The Mattapan Community Health Center lobby was bustling with families and doctors heading to and from appointments. Among them stood Dana-Farber Community Outreach Specialists Samantha Destin, MHA, and Anisa Nabily, MEd behind a table with information about breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening. Many in the health center were in a rush, but Destin and … Read more
Along with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have long been a mainstay of cancer treatment. It uses high-energy waves or particles such as X-rays, electrons, protons, or alpha particles, to destroy or damage tumor cells. Radiation creates small breaks within the DNA of cancer cells, preventing the cells from growing and dividing, and often causing … Read more
Scientists’ main concern is that cell phones can increase the risk of brain tumors or other tumors in the head and neck area – and as of now, there doesn’t seem to be a clear answer.
Castor oil is a thick, yellowish vegetable oil extracted from castor beans native to warm temperate regions. It is often available in grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores. Despite its long history in providing laxative results, there’s little research to suggest this product can be used as a remedy for other health concerns such as cancer. Can castor oil be used to cure cancer or reduce my risk of it? Castor oil has many potential uses and applications, … Read more
Feeling constipated? You may not be getting enough fiber in your diet. Fiber-rich diets are a key component to preventing and reducing constipation and can help you maintain a healthy gut. Dietary fiber offers many health benefits from reducing chronic diseases like diabetes to lowering your risk of some types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer. Fiber is an undigested nutrient that passes through the body when you consume fruits, vegetables, … Read more
As we close out the first quarter of the twenty-first century, it isn’t hard to notice how much the world has changed since the year 2000. Smartphones. Social media. Artificial intelligence. But how much has cancer care changed? A lot. Possibly more than you think. Treatment for many cancers now include many options beyond chemotherapy, … Read more
Whether it may be genetic or environmental, there are many factors that can lead to cancer. One of these factors could be infections, which can be caused by bacteria, fungi, and/or viruses. Viruses insert themselves inside our bodies and alter our otherwise functioning genes, making us sick. Viruses can only thrive when they infect a … Read more
By Kim Clements-Johnson The views expressed by the author in this blog are her own. The scar runs like a thin, raspberry river from the source just below my breastbone, bending down and around my abdomen, hugging the left side of my belly button. Its path is imprecise and meandering. The crusty shell of dead … Read more
On the surface, it might appear that Meghan McLyman and Jay Wood don’t have much in common. McLyman is a mother and professor who teaches dance, and Wood is a stay-at-home father and former architect. They came to Dana-Farber for different reasons — McLyman had breast cancer and Wood was diagnosed with prostate cancer — … Read more
Nicotine pouches—small packets of nicotine powder placed between the gums and lips—are tobacco-free, but are they truly safer than cigarettes, vapes, chewing tobacco, and other nicotine products? A product with historic roots The practice of soaking tobacco leaves in water and pressing them between the gums and lips because popular among Swedish aristocracy in 1637 … Read more
Whether it’s the fear of receiving bad news, the stress of managing logistics, or the emotional weight of confronting illness, the prospect of scheduling a medical appointment can be a source of significant anxiety for many patients. This feeling is both common and understandable, and while it can be managed, it’s important to acknowledge those … Read more
Clinical trials assess the safety and efficacy of new cancer drugs or drug combinations. The data and learnings these studies collect help regulators determine if the treatments should be approved and made broadly available to patients. Clinical researchers conduct clinical trials at cancer institutes, medical centers, clinics, and hospitals worldwide, all under strict guidelines. Many … Read more
When Pedro Vianna, MD, was 5 years old, his mother took him to the pediatrician in their home country of Brazil. A lymph node on the left side of his neck had been swollen for weeks. While the pediatrician reassured his family that it was likely a reactive viral infection, Vianna’s mother, a hematologist, had … Read more
The American Cancer Society 2025 Facts and Figures report contained alarming information about cancer rates in young women. Women under 50 are getting cancer more frequently than men of the same age. In 2022, for every young man who got cancer, about 1.5 young women did. Now that number is closer to 1.8. The cause … Read more
In recent decades, rates of some cancers, such as colorectal cancer, have been rising in young adults under the age of 50. One possible explanation for this rise is a parallel rise in obesity rates and changes in diet, activity levels and lifestyle. However, says Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, director of Dana-Farber’s Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer … Read more
A blood test can now detect the presence of 50 different cancers — most of which do not have any other means of screening. The test, the GRAIL Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test, reports results that include a yes or no readout regarding the presence of a potential cancer, plus the most likely location … Read more
According to a new report, misinformation about science and health can lead individuals to make ill-informed decisions that aren’t in their best interest. It also has broader effects in society by causing confusion and eroding trust in institutions, including scientific institutions. Over the past two-plus years, a panel of scientific investigators gathered by the National Academies … Read more
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus. RSV symptoms are similar to the common cold – congestion, runny nose, fever, and sore throat. RSV infection is usually mild, but it can be severe for infants, older adults, and individuals with immunocompromising conditions, including cancer. In infants, it can lead to pneumonia or … Read more
Elizabeth Johnston, then 37, was healthy and busy with two young children and a blossoming career running a public relations firm in Connecticut. One of her clients is the Hartford Marathon Foundation and in 2015, she decided to start running smaller stretches herself. “I was in the best shape of my life,” Johnston recalls. Little … Read more
While hematological cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma involve white blood cells, other, rarer hematologic malignancies affect red blood cells and platelets. These include polycythemia vera, in which the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells, and essential thrombocythemia, in which platelets levels are abnormally high. Both are chronic diseases that can usually … Read more