MedBuzz: Dr John Marshall reflects on a turbulent moment in medicine where trust is in flux. When the sources of trusted information change, who do clinicians and patients believe? A candid look at science, skepticism, and the shifting ground of cancer care. Main Topic: In this episode of Oncology Unscripted, Dr John Marshall explores the global race to reshape cancer care through molecular innovation. From ctDNA-based screening to the expanding use of minimal residual disease (MRD) surveillance, liquid biopsy technologies are pushing precision medicine upstream toward earlier detection and individualized care. Candid Conversations: From government shutdowns and funding instability to the rise of public misinformation, there is mounting pressure in cancer research and care. In this Candid Conversations, Dr John Marshall speaks with Dr Eric Winer about systemic and cultural shifts affecting patients, institutions, and the future of oncology.

Main Topic: In this Oncology Unscripted segment, Dr Marshall highlights upcoming ESMO presentations, including emerging trends in precision oncology and ctDNA-driven treatment strategies. He also discusses other important updates, including China’s growing role in clinical research and oncology treatment. Interview: In this episode of Candid Conversations, genitourinary cancer expert Dr Thomas Powles joins Dr Marshall to discuss how measurable residual disease (MRD), as assessed by circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), is reshaping patient selection for adjuvant therapy. MedBuzz: In this MedBuzz, Dr Marshall pauses to reflect on a subtle but powerful shift he has noted in the hospital where the once-solid sense of teamwork and emotional safety now feels strained. After an unexpectedly emotional moment while on stage at a recent meeting, he asks an essential question: how are you holding up?

Main Topic: Vaccine access is unraveling, and cancer patients may be the first to suffer. Dr Marshall sounds the alarm on recent CDC disruptions, anti-vaccine rhetoric, and vaccine policy shifts. A frontline clinician's take on the erosion of public health and patient care. Candid Conversations: Can too much exercise be bad for you? Dr John Marshall sits down with Dr Tim Cannon to discuss his recent study linking ultramarathoners to higher rates of precancerous polyps. What might be causing this? Watch as they explore how extreme endurance training might increase colon cancer risk. MedBuzz: Dr. John Marshall reflects on stepping down after 20 years as Chief of the Division at Georgetown. In this candid MedBuzz, he shares what it means to return to clinical life, train new fellows, and just being a doctor. A personal look at leadership transitions in academic oncology.

Main Topic: In this episode of Oncology Unscripted, Dr John Marshall looks at the alarming rise of early-onset GI Cancers. A new review paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association highlights the need for better prevention and early detection methods. Let’s discuss what we know and don’t know. Candid Conversations: What’s driving the rise in early-onset GI cancers and how are younger patients navigating treatment? Dr John Marshall sits down with patient Chad Leo and Dr Thejas Jayakrishnan, lead author of an important review paper on this topic. MedBuzz: New fellows are here, research funding cuts, and a nationwide shortage of radiologists. Dr John Marshall discusses these trending topics and more in this episode of MedBuzz.

Main Topic: In this episode of Oncology Unscripted, Dr Marshall explores how cancer innovations—from immune-based therapies to novel prognostics—are redefining what’s possible in oncology. But innovation alone isn’t enough. How do we balance excitement over breakthrough data with the real-world challenge of access, affordability, and practical application? This episode asks what smarter cancer care really looks like—and who gets to experience it. Interview: ASCO 2025 brought forward breakthrough data and paradigm-shifting therapies—but access to these innovations remains painfully unequal across the globe. In part 1 of this special Candid Conversations series, Dr John Marshall sits down with an international leader in oncology—Dr David Kerr, based in the UK, to examine how cost, policy, and infrastructure determine who actually receives cutting-edge cancer care. MedBuzz: From the U.S. to around the globe, access to cancer care is far from equal. In this episode, Dr John Marshall explores how innovation outpaces delivery—from political debates over Medicaid and drug pricing at home to the challenges of quality, cost, and equity abroad. As cancer breakthroughs emerge, who actually gets the benefit—and who gets left behind?

