When I got my second cancer diagnosis in early 2017, I was already going to MD Anderson regularly to see Dr. Alessandra Ferrajoli. I’d been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) the year before after some bloodwork came back abnormal, and I went to MD Anderson on a friend’s recommendation.

At the time, Dr. Ferrajoli had recommended “watchful waiting,” as there was no real benefit to starting treatment until my symptoms...