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
As Chen Wen Ye nears five years of being cancer-free, Chen has committed herself to helping others facing such issues.
Stories of young adults being diagnosed with colorectal cancer are becoming more common as the rates continue to rise among adults between 20 and 49.
Cancer has not stopped Bethany Ross and Jeremy Pivor from undertaking numerous adventures, from Pivor’s sailing trips on the high seas to Bethany’s forays into skydiving and outdoor rock climbing. It is also often the catalyst for their actions, such as when both Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center patients headed to Washington, D.C. to advocate on … Read more
Jared Olinski was lifting his four-year-old son off of the floor when he felt three sharp pops in his back followed by pain. At first, cancer wasn’t on his radar. Olinksi was only 35 at the time. “I assumed I pulled a muscle,” Olinski remembers. His primary care physician thought it was a slipped disk … Read more
Anne Keane is a big fan of counting, from laps swam to miles ran to birthdays celebrated by her daughter Ruby. The most recent was Ruby’s seventh, and Keane plans on marking many more as she continues enjoying an active lifestyle with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). “We’re just so lucky to get to wake up … Read more
A diagnosis of breast cancer can be a shock at any age, but breast cancer in young people presents unique challenges. In addition to managing a serious illness, younger people may also be early in their careers and raising, or planning to start, a family. They may also be concerned about finishing school, furthering a … Read more
Cancer is a disease that’s often associated with older people; however, a growing number of younger patients are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Since the 1990s, the rate of colorectal cancer diagnoses has more than doubled in adults age 20 to 49. Alexa Morell is one of these patients. She didn’t expect her diagnosis: metastatic … Read more
The shock of a new cancer diagnosis was still settling in for Isabel Nordby when she and her parents made a decision that could greatly impact the teenager’s future — if and when the time is right. Before starting her chemotherapy protocol for Ewing sarcoma in April 2020, Isabel, then 15, had one of her … Read more
Chris Devin never expected to be diagnosed with multiple myeloma at the age of 45 — and being told he had cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic was far from ideal. But Devin quickly learned that he could rely on his team at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) for the best treatment options. While COVID-19 … Read more
The face of colorectal cancer is changing. Today, incidence rates of colon and rectal cancer are on the rise in young people (those under the age of 50) while decreasing in older adults (those over the age of 50). The Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center was developed to address the unique challenges facing … Read more
Ever since she was diagnosed with a form of aggressive breast cancer six years ago, Tara Shuman has channeled her abundant energy and optimism into getting through and beyond her cancer, and also on doing everything possible to help others facing it.
Adults and young adults often have to face unique challenges while they are also facing cancer. Here’s what you need to know.
Young adults faced with a cancer diagnosis are in a particularly unique position.
Survival rates associated with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma have risen for patients of all ages in recent years, but this increase has been relatively smaller in adolescents and young adults – those aged 15-40 – than in children and older adults. There are likely to be multiple reasons for this, … Read more
Being a young adult with cancer comes with its own unique circumstances – and Lauren Leonard is no stranger to those hurdles. Diagnosed with stage IV primary bone diffuse large b-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma at 22, and now in remission, Leonard has faced challenges in all parts of her life as a result of her diagnosis as … Read more
Sitting recently in Dana-Farber’s Healing Garden, Kireina Bell Sancho focuses on her task. She slowly works navy blue yarn through her needles, drawing the yarn back and forth to form the base of a headband – a gift for her sister. She says the repetitive motion, which requires both attention and precision, has been stress-relieving during … Read more
When Lauren Leonard bounces across the stage, she is in perfect harmony with the rhythm of the music. Amongst a group of other dancers, she stands out, moving with tangible energy. Dancing has been an important part of Leonard’s life since childhood. She started taking ballet lessons when she was 5, and as a teenager … Read more
Andrew McMahon, founder of Dear Jack Foundation and front man of the band Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, was diagnosed with leukemia at 22, in the midst of his musical career. Like other young adults with cancer, McMahon’s treatment affected every aspect of his life, from career to relationships and everything in between. Learn more … Read more
Christina Crespi experienced extreme fatigue, weakness, and bowel changes for two years before doctors determined the cause of her symptoms: colon cancer. At 27, after many doctors’ visits, she was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer. She found the diagnosis “mind-blowing.” For Kara Stoughton, it was constipation that brought her to the doctor. She was … Read more