Dr. Jocelyn Tan
Medical Oncology
Pittsburgh
33 years experience female
Locations
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Pittsburgh
About
Bio
US Board certified Hematologist Oncologist at Pittsburgh VA ,
Gastrointestinal Cancer Director,
Clinical Associate Professor,
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine,
Principal investigator , Ketogenic Diet in Advanced Cancer Trial
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Medical Oncology
Licenses
United States: California, Pennsylvania
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
97 Answers
15 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Leukemia?: Might be leukemia, myelodysplasia, or temporary drug side effect. A good evaluation done by a qualified physician should be helpful.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Lymph nodes enlarged: You need to be evaluated by a doctor. Symptoms sound worrisome.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Inflammation markers: Cancer can bring these numbers up but infection , stress or non infectious causes of inflammation can also do the same. Not necessarily always due to ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Stage 4 : Life expectancy depends mainly on the type of tumor, plus many other factors. Age, physical health, medications, other underlying medical conditions, ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 60-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Chronic discomfort: You should see a doctor and have this examined. Might need endoscopy where docs look down your throat and airway for signs of internal construction or... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
329 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 31-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Borderline values: Borderline numbers that are otherwise normal. In this scenario we can't rely on a blood test alone. The diagnosis can be helped by examining the clini... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Pancreatic cancer: Pancreatic cancer, especially the adenocarcinoma variety has very poor response to traditional chemo. New drugs and combinations are being developed ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Liver mass: Hyperechogenic can be either benign or malignant. Absence of vascularity is comforting however ultrasound images are not clear enough to make a good d... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
955 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Rituxan response : Varies depending on type of NHL, extent of disease , number of previous treatments. In general the aggressive varieties tend to respond quickly if the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
622 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Shoulder pain: Shoulder blade pain may be due to conditions related to nearby structures i.e. Chest, heart or musculoskeletal. Timing, location and aggravating or pr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 63-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Cancer speed : Cancer can worsen by time but it depends on the type of cancer, stage and grade. Slow growing ones can remain stable even for months without treatment... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Rectal cancer stage: Your doctor will need to order either a CT scan or MRI. Endoscopic rectal ultrasound is also another tool for staging . This will usually give them a ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Stable scan: Stable findings on an MRI scan does not rule out cancer but stability is very reassuring. Fatigue can can be from many causes, does not have to be ca... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Abnormal CT scan: Thickening of the esophageal wall does not necessarily mean cancer but should be ideally checked out by a gastroenterologist who can perform an Endosc... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
385 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
First nosebleed: Nosebleeds can happen if the atmosphere is very dry, causing the nasal vessels to stretch and bleed.Usually bleeding stops after about 2-3 minutes. If... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Lung cancer symptoms: Stage IV lung cancer usually means the tumor travelled to other organs or beyond the lymph nodes. Symptoms vary depending on the structures it invades... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 62-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Anti nausea : Even though one isn't on chemotherapy, one can still try Zofran , also known as Ondansetron. Or try Compazine (prochlorperazine) or Granisetron.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Brain cancer test: Doctors can suspect a brain tumor by getting the information from your history or by performing a neurological exam. CT scan of the brain with contras... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Lung nodule: If you happen to have older X-rays or scans and the nodule was already there several months ago/ previously you can compare nodules and if it has not ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Suspicious node: Middle aged adults with a new mass especially if it does not go away and more so if it gets bigger should be examined by a doctor .
