What is Cutaneous Lymphoma and How is it Treated?
Cutaneous lymphoma is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that starts in the skin.
Blood Cancer
Drug Approvals Mark New Era in Treating Acute Leukemia in Adults
Recent drug approvals collectively mark a new era in the treatment of adults with these diseases, scientists say.
FDA Approves Second CAR T-Cell Therapy for Lymphoma Patients
CAR T-cell therapy uses specially altered T cells — which are part of the body’s immune system — to fight cancer.
Neutropenia Definition: What It Is and How It Is Treated?
Cancer chemotherapy is the most common cause of neutropenia, which can be treated depending on its cause and severity.
What is Minimal Residual Disease Negativity for Multiple Myeloma?
Minimal residual disease negativity – or MRD negativity – is a highly sensitive measure of the effectiveness of therapy for multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells of the bone marrow.
After Three Cancer Diagnoses, Couple Exchanges Vows
During a “couples chemo” session, Kevin got down on one knee and popped the question to Tim, his partner of 37 years. They tied the knot in the Healing Garden at Dana-Farber.
From Teacher to Cancer Caregiver – and Coach
“A caregiver and a patient are a team, like a coach and a quarterback,” says caregiver Deb Osborne. “You do a lot of work strategizing together beforehand, and then as the coach you send your quarterback into the action.
Study Exploring Relationship Between Precursor Conditions and Multiple Myeloma
People diagnosed with precursor conditions that often lead to multiple myeloma currently have little way of gauging their risk of myeloma or knowing when, if ever, the disease might progress.
Can Massages Spread Lymphoma?
Are massages harmful for someone undergoing cancer treatment? Is it really possible they could spread lymphoma? The simple answer: No.
What is a Living Drug?
“Living” drugs consist of fully functional cells that have been selected and often modified to treat specific diseases, such as cancer. CAR T-cell therapy and therapeutic vaccines fall into this category.
Stem Cell Transplant Side Effects: What You Need to Know
A stem cell transplant is an infusion of healthy stem cells. Stem cells are located within the bone marrow and are the cells from which all other blood cells and the immune system are created.
Refractory Cancer: What It Is and It is Treated
What does “refractory” mean medically? The word “refractory” in general use means stubborn or intractable, and in medicine it is specifically applied to disease that does not respond to treatment. Refractory cancer refers to cancer that may be resistant at the beginning of treatment, or becomes resistant during treatment. “We would consider disease refractory if … Read more
What is ‘Chimeric’ Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy
One of the most exciting new cancer treatments, CAR T-cell therapy takes its complicated name, in part, from a fire-breathing monster in an ancient Greek myth. CAR is an acronym for “chimeric antigen receptor,” referring to genetically engineered molecules manufactured in a laboratory, inserted into the genetic material of immune T cells that have been removed from … Read more
What is CNS Lymphoma and How is it Treated?
Medically reviewed by David Reardon, MD Central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is an extremely rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that involves the brain and spinal cord, the primary components of your body’s central nervous system. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes, infection-fighting white blood cells that make up your immune … Read more
Blood Cancers: How Do They Differ in Adults Versus Adolescents?
Survival rates associated with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma have risen for patients of all ages in recent years, but this increase has been relatively smaller in adolescents and young adults – those aged 15-40 – than in children and older adults. There are likely to be multiple reasons for this, … Read more
Stage IV Lymphoma and the Stages of Lymphoma: What You Need to Know
After a patient is diagnosed with lymphoma, doctors determine the stage of the disease — or how widespread the cancer is — and then come up with a treatment plan. As with most cancers, there are generally four different stages of lymphoma: I, II, III, and IV. Lymphoma staging Stage I lymphoma In stage I … Read more
Mastocytosis: What is It and How Is It Treated?
Mastocytosis is a rare type of mast cell disorder characterized by the abnormal accumulation of mast cells in various organ systems such as the skin, liver, spleen, intestine, or bone marrow. It is one of two major types of mast cell disorders; the other major, more common type is mast cell activation syndrome. To keep … Read more
What is a Bone Marrow Biopsy and How Does it Work?
In a bone marrow biopsy, a doctor uses a needle to remove and examine a small amount of bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside some of the body’s larger bones. Bone marrow, which generates all the different kinds of cells within the blood, has the consistency of a gel in a fine mesh of bone. … Read more
Inoperable Cancer: What Does it Mean?
A cancer can be inoperable for a variety of reasons. “Liquid cancers,” such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, are considered inoperable by nature, because they involve cells or tissues that are dispersed throughout the body. Leukemia and multiple myeloma, for example, originate in abnormal cells of the bone marrow, the spongy material within the … Read more
Giving Thanks: Stem Cell Transplant Recipient Visits Donor’s Home in Germany
Charles “Chuck” Vanada has been looking forward to Thanksgiving with his family this year, but the non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor has already experienced feelings of gratitude in 2017 more powerful – and in places more unexpected – than anything he could have imagined. In April, Vanada and his wife, Debbie, traveled from their Boston-area home to … Read more