Jake Maguire was just three days away from his sixth birthday when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Encouraged by his father, a gym teacher, the young Maguire was already in love with sports, especially baseball. Now 23 and over a decade out of treatment, that love is still strong, and Maguire is … Read more
There are several types of lung cancer. On a basic level, lung cancers fall into two main subtypes: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Just as each person is unique, every lung cancer is unique. At Dana-Farber’s Lowe Center for Thoracic (Lung) Cancer Treatment Center, oncologists work with a team … Read more
In the culinary world, cooking oils like olive, avocado, vegetable, and canola, are indispensable. But amid the frying, sautéing, and dressing, whispers of concern have arisen regarding the potential link between cooking oils and cancer. There is ongoing research into the relationship between cooking oils and cancer, as well as the chemical reactions created during … Read more
The trip from Nantucket to Boston, involving a long drive and ferry ride, is an arduous four-hour journey (not counting summer traffic). But when Nantucket resident and retired educator, Claudia Kilvert, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she committed to regularly getting in the car with her husband and 80-pound golden retriever Luna to get treatment … Read more
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and affects almost 300,000 women in the United States every year. The good news is that with early detection, the chances of successful treatment are higher. This is why breast cancer screening — which uses tests and imaging to detect cancer in people without … Read more
Jennifer Thorn has worked hard her whole life running a family law practice and raising her family, but in April 2021, just as she began to enjoy her success, she faced a new challenge. After experiencing pain while lying on her side, Thorn, 48, of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, visited her primary care physician who ordered bloodwork … Read more
Anal cancer is a highly preventable type of cancer given its connection to human papillomavirus (HPV), a group of 150 related viruses that infect the surface of the skin, which can include the genitals, anus, mouth and throat. The majority of squamous cell anal cancers (the most common form of anal cancer which affects the … Read more
Although early detection and treatment advances have significantly improved survival rates for patients with prostate cancer, the majority will face some form of sexual health side effect. Addressing these physical and emotional side effects is a priority for care teams at Dana-Farber. But longstanding cultural barriers can often keep men from discussing sensitive issues like … Read more
Just over a year after giving birth to her son, Emmett, Abigail Myers faced a devastating diagnosis of breast cancer in March 2014. It started when Myers woke up one morning feeling sore. When she found a lump, she rushed to her doctor, all the while in disbelief that she might have cancer. A resident … Read more
Overall, cancer death rates have declined by 33% since 1991, according to a Jan. 2023 American Cancer Society report. Multiple cancers like leukemia, melanoma, and kidney cancer have seen significant declines in mortality due to great advances in treatments. Prostate cancer rates had been on the decline for two decades, but the ACS report remarks that … Read more
Millions of people regularly take or use contraceptives, such as birth control pills, to avoid unwanted pregnancy or relieve menstruation-related side effects such as cramps or heavy bleeding. There is some evidence that contraceptives may affect cancer risk — specifically, that oral contraceptives may increase the likelihood of developing breast and cervical cancers but reduce … Read more
Finding a lump anywhere can be concerning, but oftentimes, the cause is unrelated to cancer. A lump behind the ear could simply be a swollen lymph node caused by an infection, common cold, or a skin condition. In some uncommon cases, the lump can be a tumor, and may either be benign or cancerous. There … Read more
In March 2020, Isa Infante, PhD, JD, who was 78 at the time, began to itch all over her body. It was a bizarre symptom for Infante, who had always been very active and adhered to a strict macrobiotic diet. “Every inch of my body itched,” Infante remembers. “From the top of my head to … Read more
Langley Perer thought her breast cancer was in the rearview mirror. In 2017, she had received a shocking diagnosis at age 35 of ductal in situ carcinoma (DCIS), the earliest form of breast cancer. “As far as I knew, I had no family history of breast cancer,” she says. DCIS is sometimes referred to as … Read more
At 25, Fredrick Knight was unsure what to do when he felt an intense pain in his right testicle. He visited the local emergency room where he lived in Western Massachusetts and was told that the answer might be testicular torsion, a condition that occurs when a testicle rotates, reducing blood flow and causing pain. … Read more
Nancy Arsenault was taking a lunch break from driving her elementary school bus route in her hometown of Stow, Massachusetts, when she began to experience double vision. She had been first diagnosed with pre-invasive breast cancer in 2006, which recurred in 2011. In 2019, she developed an invasive breast cancer in her chest wall and … Read more
It was recently reported that a consumer goods company was required to recall over a dozen of their aerosol dry shampoos because they may contain elevated levels of benzene, a known carcinogen at high levels of prolonged exposure. Other aerosol products, such as sunscreens and deodorants, have previously been recalled after benzene was found in … Read more
Finding a lump under the chin or in your neck can be concerning, but these lumps are usually harmless. Most of the time, they’re caused by swollen lymph nodes triggered by an infection. Lumps can be firm or soft, painful or not, grow slowly or rapidly. The type of symptoms you experience can help your … Read more
There were an estimated 18.1 million cancer cases around the world in 2020, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International. Of those cases, the United States had the fourth highest number of new diagnoses, with 362 cases per 100,000 people. These statistics are age-standardized — a summary measure of the rate of disease that a … Read more
A tumor, also known as a neoplasm, is an abnormal swelling or enlargement within the body caused by cells dividing more than they should or not dying when they should. What is the difference between a tumor and cancer? Although the words “tumor” and “cancer” are often used interchangeably, they aren’t synonymous. A noncancerous (benign) … Read more