In most cases, the diagnosis of a brain tumor can’t be traced to a particular cause or risk factor. As with many forms of cancer, brain tumor risk increases with age – although tumors can develop in younger people – and men have a somewhat greater risk than women. About five percent of brain tumors … Read more
This story originally appeared on Offbeat Bride. By Jordan Kraft “Will you postpone the wedding until after your cancer is gone?” my friend asked the week I was re-diagnosed with lymphoma. My response was so feral it surprised even me: “Honey, come hell or high water, I am motherloving having this wedding, and you better … Read more
If the human immune system was a powerful racing car, you could say that scientists in the past few years have gained unprecedented control over how to make it accelerate, and what causes it to slow or stop. This knowledge has spawned new immunotherapy drugs that are delivering dramatic benefits to some patients with advanced … Read more
Dany Hilaire, PhD, RN, will never forget the day she decided to become a nurse. It was one of the saddest of her life. Her father had just died, and his nurses now turned their attention to Hilaire, her mother, and her siblings. “I remember one of them giving me the tightest hug and telling … Read more
For many brain tumor patients, surgery is an important step in the treatment process. While recovering from brain surgery can be a difficult process, your care team will help support you through treatment and guide you through the recovery process. Once a patient is cleared by their care team for walking after brain surgery, light … Read more
When Mike Johnston felt a lump in his chest in 2009, he assumed it was a side effect of a high blood pressure medication. But after a routine doctor’s visit, followed by a mammogram and ultrasound, Johnston’s diagnosis was confirmed: He had male breast cancer. Only 2,000 men in the U.S. are diagnosed with breast … Read more
Skin cancer is very common: One in five Americans will develop the disease at some point in their lifetime. Usually, it is caused by overexposure to the sun and harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, such as those in tanning beds. Melanoma, the least common but most dangerous form of skin cancer, typically begins in a mole … Read more
A cancer diagnosis can inspire many questions, one of the most common being, “How did I get this disease?” There are a host of different causes, and in many cases, researchers do not have a definitive answer. But is it possible for cancer to spread from person to person? In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters, … Read more
By Ronni Gordon When my year of isolation ended after a stem cell transplant at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in 2003, I looked for a blood cancer support group near my home in western Massachusetts. I found support groups for just about everyone except patients like me with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other … Read more
Andrew McMahon, founder of Dear Jack Foundation and front man of the band Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, was diagnosed with leukemia at 22, in the midst of his musical career. Like other young adults with cancer, McMahon’s treatment affected every aspect of his life, from career to relationships and everything in between. Learn more … Read more
Justin Sanders’ path to Dana-Farber’s Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care department has meandered across the world. He grew up in Utah, studied art history in Pennsylvania, medicine in Vermont, and, as a Fulbright scholar, medical anthropology in London before he trained and worked as a family doctor in the Bronx and then as a hospitalist … Read more
After a cancer diagnosis, people often ask you what the silver lining was, or is. Let’s get real here, cancer is a beast and what I’ve watched it do to my friends and loved ones, and experienced myself, makes it nearly impossible to see any “good.” However, in my personal experience, I did find my … Read more
By Diana Stork, PhD Diana Stork, PhD, has spent much of her career observing, teaching, and writing about interpersonal behavior and organizational culture. After the college-professor-turned-consultant was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2016, she was introduced to a new culture of caring as a patient at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She was fascinated … Read more
For clinical social workers Annette Quinn, MSW, LICSW, and Sara Nemitz, MSW, LICSW, each day is unique. Part of Dana-Farber’s department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Quinn and Nemitz work closely with patients and their families to provide support during treatment, addressing the new anxieties and concerns many patients face after a cancer diagnosis. … Read more
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in plasma cells — cells in the bone marrow, that, under normal circumstances, are involved in our immune defense system and produce antibodies. In multiple myeloma, too many plasma cells (myeloma cells) build up in the bone marrow. The presence of these tumor cells in the … Read more
Extreme stomach pains sent David Rubinstein to the emergency department in December 2011. After emergency surgery, he was diagnosed with stage IV carcinoid cancer, a rare gastrointestinal tumor – leaving him to grapple with the uncertainty of his future. “I live with the daily fear about what the future holds,” says Rubinstein, a professional musician … Read more
The vast majority of cancers do not have a strong hereditary link, but for people who have been diagnosed with cancer or have a significant family history of the disease, genetic testing can often shed light on the cause of the disease or an individual’s likelihood of developing it or other cancers. This information can … Read more
Jeff Sirlin seemed to experience every side effect imaginable when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2010. The active 37-year-old dad and business owner was fatigued, losing weight and strength, and dealing with the psychological effects of his disease. But he didn’t wait long to take action. “I’m the type of person who needs … Read more
What is the gallbladder? The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ found under the liver. It is made up of a combination of cholesterol, bile salts, and a yellow pigment called bilirubin. After bile is produced by the liver, it flows into the gallbladder and is stored there. When you eat, the gallbladder then releases … Read more
By Melissa Angiolillo When I was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer at age 35, I was overcome with fear. Buried within that fear was guilt that I wasn’t handling my diagnosis the “right” way. The pressure to be positive was overwhelming. It seemed as though I was expected to wrap myself in a pink … Read more