A stem cell transplant can be a lifesaving treatment for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, or certain blood-related disorders. In many cases, however, transplants increase patients’ risk for an array of long-term health problems, often caused by the high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy used prior to the transplant. Dana-Farber’s Adult Stem Cell Survivorship … Read more
A lumpectomy “seed” technique is proving to be more comfortable and convenient for some patients with non-palpable breast cancers. Lumpectomies involve surgical removal of cancer in the breast with a rim of normal tissue. If the cancer has been detected by a mammogram or ultrasound and is not palpable — meaning, it cannot be felt — a … Read more
It has become a fall tradition in New England: thousands of people walking up to 26.2 miles in the Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai. Their ages, backgrounds, and circumstances vary, but all take to the course with a common goal: a world without cancer. One of them is Dana-Farber physician-scientist David Frank, … Read more
After walking 1,000 miles in his bare feet to escape war, and then flying 7,000 more to a new life, it was a few, short steps into a hospital room that helped Panther Ajak Mayen complete his journey. One of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” who escaped a civil war in his homeland 30 years … Read more
The first treatment a patient receives for cancer is generally the one his or her oncologist believes has the best chance of curing the disease or holding it in check. But the time may come when it may be appropriate to make a change in the therapy. In the best case scenario, a patient’s cancer … Read more
Saul Heller has been a professional singer and a cantor, a grocer, travel agent, and even an activist blogger. These days, however, the 88-year-old grandfather is especially proud of two new roles: stomach cancer survivor and Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) volunteer. Each August for 12 years – missing only the summer after his January 2014 surgery – Heller has been … Read more
Antioxidants are substances that can help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, or unstable molecules. That damage, called “oxidative stress,” is linked to the kind of damage in DNA mutations that can contribute to the risk of certain cancers, as well as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Some studies have shown that … Read more
Tracy Antonelli was four when she was diagnosed with thalassemia, a rare blood disorder that occurs often enough in Mediterranean countries like Italy that an old adage, uttered only partially in jest, warns Italian-Americans against marrying other Italian-Americans. In 2002, a grown-up Antonelli wed Patrick Mooty, whose background is mostly Irish. Their three daughters – … Read more
By Nicole LeBoeuf, MD, MPH, clinical director of Dana-Farber’s Center for Cutaneous Oncology While many people know that traditional chemotherapy drugs can increase sensitivity to the sun, some of the newer targeted therapies do as well. In fact, the risk of sun-related skin damage may be even higher with certain targeted drugs than with chemotherapy agents. … Read more
Medically reviewed by Nancy U. Lin, MD When cells from a breast tumor metastasize — spread through the circulation to other tissues and organs — they can migrate to the brain and form secondary tumors, termed metastases (or “mets”) there. This is especially true of the more aggressive breast cancer types. “As many as half … Read more
Cancers of the colon and rectum haven’t yet been as effectively treated with immunotherapy as have melanoma and lung cancer, but researchers are increasingly identifying patients who do appear to benefit from the immunity-boosting drugs – and devising strategies they hope will expand the reach of immunotherapy in colorectal cancers. Read More: Can Coffee Affect … Read more
Sitting recently in Dana-Farber’s Healing Garden, Kireina Bell Sancho focuses on her task. She slowly works navy blue yarn through her needles, drawing the yarn back and forth to form the base of a headband – a gift for her sister. She says the repetitive motion, which requires both attention and precision, has been stress-relieving during … Read more
Cancer is a serious illness – at any stage – and patients often experience painful symptoms and side effects that can make treatment more difficult to tolerate, both physically and emotionally. Seeking assistance from palliative care professionals can help patients maintain quality of life throughout treatment. But what do palliative care clinicians do, and how … Read more
Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common problems patients face. Patients often report feeling wiped out during cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, and for many, feeling tired or worn out continues into life after cancer treatment. Here are 10 tips for alleviating treatment-related fatigue, through methods such as energy preservation and exercise – … Read more
Scientists may have figured out a way to let people tan safely – without involving the sun. In an effort to further develop preventative measures for skin cancers like melanoma, researchers from Dana-Farber and other health care organizations have developed a potential topical cream that stimulates skin cells to produce the dark pigment, melanin. Melanin … Read more
Soft tissue sarcoma refers to cancer that begins in the muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissue of the body. View the slideshow below to learn more about signs and symptoms of this cancer, as well as risk factors. Learn more from Dana-Farber's Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology Learn more from … Read more
There has been much excitement in recent years around new drugs that exploit the power of the body’s immune system to fight cancer. In some patients, even with advanced cancers, these immunotherapy treatments have slowed or halted the disease after standard treatments no longer worked, with remissions lasting several years and patients experiencing less severe … Read more
Gabby Spear, a young, active mom, had never noticed a lump or pain before suddenly finding her breast cancer in November 2013, when she was 38. She was shocked. But, with two young daughters, there wasn’t much time to adjust to her new normal. In the latest episode of Voices: Then and Now, Spear recalls her … Read more
Washington, D.C., can be a frenzied place, especially for a college student juggling a full class load and congressional internships on Capitol Hill. Jen Fox, however, is taking it all in stride. How does she stay so calm? Well, Fox suggests, two bouts with Hodgkin lymphoma in three years, and a stem cell transplant at … Read more
Palliative care is an often misunderstood specialty, focused on providing support and pain management strategies to cancer patients throughout all stages of their illness. This approach, which can be blended into curative cancer therapy, focuses on care for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. Read More: Oncology and Palliative Care Team Up to Benefit … Read more