Stomach cancer treatment, which may include surgery to remove some or all of the stomach, often affects patients’ appetites and the way they digest food. Many patients may experience a poor appetite, weight loss, stomach pain, and feeling full early, which can make it difficult to adhere to their regular diet. Below, Dana-Farber nutritionists offer … Read more
Carcinoid tumors are rare, often slow-growing tumors that form from neuroendocrine cells found throughout the body. Carcinoid tumors most commonly arise in the gastrointestinal system, including the appendix, small intestine, or rectum, but may occur in other sites, including the lungs. In most cases, there is no clear cause of carcinoid tumors. There does not … Read more
Though relatively rare in the United States, stomach (gastric) cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. This disease can be difficult to treat because most people are diagnosed after the cancer has spread beyond the stomach to the liver, lymph nodes, or other organs, when it begins to cause symptoms. While physical … Read more
Worldwide, more than 700,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer – a leading cause of cancer death – each year. Does drinking alcohol cause liver cancer? Although alcohol is a risk factor for liver cancer, it’s not the most common one. Chronic infection with the hepatitis B or C virus is the leading risk factor … Read more
What is the Whipple operation/procedure? Many pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed after the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas, making surgery a risky treatment option. But for those patients whose cancer is localized, surgery may be used to remove the tumor and prevent further spread. When the tumor is confined to the head or neck of the pancreas, … Read more
Based on a review of numerous scientific studies, the International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) recently concluded that routine consumption of “very hot” drinks probably raises the risk of esophageal cancer. The review, by a panel of 23 experts around the world, found that drinking beverages such as coffee or tea at very high … Read more
Once considered rare, the incidence of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has risen over the past few decades. More than 100,000 people in the United States have neuroendocrine tumors, which exceeds the incidence of both pancreatic cancer and stomach cancer in the U.S. NETs are tumors that originate from neuroendocrine cells, which are cells found throughout the … Read more
Most cases of pancreatic cancer develop for unknown reasons, but about 10 percent occur in families that have a strong history of the disease. That doesn’t mean that if you are a member of such a family you will develop pancreatic cancer, but rather that you are at a higher risk for it. “Research has … Read more
As with many cancers, screening is a crucial step in preventing colorectal cancer. In fact, colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer if it is found early. “There are many different ways we can prevent colorectal cancer, ranging from medical tests to dietary and lifestyle behaviors, to taking certain medications,” says … Read more
There was mostly good news in the most recent annual government report on cancer trends in the United States: Overall death rates, which have been dropping since the early 1990s, continued to decline between 2003 and 2012. But the report focused on a disturbing exception: The death rate for liver cancer during that same period … Read more
Back when D.N. Chadha, MA, was a pharmaceutical executive meeting with Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, in 2002, he never imagined he’d see the physician years later – this time for rectal cancer treatment. “The name rang a bell, and as soon as I saw him, I knew,” says Chadha, 74, of his first appointment with … Read more
Lynch syndrome — also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer — is the most common hereditary form of colorectal cancer. In the United States, about 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year and approximately 3 to 5% of these cancers are caused by Lynch syndrome. It’s estimated that 1 in 300 people may be … Read more
Christine Jaworek-Lopes was moved when she believed her 9-year-old son, Zachary, was writing a school paper about her experiences as a stage IV colon cancer patient at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC). Upon learning what he was really up to, she was stunned. Unbeknownst to his parents, the third-grader spent a month organizing a … Read more
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in women and men in the United States. While surgery and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treatment for colorectal cancer, some patients with the disease can be treated with immunotherapy. What is immunotherapy? Immunotherapy harnesses the individual’s immune defenses to fight cancer. In the case of … Read more
Medically reviewed by Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD Colorectal cancer and its treatments can often impact the way the body digests foods, fluids and absorbs nutrients. For patients and survivors, incorporating healthy, plant-based foods and lean protein into your diet can help your body stay strong and nourished during and after treatment. Many of the side … Read more
By Chris Beaton The day after my 45th birthday, Jan. 6, 2013, serious abdominal pain brought me to the emergency room, where they found a mass in my colon. Within a week, I was diagnosed as stage IIIa colon cancer. I was on the road to recovery by summer, thanks to 12 treatments of chemotherapy … Read more
The challenge with pancreatic cancer has always been to catch it early. Because of its subtle, variable symptoms, the disease often isn’t diagnosed until an advanced stage, when it is particularly difficult to treat. Researchers are investigating not only how to detect the disease earlier but also how to better understand its causes and develop … Read more
Eating processed meat products, such as hot dogs and bacon, can increase a person’s risk for colorectal cancer, according to research from an international cancer agency. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), said today that processed meat is “carcinogenic to humans” based on “sufficient … Read more
In recent years, studies have shown that foods like coffee and nuts may be able to lower risk of colon cancer. Aspirin, too, has been linked to reducing risk. Despite these studies, experts still stand by screening as the number one way to prevent the disease. “There are many different ways we can prevent this … Read more
Drinking coffee continues to be associated with improved outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer, although a cause-and-effect relationship remains unproven. Previously, coffee-drinking patients with colorectal cancer classified as stage 3 — affecting lymph nodes but not spread to other organs — had been shown to have a lower risk of cancer recurrence and death than … Read more