There are more microorganisms in the world than we can count, and just a portion—trillions worth — are inside us. The bacteria in your mouth, the fungi on your skin, or the viruses in your gut build complex communities that reproduce and adapt quickly. We may not be able to see these little critters, but … Read more
As a post-doctoral fellow, Elizabeth Stover, MD, PhD, wanted to understand how ovarian cancer cells become resistant to chemotherapy. Chemotherapy becomes less effective over time for most patients with metastatic ovarian cancer. She ran an unbiased screen – a way to look at every gene in the human genome and see which ones protect ovarian … Read more
Peptides are the latest rave among social media influencers interested in longevity and biohacking. These substances, which typically need to be taken via injection, are touted as miracle drugs that speed healing, cure insomnia, improve energy and build muscle. However, there is little scientific evidence to support these claims. In July 2026, a U.S. Food … Read more
The human body has a rhythm made up of a series of routines that our cells, organs, and tissues follow. But in 2019, 35-year-old Lamar Valentina discovered that deep inside his kidneys, small, abnormal cells were working at their own pace. “A pain in my lower back finally became so severe that I had to … Read more
When patients with bladder cancer complete treatment that is intended to cure the cancer, they may be left wondering if there is anything else they should do to keep the cancer from coming back. For patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer – where the disease is at a higher risk of coming back than early-stage … Read more
Imagine reporting for duty and finding your director asleep, or worse, absent. Without a place to go and a task to perform, you have little choice but to sit idle. This scenario is exactly what cancer wants for T cells, the foot soldiers of the immune system. T cells get their marching orders to fight … Read more
Early in his career, Vinayak Venkataraman, MD, noticed that one group of patients was putting on a brave face in his sarcoma clinic. In conversations with nurses and social workers, he learned that his young adult patients were struggling with physical, emotional, and social challenges even if they sometimes didn’t tell him directly. “Patients can … Read more
When Will Verbits noticed a cut on the side of his foot in the summer of 2024, he wasn’t worried. The longtime administrator of special education assumed he’d somehow gotten a blister. He was happily looking forward to retirement, eager to brush up on his cooking skills. But, over time, a lesion developed and grew. … Read more
Pathogens are tiny invaders of the body that can make people sick—something that Howard Heller, MD, MPH, has spent his entire career studying. Then, in 2024, Heller discovered at age 64 there was another kind of invader, growing slowly and uncontrollably in his own body: cancer. “I’ve helped patients as an infectious disease specialist for … Read more
In April, Riley McDevitt received test results from her genetic counselor at Dana-Farber. Tests showed a diagnosis of Lynch syndrome and McDevitt knew exactly what she wanted to do after hearing the news: celebrate with her family over tacos. The diagnosis wasn’t entirely unexpected. “I have a family history of Lynch syndrome, so I’ve known … Read more
While men are four times more likely to develop bladder cancer as they age, women and African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with the disease at a later stage, when treatment is less likely to be curative. The key to an early diagnosis is a timely visit to a urologist, a specialist who … Read more
Bilasan Hammo, MD, had just turned 30, and everything seemed set up for a successful move into adulthood. As she wrapped up her residency at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, she landed a prestigious fellowship in Boston Children’s Hospital’s Gastrointestinal-Nutrition Department. Heavily influenced by her father – who is also a pediatric gastroenterologist – the fellowship felt … Read more
Acute leukemias are life-threatening blood conditions that need urgent treatment. Approved targeted therapies such as BCL2, IDH, and menin inhibitors have expanded treatment options for certain patients, but determining if a given patient might benefit from one of these treatments can take time. Doctors need to order multiple complex diagnostic workups that can take days … Read more
On his 75th birthday, when most people would be celebrating, William Scimone received some of the worst news of his life: he had anal cancer. It was a devastating blow, but having watched his mother battle lung cancer years earlier, Scimone knew three things: he needed the best care available, he needed the support of … Read more
The third year Jerome Krasnow’s annual bloodwork came back showing signs of anemia, his doctor sent him to a hematologist. That doctor diagnosed multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. “Most people with multiple myeloma find out because they are in pain or breaking bones,” says Krasnow, who was diagnosed at age 70 and is … Read more
While working towards his engineering degree at the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile, Matías Vergara Alvarez, MS, played a central role in caring for his parents through their cancer diagnoses — a time in his life that shaped his career. “I was interested in engineering, but I made a complete switch in my job because … Read more
Before Mary and Abby Kissiday-Diamond were married, they met regularly at a Cambridge church for discussion groups hosted by the lesbian civil rights group, Daughters of Bilitis. Through 1969 to the early 2000s, these meetings were organized as a safe place for members of the lesbian community to express themselves. Mary was immediately intrigued by … Read more
Sarcomas are cancers that occur in bone or soft tissue, such as muscles and fat. These cancers are rare and diverse, with more than 150 different variations. Treatment is advancing for some sarcomas, but most forms of the disease are still treated using chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery. In some cases, there are few options if the cancer comes back. Dana-Farber physician-scientists are evaluating innovative new therapies in clinical trials … Read more
Mammograms are specialized, low-dose X-rays of the breast that can show if and where tumors are located in breast tissue. Mammography is an effective tool for early detection of breast cancer and is considered the primary tool for breast cancer screening. “Breast cancer is a common disease that affects millions of women globally, and detecting … Read more
New medicines called RAS inhibitors are dramatically changing the way pancreatic cancer will be treated over the coming years. They are a beacon of hope for patients with the disease. There are several oral RAS inhibitors for pancreatic cancer in late phase clinical trials, including one that has been given an initial regulatory green light … Read more