Kornelia Polyak, MD, PhD, has been trying to understand how breast cancer forms ever since starting her lab at Dana-Farber in 1998. Specifically, she has wanted to know how ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a pre-cancerous state that appears only in the milk ducts in the breast, changes into invasive breast cancer, which is breast … Read more
It was a celebratory moment, in more ways than one. Kalina Martel and her teammates on the EVO travel softball team had just won their final summer tournament, and as the middle schoolers hugged and high-fived on the diamond, a steady stream of bubbles rose above them — courtesy of Kalina’s then-two-year-old brother Kole. Kole … Read more
The Mattapan Community Health Center lobby was bustling with families and doctors heading to and from appointments. Among them stood Dana-Farber Community Outreach Specialists Samantha Destin, MHA, and Anisa Nabily, MEd behind a table with information about breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening. Many in the health center were in a rush, but Destin and … Read more
Anal cancer is a cluster of abnormal cells that grow in the anal canal and may appear like firm lumps or bumps, an open sore, or wart-like. Those who are infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) are more likely to develop anal cancer, among other types of cancer, such as cervical and head and neck cancers. HPV refers to a large … Read more
One by one, our immune cells march to the frontlines when it gets a whiff of an invader. They are ready to fight and protect our systems from what is about to attack. But what if we can recruit these specialized soldiers for glioblastoma — a malignant brain cancer that struggles to have enough immune … Read more
The first time Ashley Bernath dropped her then-three-year-old daughter, Charlie, off at preschool, there was no hug, no tears, no long goodbye — just a quick “see you later” and a full-steam-ahead dash for the classroom. Charlie’s excitement that morning in September 2025 was understandable. She had spent the previous 15 months in active cancer … Read more
When the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies’ Practice Manager Sara Menendez, LAT, ATC, learned she had Lynch syndrome at age 30, she had dozens of questions. A hereditary condition, Lynch syndrome raises a person’s risk for cancer in several organs including the colon, endometrium, ovaries, and skin. Suddenly faced with this new information, … Read more
As she got out of the car and waved goodbye to her husband and her mother, Margaret-Ann Simonetta’s shoulders stiffened with anxiety. It was April 2021, still in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and she was headed into Brigham and Women’s Hospital for a colectomy – a total surgical removal of her colon. With … Read more
The body is continuously supporting the state of healing and growth — a vital function for human survival. But it can easily be taken advantage of by cancer. Angiogenesis, a process that helps the body heal by creating new capillary connections that deliver oxygen and nutrients within the body, can be hijacked to grow tumors. Drugs that block the process of blood-vessel creation, known … Read more
Along with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have long been a mainstay of cancer treatment. It uses high-energy waves or particles such as X-rays, electrons, protons, or alpha particles, to destroy or damage tumor cells. Radiation creates small breaks within the DNA of cancer cells, preventing the cells from growing and dividing, and often causing … Read more
CAR T-cell therapy is a newer form of immunotherapy that can treat some types of blood cancers, such as lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia. Patients can be treated with this therapy as an inpatient or outpatient, depending on their case and specific needs. “Historically, we were giving these therapies in the hospital, but what we’ve … Read more
Scientists’ main concern is that cell phones can increase the risk of brain tumors or other tumors in the head and neck area – and as of now, there doesn’t seem to be a clear answer.
A cancer clinical trial is a research study that is designed to test new ways to treat cancer. Trials test a range of possibilities, from treatment, devices, and diagnostics to screening, approaches to prevention, and other forms of intervention. Clinical trials determine if a given intervention is safe and effective and are essential for improvements in cancer medicine. “All of the medicines and approaches that we use to treat cancer are available because they … Read more
Rare genetic cancers may affect few people, but their complexity makes them powerful windows into how even the most common cancers develop and behave. Delving into understanding how DNA is damaged and repaired in rare genetic conditions is how physician-scientist Alan D’Andrea, MD, built a foundation of knowledge about Fanconi anemia (FA) – a rare genetic disease of the bone marrow that significantly increases the risk of certain cancers. In people with … Read more
A stem cell transplant is a procedure during which doctors either replace diseased or ineffective stem cells with healthy new stem cells as treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers or diseases. The infusion of healthy stem cells reestablishes a healthy blood supply and rebuilds the body’s immune system to effectively fight cancer. At Dana-Farber, patients can be eligible for a stem cell transplant in either an outpatient or inpatient setting. This is often determined by a variety of factors, including … Read more
Castor oil is a thick, yellowish vegetable oil extracted from castor beans native to warm temperate regions. It is often available in grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores. Despite its long history in providing laxative results, there’s little research to suggest this product can be used as a remedy for other health concerns such as cancer. Can castor oil be used to cure cancer or reduce my risk of it? Castor oil has many potential uses and applications, … Read more
The differences between cancers in adults and children go well beyond age. In many respects, they are markedly different diseases.
It was a hot day on the links in New Hampshire in July 2014. Carol MacKenzie recalls that her neck was strangely sore. By the end of the round of golf, she had a fever. Soon after, MacKenzie met with an oncologist. In 1996, she had been diagnosed with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer and successfully treated. Eighteen years later, … Read more
Dienna Lehner grew up in a Massachusetts town with a small ski hill and a rope tow. “It was hot dogs, tomato soup, and an outdoor fireplace,” she recalls. “And it was Nirvana.” Later in life, she opted to spend her winters in Park City, Utah, to enjoy big mountain skiing. The conditions have been mild this year, but last year she skied all season – which … Read more
When Ann Carroll was diagnosed with cancer at age 28, her dream to get married and have a baby felt out of reach. Now, seven years later and cancer-free, she is living that dream with her husband and their 7-month-old son, Teddy. “I didn’t think I would get this far,” says Carroll, of Boston, Massachusetts. “My whole journey started when I walked into my doctor’s office because I wasn’t feeling well.” As a graduate student in 2019 studying clinical psychology at Northwestern University, Carroll started experiencing lightheadedness and tunnel … Read more