Dana-Farber in the News
January-March 2008
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A writer battles her genetic destiny Associated Press
Dr. Eric Winer says that women who have prophylactic surgery may drastically reduce their breast cancer risk. Dr. Judy Garber adds that the risk calculation is different for every woman. (March 30, 2008)
Three cancer drugs may raise death risk Asbury Park Press
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that three drugs designed to treat a common side effect of chemotherapy may actually increase the risk of death. Dr. Eric Winer says doctors are using the drugs more cautiously today, both because of the FDA warning and because the Medicare program has tightened its policies about when the products should be used. (March 25, 2008)
Two women on mission to link diseases TheBostonChannel.com
Karen Webster and Patricia Franchi Flaherty – friends and cancer survivors – are bridging the gap between breast and ovarian cancer and are combining forces to foster research and education. They have created Two Women On A Mission, or twoAM, an organization combining the breast cancer and ovarian cancer communities. Dr. Ursula Matulonis said she hopes twoAM will help on a number of different fronts. (March 24, 2008)
Full-body scans may help the highly cancer-prone HealthDay
Full-body scans found tumors in three of 15 patients with a rare genetic condition, but Dr. Annick Van Den Abbeele says larger studies are needed. (March 24, 2008)
Iraq war veteran promoted while receiving cancer treatment Associated Press
(March 20, 2008)
His toughest battle Boston Globe
(March 20, 2008)
Combat vet earns his stripes Boston Herald
(March 20, 2008)
Former Byfield soldier promoted in hospital ceremony The Daily News Online
Army National Guardsman Scott Miller was promoted to the rank of sergeant yesterday at Dana-Farber, where he is receiving chemotherapy for a rare form of colon cancer. (March 20, 2008)
Keeping breast cancer from coming back U.S. News & World Report
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that postmenopausal patients who took the aromatase inhibitor Femara after stopping tamoxifen three years earlier on average had an 80 percent reduced risk of developing a new breast tumor and more than a 60 percent lower risk of life-threatening distant metastases compared with former tamoxifen takers who were given placebos. Dr. Nancy Lin wrote an editorial accompanying the study. (March 19, 2008)
A daring treatment, a little girl's survival New York Times
Promising results from a small clinical trial that involved giving low-dose oral chemotherapy daily to children with incurable brain tumors has spurred researchers to conduct a larger study at multiple centers. Drs. Mark Kieran and Chris Turner are unsure why some patients fared so well, including Melanie McDaniel, who enrolled in the study in 2002 and is now tumor-free, but they are hopeful that the new study will provide some insight. (March 18, 2008)
Obesity linked to poor prognosis for some breast cancer patients HealthDay
A new study suggests that women who are overweight or obese when diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer face a higher chance of recurrence and a shorter life expectancy than either normal or underweight patients. But Dr. Harold Burstein cautioned that the evidence suggesting a link between obesity and poor breast cancer outcomes is less than overwhelming. (March 17, 2008)
Bone marrow drive held in memory of journalist Boston Globe
A bone marrow drive was held in Dorchester in memory of Arthur Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who died of leukemia in 2006. Dana-Farber assisted in the organization of the drive. (March 16, 2008)
Touch therapy WHDH
Therapeutic touch therapy is giving childhood cancer patients relief from the painful effects of their treatments. Mary Jane Ott, a Dana-Farber nurse practitioner, uses touch therapy on patients here. (March 13, 2008)
Specialized care for ovarian cancer improves outcomes HealthDay News
Treatment at semi-specialized or specialized hospitals improved survival time for ovarian cancer patients, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. While this and other studies that correlate patterns of care and clinical outcomes are important, they need to be interpreted with caution, Dr. Deborah Schrag wrote in an accompanying editorial. (March 12, 2008)
Study: More women can cut cancer relapse risk Washington Post
(March 11, 2008)
Study: Drug can curb breast cancer recurrence NPR
New research indicates that the aromatase inhibitor letrozole can greatly reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. The research indicates a need for a "paradigm shift" in treating breast cancer survivors, Drs. Nancy Lin and Eric Winer wrote in an accompanying editorial. (March 11, 2008)
'Now what am I doing?' After cancer treatment, patients confront survival Cape Cod Times
Breast cancer survivor Linda Larson is finding out that the path from treatment to survivor can be tricky. Physicians are just beginning to map the surface of survivor issues, according to Dr. David C. Fisher. (March 6, 2008)
Happy camper Sun Chronicle
Seventh-grader Caroline Miller is one of 32 Jimmy Fund Clinic patients visiting the Red Sox in Florida during spring training. (March 5, 2008)
Cancer drug: How good is good enough? Boston Globe
The FDA has approved Avastin for treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer, a decision which has proved controversial because research showed that the patients on the drug didn't live significantly longer, even though they had more time without tumor growth than patients not on Avastin. Dr. Eric Winer says that it makes perfect sense to him that Avastin should be approved for use in advanced breast cancer based on its ability to halt the progress of tumors. (March 3, 2008)
