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
It’s never too early or too late to work toward being your healthiest you. That’s the motto of National Women’s Health Week, an initiative developed to help women of all ages take control of their health. Following proper cancer screenings is an important part of maintaining health and well-being – and reducing your risk of … Read more
Deb Petrishen says well-meaning but frustrating interactions can occur everywhere, from the grocery store to family functions. Although friends and loved ones are often sensitive and supportive, some may not know what to say to someone with stage III ovarian cancer, especially after two recurrences. Petrishen has just as much difficulty explaining her feelings. Except … Read more
Unlike many gynecologic cancers, there is a vaccination and screening test for cervical cancer, an important distinction in preventing and identifying the disease, according to Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of Gynecologic Oncology in Dana-Farber’s Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers, and Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of minimally invasive surgery in Gynecologic Oncology at … Read more
Medically reviewed by Charles Thomas, MS, MBA People infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS are more susceptible to certain types of cancer than people who are not infected. In fact, some types of cancers are so common in people with HIV that they are referred to as AIDS-related or AIDS-defining cancers – including … Read more
Ed. note: Niraparib (Zejula) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 28, 2017, as a maintenance therapy for women with ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. This post was originally published on Oct. 21, 2016. For women with relapsed ovarian cancer that responds to platinum-based chemotherapy, a drug that hampers … Read more
By Ursula Matulonis, MD This is an exciting time for those of us engaged in research and patient care for ovarian cancer. As we’ve learned more about this cancer – its early formation, molecular machinery, and the body’s defenses against it – we’ve also come to understand its weaknesses. An array of new therapies that … Read more
By Theresa Sullivan Barger After triathlete Betsy Feldmann felt pressure in her abdomen while running, which seemed “as if her insides were slipping,” she saw four doctors before being diagnosed with stage II-C ovarian cancer. Feldmann chose an aggressive approach recommended by Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of Gynecologic Oncology at the Susan F. Smith … Read more
Ovarian cancer is a complex disease. Cell types, stages, and genetics play an important role for patients and their doctors as they decide which direction to take. Fortunately, patients today have many treatment options and new advances on the horizon. Physician-scientists at the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers are leading the way in … Read more
For endometrial cancer, as for virtually every form of cancer, advances in genomics are transforming the understanding and treatment of this disease, which arises in the lining of the uterus or womb. As part of the Profile research project at Dana-Farber, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital, investigators have scanned hundreds of endometrial … Read more
Treatment for ovarian cancer often comes with sexual side effects. Although curing the cancer is the main goal for many patients and their doctors, Sharon Bober, PhD, director of Dana-Farber’s Sexual Health Program, is focused on preserving a patient’s quality of life – including her sexual satisfaction. Bober, with co-investigators Alexi Wright, MD, MPH, a … Read more
As researchers and clinicians in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber continue studying the benefits of a two-drug combination in slowing progression of recurrent ovarian cancer, one patient is as a beacon of hope for her caregivers – and for others facing the disease. Betsy Brauser, treated with standard chemotherapy near … Read more
Fertility is a common concern among newly diagnosed cancer patients. For women with gynecologic cancer, the ability to have children depends on the type of cancer a woman has and the stage at which it is diagnosed, says Colleen Feltmate, MD, director of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. … Read more
Although cervical cancer incidence and death rates have decreased thanks to regular screenings, thousands of women in the U.S. are still affected by the disease every year. In this Cancer Conversations podcast episode, Ursula Matulonis, MD, medical director of the Gynecologic Oncology Program in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber, joins … Read more
Although ovarian cancer can sometimes be difficult to treat, researchers and physicians are finding new ways to approach the disease, making way for promising alternatives to the traditional chemotherapy treatments. In this Cancer Conversations podcast episode, Ursula Matulonis, MD, Panos Konstantinopoulos, MD, PhD, and Susana Campos, MD, MPH, from the Gynecologic Oncology Program at the Susan … Read more
Cancers of the cervix are diagnosed in more than 12,000 women in the United States every year. Worldwide, the annual tally of new cases reaches more than half a million. The biggest advance against the disease in recent years has come in the area of prevention. Vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) – two … Read more
Cervical cancer screenings, which typically include a pelvic exam and Pap smear, have significantly reduced the number of cervical cancer incidence and death rates in the United States. These screenings are especially important because symptoms of cervical cancer often go undetected until the disease is more advanced. “The vast majority of cervical cancers are early … Read more
CA-125, the abbreviated name for cancer antigen 125, is a protein that’s often elevated in ovarian cancer as well as other types of cancers, such as those of the lung and breast. It’s also elevated when disease or inflammation arises in the pleura – the tissue that enfolds the lungs – or the inner lining … Read more
When Donna Gregory’s ovarian cancer came back for the third time, she began looking for alternatives to chemotherapy. She’d been diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer in 2003, at age 58. After having surgery to remove her tumors, she tried platinum-based chemotherapy, but her cancer did not respond. Several more chemotherapy drugs worked, but only … Read more
In its early stages, ovarian cancer can be hard to detect; symptoms can go unnoticed or may be attributed to other, more common health problems. However, symptoms do exist and can include: Shortness of breath Bloating Abdominal or pelvic pain Frequent urination Changes to bowel habits Feeling full quickly Menstrual changes Typically, symptoms worsen over … Read more