7 quick questions with the Radito-oncologist Christopher Luminais

Christopher Luminais, MD, is a radito oncologist specializing in the treatment of prostate cancer and other genitorerinary cancers.

He also searches for treatments such as curiousherapy for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other advanced approaches to treat prostate cancer, such as intensity modulated (IMRT) radiotherapy and stereotaxic body therapy (SBRT).

Meet a radiothecologist

We asked Luminais our 7 quick questions to get to know him better.

1. What has inspired the most inspired and shaped your patient care approach?

Relations. Whenever we treat a patient, we must know them. Not only on their diagnosis and cancer and all the technical details that go into treatment, but also: where do they live? What do they appreciate? What do they need their care? What is possible for them in their lives right now?

I think that when we get to know a patient at this level, we are able to offer better care. I not only like to know patients well; I want to get to know the patients who help us adapt the treatment in a way that can help them get better cancer results.

2. What is your favorite part of your work?

The diversity of what I can do. Some days, I do procedures like brachytherapy, where I am very practical in gold. Other days, I spend time facing the clinic, by getting to know my patients well. And then other parts of my work are more based on office work, where we do a lot of technical work to ensure that our treatment plans are as precise and sophisticated as possible. I really like to bounce between these different practice environments. I think everyone is really important and gratifying in their own way, and I appreciate doing them all in one career.

3. What is your biggest fear as a patient?

That we may not have a solution, that there may not be treatment for everything we are.

4. What are you doing for stress relief?

I spend a lot of time doing ceramic art. My wife and I are both members of a community ceramic studio in Charlottesville. My wife actually teaches a few lessons there, so it’s a fun and stress-related hob for me. I also like to spend time going outside. Hiking, playing discs on record, things like that that make me outside are always fun and relieve stress for me.

5. Dogs or cats?

I am the proud owner of two cats. I love both, but I’m a cat right now.

6. Last film that you watched? The thumbs up or down?

The Hard Die original film. Certainly a boost!

7. Best advice you have ever heard?

“Do not stop listening” – I had a patient tell me that. This is one of the patients I met as a third -year student in medicine. I spent a lot of time with him. He opened up to me on his experience with the medical system in general, with some successes and certain experiences that do not succeed.

I think medicine can become so complicated, with so many different tests and so many different specialties and so many different suppliers for a patient. It may have the impression of becoming myopic and we simply focus on this result or this result, but perhaps we do not listen to the overview. I think if you listen well, your patient has a lot to say and will always help you help them.