For College Athlete-Turned Transplant Patient, Life’s Still a Ball
The first time a stem cell transplant recipient leaves his or her quarantined hospital room marks a significant milestone. In the case of Dana Mendes, this move toward independence included an...
View ArticleSex and Cancer: What Young Adult Patients Should Know
Treatment for cancer may cause changes in the way patients feel about their bodies and about sex. Some may feel disconnected from their bodies after chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and surgery, while...
View ArticleThe Cell that Caused Melanoma: Cancer’s Surprise Origins, Caught in Action
This post originally appeared on Vector, Boston Children’s Hospital’s science and clinical innovation blog. It’s long been a mystery why some of our cells can have mutations associated with cancer, yet...
View ArticleWhat Is Hormone-Positive Breast Cancer?
Hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer (HR+) is the most common subtype of breast cancer, affecting roughly 65 to 75 percent of breast cancer patients. It is one of several subtypes of breast cancer...
View ArticleAfter Cancer Diagnosis, Dana-Farber Staffer Makes a Platelet Promise
Tim Maxton donated platelets a few times during the first two years he worked at Dana-Farber, but his commitment to the life-saving procedure took on new meaning in the summer of 2014. That’s when...
View ArticleFor Cancer Survivor, Treatment Is About More Than Just Medicine
By Erin Cummings As a 44-year survivor of childhood cancer, I never would have imagined that patients could be treated in a place as warm and inviting as Dana-Farber. Each time I come for follow-up...
View ArticleHow Long Does Radiation Stay in Your Body After Treatment?
Along with surgery and chemotherapy, radiation therapy has long been a mainstay of cancer treatment. It uses high-energy waves or particles such as x-rays, gamma rays, electrons, or protons to destroy...
View ArticleGrass-Fed Beef and Wild Fish: Hype or Healthy Choices?
By Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO Do you feel confused, overwhelmed or downright frustrated by the trendy marketing terms used to sell food? You’re not alone! Let’s break down the science, evidence and...
View ArticleCancer Conversations Podcast – Episode #4: The Latest Research in Multiple...
With new research in immunotherapy and targeted therapy, treatment options for blood cancer patients are rapidly expanding. Combination therapies have also caused much excitement among researchers and...
View ArticleHow Genetics Can Help Predict — and Sometimes Stop — Childhood Cancers
Amy Kindstedt hates cancer, but the 9-year-old is very thankful for one thing: Because genetic testing on her baby brother Hunter revealed he had the same genetic mutation she did, his cancer was...
View ArticleHow a Car Accident Helped Diagnose Lung Cancer
We all know what to expect following a car accident: insurance claims, whiplash, maybe even a broken bone. Cancer, though? Not so common. For 40-year-old Laura Greco, this is what happened following a...
View ArticleWhat Makes Cancer Cells Different from Normal Cells?
Although they may seem like foreign invaders, cancer cells develop out of normal body cells and tissues. Over a period of years, damage to the DNA of healthy cells disrupts their orderly growth,...
View ArticleHow Does Alcohol Cause Cancer?
This blog post was originally published on the Cancer Research UK science blog. It is reposted here with minor edits. In a cabinet in London’s British Museum nestles a 5,300 year-old wedged-shaped...
View ArticleThe Best Foods for a Cancer Patient’s Pantry [Infographic]
A pantry stocked with healthy food is an important part of a cancer patient’s treatment; with the right foods, patients can strengthen their immune system, reduce side effects of treatment, and...
View ArticlePatient’s ‘Smile Cards’ Bring Inspiration to Others
When you’re spending days on end in a hospital bed, it’s the little things that can make all the difference. That’s what Jess Moran learned when she spent 30 consecutive days in the hospital in 2014...
View ArticleWhat Is HER2-Positive Breast Cancer?
HER2-positive breast cancer is a subtype of breast cancer that affects about 20 percent of breast cancer patients. Around fifty percent of HER2-positive cancers also have hormone receptors for estrogen...
View ArticleThe Latest Research and Treatment for Adult Brain Tumors
Historically, brain tumors have been some of the most challenging types of cancers. A protective barrier around the brain—called the “blood-brain barrier”—can prevent cancer treatments from reaching...
View ArticleCancer Conversations Podcast – Episode #5: What’s New in Metastatic Breast...
Although there is no cure for metastatic breast cancer, new developments in treatment and research are helping patients live longer and experience a better quality of life. In this Cancer Conversations...
View ArticleYoung Neuroblastoma Patient and Family Make New Home at Dana-Farber/Boston...
Bridgette West sparkled last fall in the “Fight Song” music video created by patients at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. But before the 2-year-old became a social media...
View ArticleIf You Don’t Mind Me Asking — Dating, Post-Cancer
This post originally appeared in the Love U column of the Daily Trojan, the student newspaper of the University of Southern California. By Eva Grant I was talking to Dan on Tinder. A witty back and...
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