When Pedro Vianna, MD, was 5 years old, his mother took him to the pediatrician in their home country of Brazil. A lymph node on the left side of his neck had been swollen for weeks. While the pediatrician reassured his family that it was likely a reactive viral infection, Vianna’s mother, a hematologist, had a gut feeling that it was something more.
“My mother insisted on a biopsy,” recalls Vianna, now a physician in the Amyloidosis Program and the Hematology Treatment Center at Dana-Farber. The procedure confirmed his mother’s instincts – Vianna was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare blood cancer that originates in the lymph nodes. Though it is one of the more common cancers affecting children, the diagnosis upended his family’s life.
Vianna, now in remission for more than 30 years, doesn’t remember much about the cycles of chemotherapy and radiation he underwent, nor the years of follow-up care. What he does remember vividly is the impact his illness had on his family.
“The intense concern my parents felt lasted for years,” he recalls. “If I had a cold or didn’t feel well, they worried that the cancer might have come back. They were hypervigilant about any symptoms I had.”
Now a hematologist himself, Vianna is keenly aware of how a cancer diagnosis affects a family unit. He knew by high school that he wanted to pursue a career caring for people with blood cancers and other hematological disorders.
“I watched my mother and stepfather, who was also a hematologist, build strong therapeutic relationships with their patients,” says Vianna, who is also an instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “I remember sitting at the dinner table, listening to my parents talk about their work. They had a genuine concern for their patients, and that left a lasting impression on me.”
After earning his medical degree from the University of Central Florida, near the childhood home where he and his mother immigrated to in the United States, Vianna completed his residency at Stanford University, followed by a fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University.
Determined to earn good marks, Vianna devoted his time to studying and clinical rotations, but it took a toll on his personal well-being.
“During those years, I gained a significant amount of weight because I wasn’t prioritizing my personal health,” Vianna explains. “My fiancée and I started going on runs together because she’s a seasoned long-distance runner. Running is a sport that made me more well-rounded as a person, and it taught me the importance of nurturing your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”
That holistic view of well-being now informs his patient care.
“Because of my own experience with cancer and my personal health journey, when I meet with patients, I don’t treat just the disease. I care for the whole person. Medicine has always been both humanistic and scientific, and my goal is to create a balance. I care for the person in front of me, and they have a life and loved ones before and after they leave my office.”
Vianna also embraces the personal touch he observed growing up. In addition to discussing treatment regimens and side effects, he takes time to get to know his patients beyond their medical charts. Conversations often touch on holiday traditions, weekend plans, travel, and hobbies.
“I see my patients and their families almost every week for months or, in some cases, years,” explains Vianna. “I watched my parents form deep bonds with their patients, and that’s something I aim to do with mine as well. My approach to patient care is informed by my own experiences and knowledge of how cancer affects the patient, their family, and their lives.”
About the Medical Reviewer
Dr. Vianna is classical and malignant hematologist and associate physician in the Division of Hematology of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is a Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School and an active member of the Amyloidosis Program at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Dr. Vianna was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He earned his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University in molecular and cellular biology and MD degree from University of Central Florida under an institutional scholarship. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA and hematology-oncology fellowship at Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY.
Dr. Vianna attends to the care of patients with AL amyloidosis, multiple myeloma, MGUS, smoldering myeloma as well as benign and other malignant hematological conditions. His clinical and research focus is on immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis, and he holds a special interest in hematology medical education. Dr. Vianna is the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards, including the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Research Training Award for Fellows and is a member of the ASH Medical Education Institute.
This inspiring story highlights the profound impact personal experiences can have on a physician’s approach to care. Dr. Vianna’s journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of treating the whole person—not just the disease. His holistic, compassionate approach sets a great example for both patients and healthcare professionals.
https://www.drantoniogiordano.com/post/retinoblastoma-the-childhood-cancer-dr-antonio-giordano-international-childhood-cancer-day
Dr Vianna sounds to be a good and very gracious person of great intelligence and genuine love and care of his patients as complete care is given to them.
Thank you for his gift to all people he is associated with.