Healing with science and soul: Dr. Steven Rosen’s fight against cancer
BY Spectrum News Giselle Fernandez
PUBLISHED 5:00 AM PT May 11, 2026
At City of Hope in Duarte, Dr. Steven Rosen has become both a pioneering scientist and a deeply trusted healer for thousands of cancer patients.
The internationally recognized physician and researcher has authored hundreds of studies, holds multiple patents and helped advance revolutionary CAR-T cell therapy: a treatment that re-engineers a patient’s own immune cells to attack cancer.
On “California Stories with Giselle Fernandez,” Rosen explains how the future of cancer treatment is rapidly shifting away from traditional chemotherapy and toward highly targeted immunotherapies that are extending — and in some cases saving — lives once thought beyond hope.
“There have been more advances in the last 15 years than there had been in the previous history of humanity, so I’m confident we’re going to continue to see these major advances,” he said.
But Rosen’s impact extends far beyond the laboratory. Known for giving patients his personal cellphone number and remaining accessible at all hours, he has built a reputation for treating patients with extraordinary compassion and humanity. Rosen shares emotional stories of patients who arrived believing they were out of options, only to find renewed hope through innovative therapies and relentless care.
He also speaks candidly about the heartbreak of losing patients and the responsibility he feels toward the families who trust him during the most difficult moments of their lives. “It just reinforced my feeling that what matters are the people that you’re connected to, that you’re responsible for.”
The new episode also reveals another side of the celebrated doctor: poet, songwriter and storyteller. Encouraged by his daughter after the loss of a beloved family member, Rosen began writing poetry during flights between medical conferences and patient visits.
Those deeply personal reflections eventually became published anthologies centered on love, courage and human connection.
For Rosen, creativity and medicine are closely intertwined, each rooted in empathy and understanding the human spirit. Whether pioneering new cancer therapies or writing lyrics about love and resilience, Rosen says his greatest fulfillment comes from helping others feel seen, valued and hopeful.
“Every single day is gratifying,” he said. “And there isn’t a moment that I regret.”