Life is like a Mad-Lib, and Jennifer White is taking control of what she can fill in the blank spaces. The Atlanta-based cyber security consultant was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in January 2019. In July of that same year, White, a Boston native, came to Dana-Farber. She currently comes to Boston four times … Read more
Cancer cells have a bias toward survival, often becoming heavily reliant on certain protein pathways to sustain themselves. Scientists are finding ways to turn that survival instinct into a liability — by making the cells even more dependent on those pathways, then choking the pathways off. It’s an approach that has now yielded a promising … Read more
Rizwan Romee, MD, is a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber and treats patients with advanced blood cancers such as leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. He is also the director of the Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Dana-Farber and principal investigator of the Romee Lab for NK Cell Gene Manipulation and Therapy. Why did you decide to … Read more
Chris Devin never expected to be diagnosed with multiple myeloma at the age of 45 — and being told he had cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic was far from ideal. But Devin quickly learned that he could rely on his team at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) for the best treatment options. While COVID-19 … Read more
As head of a family that includes seven children and 12 grandchildren, Susan Voigt says she is used to putting other people first. When it comes to trailblazing multiple myeloma treatment, however, she is proudly out in front. A longtime Vermont resident, Voigt, 69, was the first person from her state to receive CAR T-cell … Read more
Richter’s syndrome involves the rapid transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into a significantly more aggressive form of lymphoma, usually diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but occasionally Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). It arises in 2-10% of all patients with CLL and can occur at any time in the course of the disease. The goal of treatment … Read more
Ken Karnes enjoys his whirlwind of a life. If he’s not traveling to Europe or Asia for his high-tech job — pandemics permitting — he and his wife Mary are busy keeping up with their four daughters, two sons-in-law, and three grandchildren. Road races are also on the 60-year-old’s agenda, with an eye toward his … Read more
Indolent lymphomas are types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that grow and spread slowly. They account for about 40% of all NHL cases in the United States and generally arise later in life. Treatment for indolent lymphomas depends on a variety of factors, including the type and stage of the disease (how far it has advanced). … Read more
Blood cancers (or hematologic cancers) are diseases that originate in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow or cells within in the immune system. There are three main types of blood cancers: Leukemia: cancer that originates in the body’s blood-forming tissues, such as the bone marrow. The disease causes large numbers of myeloid blood cells … Read more
Treatment for acute forms of adult leukemia has advanced markedly since the days when all patients generally received the same course of treatment. A patient’s age and overall health, the type of leukemia he or she has, and the goal of therapy all influence the treatment plan. What are the types of acute leukemia? There … Read more
Tiffany “Tiff” Trant couldn’t help but smile. All three of her children were home, and the family was deciding on dinner and a group activity. They thought about working on a puzzle, sitting down for their reoccurring poker game, or just spending the night talking. These simple pleasures have gained new meaning ever since Trant … Read more
What is BPDCN? Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare but aggressive blood cancer that can affect the skin, blood, and bone marrow. It has characteristics similar to leukemias and lymphomas, but almost always first appears as lesions in the skin. What are the treatment options for BPDCN? The first drug that was … Read more
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a novel targeted drug to treat acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in older patients, a segment of the blood cancer population in dire need of improved therapies. In a phase 3 clinical trial, researchers showed that the oral drug, venetoclax (or Venclexta), when given along with azacitidine, could … Read more
Tim O’Neill likes to keep moving — whether on his boat, his motorcycle, in his running shoes, or while steering an RV across 47 states. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has failed to stop him from these pursuits, and he’s determined not to let a pandemic do so either. “I’m more careful these days because of … Read more
The go-to metaphor for cancer drugs known as immune checkpoint inhibitors is a brake-release lever — a means of setting loose an immune system attack on tumor cells. Helpful as it is, the analogy glosses over a highly complex mechanism involving multiple types of immune cells, cell receptors, signals, and responses — so intricate that … Read more
Treatment advances for multiple myeloma continue to bring improved outcomes for patients in different stages of their disease. Recent clinical trial reports show progress in treating two myeloma populations — newly diagnosed, transplant eligible patients, and individuals whose disease has progressed following several lines of therapy. In one trial, the phase 2 GRIFFIN study showed … 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
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
Eileen Walther, 66, is not your typical pet owner. While most people may seek the company of a furry, four-legged friend Walther cares for an entirely different type of animal: bees. For someone who has had to face two separate cancer diagnoses, Walther says her bees provide a great escape — and have helped her … Read more
If you’ve been diagnosed with slow-growing lymphoma but don’t have any symptoms of the disease, your doctor is likely to recommend monitoring the disease closely but not treating it until symptoms appear — an approach known as watchful waiting. This advice might seem to run counter to the standard recommendation that cancer be treated at … Read more