Anemia drugs may raise death risk for chemo patients USA Today
Treating cancer patients with anemia drugs increases their risk of blood clots and death, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday, confirming concerns about these widely used drugs. Dr. Eric Winer says doctors are using the drugs more cautiously today, both because of the FDA warning and because the Medicare program has tightened its policies about when the products should be used. (February 27, 2008)
Creating a cord-blood lifeline Time.com
The decision to donate a newborn's umbilical-cord blood is, for many expectant mothers, a simple checkmark on a long list of prenatal choices. But for Noel Beninati, one donor's checkmark offered a lifeline. Last May, Beninati received a transplant of stem cells harvested from the blood of an infant's discarded umbilical cord at Dana-Farber to help him fight Myelodysplastic syndrome. (February 26, 2008)
Group calls for $200M Hub center for new medicines Boston Herald
(February 25, 2008)
Report: State needs to transform itself into "new medicine" hub Associated Press
Building a world-class center for new medicines in Massachusetts would cement the region's role as a leader in the life sciences industry, according to a report released today by the public policy consulting group Mass Insight Corp. In a written statement, Dr. Edward Benz said that the proposed medical center "is central to a global talent strategy that can recruit and retain the top researchers from Massachusetts and the world." (February 24, 2008)
Study finds new way to grow blood vessels United Press International
Dana-Farber researchers report in Nature that they have discovered a molecular pathway in mice that spurs the growth of new blood vessels when body parts are jeopardized by poor circulation. Their finding adds to the understanding of blood vessel formation and might lead to a new treatment for heart and blood vessel diseases, as well as cancer. (February 21, 2008)
Dana-Farber clinic set for Londonderry Nashua Telegraph
Dana-Farber, in partnership with New Hampshire Oncology-Hematology, plans to open an adult cancer care center in Londonderry, New Hampshire, this fall. There are more than 1,000 Dana-Farber patients who live within a 25-minute drive of Londonderry. (February 21, 2008)
Combo treatment best for melanoma, advanced ovarian Cancer HealthDay
Dr. Stephen Hodi and his colleagues reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that combining monoclonal antibody therapy with a widely used cancer vaccine unleashed a strong immune response to advanced melanoma and ovarian cancer and with less-harsh side effects. (February 19, 2008)
Philanthropist gives birthday donation of $27 million Palm Beach Post
Carl and Ruth Shapiro announced their gift of $27 million to the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center during Dana-Farber's Discovery Ball in Palm Beach, Fla. (February 19, 2008)
Andrews sees himself in Pedroia mlb.com
Jimmy Fund Chairman Mike Andrews announced that Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is the honorary chair of the third annual "Rally Against Cancer" to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber. (February 19, 2008)
Shapiros give $27m to cancer care center Boston Globe
(February 18, 2008)
Carl and Ruth Shapire give $27M to Dana-Farber/Brigham & Women's Cancer Center Palm Beach Daily News
At Saturday night's Discovery Ball in Palm Beach, Fla., Carl and Ruth Shapiro announced their gift of $27 million to the Dana-Farber/Brigham & Women's Cancer Center. (February 17, 2008)
A journey from cancer to champion for Sox' Lester Boston Globe
Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester's battle with cancer is chronicled. Lester received chemotherapy at Dana-Farber. (February 17, 2008)
Precancerous breast lesions cause unnecessary worry HealthDay
Dr. Ann Partridge reports that elevated levels of anxiety may cause women with ductal carcinoma in situ to overestimate their risk of recurrence or dying from breast cancer. (Februrary 12, 2008)
Dana-Farber partners with Merck Boston Globe
Drug maker Merck and Co. has entered into an agreement with Dana-Farber to create a team approach to drug development. According to Dr. Lynda Chin, by actively facilitating communication, this agreement represents an important advance toward true team science between Dana-Farber and Merck. (February 12, 2008)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to open center with NH partner Associated Press
(February 10, 2008)
Dana-Farber plans NH presence Union Leader
Dana-Farber plans to open an adult cancer care center in Londonderry, New Hampshire, this fall. Dr. Lawrence Shulman said that this is an opportunity to provide excellent care in partnership with New Hampshire Oncology-Hematology. (February 10, 2008)
A pause to decide on prostate cancer treatment Wall Street Journal
A study published in the current issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch suggests that men diagnosed with prostate cancer don’t necessarily need to rush for treatment. According to Dr. Philip Kantoff, the often slow-growing nature of prostate cancer often gives the patient time to consider treatment options. (February 8, 2008)
Zeroing in on an HIV vaccine Harvard Crimson
By identifying a novel potential target for treatment, scientists may have brought us one step closer to finding a vaccine for HIV. A recent paper from Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber proposes a mechanism by which broadly neutralizing antibodies can block an HIV infection. Dr. Ellis Reinherz and his colleagues probed how an antibody might disrupt HIV and prevent it from entering human cells in the first place. (February 7, 2008)
