Zip codes didn’t exist until 1963 and were established to help speed the delivery of mail. Today, we rely much less on paper mail but strangely, zip codes play a bigger role. They define our neighborhoods, which define our schools, food stores, health centers, even our risk of cancer. There are many factors that influence … Read more
Between 2000 and 2021, breast cancer rates in people under 50 of Asian or Pacific Islander decent rose by nearly 50%, from 36 to 55 cases per 100,000, with sharper increases between 2020 and 2021. Rates of breast cancer in young people are known to be rising in general, but this rate increase, according to … Read more
Elizabeth Johnston, then 37, was healthy and busy with two young children and a blossoming career running a public relations firm in Connecticut. One of her clients is the Hartford Marathon Foundation and in 2015, she decided to start running smaller stretches herself. “I was in the best shape of my life,” Johnston recalls. Little … Read more
On the surface of every cell are receptors that interact with the cellular world around them. These receptors play a variety of roles. The transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), for instance, pulls iron into the cell for fuel. It does so rapidly and continuously, as if it were a child spinning in a revolving door. Approximately … Read more
When breast cancer metastasizes, it often heads for the brain, where it can be exceptionally difficult to root out. The key to preventing the spread of the cancer, or thwarting it if it does reach the brain, is to understand the mechanism that turns stationary tumor cells into nomadic intruders. In a recent study, a … Read more
In trial after clinical trial, metastatic colorectal cancer has been largely undeterred by immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although these drugs have shown effectiveness in Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and nearly a dozen other malignancies, their track record against colorectal cancer has been lackluster, particularly for patients with the most common subtype of … Read more
Thirteen years after Vici Robinson was treated for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, she began experiencing shortness of breath. Her local physicians in New Hampshire determined her symptoms came from liquid that was filling her lung. Then came the shocking news that this was caused by a breast cancer recurrence which had metastasized. At 81, Robinson … Read more
As a veteran scuba diver who has donned her wetsuit around the globe, Stephanie Lafontaine is never more at peace than when deep below the water’s surface. Even if she’s sharing the depths with sharks, she considers it her happy place. So when Lafontaine, 42, learned in April 2019 that she had inflammatory breast cancer … Read more
Sally Johnston cannot be slowed down. She just recently returned from a month-long trip to South Africa for a safari, and Namibia to visit a longtime friend, and is already planning her next excursion. The 74-year-old survivor has always been active, and she says it’s time to achieve her goal of visiting all seven continents. … Read more
Inflammation is normal. It’s an essential process our bodies use to fight infections and heal wounds. But inflammation that persists can be harmful, and in some cases can increase the risk of cancer.
By Julia Segovia By the time I found out that my mother, Melbey Segovia, had stage III ovarian cancer, she had already had a hysterectomy and started chemotherapy. It was three months after her Feb. 2016 diagnosis. At first I felt a lot of anger around Mom not telling me sooner, but then I understood … Read more
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
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
Certain forms of cancer and cancer treatment can affect your vision and, in rare cases, cause vision loss. At Dana-Farber, our care teams will work with you to help you understand the possibilities, know what to look for, and take action to manage any vision changes that might occur. What types of cancer can cause … Read more
The cell cycle is the series of steps by which living cells grow, duplicate their DNA, and divide into two identical daughter cells, each receiving one copy of the doubled material. The cycle is complete when each daughter cell is sealed in its own membrane, ready to start the cycle again. The cycle occurs in … Read more
By Valerie Frank Ever since I can remember, I’ve made people laugh. I was always the funny friend, and when I was in my mid-20s I made it official by becoming a Main Stage cast member of ImprovBoston — an improvisational comedy theater in Cambridge, MA. Once I retired from improv to become a suburban … Read more
For close to a year, Melanie Spears had been experiencing abdominal pain and constipation. As an Army veteran who had served in Afghanistan, she was used to pushing through adversity — so she tweaked her diet and dealt with what doctors diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome. Only after microscopic blood samples in her stool led … Read more
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
Tom Lomaglio, Jr., learned he had a rare blood cancer called Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (WM) in 2000. His father, Tom, Sr., had been diagnosed in 2004, and then his sister, Diane, in 2007. They were all referred to Dana-Farber for care. When Lomaglio visited the first time, he met Steven Treon, MD, PhD, director of the … Read more
Researchers in the late 1970s wanted to address challenges with a chemotherapy drug called floxuridine. It’s a form of chemotherapy invented in the 1950s that turns into its active form, 5-fluorouracil, or 5-FU, when metabolized. One challenge is that 5-FU has off-target effects, meaning it can damage healthy organs when given throughout the body. In … Read more