Nausea and cancer are often related in that nausea can be a side effect of treatment, but can nausea be a symptom of cancer itself? Is nausea a sign of colon cancer or other cancers? If there is a tumor that lives in the colon, esophagus, stomach, or somewhere else in the bowel, it can … Read more
Pancreatic cancer is seldom detected early enough for curative treatment to be performed – and even if it were, it would still be very difficult to vanquish. The pancreas, a narrow, six-inch-long gland that makes digestive juices and hormones such as insulin, is tucked away deep inside the body behind the stomach, small intestine, liver, … Read more
In 1947, when Dana-Farber Cancer Institute founder Sidney Farber, MD, set out to find a drug treatment for childhood leukemia, cancer treatment took two forms – surgery to cut out cancerous masses, and radiation therapy to burn them out. Cancers that couldn’t be removed or irradiated – either because of their position in the body, because … Read more
Primary liver cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the liver. Secondary liver cancer is cancer that spreads to the liver from another part of the body. Most liver cancer is secondary or metastatic. Primary liver cancer, which starts in the liver, accounts for about 2 percent of cancers in the U.S., but … Read more
Vitamin D may prevent or slow some types of cancer, according to some intriguing studies. However, the evidence is not yet definitive, and no recommendations currently exist on taking extra vitamin D to prevent cancer. What is vitamin D? Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps the body use calcium and phosphorus to build bones … Read more
By Yvette Colón, OD I was diagnosed three years ago with pancreatic cancer, and the one thing I will never forget is when I asked my doctor when I could return to work as a clinical professor in optometry at a local health center. He looked at me and said, “Cancer is now your full-time … Read more
Treatment for colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer diagnosed in the United States, usually involves surgery to remove tumors, which sometimes leads to complications and long recovery times. One recent innovation in surgical treatment focuses on improving results by enhancing the care patients get before, during, and after their operation. Called “enhanced recovery after … Read more
Saul Heller has been a professional singer and a cantor, a grocer, travel agent, and even an activist blogger. These days, however, the 88-year-old grandfather is especially proud of two new roles: stomach cancer survivor and Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) volunteer. Each August for 12 years – missing only the summer after his January 2014 surgery – Heller has been … Read more
Cancers of the colon and rectum haven’t yet been as effectively treated with immunotherapy as have melanoma and lung cancer, but researchers are increasingly identifying patients who do appear to benefit from the immunity-boosting drugs – and devising strategies they hope will expand the reach of immunotherapy in colorectal cancers. Read More: Can Coffee Affect … Read more
A new online assessment tool developed at Dana-Farber can help rapidly identify people who should undergo genetic testing for Lynch syndrome, an inherited disorder that greatly increases the lifetime risk of colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, stomach, and other cancers. An estimated 1 in 279 individuals – nearly a million people in the United States – carry … Read more
In the fall of 2015, at the age of 44 – young for a person to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – Doron Broman was stunned to learn he had a large tumor on his pancreas that had metastasized to the liver. Facing only months to live, Broman would find himself in the right place … Read more
Esophageal cancer forms in tissues that line the esophagus, the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from the throat down into the stomach. It forms on the inside of the lining and spreads through the outer layers as it grows. While relatively uncommon in the United States, esophageal cancer is often challenging to … Read more
Jeff Sirlin seemed to experience every side effect imaginable when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2010. The active 37-year-old dad and business owner was fatigued, losing weight and strength, and dealing with the psychological effects of his disease. But he didn’t wait long to take action. “I’m the type of person who needs … Read more
What is the gallbladder? The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ found under the liver. It is made up of a combination of cholesterol, bile salts, and a yellow pigment called bilirubin. After bile is produced by the liver, it flows into the gallbladder and is stored there. When you eat, the gallbladder then releases … Read more
Colorectal cancer forms in the tissues of the colon, which is part of the large intestine. Colon cancer incidence in the United States is declining rapidly overall, but is increasing among young adults, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society. Here are five things to know about colon cancer — from risk factors for … Read more
Christina Crespi experienced extreme fatigue, weakness, and bowel changes for two years before doctors determined the cause of her symptoms: colon cancer. At 27, after many doctors’ visits, she was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer. She found the diagnosis “mind-blowing.” For Kara Stoughton, it was constipation that brought her to the doctor. She was … Read more
By Yvette Kaplan From her early days growing up in Hungary, Yvette Kaplan has possessed a strong will to survive. Whether it was German occupation during World War II, communism and a daring break for freedom as a teen, or cancer’s devastating impact on her family, she has met each challenge with resilience – including … Read more
Biliary cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the bile duct system, which connects the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine, moving bile — a fluid that helps digest fats — to the small intestine. While relatively uncommon, approximately 15,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with this disease each year. To further … Read more
Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer may be able to lower the risk of the disease worsening, and improve their chances of survival, if they engage in moderate daily exercise, according to new research by Dana-Farber investigators. The results of the research, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, contradict the widespread … Read more
Patients with pancreatic cancer often ask Dana-Farber’s Brian Wolpin, MD, MPH, about immunotherapy, the rising star of cancer treatment that’s making impressive gains against many types of malignancies. Immunotherapy drugs, which mobilize the patient’s immune defenses to recognize and attack tumor cells, have worked against lethal cancers such as melanoma and some lung cancers – … Read more