Colon Cancer

What You Need to Know About Rising Appendix Cancer Rates  

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If you look down at your stomach, glide your eyes diagonally from your belly button to the lower right side of your abdomen: that’s your appendix. It is a finger-shaped organ that stems from your colon.   With two primary functions — supporting the immune system and potentially serving as a safe house for good bacteria, as theorized from some– the appendix is a small, but mighty organ that is important to take note of, especially given the recent … Read more

Forcing Cancer to Grow Up: Dana-Farber Scientists Reprogram Tumors to Behave Normally  

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Cancer can make its way through the body by shapeshifting through even the narrowest places, like a skilled driver navigating traffic. It has a sly way of adapting to its environment by finding detours around every blockade clinicians place in its path.   A study from the lab of Nilay Sethi, MD, PhD, in Dana-Farber’s Center … Read more

Crafting an Inspiring Survivorship From Stage IV Colorectal Cancer 

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When Clelia Lavoie, then 49, began experiencing abdominal pain in 2019, she had a feeling it was something serious despite dismissals from her doctor. Lavoie’s intuition was right. A colonoscopy led to a diagnosis of stage IV colorectal cancer that had metastasized to her thyroid, back, and liver. She needed surgery to remove part of … Read more

From 9/11 to Breast and Colorectal Cancer to the PMC: A Survivor’s Story 

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Editor’s Note: Kathy Ball-Toncic completed her 162-mile PMC ride on Aug. 2-3. “I cried many tears of joy,” she said afterwards. “A particular highlight was my oncologist Dr. Huffman coming out to cheer me on. That was a great surprise!”  Nearly 1,300 cyclists will be riding in their first Pan-Mass Challenge® (PMC) this weekend, each … Read more

Program Specializes in Older Adults with Gastrointestinal Cancers 

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Dana-Farber’s Older Adult Gastrointestinal Cancer Program specializes in treating patients who are 65 and older and have gastrointestinal cancers, such as colorectal cancer, esophageal and gastric cancer, liver cancer, neuroendocrine and pancreatic cancer.   “Older adults are richly complex and multidimensional,” says gastrointestinal and geriatric oncologist Nadine McCleary, MD, MPH, who leads the program. “They deserve … Read more

Microplastics and Cancer: Your Questions Answered 

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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

Study Highlights Unique Needs of Young Adults with Colorectal Cancer

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Clinicians and researchers have recognized a disturbing trend in recent years: colorectal cancer (CRC) in young people is skyrocketing. In individuals under the age of 50, the incidence of CRC has increased about 2% each year since the 1990s, and, according to the American Cancer Society, is now the leading cause of death in males … Read more

In a First, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Show Effectiveness in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer  

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In trial after clinical trial, metastatic colorectal cancer has been largely undeterred by immune checkpoint inhibitors.  Although these drugs have shown effectiveness in Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and nearly a dozen other malignancies, their track record against colorectal cancer has been lackluster, particularly for patients with the most common subtype of … Read more

Simone Ledward-Boseman Shares Advice with Dana-Farber Caregivers and Patients 

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Simone Ledward-Boseman has many roles: She’s a writer, artist, and singer. And for some time, she was a caregiver to her late husband, Chadwick Boseman, the actor known for playing Black Panther and groundbreaking figures like James Brown and Jackie Robinson. These days, Ledward-Boseman has added more titles to her list: activist and advocate.  “I’m … Read more

Can Less Treatment for Colorectal Cancer Yield the Same Results? 

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Colon and rectal cancer combined are the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancers.  Eighty percent of patients are diagnosed at a stage of disease when treatment is given with curative-intent.  However, treatment can have both short- and long-term side effects that may impact quality of life.   To address these concerns, investigators at Dana-Farber have led clinical … Read more

Colon Cancer Patient with Anxiety and Panic Disorders Finds Support — and Passes it On  

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Two weeks after turning 50, Wendy Tamis Robbins learned she had stage II colon cancer. Having lived with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and panic disorders nearly all her life, she used the same strategies that helped her navigate these struggles to meet her cancer diagnosis head-on.  Robbins handled the ups and downs of her summer … Read more

Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Patients Advocate Education and Early Screening 

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For close to a year, Melanie Spears had been experiencing abdominal pain and constipation. As an Army veteran who had served in Afghanistan, she was used to pushing through adversity — so she tweaked her diet and dealt with what doctors diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome. Only after microscopic blood samples in her stool led … Read more

HAI Pumps for Advanced Colorectal Cancer: What You Need to Know

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Researchers in the late 1970s wanted to address challenges with a chemotherapy drug called floxuridine. It’s a form of chemotherapy invented in the 1950s that turns into its active form, 5-fluorouracil, or 5-FU, when metabolized.   One challenge is that 5-FU has off-target effects, meaning it can damage healthy organs when given throughout the body. In … Read more

Pediatric Oncology Pharmacist Stays On the Job With Colorectal Cancer

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As a pediatric pharmacist located in Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic, Patrick never tires of seeing smiling, young cancer patients enjoying the clinic’s playroom. The resilience they display throughout infusions, blood draws, and other procedures not only inspires him, but it also serves as a source of resolve he carries into his ongoing cancer care. Patrick, … Read more

Team Beyond Colorectal Cancer Members Ensure Another Excellent Jimmy Fund Walk

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The team representing Dana-Farber’s Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center called Team Beyond CRC (colorectal cancer) is looking forward to the fast-approaching Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk presented by Hyundai taking place on Sunday, October 2. Team Beyond CRC will be among 90 other employee-led teams participating in the Jimmy Fund Walk. This longtime annual event brings … Read more

Young Colorectal Cancer Patient Works with Care Team to Reduce Risk of Recurrence

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At 43, Erick Eigner was leading a healthy and fulfilling life: spending time with family, working in marketing at Microsoft, and hitting the gym six days a week. Cancer was the last thing he was thinking about when he went to the doctor for a physical and mentioned some concerns he had about swallowing. The … Read more