Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Hindsight Biases01:12

Hindsight Biases

Hindsight bias leads you to believe that the event you just experienced was predictable, even though it really wasn’t. In other words, you knew all along that things would turn out the way they did. Can you relate this to the phrase "Hindsight is 20/20" now?
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies02:09

Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies

When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
Necrosis01:16

Necrosis

Necrosis is considered as an “accidental” or unexpected form of cell death that ends in cell lysis. The first noticeable mention of “necrosis” was in 1859 when Rudolf Virchow used this term to describe advanced tissue breakdown in his compilation titled “Cell Pathology”.
Morphological Manifestations of Necrosis
Necrotic cells show different types of morphological appearance depending on the type of tissue and infection. In coagulative necrosis, cells become anucleated and die, but their...
Amnesia01:13

Amnesia

Amnesia is a condition marked by long-term memory loss, which impairs the ability to recall past events or create new memories.
The severity and duration of memory loss vary depending on the type and underlying cause. Amnesia is classified into two main types: retrograde and anterograde.
Retrograde amnesia is marked by the loss of memories formed before the onset of the condition. Patients may recall distant past events but often forget those occurring shortly before the incident.
Anterograde...
Censoring Survival Data01:09

Censoring Survival Data

Survival analysis is a statistical method used to analyze time-to-event data, often employed in fields such as medicine, engineering, and social sciences. One of the key challenges in survival analysis is dealing with incomplete data, a phenomenon known as "censoring." Censoring occurs when the event of interest (such as death, relapse, or system failure) has not occurred for some individuals by the end of the study period or is otherwise unobservable, and it might have many different reasons...
Personal Choice and Fate Attributions01:19

Personal Choice and Fate Attributions

Some individuals interpret life events as a consequence of their personal choices and actions, while others believe that outcomes are dictated by fate or destiny. This divergence in perspective has been examined in psychological and cross-cultural studies, particularly in relation to religious faith and cultural beliefs about causality.Fate and Personal ResponsibilityPeople who emphasize personal responsibility view events as direct consequences of their decisions. For instance, breaking a leg...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cassandra's Curse.

Anesthesiology·2025
Same author

Poseidon's Potion.

Journal of palliative medicine·2025
Same author

Polio eradication effort struggles with end game.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

U.S. kills effort to hunt dangerous viruses.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

Childhood vaccine crusader shares concerns for future.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

Scientists, U.S. counter claims of pandemic patient zero at lab.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same journal

The Time-out.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Evaluation of Post-block Hypersensitivity Using Quantitative Sensory Testing Before, During, and After Axillary Brachial Plexus Block Resolution in Healthy Volunteers.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same journal

The state of medical education research in Anesthesiology: Current landscape and future directions - An initiative of the Anesthesia Research Council.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Diagnostic Ultrasound-guided Focused Ultrasound-induced Noninvasive, Reversible Peripheral Nerve Blockade in an In Vivo Model of Acute Pain: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same journal

S-Ketamine Reduces Risk of Postoperative Delirium: Comment.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same journal

Computed Tomography-Based Body Composition Assessment for Preoperative Cardiovascular Risk Prediction: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Anesthesiology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Assaying β-amyloid Toxicity using a Transgenic C. elegans Model
13:59

Assaying β-amyloid Toxicity using a Transgenic C. elegans Model

Published on: October 10, 2010

Cassandra's Curse.

Michael S Avidan1, Jon Cohen2, Jessica L Saleska3

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. avidanm@wustl.edu.

Anesthesiology
|February 4, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This poem explores the psychological dread of routine medical surveillance for patients with life-limiting illnesses. It offers clinicians and others insight into the patient experience, even during routine scans.

More Related Videos

Colon Ascendens Stent Peritonitis (CASP) - a Standardized Model for Polymicrobial Abdominal Sepsis
06:45

Colon Ascendens Stent Peritonitis (CASP) - a Standardized Model for Polymicrobial Abdominal Sepsis

Published on: December 19, 2010

Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack
07:31

Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack

Published on: May 15, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Assaying β-amyloid Toxicity using a Transgenic C. elegans Model
13:59

Assaying β-amyloid Toxicity using a Transgenic C. elegans Model

Published on: October 10, 2010

Colon Ascendens Stent Peritonitis (CASP) - a Standardized Model for Polymicrobial Abdominal Sepsis
06:45

Colon Ascendens Stent Peritonitis (CASP) - a Standardized Model for Polymicrobial Abdominal Sepsis

Published on: December 19, 2010

Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack
07:31

Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack

Published on: May 15, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Medical Humanities
  • Psychological Oncology
  • Patient Experience Research

Background:

  • Routine medical surveillance is a common aspect of managing life-limiting illnesses.
  • Patients often experience psychological distress related to ongoing medical monitoring.
  • The patient-physician dual role can uniquely inform the experience of medical surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the psychological and existential impact of medical surveillance on a patient with stage IV leiomyosarcoma.
  • To offer clinicians and a broader audience insight into the patient experience of living with a life-limiting illness.
  • To utilize poetry as a medium to convey complex emotional and psychological experiences.

Main Methods:

  • A poem titled "Cassandra's Curse" was created to articulate the patient's experience.
  • A brief commentary accompanies the poem, providing context and analysis.
  • The narrative perspective is that of a physician-patient with stage IV leiomyosarcoma.

Main Results:

  • The poem illustrates the pervasive dread associated with routine medical surveillance, even for seemingly mundane procedures like computed axial tomography scans.
  • It highlights the psychological burden carried by patients with life-limiting conditions.
  • The work provides a unique perspective from a physician experiencing the healthcare system as a patient.

Conclusions:

  • Poetry can serve as a powerful tool to enhance empathy and understanding of the patient experience in healthcare.
  • Routine medical surveillance can evoke significant psychological and existential distress in patients with life-limiting illnesses.
  • Bridging the gap between clinician and patient perspectives can foster deeper insights into the challenges of chronic disease management.