Frequently Asked Questions about Lung Cancer
In recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Massachusetts General Hospital physicians answer common questions related to lung cancer.
About Jennifer Temel, MD
Jennifer Temel MD is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Clinical Director of Thoracic Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Co-Director of the Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, and co-leader of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Outcomes Research Program. Dr. Temel’s research focuses on optimizing palliative and supportive care for patients with cancer and their families. Her major research interest includes the study of early, integrated palliative care for patients with advanced cancers.
Clinical Interests:
- Lung cancer
- Symptom management and quality of life
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Mass General Cancer Center: Hematology Oncology
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-724-4000
Fax: 617-724-1135
Medical Education
- MD, Washington University School of Medicine
- Residency, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Fellowship, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
American Board Certifications
- Medical Oncology, American Board of Internal Medicine
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- Unicare
- United Health Care
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Temel’s research focuses on palliative care, symptom management, and patient-clinician communication. She has studied novel care models of providing palliative care to patients with advanced cancer, including the early involvement of palliative care in the ambulatory care setting. Dr. Temel’s paradigm changing research in this area was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. As a thoracic oncologist, she has a longstanding interest in improving both physical and psychological symptom in patients with lung and esophageal cancer. She has conducted numerous trials aimed at improving physical function, fatigue, quality of life, mood, and shortness of breath in patients with advanced cancer.
Dr. Temel is also interested in enhancing patient-clinician communication about the goals of cancer treatment and patients’ preferences for care at the end of life. She has conducted several trials focused on improving patients’ understanding of their prognosis and patient-clinician communication about end of life care.
Her future goals are to continue to develop innovative interventions to improve communication between patients and their families and their oncology clinicians. Dr. Temel is also interested in mentoring students, trainees, and junior faculty and has two National Cancer Institute grants to support her efforts training others in palliative care and supportive care research.