Colon Cancer

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

Junior Dana-Farber Analyst Named to Forbes Healthcare’s 30 under 30

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At 28 years old, Dana-Farber bioinformatics analyst Carino Gurjao is already making a splash in the field of colorectal cancer research. He is coming off the back of a big year: The Paris-born researcher was named to Forbes Healthcare’s 2022 30 Under 30 list for his role in the Giannakis Lab at Dana-Farber, which identified … Read more

Providing Emotional Support to Young Patients with Colorectal Cancer

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Cancer is a disease that’s often associated with older people; however, a growing number of younger patients are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Since the 1990s, the rate of colorectal cancer diagnoses has more than doubled in adults age 20 to 49. Alexa Morell is one of these patients. She didn’t expect her diagnosis: metastatic … Read more

After Colon Cancer With More Than 175 Genetic Mutations, Patient is in Remission

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When Michael Voisine went to the doctor in 2017, he had just one symptom: a burning sensation on his skin, right around the corner of his stomach. After a CAT scan, he was rushed into the operating room for an emergency appendectomy. But doctors found more than just an inflamed appendix: They also discovered an … Read more