Nolan and Natasha might never have met if they hadn’t been diagnosed with bone cancer. Nolan, 13, is a natural athlete who lives in Maine. Natasha, 11, lives in Rhode Island and loves music and theater. As kids go, the two are pretty different — except for their osteosarcoma diagnoses and the surgery they received … Read more
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are cancer-susceptibility genes, meaning that people who inherit pathogenic* mutations in either one have an increased risk of developing certain cancers. Hereditary (or “germline”) mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 cause Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome. Having a pathogenic mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 doesn’t mean you will definitely develop cancer, but … Read more
For many patients with multiple myeloma, a new generation of drugs and drug combinations is producing better outcomes and fewer side effects. In recent months, several novel therapies studied and tested by Dana-Farber scientists have gained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or taken a step toward approval after posting solid results … Read more
As a nurse, Nadege Vilnaigre has devoted her professional life to helping those facing serious medical challenges. Her determination to stay on the job hasn’t waned — even in the face of her own experience with cancer. Vilnaigre is being treated at Dana-Farber for inflammatory breast cancer, which she was diagnosed with in September 2019. … Read more
Two years ago, with a new wife and large extended family on his mind, Jose Dos Anjos told caregivers he would do anything to help himself and others facing the aggressive, life-threatening blood cancer known as mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Now, thanks in part to this willingness, he and fellow MCL patients have renewed hope … Read more
Insights from decades of cancer research are surprisingly transferable to the battle against COVID-19. The desire to save life and ease suffering that motivates cancer researchers has been directed to the new disease as well. Drawing on their knowledge of cancer drug mechanisms, and of the adverse side effects of some of those drugs, Dana-Farber … Read more
Human cells in distress — either because they’re infected by a virus or have become cancerous — have a formidable army of defenders at their disposal: white blood cells and other agents of the immune system that can come to the rescue. Bacterial cells aren’t as fortunate. Living in colonies of their own kind, they … Read more
Dana-Farber researchers, with colleagues at Columbia University and the National Institutes of Health, have identified a diverse set of antibodies that effectively neutralize the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, a key step in the development of agents to treat and prevent the disease. As reported in Nature, the antibodies exhibited “exquisite potency” against the virus, thwarting … Read more
The intriguing case of a man with melanoma tumors that responded in different ways to the same checkpoint-blocking drug has yielded an important clue to the causes of resistance to immunotherapy treatments, according to Dana-Farber researchers. The findings could help guide the use of immunotherapy in individual patients. The 74-year-old patient, described in a report … Read more
Breast cancer is a family of diseases with a variety of different subtypes, some of which are often treated with chemotherapy. The treatment a patient receives depends on a variety of factors, including the subtype and stage of the disease — how far it has advanced — as well as genetic factors, the presence of … Read more
One bout of cancer is enough to contend with, but since 2014 Mary Johnson has had to cope with four different cancers and related conditions. Despite these tests of her physical and emotional strength, Johnson is doing well today after treatment at Dana-Farber. “Coming to Dana-Farber gave me confidence because they supported me, and I … Read more
Patients with Lynch syndrome, who have an elevated risk of colorectal cancer, can reduce their risk by taking daily aspirin — and the protective effect persists for many years, according to the latest definitive study. This evidence comes as a result of a clinical trial in which all subjects were followed for at least 10 … Read more
On the morning of Sept. 12, 2019, Alexa Morell watched her son, Maddox, walk for the first time. Later that day, she learned she had colon cancer. The second milestone confounded Morell as much as the first delighted her. She was just 29 years old, with a clean bill of health from her annual physical … Read more
As a designer of fantasy-style board games, Kate Beckett knows that timing and chance can play important roles in a player’s survival. Living with metastatic endometrial cancer, she has proof both can also be helpful in the real world. Beckett had already endured a hysterectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and a serious kidney infection during six years … Read more
As a tool for editing cell DNA, the protein Cas9 is prized for its precision, its ability to snip DNA at specific locations without producing repercussions elsewhere in the genome. On the basis of a recent study by Dana-Farber scientists, that reputation for unobtrusiveness will have to be revised. In a paper in Nature Genetics, … Read more
Many people skipped or delayed routine cancer screening tests during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. Medical providers say it’s now safe and prudent to schedule your appointments. “If you put off your cancer screening mammograms or other screening procedures, we encourage you to reschedule them now,” says Craig Bunnell, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber’s chief … Read more
By Wayne Marasco, MD, PhD, Professor in the Dana-Farber Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Many millions of people around the globe have had COVID-19. The vast majority of people have recovered, but several hundreds of thousands of people have died from the virus. This pandemic has had … Read more
For many, summertime means breaking out the grill, but some worry grilling may be linked to cancer risk. The good news is that with some specific grilling practices, there are many ways for people to safely enjoy grilled foods without added stress. Stephanie Meyers, RD, LDN, CNSD, a nutritionist with Dana-Farber’s Leonard P. Zakim Center … Read more
Pam Dobay is a warrior. In the last three years, the 67-year-old has dealt with a cancer diagnosis and stem cell transplant before recently contracting the coronavirus. None of it was easy, but today, Dobay is recovering at home. She says she cannot begin to express the gratitude she feels towards everyone who has cared … Read more
Throughout our lifetimes, our bodies are constantly repairing or replacing our billions of cells. During this process, mistakes routinely happen, but generally one mishap in the duplication procedure is not an issue. This mistake will simply often cause the cell to die. However, in rare instances, a cumulation of errors can help the cell bypass … Read more