‘How long?’ It’s a good question

I called a patient’s daughter recently with a few lab results that had returned, demonstrating a slow progression of her cancer. A few minutes later, she called me back with the famous question: How long? The Hollywood version of an oncologist, it seems, is someone who never smiles or laughs, has bad news to deliver and is able to tell you how long the terminal cancer patient has to live. Iâ€...