Study of Inherited Prostate Cancer Genetics in Africa Highlights Importance of Research

The genetic landscape of prostate cancer susceptibility in Africa is, like the continent itself, a picture of sweeping diversity, the largest study of the phenomenon concludes.  The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics, are an important step in unravelling why prostate cancer rates are highest in men of African descent, whether they live in … Read more

Prostate Cancer Vaccines: What’s the Latest?   

Like all vaccines, prostate cancer vaccines work by stimulating the body’s immune system. Unlike vaccines for the flu, COVID-19 and other infections, which protect against disease, prostate cancer vaccines are a form of treatment.   Treatment vaccines activate the immune response against cancer cells by targeting antigens – cancer-related proteins produced in greater abundance in tumor … Read more

Bladder Cancer Treatment Advances: What’s the Latest? 

Bladder cancer treatment is advancing, with several approved immunotherapy options, an approved gene therapy, and an approach to cell therapy planned for testing in clinical trials at Dana-Farber.  What is bladder cancer?  The most common form of bladder cancer is urothelial carcinoma, in which the urothelial cells that line the bladder and urinary tract begin … Read more

Prostate Cancer Risk and Screening: Five Things You Need to Know  

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men. When found early, before it has spread, patients can do extremely well.  However, prostate cancer risks vary due to genetics, health care access, socioeconomics, and environmental exposures. Some groups have higher risks and worse outcomes. For example:  The best way to improve your chances of … Read more

PSA and PSMA: What is the Difference? 

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer in men worldwide as of 2020, and cases of advanced prostate cancer continue to rise.  Early detection of prostate cancer is essential for effective treatment. Dana-Farber physicians recommend having a conversation with a medical professional about screening around the age of 40, or perhaps even … Read more

​​​Retiree Relishing Life After Advanced Kidney Cancer Treatment 

The last thing Alan Rubin imagined he’d be doing after retiring from a successful career in financial services was helping his son run a hot dog cart.   Then he was diagnosed with stage III kidney cancer, and found himself in another unexpected locale: Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. Like the decision to join his son’s business … Read more

Living Systematic Review Guides Prostate Cancer Treatment Options

As science and clinical medicine advance, oncologists increasingly face the challenge of information overload. It can be hard for oncologists, especially those in community practices who cover many cancers, to keep up with the influx of new therapies, biomarkers, and clinical trial results. The go-to solution has been the systematic review. Researchers team up to … Read more

Navigating the Mental Health Toll of Prostate Cancer and Its Side Effects 

Although early detection and treatment advances have significantly improved survival rates for patients with prostate cancer, the majority will face some form of sexual health side effect. Addressing these physical and emotional side effects is a priority for care teams at Dana-Farber.  But longstanding cultural barriers can often keep men from discussing sensitive issues like … Read more

What’s the Connection Between BRCA and Ashkenazi Jewish Ancestry? 

People who inherit mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are at heightened risk for a variety of cancers, including breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic. It’s estimated that one in 300-400 people in the general population carry a mutation in either of these genes. Among people of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish descent, the prevalence is … Read more

Father with Stage IV Kidney Cancer Enjoys Wedding of a Lifetime

When Chuck Stravin was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in 2015, one of his biggest fears was not living long enough to see his four young daughters get married. The disease later metastasized to his lungs as stage IV cancer, but thanks to groundbreaking clinical trials and a care team he considers family, Stravin is … Read more

Prostate Cancer Rates Raise Concerns: What You Should Know

Overall, cancer death rates have declined by 33% since 1991, according to a Jan. 2023 American Cancer Society report. Multiple cancers like leukemia, melanoma, and kidney cancer have seen significant declines in mortality due to great advances in treatments.   Prostate cancer rates had been on the decline for two decades, but the ACS report remarks that … Read more

Metastatic Prostate Cancer Can’t Slow Down Grandfather

Doug Kroc taught social studies for 40 years, but these days the retiree is more interested in making history than teaching it. Not the kind of events found in textbooks, but simple moments spent swimming and kayaking with his family or riding his bike along the backroads of Vermont. So when Kroc, 70, developed a … Read more

Newly Identified Regulator in Prostate Cancer Cells Could Serve as Drug Target for Advanced Tumors

Treating advanced prostate cancer typically involves surgery — to reduce levels of testosterone, which fuels the growth of tumors — or giving drugs that blockade the androgen receptor (AR), which responds to testosterone by stimulating cancer-growth genes. While these measures can keep the disease at bay initially, resistance almost always occurs as the androgen receptor … Read more

Prostate Cancer Screening: What You Need to Know

Prostate cancer screening options are available but are not necessarily recommended for all patients. There are positive and negative factors to consider when screening for this cancer, and options should be discussed with a doctor.   Who should be screened for prostate cancer? The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that people with prostates … Read more

What is Ureteral Cancer?

Ureteral cancer is a type of cancer that grows in the ureter, or the two thin tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. It is uncommon compared with other cancers. What are the ureters? Kidneys make urine by filtering waste and extra water from blood. The urine travels from the kidneys to the bladder … Read more

What Are Radiopharmaceuticals and How Are They Used in Cancer?

Drugs that contain radioactive isotopes — forms of chemical elements that emit radiation — are known as radiopharmaceuticals. Radioisotopes have been used to treat cancer as far back as the 1940s, but the field has really taken off just in the past few years as researchers explore their potential in cancer. How are radiopharmaceuticals used … Read more