Laura Orfanedes was worried that she was going to end up with breast cancer. No one in her family had it, and yet she could not shake the feeling. So she took action. She went in for her first mammogram at age 40. In December 2009, at age 43, her annual scan showed an area … Read more
Patti Keenan was a senior in high school before learning that the mysterious disease she was treated for twice as a young girl in the 60s was, in fact, a rare form of cancer. Her parents, not wanting to frighten Patti at a time when pediatric cancer survival rates were much lower, kept their daughter’s … Read more
In the fall of 2019, John Brazeau’s back pain got so bad that it interfered with his ability to engage in the two hobbies he loved most in his retirement on Cape Cod: golfing and clamming. Despite keeping up with physical therapy exercises meant to relieve the pain, it wasn’t diminishing. Then in 2020, Brazeau … Read more
David Trueblood’s long career in journalism was shaped by new technology, including the rise of digital photography and the impact of online media. So, upon learning in early 2023 that he would need a stem cell transplant due to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder impacting his bone marrow, Trueblood appreciated the role innovation … Read more
Jake Maguire was just three days away from his sixth birthday when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Encouraged by his father, a gym teacher, the young Maguire was already in love with sports, especially baseball. Now 23 and over a decade out of treatment, that love is still strong, and Maguire is … Read more
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
A growing body of research points to a connection between alcohol consumption and elevated cancer risk. Studies from the American Institute for Cancer Research have found that having even less than one drink a day, of any kind of alcohol, increases the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, stomach, mouth, … Read more
Michelle Karalekas’ time in the Mont Tremblant Ironman Triathlon in Quebec on Aug. 20 — 14 hours, 5 minutes — was not her fastest in the grueling event, but it may have been her most impressive. It was the first time she’d competed since undergoing a stem cell transplant for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) almost … Read more
In the culinary world, cooking oils like olive, avocado, vegetable, and canola, are indispensable. But amid the frying, sautéing, and dressing, whispers of concern have arisen regarding the potential link between cooking oils and cancer. There is ongoing research into the relationship between cooking oils and cancer, as well as the chemical reactions created during … Read more
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
In 2013, Camille Molloy had just returned from her annual winter trip to Marco Island, in Florida. She and her husband of 57 years, Pete, were carrying their luggage up the stairs, and she tripped. A few weeks later, Molloy was still struggling to walk, so she went in for an X-ray. The image inadvertently … Read more
The trip from Nantucket to Boston, involving a long drive and ferry ride, is an arduous four-hour journey (not counting summer traffic). But when Nantucket resident and retired educator, Claudia Kilvert, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she committed to regularly getting in the car with her husband and 80-pound golden retriever Luna to get treatment … 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
Colon and rectal cancer combined are the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancers. Eighty percent of patients are diagnosed at a stage of disease when treatment is given with curative-intent. However, treatment can have both short- and long-term side effects that may impact quality of life. To address these concerns, investigators at Dana-Farber have led clinical … Read more
As a cancer imaging fellow at Dana-Farber, Michael Rosenthal, MD, PhD, spent about two years working on a radiologist’s version of paint-by-number. Together with his colleagues, he annotated 687 computed tomography (CT) scans, manually differentiating skeletal muscle from fat tissue by labelling them with different colors. The work was part of a 2018 project to … Read more
A new fad has emerged: the full-body MRI scan. The interest in this high-tech health diagnostic comes from the notion that the scan can catch health issues, including cancer, early. With a price tag of $2,000 to $2,500, they aren’t an option for many people, and they are not covered by health insurance. But are … Read more
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and affects almost 300,000 women in the United States every year. The good news is that with early detection, the chances of successful treatment are higher. This is why breast cancer screening — which uses tests and imaging to detect cancer in people without … Read more
Wind up a mechanical mouse, set it down, and watch it go. New research by Dana-Farber scientists shows that boosting a single protein in the liver can have the same animating effect in real mice. The protein, called MIC19, produces changes deep inside liver cells that help the body burn nutrients, protecting against obesity and … Read more
Jennifer Thorn has worked hard her whole life running a family law practice and raising her family, but in April 2021, just as she began to enjoy her success, she faced a new challenge. After experiencing pain while lying on her side, Thorn, 48, of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, visited her primary care physician who ordered bloodwork … Read more