Dana-Farber Researchers ‘Hijack’ Gut Bacteria to Design Novel Form of Cancer Immunotherapy

Tumors are experts at dodging the immune system. This evasion not only helps to ensure their survival, but also has important implications for treatment. That’s because cancer therapies that harness the immune system, such as CAR T-cells or other engineered immune cells, are often rendered ineffective by the milieu that surrounds a tumor — known … Read more

Study of Inherited Prostate Cancer Genetics in Africa Highlights Importance of Research

The genetic landscape of prostate cancer susceptibility in Africa is, like the continent itself, a picture of sweeping diversity, the largest study of the phenomenon concludes.  The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics, are an important step in unravelling why prostate cancer rates are highest in men of African descent, whether they live in … Read more

With Dana-Farber’s Help, Grandmother Becomes Great Grandmother 

Six years ago, Ina Kornetsky was looking forward to a new chapter in her life. The lifelong teacher had most recently worked with older adults before retiring, and she had a deep understanding of the kind of life she wanted as she approached 90. She was preparing to move from Stoughton, Mass. into a continuing … Read more

Patient Takes Steps Toward Proactive Care Following Three Cancer Diagnoses 

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

For Neurodiverse Patient, New Program Provides Comfort, Allies 

Naomi Dogan, PhD, still remembers a visit to the hospital earlier this year for blood work, after joining a clinical trial for patients incurring symptoms related to polycythemia vera — one of a group of rare blood disorders known as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).   In a far corner of the large room a machine quietly hummed … Read more

Prostate Cancer Vaccines: What’s the Latest?   

Like all vaccines, prostate cancer vaccines work by stimulating the body’s immune system. Unlike vaccines for the flu, COVID-19 and other infections, which protect against disease, prostate cancer vaccines are a form of treatment.   Treatment vaccines activate the immune response against cancer cells by targeting antigens – cancer-related proteins produced in greater abundance in tumor … Read more

Researchers Uncover Key Actor in Spread of Breast Cancer to the Brain 

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

Access to Stem Cell Transplant Expands with Novel Methods 

A white patient looking for a stem cell donor has about a 75% chance of finding a fully-matched unrelated donor in the U.S. NMDP Registry. A fully matched donor has the same human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type, a set of eight genetic variables that dictate how the immune system communicates.   Finding a fully matched donor … Read more

Lung Cancer Cases Rising in Young Women of Asian and Latina Descent: What You Need to Know 

In the past 25 years, cases of lung cancer have been rising among people without previous tobacco use. These cancer cases are approximately 2.5 times more likely to be found in women than in men. These women tend to be younger, and cases are rising more rapidly in people of Asian or Hispanic/Latina descent.  “Asian … Read more

Living with Multiple Myeloma, Doctor Becomes Powerful Resource and Patient Advocate 

Jim Omel, MD, helped many cancer patients during his long career as a family physician, and that has not changed since his own 1997 diagnosis with multiple myeloma. What has changed is the reach of his support.  While Omel, 77, cared for primarily farming families near his Nebraska clinic during 25-plus years in practice, his … Read more