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Abnormal liver enzymes can be a sign of an abnormality. If a repeat test is still abnormal you should seek a medical evaluation which may include a mo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Reviewed Jul 09, 2021
A female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Naproxen hives : Yes Naproxen can cause hives . However the distribution of your hive which is only in a band is unusual. Did you happen to have a constricting piece o... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
329 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Stage 4 lung cancer: If he is not on any treatment, not very long, measured in weeks to months. If he is already on treatment, how long depends on whether he had any respo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
454 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Starving cancer: The data in animals is extensive, but human data is sparse. Trials are ongoing and some safety trials have already completed. Ketogenic diets may sho... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
860 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Marrow transplant: Chemotherapy is given first, to try to wipeout as much leukemia as possible from your marrow, then as it is recovering from the chemo, the marrow is ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Ignore: Never ignore blood in the stool. Always see a doctor.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Pain in breast: If it is bothersome for more than a month as you say, it’s best to see a doctor who will decide whether you need further tests like a mammogram or bio... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
316 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 63-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Xrays constipated.: Radiologists might see lots of stool on an xray. Cannot tell much information about polyps or tumors by using only an xray. Consult md for possible re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Lymphoma treatment: I am assuming by treatment you are referring to chemotherapy. Usually we would like one to be relatively healthy other than the tumor itself, before a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Nodes and melanoma: Small usually means too small to confirm by biopsy. Keep watching for any suspicious increase in size.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Referred pain: Pain in one spot that has its source from another spot is what we call referred pain. Yes this is possible.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
IL6 : IL6 is a blood marker of inflammation . It can be seen elevated in some cases of lymphoma or be elevated in other medical conditions not necessarily... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Metabolic fasting : There is a Ketogenic diet which is used by neurologists for treatment of refractory seizures. It is low in carbohydrates. Is this what you are referr... Read More
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2.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Splenic mass: Masses can be malignant as well as benign. Biopsy helps especially if it grows in size in a month or two.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
933 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Suspicious lump: Any new suspicious lump that does not go away after a week should be evaluated by a physician . Absence of pain does not guarantee that it is benign.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Low platelets : Underlying liver disease is a common cause of low platelets. Treatment will be directed to the underlying liver problem. Since the platelets will not... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Pregnant and clamped: Very , very rare, but yes, I have seen it happen.
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4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
One sided headaches that keep happening should probably be checked out by a doctor .
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Answered Dec 22, 2021
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Stomach cancer test: Sometimes it can but it can also miss it. Best is to do an upper endoscopy with biopsy .
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Anemia and vitamin D: There is a link between anemia and vitamin d, but the actual relationship is not exactly known. Low vitamin d increases the likelihood of anemia, pe... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 59-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Retaining water: Where are you retaining water? What body part? Treatment depends on the area and on the cause. Doctor should be able to narrow dpwn the many possibili... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Pregnant and pain: If the pain is new or more than your usual, i suggest you seek medical advice and get examined.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Diagnosing rectal ca: Some symptoms may be due to benign conditions and are not necessarily cancer. Pelvic ct scans are routinely used to detect rectal cancers, but small ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Unusual bleeding: Blood clots can be a sign of heavy bleeding. Missed period can be a sign of possible pregnancy. To be sure get yourself checked by a doctor.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 56-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Rectal bleeding : Men aged 50 and over should get checked with a colonoscopy . See a doctor if you haven't yet had one. If you see blood don't assume it is from hemorrh... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Abnormal PET scan: It would help if we have the results of a node or marrow biopsy. Not all adenopathy is malignant.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 46-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Cyst in kidney: Right now the 1 cm cyst looks pretty small and benign. However it could turn into something solid or can get larger. 6 months is a good time to repeat... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
755 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old female asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Liposarcoma relapse: Surgeons say they removed everything but what they mean is they removed everything that the naked eye can see. Microscopic cancer cells can still be p... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
858 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
MRI of the brain: MRI is usually pretty good at identifying brain cancer. If symptoms worsen over time, reconsult your doctor .
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
37 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Jocelyn Tananswered
33 years experience
Hodgkin's disease: It is rare but it is still possible. I personally have seen a case of Hodgkin's localized only to the axilla.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
468 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
2
Recommendations
79
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Tan is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Tan is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Preeminent medical oncologists highly suggest zofran, for instance, combined with 1 and even with 2 other Rx's for CIVN. One example, dexamethasone. Your reply is eith...Read More
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! Thank you Dr. Tan, not merely for answering all of my questions, but also for being so thorough in helping me.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! I appreciate your expertise and for giving your time.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.
Nancy
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Philippines
MD
Residency
Montefiore Medical Center
Residency
Nassau University Medical Center
Residency
University of Nebraska
Awards
Outstanding Service award. UNMC housestaff.
Chief of Staff Clinical Excellence Award VAMC
STAR Award, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Affiliations
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Publications
Ketogenic Diet in Advanced Cancer- A Safety and Feasibility Trial
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