Bladder cancer treatment is advancing, with several approved immunotherapy options, an approved gene therapy, and an approach to cell therapy planned for testing in clinical trials at Dana-Farber. What is bladder cancer? The most common form of bladder cancer is urothelial carcinoma, in which the urothelial cells that line the bladder and urinary tract begin … Read more
Over the past 30 years, outcomes have improved dramatically for women with breast cancer. There are many new treatments, including hormone therapies and CDK4/6 inhibitors. In contrast, there has been no improvement in the outcomes for men with breast cancer. And current guidelines don’t support the use of newer therapies in men. “If we do … Read more
What is TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy? Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL, therapy uses a patient’s own immune system T cells to fight cancer. The therapy involves removing T cells from a piece of the patient’s tumor – where the T cells have congregated after being alerted to the cancer – growing them outside the body, then … Read more
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, especially when you prepare for treatment with your care team. However, knowing what to prepare for can help make the process a little easier. Here’s what you can generally expect in your first meeting with your oncologist, and care team, after your diagnosis. Information collecting Prior to meeting your … Read more
As more people are surviving cancer than ever before, greater attention is being focused on the cardiotoxicity of therapies and their long-term effects on the heart. Radiation therapy and a number of commonly used chemotherapy drugs can impair heart function, says Anju Nohria, MD, a cardiologist who leads the cardio-oncology program at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s … Read more
Along with chemotherapy, radiation therapy is a common method for treating cancer; about half of patients receive the therapy, which uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells, during the course of their treatment. While radiation therapy is effective against cancer cells, it also leaves its mark on any normal cells it comes … Read more
Kidney cancer is one of several cancers that has responded well to immunotherapy drugs, which can free the immune system from restraints that cancer cells can impose on it. The drug nivolumab (Opdivo), for example, which was recently approved, can extend survival in patients with metastatic kidney cancer after other drugs have failed. But can … Read more
It is important to know the symptoms of kidney cancer and be aware of risk factors for the disease. Kidney cancer is more treatable the earlier it is spotted and diagnosed. However, early diagnosis remains difficult because the tumors can grow quite large without causing pain. In addition, because kidneys are located deep inside the … Read more
Biliary cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the bile duct system, which connects the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine, moving bile — a fluid that helps digest fats — to the small intestine. While relatively uncommon, approximately 15,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with this disease each year. To further … Read more
Cancer surgery is used to prevent, diagnose, stage, and treat cancer. It is the oldest type of cancer therapy and generally works best for solid tumors contained in one area. The goals of surgery range from diagnosing cancer to restoring the body’s appearance or function. Each cancer type has specific cancer operations that may be … Read more
Along with chemotherapy and surgery, radiation therapy is one of the first lines of treatment for many cancers. But unlike other forms of therapy, radiation cannot be seen, felt, or heard during treatment, often making it difficult for patients to understand. Radiation works by creating breaks within the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from … Read more
Photopheresis is a unique medical therapy that involves temporarily removing blood from a patient, mixing the blood with a medication, exposing the blood to ultraviolet (UV) light to activate the drug, and then reinfusing the blood into the patient. The technique is used to treat graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a common and potentially severe side effect … Read more
Adjuvant therapies are treatments that are given after surgery or other frontline therapy to reduce the risk that cancer will come back. Frontline therapy may succeed in removing or eliminating the entire visible mass of a tumor, but tiny, undetectable traces of it may remain in the body. Adjuvant therapy is designed to kill or … Read more
Early research has shown cannabis may be helpful for patients experiencing side effects from chemotherapy and other types of cancer treatment, such as nausea and vomiting. But there are also risk associated with using cannabis, and the persisting social stigma and legal questions surrounding its use complicate how it is approached in a clinical setting. … Read more