting him further advanced my interest in oncology and specifically thoracic oncology.”

Position at CTCA

The whole-person approach to care is what led Sharma to CTCA, with its core values of speed to care, compassion and empathy toward patients.

With her new position at CTCA, Sharma said that the focus of integrated and multidisciplinary care is “quite palpable.” Because CTCA was recently acquired by City of Hope, she said that the joining of these forces will bring resources, clubbed with expertise, that can make all the difference in patient care, and is what excites her about working with the organization.

She said that she looks forward to addressing barriers related to advancing treatment of cancer by leveraging the tools of precision medicine, particularly the rapidly growing fields of immunotherapy and targeted therapy as well as state-of-the-art diagnostic tools such as liquid biopsies and tissue next-generation sequencing.

Her work also is focused on mitigating racial and gender disparities in cancer care.

“There still exists a disparity between the use of these important tools that could be life-changing for patients who are facing life-threatening illnesses,” she said.

Advice for early-career oncologists

Sharma said that oncology is a job that requires passion to make it worthwhile.

“If you really are fueled by the passion for the mission, it makes it worthwhile,” she said.
She also emphasized that communication is key — not just with patients, but also with your team.

“Having an open and effective communication with each other makes for a successful team,” Sharma said. “Having a happy workplace means all the difference.”

For more information:

Nitika Sharma, MD, can be reached at Cancer Treatment Centers of America – Atlanta, 600 Celebrate Life Parkway, Newnan, GA 30265.