For more than 25 years, Greg has helped patients and families navigate the challenges of cancer treatment, survivorship, and supportive care. A leader in supportive oncology and patient advocacy, his work has centered on improving access to care, reducing barriers to support services, and advancing personalized approaches to symptom management.
Greg shares his perspective on equitable access to care, the evolving role of cannabinoid therapy in oncology, and why personalized guidance is critical to helping patients achieve the best possible quality of life throughout their cancer journey.
After more than 25 years supporting patients and families through every stage of the cancer journey, what do you see as the greatest unmet needs in cancer care today?
Tremendous progress has been made in cancer care over the past 25 years. Treatments are more effective, research continues to advance, and many patients are living longer and doing better than ever before.
At the same time, one of the greatest unmet needs remains equitable access to symptom management and supportive services. Too often, patients are left to find these resources on their own or simply endure symptoms that could be managed more effectively.
Barriers such as financial strain, transportation challenges, caregiving responsibilities, and technology gaps continue to affect access. Socioeconomic factors, race, ethnicity, and geography can also influence outcomes. Those realities make it critical that we continue finding ways to meet patients where they are.
Medical cannabinoids are a good example. When Pennsylvania launched its medical marijuana program, Dr. Brooke Worster, CMO and advisor to EO Care, and I recognized that new disparities could emerge if patients lacked the resources to navigate the process. We established a clinic within our health system to provide education, guidance, and support regardless of a patient's ability to pay.
Whether we're talking about supportive care, symptom management, or cannabinoid therapy, every patient should have an equal opportunity to benefit from advances in care.
When and how do conversations about cannabinoid care typically arise with patients and caregivers? Have you seen those discussions evolve in recent years?
The conversation today is very different from what it was seven or eight years ago.
Early on, many patients were hesitant to discuss cannabinoids. There was still significant stigma, and some worried about how their healthcare team would respond. It was important to create an environment where patients felt comfortable sharing their experiences and asking questions without judgment.
Today, those discussions happen much more naturally. Patients are often comfortable bringing it up themselves. Clinicians have become more comfortable discussing it as well.
That's important because many cancer patients either use cannabinoids or are interested in trying them. We should be asking about cannabinoid use the same way we ask about medications, supplements, or other supportive care strategies.
The conversation is also becoming more evidence-driven. Patients have access to a growing range of formulations, including tinctures, capsules, beverages, edibles, and topicals, which allow for more individualized approaches and more consistent dosing.
For patients who are completely new to cannabinoids, our role starts with education. Caregivers and supportive oncologists help them understand the potential benefits, limitations, risks, and what may or may not be appropriate for their situation. Cannabinoids aren't a cure-all, but they can be a valuable symptom-management tool for the right patient.
Our goal is to help people make informed decisions based on evidence, not assumptions.
How does a care-plan approach to cannabinoids help providers and their patients, or those in need of alleviating symptoms from cancer treatment?
A care-plan approach is a real game changer, and it's one of the reasons EO Care was created.
When Dr. Worster and I first began working in this space, patients would receive a certification, get some general recommendations, and go to a dispensary. There was often very little visibility into what happened next. We didn't always know what products they purchased, whether they were effective, or if they caused side effects.
A care-plan approach brings structure and personalization to the process.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all recommendation, care plans are built around the individual. They incorporate symptoms, treatment goals, other medications, daily responsibilities, sleep patterns, and product preferences.
Patients receive clear guidance around product selection, dosing, timing, and what outcomes to monitor. That framework is especially valuable for people already navigating the complexity of cancer treatment.
Just as important, care plans allow for ongoing adjustments. If a patient experiences fatigue, the plan can be modified. If nausea improves but remains problematic, recommendations can be refined. The process becomes collaborative and responsive rather than relying on trial and error.
We've also seen data supporting this approach. Research from SKCC and EO Care presented at ASCO showed that patients with more care-plan iterations and follow-up adjustments experienced significantly better symptom control. The more personalization and engagement involved, the better the outcomes.
Ultimately, a care-plan model brings the same level of clinical oversight, accountability, and personalization to cannabinoid care that we expect from other areas of medicine.
What are the risks of using cannabinoids without alignment with a healthcare professional or guidance from a care platform?
The biggest risk is that patients are left to navigate a complex and rapidly evolving landscape on their own.
Many people know they're using a cannabinoid product, but they may not know whether it's appropriate for their symptoms, whether the dosage is correct, or whether it could interact with other medications they're taking.
For cancer patients, those considerations matter. Product selection, dosing, cognitive effects, fall risk, and medication interactions all need to be taken into account. What works well for one person may not be optimal for another.
Unfortunately, some decide cannabinoids don't work for them when the real issue may have been the product, formulation, dosing strategy, or timing.
A structured care approach helps reduce uncertainty. It provides evidence-informed recommendations, ongoing monitoring, and opportunities to adjust care based on results.
Ultimately, the greatest risk isn't simply side effects or product quality concerns. It's missing the opportunity to use cannabinoid therapy as effectively as possible. The right guidance helps patients achieve better outcomes with greater confidence and less frustration.
What is the biggest misconception about cannabinoid care today, and how might addressing it help expand safe, evidence-informed support for more patients?
For decades, cannabinoids were surrounded by stigma, and many conversations were shaped more by public opinion than by patient care. While attitudes have changed dramatically, some of those perceptions still remain.
In reality, cannabinoids should be evaluated the same way we evaluate any therapeutic option: by looking at the evidence, understanding the risks and benefits, and determining whether they're appropriate for a specific patient.
They're not a cure-all, and they're not right for everyone. But they can play an important role in symptom management for some patients, particularly when it comes to pain, nausea, appetite, sleep disturbances, and anxiety associated with serious illness.
Another misconception is that cannabinoid care is inherently risky. Like any therapy, cannabinoids carry risks that need to be understood and managed, but many concerns stem from inappropriate product selection, dosing issues, or a lack of clinical guidance rather than the therapy itself.
The more we move beyond stigma and focus on evidence, education, and patient outcomes, the better equipped we'll be to support patients.
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