Harvard scientists test stem cells in fight against melanoma Harvard Crimson
Melanoma can be suppressed in mice by targeting cancer stem cells, according to a report published in the the Jan. 17 issue of Nature magazine. Dr. Kornelia Polyak says that more work needs to be done before cancer therapy can focus solely on targeting cancer stem cells. (February 7, 2008)
Scientists engineer see-through fish LiveScience.com
Scientists are breeding zebrafish with see-through bodies in order to make studying disease processes easier, including the spread of cancer. Dr. Richard White created the transparent fish by mating two existing zebrafish breeds, one that lacked a reflective skin pigment and the other without black pigment. (February 6, 2008)
Milford Regional celebrates a good year Milford Daily News
Building a state-of-the-art cancer center was the centerpiece of last year's highlights for Milford Regional Medical Center, officials announced in a dinner last night. Last month, the Milford community celebrated the opening of the 54,000-square-foot Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center at Milford Regional Medical Center. (February 5, 2008)
Sifting the Genome for clues to cancer Science
A mass-screening technique reported in today's issue of Science may provide a cost-effective and powerful way to pick out new drug targets against cancer. Experts, including Dr. Ronald DePinho, are hopeful that this approach will pay dividends. (January 31, 2008)
Fight of his life Sports Illustrated
Former New England Patriot offensive lineman and cancer survivor Joe Andruzzi started the C.J. Buckley Brain Cancer Research Fund at Children's Hospital in honor of a young brain cancer patient who passed away in 2002. Andruzzi was treated at Dana-Farber. (January 29, 2008)
Test may predict colon cancer survival WebMD
A simple blood test can pinpoint people who have a good chance of surviving despite a diagnosis of advanced colon cancer, researchers report. The test uses magnets to separate circulating tumor cells from other cells. Dr. Robert Mayer says other researchers have shown that high CTC levels are associated with a poor prognosis in women with metastatic breast cancer and that the new findings offer provocative, important pilot data on their use in colorectal cancer. (January 28, 2008)
Dana-Farber friends run for their health Boston Herald
More than 30 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge runners met their "Patient Partners" yesterday at an annual event that encourages new friendships and new goals for cancer patients and athletes alike. (January 27, 2008)
Buying a cure The New Yorker
Kathy Giusti, founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and a patient of Dr. Kenneth Anderson, is profiled. Dana-Farber belongs to a consortium of institutions that work together with the foundation to find treatments and a cure for multiple myeloma. (January 28, 2008)
Real-life 'Bucket Lists' NPR "On Point"
Kris Carr, a patient of Dr. George Demetri, comments on the life changes she made after being diagnosed with an incurable cancer. (January 23, 2008)
The art of smart giving Worcester Business Journal
Worcester-based Coghlin Cos. are known not only for their successful business ventures, but also their philanthropy. In 2007, the Mark R. Ungerer Memorial Golf Tournament raised $530,000 for Dana-Farber. Karen Albritton said Coghlin's approach to giving is a breath of fresh air. (January 21, 2008)
Friendship medicine Boston Globe
Two young Jimmy Fund Clinic patients — whose friendship is strong medicine — are profiled. (January 21, 2008)
Losing a legend Greater Boston (7:39)
Dr. David Nathan reflected on the life and legacy of the late Dr. Judah Folkman, the internationally renowned cancer researcher and his colleague at Children's Hospital. (January 15, 2008)
Judah Folkman, cancer's innovative enemy, dies at 74 Boston Globe
(January 16, 2008)
Judah Folkman, researcher, dies at 74 New York Times
(January 16, 2008)
Harvard's Folkman dies; Tied cancer, blood vessels Bloomberg
(January 15, 2008)
Famed cancer researcher Folkman dies Associated Press
(January 16, 2008)
Cancer pioneer Judah Folkman dies Reuters
(January 15, 2008)
Folkman, cancer research pioneer, dies at 74 National Public Radio
Dr. Judah Folkman, a cancer researcher known for his groundbreaking work on angiogenesis, has died at the age of 74. Dr. David Nathan was a former colleague of Folkman's and considered him one of the most important investigators of our time. (January 15, 2008)
Mouth rinse could detect cancers NECN (3:24)
A study suggests that a newly developed mouth rinse may detect head and neck cancers. Dr. Marshall Posner said the rinse, along with regular dental check ups, may prove to be an effective way to detect oral cancers early. (January 4, 2008)
Top cancer care with local touch Boston Globe
Today, Milford Regional Medical Center opens a new cancer treatment center in collaboration with Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's Hospital. (January 13, 2008)
Milford Regional opens cancer center Milford Daily News
The Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center at Milford Regional Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday night in anticipation of its opening on Monday, Jan. 14. (January 10, 2008)
The skinny fat The Scientist
Dr. Bruce Spiegelman contends that the field of obesity research should place greater emphasis on the study of the molecular basis of energy expenditure. (January 2008)
