Why I Chose Oncology

As he pursued a career in surgery, Joseph DiRocco, MD, Medical Director of GI Oncology, chose New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he knew a large part of his training would be focused on colorectal and anal cancer. Now that he is program director for the Colorectal Fellowship at GBMC, he is focused on performing and teaching state-of-the-art treatments and approaches for colorectal cancer to the next generation of colorectal surgeons. 

A primary reason Dr. Joseph DiRocco chose to focus on colorectal cancer was the impact he could have as a surgeon. “Colorectal cancer is one of the few areas where the quality of the surgery, particularly for rectal surgery, directly affects people’s outcomes,” he explains. 

Many people feel uncomfortable discussing their bathroom habits and digestive organs, particularly the anus. This did not discourage him. He has a disarming personality, which he – and his patients – see as a strength. 

“Any cancer is scary, but particularly when it affects the patient’s digestion and they worry about possibly needing an ostomy bag or facing incontinence, it can make patients feel vulnerable and scared,” Dr. DiRocco says. “It’s natural for people to be disgusted by poop. We are trained by evolution and society to keep our bowel function private. While all people digest nutrition, there is a lot of shame associated with colorectal diseases,” he points out. 

“It’s pretty easy for me to cut through all that and say, ‘Let’s focus on getting things better.’” For his patients, that calm, open optimism – and focus on their wellbeing – makes all the difference.