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

How Dana-Farber Investigators Seize Opportunities to Advance Medicine

Investigators who run investigator-initiated trials (IITs) have two essential qualities. One is curiosity, which keeps them alert, aware of discoveries, and able to make connections that lead to new treatment ideas.   The second is determination.   “The burden of responsibility for what is typically a many-year-long study falls on that one investigator,” says Ursula Matulonis, MD, … Read more

Lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy: Five Things to Consider 

A frequent component of treatment for breast cancer is surgery to remove the cancer.   While mastectomy was more common in decades past, experts at Dana-Farber want you to know that science and treatment have advanced. Improved screening, early diagnosis, and advances in medicine are enabling many more patients to have the option of breast-conserving surgery, … Read more

After Outpatient Stem Cell Transplant, MDS Survivor Writes New Chapter 

David Trueblood’s long career in journalism was shaped by new technology, including the rise of digital photography and the impact of online media. So, upon learning in early 2023 that he would need a stem cell transplant due to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder impacting his bone marrow, Trueblood appreciated the role innovation … Read more

What Are The Types of Lung Cancer? 

There are several types of lung cancer. On a basic level, lung cancers fall into two main subtypes: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).  Just as each person is unique, every lung cancer is unique. At Dana-Farber’s Lowe Center for Thoracic (Lung) Cancer Treatment Center, oncologists work with a team … 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

Tailored Treatment and Support for Older Adults with Breast Cancer 

The trip from Nantucket to Boston, involving a long drive and ferry ride, is an arduous four-hour journey (not counting summer traffic). But when Nantucket resident and retired educator, Claudia Kilvert, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she committed to regularly getting in the car with her husband and 80-pound golden retriever Luna to get treatment … Read more

Hearing Loss and Cancer Care: Important Facts and Resources 

Treatments used for many forms of cancer, as well as certain rare types of cancer that directly affect the ear(s), can affect your hearing. It’s important to understand the possibilities and know what to look for because, in some cases, early action can help. If you are affected by hearing loss, there are also resources … Read more

Can Less Treatment for Colorectal Cancer Yield the Same Results? 

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

Could AI Help Doctors Predict Pancreatic Cancer? 

As a cancer imaging fellow at Dana-Farber, Michael Rosenthal, MD, PhD, spent about two years working on a radiologist’s version of paint-by-number. Together with his colleagues, he annotated 687 computed tomography (CT) scans, manually differentiating skeletal muscle from fat tissue by labelling them with different colors.   The work was part of a 2018 project to … Read more