Main Topic: Reporting live from ASCO 2025 in Chicago, Dr. John Marshall reminds us why being there matters—for both data and dialogue. Beyond the packed sessions and headline-making practice changes, this year’s meeting underscored the power of community, connection, and real-time exchange, where the science is both personal and practice-changing. MedBuzz: Reporting live from ASCO 2025, Dr. Marshall goes off-script to spotlight what’s not on the slides. From proposed NIH budget cuts and the ongoing absence of an NCI Director to AI-generated references in national policy documents. This MedBuzz is a wake-up call about truth, leadership, and what’s at stake for cancer care.

Main Topic: Dr Marshall kicks off this episode with a whirlwind preview of ASCO 2025. What plenary sessions are practice-changing? What’s the buzz around pancreatic cancer? And what’s the real value of showing up—beyond the data? Whether it’s your first or 30th ASCO, this is your unscripted guide to oncology’s biggest week. Candid Conversations: Dr. Marshall sits down with three Georgetown fellows as they prepare for their first-ever ASCO. From what to pack to what they hope to learn, this panel captures the anticipation and curiosity of oncology’s next generation. It’s a reminder that for every seasoned badge-holder, there’s a newcomer seeing ASCO—and cancer care—through fresh eyes. MedBuzz: In this MedBuzz, Dr Marshall dives into the federal government’s escalating attacks on academic freedom, including a letter threatening Harvard’s funding, visa retaliation against graduate researchers, and pressure on journals like The New England Journal of Medicine. What does it mean when the U.S. begins dismantling its own scientific foundation? For patients, it’s not just political—it’s personal. Without funding, the cures don’t come.

Main Topic: With the continued improvement in neoadjuvant therapies, is surgery becoming less relevant for some patients? In this episode, Dr. John Marshall explores the evolving conversation around quality of life and whether some patients with GI cancers could be spared complex surgeries when there's no evidence of disease. Is the scalpel still best when the tumor appears to be gone? Candid Conversations: From government to academia to industry, Dr Mace Rothenberg’s career has taken a unique path. Now in his third act, he's launching a groundbreaking Museum of Medicine and Biomedical Discovery to restore public trust in science—one immersive, story-driven exhibit at a time. Join Dr John Marshall as he talks with his Obi-Wan Kenobi about career evolution, the power of truth, and why understanding what we don’t know may be just as important as what we do. MedBuzz: A letter from the federal government to Harvard isn’t just bureaucratic noise—it’s a challenge to the core of academic freedom. Dr Marshall unpacks what’s in the letter, why Harvard is pushing back, and what’s at stake for science, healthcare, and the future of free thought in the United States. If academic independence falls, what follows?

Main Topic: Dr. Marshall confronts the chaos unfolding in Washington DC, where sweeping federal cuts are threatening the very foundations of cancer research and care. Taking us on a journey through some of the life-saving and groundbreaking innovations that all began with federally funded science along with the recent progress in one of the historically toughest cancers—pancreatic cancer. Dr. Marshall asks: How do we fight the dismantling of this important system and protect progress? Interview: In this Candid Conversations episode, Dr. Marshall revisits his conversation with Julie Fleshman, President and CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Julie shares the personal story that sparked her advocacy, the evolution of PanCan, the organization’s pivotal role in driving pancreatic cancer research, patient support, and clinical innovation, reflecting on the progress made for one of the most difficult-to-treat cancers. MedBuzz: Dr. Marshall’s call to action regarding the sweeping federal cuts to key health and research institutions, including the NCI, NIH, and FDA. With sudden firings, hiring freezes, and growing instability in the cancer research ecosystem, he issues a passionate call to the oncology community: speak up, stand together, and push back before decades of progress are undone.

