Guiding Lung Cancer Treatment During Pregnancy
Lung cancer is on the rise in young people, particularly those who are assigned female at birth (AFAB).
Lung cancers
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
Not Just Living, But Thriving with Targeted Therapy
When Bekah Cunningham completed the final mile of the Appalachian Trail in November 2019, it was the culmination of an incredible journey of far more than the nearly 2,200 miles she’d covered over seven months. It was even more incredible considering that three years earlier, the then-29-year-old was told she had lung cancer and only … Read more
Multitude of Mutations Spells Susceptibility to Immunotherapy
Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) that are most loaded with genetic mutations are most susceptible to immunotherapy drugs known as PD-L1 inhibitors, a new study by Dana-Farber researchers shows. The study, published recently in JAMA Oncology, can help doctors identify patients with the disease who are likely to benefit from the drugs, which foil tumors’ … Read more
Study Points to Link Between Genetic Ancestry and Genetic Signature of Lung Cancer
Even as science has removed all doubt about the link between environmental factors like tobacco smoke and lung cancer, the role of genetics in people’s risk of the disease has been much harder to pin down. A study by Dana-Farber investigators provides new evidence that, in people with lung cancer, genetic ancestry can influence the … Read more
Advances in Myeloma, Breast Cancer, and Clinical Trials Equity: A Dana-Farber Research Update
Results of several phase 3 trials and dozens of other studies led by Dana-Farber researchers were presented online and in person June 3-7 at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the world’s largest clinical cancer research meeting. Some of the research reports presented by Dana-Farber investigators include: Improved progression-free … Read more
Patient with Lung Cancer Participates in ‘Practice-Changing’ Immunotherapy Research
Every school day, when Mike James walks into work at Boston Adult Technical Academy (BATA), he sees an inspiring sign painted by the students: Together, We Can. That philosophy lifted James up after he was diagnosed with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer in August 2019. James leaned on his support network of coworkers, his family, … Read more
Narjust Duma, MD: Forging a Path for Underrepresented Communities in Medicine
The connection between a researcher’s biography and area of study is not always obvious. A young scientist may discover an intellectual fascination with immunology, for example, despite not having known anyone with an immunological disorder. For Dana-Farber’s Narjust Duma, MD, however, research is not just a response to her life experiences. It’s a way to … Read more
Mother of Three in Remission from Stage IV Lung Cancer after Immunotherapy
In December 2013, Michelle Leonard wasn’t too concerned when she felt a pain in her right chest. “I kind of thought, ‘Well at least it’s the right side, not a big deal,’” she says. But then she developed a fever and decided to go to her primary care physician. Her nurse practitioner sent her for … Read more
TILs: What Are They and How Are They Used in Cancer Treatment?
What is TIL (tumor infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy? A form of immune cell therapy for cancer known as tumor infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL, therapy, involves removing immune T cells from a piece of the patient’s tumor — where the T cells have succeeded in recognizing the cancer — expanding them outside the body, and re-infusing them … Read more
EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancer: What You Need to Know
While most lung cancers are linked to tobacco smoking, a minority — about 15 percent in the United States — of non-small cell lung cancers are driven by a random mutation in a gene called EGFR, which helps cells grow and divide. What is EGFR-mutant lung cancer? A mutation in the gene EGFR, which stands … Read more
Lung Cancer Patient Draws on Unwavering Strength in the Face of Uncertainty
When looking for inspiration, Saila Hanninen needs only to glance at her left wrist. Tattooed there is the Finnish word “jaksaa” (pronounced YÄK SAH), roughly translating to “strength.” Jaksaa, however, is about more than just physical strength: It’s about fortitude, endurance, mental toughness, and a willingness to keep going when the odds are against you. … Read more
Young Mom Living with Stage IV Lung Cancer Sends Message: ‘I’m Still Strong’
As a federal probation officer, Ryan Fox brings empathy to her role working with prisoners and their families. Knowing there is often more to a case than meets the eye, she partners with lawyers, judges, and others in the court system to give inmates a fresh start and an opportunity to tell their stories. She’s … Read more
Can Lung Cancer Be Related to Air Pollution?
Medically reviewed by Michael Cheng, MD A report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), found that in 2010, air pollution was responsible for 223,000 deaths from lung cancer worldwide. The findings were so striking that they prompted the agency, a part of the World Health Organization (WHO), to classify outdoor air pollution … Read more
Scientists Reveal How Lung Cancer Cancer Cells Avoid Death from Targeted Drugs
Perhaps the biggest challenge in precision cancer therapy is tumors’ nasty habit of rebounding after an initial attack with targeted drugs has shrunk them almost out of existence. Instead of vanishing completely, curing the patient, the tumors leave behind a small cadre of cells that slumber in a dormant state, only to return in a … Read more
Is a Cough a Sign of Cancer?
A cough can potentially be a symptom of a health concern, but in the overwhelming majority of cases that include a cough, the cause is unrelated to cancer.
Immunotherapy Keeps Stage IV Lung Cancer Patient in Remission
Robert Johnson remains in remission more than three years after participating in a pioneering immunotherapy clinical trial for his stage IV adenocarcinoma non-small cell lung cancer.
After Three Cancer Diagnoses, Couple Exchanges Vows
During a “couples chemo” session, Kevin got down on one knee and popped the question to Tim, his partner of 37 years. They tied the knot in the Healing Garden at Dana-Farber.
Nausea and Cancer: What You Need to Know
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
Pan-Mass Challenge Team Provides Hope and Happiness for Lung Cancer Patient
The first time a Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) cyclist rode in her honor, a weakened Susan Cardinal sent them a good-luck text as she prepared for surgery. Just one year later, this Dana-Farber patient plans to be waiting excitedly at the Provincetown finish when the PMC team riding for her finishes its two-day journey on Aug. … Read more