Everything You Need to Know About Chemo Brain
Over two-thirds of patients who receive chemotherapy report experiencing a mental fog during or after treatment. This is often referred to as chemo brain.
General interest
Does Cycling Increase Risk for Testicular or Prostate Cancer?
Since professional cyclist Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, many men have wondered about the connection between cycling and testicular cancer, as well as prostate cancer. While a number of studies have looked into a link between the sport and cancer, the findings to date are inconclusive, says Mark Pomerantz, MD. “This … Read more
How a Stem Cell Transplant Changed My Outlook — and My Career
By Todd Ellison, MSW, LICSW I often tell people that the experiences I’ve had, however challenging, were necessary to make me who I am today. I am pretty happy with the person I turned out to be, and I think cancer had a lot to do with that. Back in 1997, I was living in … Read more
Teen’s Halloween Tradition Brings Sweet Smiles to Dana-Farber Patients
Many people will spend the days after Halloween trying to shed weight from excess candy, but Griffin Lincoln will be seeking all the pounds he can – with good reason. For the fifth year, the Canton, Mass., teenager will be collecting leftover Halloween goodies and giving them to Dana-Farber for distribution throughout the year at … Read more
Top Myths About Breast Cancer
There’s a broad range of news and information about breast cancer online, which creates opportunities to learn about prevention, treatment, cures and recurrence. But it also means you may run into confusing misinformation and oversimplifications. Here are some popular misconceptions about breast cancer. I can’t get breast cancer because it doesn’t run in my family. This is a … Read more
Federally Funded Research Can Power Progress Against Cancer
This post originally appeared on the AACR Cancer Research Catalyst Blog. This week, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) released the results of a national survey on American voters’ opinions about cancer and cancer research funding in conjunction with its fifth annual Cancer Progress Report. The report highlights how federally funded research can power … Read more
Cancer and Alcohol: What You Should Know
Several studies have linked alcohol consumption to a higher risk of many cancers, including breast, mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, liver, and colon and rectum. The risk rises with the amount of alcohol consumed. The type of beverage doesn’t matter – the culprit is the alcohol itself. Breast cancer and alcohol Many studies have specifically linked alcohol … Read more
Women Cross Globe to Run for Dana-Farber
“Go Dana-Farber!” Clad in her brightly-colored team singlet, Sigrid Wheatley loved hearing shouts of encouragement while running the B.A.A. Half Marathon® in Boston last October in support of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. When she took on her first full marathon for the same beneficiary this April, she heard the cheers again – and even … Read more
A Special Curriculum: Teachers Tell Their Students About Cancer
Gina Johnson and Connie Grayson have a combined 53 years teaching in the public school system. Last year, however, their cancer diagnoses prompted them to incorporate a new element into their lesson plans. “When I was diagnosed with lymphoma in September 2014, one of my student’s moms had just passed away from cancer,” says Grayson, … Read more
A Life-Saving Bridal Shower
Before Alden Coldwell and her fiancé, Peter Dearborn, were married in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire at the end of June, the couple opted for a different kind of bridal shower. On June 14, family and friends of the bride and groom gathered at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center in Boston to give … Read more
Stem Cell Transplant Donor, Recipient Meet for First Time at Fenway Park
After trying chemotherapy to fight acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive blood cancer, Donnie Lewis, a 56-year-old husband and father of two from Canton, Mass., learned that his best chance to return to health would be through a stem cell transplant. Because Donnie didn’t have any siblings who were a match for this procedure, his care … Read more
One Teacher Aims to Climb His Own ‘Everest’ to Help Fight Cancer
During a year in which both his wife and mother battled cancer, Andrew Macrae often felt as if he were summiting a mountain. Now, to honor their journey and support Dana-Farber, Macrae is scaling the 29,029 feet needed to reach the peak of the world’s tallest mountain – Mount Everest – without nearing the Himalayas. … Read more
What Are the Most Common Cancers in Each Age Group? [Infographic]
As we age, the overall risk of cancer increases. However, the type of cancer for which we are at risk varies. For example, the likelihood of someone younger than 20 years old developing cancer is quite low; only 0.19 cases will be diagnosed per 1,000 children annually. If they do develop cancer, however, they are more … Read more
Young Adults Share Their Cancer Journeys Through Photos
When Jenn Jackson, a trained physician, was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma in 2011 and found out she could no longer practice medicine, the news was devastating. “Getting this cancer diagnosis changed the whole trajectory of my life,” says Jackson, who was diagnosed at 35, after completing 10 years of medical training. But, craving a greater sense … Read more
Common Cancers in Men vs. Women: An Overview [Infographic]
Although men and women have different anatomies, they share some similarities in the types of cancers they develop. Colorectal cancer and lung cancer, for example, are common cancers developed by both men and women. The most common cancer differs in each gender, however; prostate cancer and breast cancer are the most prevalent in men and … Read more
Why the Pan-Mass Challenge Is My Kinetic Karma
By Dave Lafreniere I rode in my first Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) the day after my mother died. She was a two-time breast cancer survivor who developed an unrelated, rare ocular melanoma while I was training. She passed away in the early morning of August 2, 2002, as I sat by and held her hand. After … Read more
Super Bowl Champion Joe Andruzzi Shares His Cancer Experience
With six surgeries, multiple injuries, and many knee problems by the time he was 31 years old, three-time Super Bowl champion Joe Andruzzi was no stranger to doctors. But when the former New England Patriots player started experiencing stomach pains in May 2007, everything quickly changed. He and his wife, Jen, recently shared their experience … Read more
Young Adult Shares Tips for Coping with Cancer
By Carolyn Ridge On June 1, 2012, at the age of 30, I was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. The physical toll cancer took on my body was difficult, forcing me into early menopause, but I was even less prepared for the emotional side effects cancer would bring, including the depression I experienced throughout … Read more
Doctor’s Journey Out of Saigon Inspires Clinical Career
For some patients with blood cancers and related disorders, a stem cell transplant offers the possibility of a new beginning. Vincent Ho, MD, clinical director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, is no stranger to this feeling of starting fresh. He had his own new beginning when he and … Read more
Young Patients’ Artwork Shows Creativity and Courage
The artist Henri Matisse once said, “creativity takes courage.” So does facing cancer as a child. Cancer, creativity and courage merged at a recent exhibit of art by patients of Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. The artwork was created during the FACES (Feeling Accepted, Confident, Empowered and Strong) and FLASHES (Filming Life and … Read more