Main Topic: From Rosalind Franklin to Katherine Johnson, history is filled with women whose scientific accomplishments were overlooked, unrecognized, or stolen. During this Women’s History Month, Dr. Marshall examines the ongoing struggles for women in science, from authorship to leadership, and what’s at stake in the current federal climate. MedBuzz: Dr. Marshall unpacks the chaos unfolding in federal health agencies as abrupt policy changes leave researchers, trainees, and institutions in turmoil. He reflects on the real-world consequences for patients, clinical trials, and scientific progress, and he questions who benefits from this upheaval and how the medical community can fight back. Interview: Dr. Marshall sits down with three female leaders in science to discuss their experiences in this industry. They share personal insights on navigating bias, the struggle for recognition in academic medicine, and the potential impacts the ongoing federal chaos and disruptions may have on women, science, and medicine.

Explore the links between physician burnout and electronic medical records (EMRs) as Dr. Marshall takes Oncology Unscripted on vacation and shares his personal story of burnout.

In episode 5, Dr John Marshall shares the latest oncology buzz and dives into the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in medicine today including the recent FTC commission report “Pharmacy Benefit Managers, the Powerful Middlemen Inflating Drug Costs and Squeezing Main Street Pharmacies.” Watch Dr Marshall interview PBM watchdogs Stacey McCullough, PharmD and Antonio Ciaccia as they discuss the impacts of these middlemen on practices, patients, and spending.

In episode 4, Dr John Marshall engages in a candid discussion about the importance of truthful conversations with patients, what shared decision-making really means, and how regret avoidance impacts patient care. Hear from patient Zach David as he shares his experience of taking risks to preserve his quality of life and hear from oncologist and patient advocate Dr Mark Lewis on his strategies for honest communication with patients.

Join Dr. John Marshall in the third episode of Oncology Unscripted as he explores the challenges oncologists face in staying current with rapidly evolving data and increasingly complex therapies. Tune in for practical advice around sourcing trusted medical evidence in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and navigating the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program featuring an enlightening discussion with ABIM Medical Oncology Board Chair, Suresh G. Nair, MD.

Oncology Unscripted with John Marshall, MD brings you a unique take on the latest oncology news. In this episode John tackles the cost of cancer care. Episode topics include: whether ASCO is a medical meeting or celebration, the wildest ASCO booths and buzz, the winning ASCO presentations, survival benefits in clinical trials, clinical trial accruals, and drug price negotiations. In an in-depth interview with Laura Esserman, MD, MBA, Dr. Marshall discusses smarter clinical trial research.

Oncology Unscripted with John Marshall, MD brings you a unique take on the latest oncology news including business news, gossip, science, and a special in-depth segment relevant to clinical practice. In his inaugural episode John discusses pharma layoffs, reducing drug doses, the withdrawal of infigratinib, MD Anderson mergers, a trend in restructuring cancer center leadership, the plenary sessions at ASCO, and an interview with Kashyap Patel, MD about physician relative value units (RVUs).

Dr John Marshall continues his investigation of the middlemen in medicine. In this episode, he explores the debates surrounding clinical research organizations (CROs): Are trials unnecessarily too complex because of CROs or does the current state of clinical care require the expertise of CROs? Get the latest updates in the world of oncology, including a new PBM lawsuit, AI in cancer management, and leadership shifts and shakeups. Dr Marshall sits down with two experts to take an in depth look into the role of CROs in supporting clinical trials.

Dr Marshall highlights practice-changing research at ASCO GI (#GI25) and discusses the turmoil caused by the new presidential administration’s abrupt policy changes, which have disrupted federal health agencies, including the NIH and NCI. He shares his views on the impacts of grant freezes, research funding uncertainty, and restrictions on federal scientists, warning that these decisions jeopardize cancer research progress and patient care. Dr Marshall reflects on the emotional toll of ongoing uncertainty in healthcare, particularly the impact on both providers and patients. While doctors must stay strong for their patients, they too are grappling with anxiety about the future of research, funding, and patient care. He emphasizes the need for support among colleagues, urging teams to check in with each other so they can continue providing the best care possible.

Dr Marshall sets his sights on efforts to control sky-high drug prices in oncology. Watch as he examines the complex financial landscape of cancer care, from costs to advertising to insurance, and the potential impacts of price control efforts with the inflation reduction act.

Pancreatic cancer has always been a tough disease to treat, but glimmers of light are leading to progress. Watch as Dr Marshall digs into to new promise for pancreatic cancer care.