Press Releases
2007
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December 17, 2007
Drug combination shrinks breast cancer metastases in brainA combination of a "targeted" therapy and chemotherapy shrank metastatic brain tumors by at least 50 percent in one-fifth of patients with aggressive HER2-positive breast cancer, according to data presented by Dana-Farber investigators at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. read more
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December 12, 2007
Three-drug combination "extremely promising" as first-line therapy for multiple myeloma, researchers sayA new combination of bortezomib (Velcade) and two other drugs is showing a very high response rate in patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a team headed by Dana-Farber investigators reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. read more
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December 11, 2007
Data confirm dasatinib's effectiveness in resistant chronic myelogenous leukemiaUpdated clinical trial results show that the drug dasatinib (Sprycel) continues to be highly effective in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia who were unable to tolerate Gleevec or who developed resistance to it, reports a team led by researchers at Dana-Farber. read more
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November 29, 2007
Experts at Dana-Farber offer tips to fight cancer with your fork this holiday seasonThe holidays are in full swing and festive food is everywhere. While these foods are delicious to eat, some have an added bonus of containing cancer-preventing nutrients, says Stephanie Meyers, MS, RD/LDN, a nutritionist at Dana-Farber. read more
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November 4, 2007
Genome study charts genetic landscape of lung cancerAn international team of scientists today announced the results of a systematic effort to map the genetic changes underlying lung cancer, the world's leading cause of cancer deaths. read more
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October 30, 2007
New England Patriots Charitable Foundation to host blood drive at Dana-Farber Field HouseThe New England Patriots continue their efforts to increase awareness of the importance of blood donation with a blood drive to be held Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Dana-Farber Field House at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. read more
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October 18, 2007
Dana-Farber president and CEO set to lead the Association of American Cancer InstitutesEdward J. Benz, Jr., MD, president and chief executive officer of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will assume the presidency of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) at the organization's annual meeting in Washington, Oct. 28-30.
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October 18, 2007
Grant furthers efforts to develop more effective treatments for metastatic prostate cancerThe Prostate Cancer Foundation has awarded a multi-institutional team of researchers, including from Dana-Farber, a $5 million grant to study whether nanoparticles, each no larger than 1/1,000 of a hair follicle cross section, can precisely deliver chemotherapy to cancer cells, thus sparing healthy cells. read more
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October 11, 2007
"Network" approach yields discovery of a potential breast cancer susceptibility geneLike a crossword-puzzle solver who uses the letters in some answers to figure out others, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an international group of collaborators have used data on genes involved in inherited forms of breast cancer to identify a novel gene potentially linked to the disease. read more
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October 10, 2007
Dana-Farber researcher elected to Institute of MedicineWilliam G. Kaelin Jr., MD, physician and researcher at Dana-Farber, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). read more
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September 20, 2007
NIH honors Dana-Farber researcher with prestigious New Innovator AwardLevi Garraway, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist at Dana-Farber and a principal investigator in the Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, has been selected as a 2007 recipient of a NIH Director's New Innovator Award. read more
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September 19, 2007
Darlene Lewis named senior vice president for human resourcesDarlene Lewis, PhD, has been appointed senior vice president for human resources at Dana-Farber. read more
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September 13, 2007
Study suggests brain tumors need treatment with multiple 'targeted' drugsResearchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that several, rather than just one, cell-growth switches are simultaneously overactive in many brain tumors and other solid tumors, explaining why treatment with just a single "targeted" switch-blocking drug often yields disappointing results. read more
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September 6, 2007
Ovarian Cancer Awareness campaign launchedOn Sept. 6 at Boston City Hall Plaza, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, along with a coalition of six organizations, launched a month-long campaign to promote ovarian cancer awareness. The group known as — OvarianCancerAwareness.org — is dedicated to educating the public about the subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer to promote early detection. read more
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August 21, 2007
Dana-Farber receives five-year grant from NHGRI to establish new Center of Excellence in Genomic ScienceThe National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recently announced grants expected to total approximately $30 million to establish a new Center of Excellence in Genomic Science at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and continue its support of the center at Stanford University. read more
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August 20, 2007
WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon raises $3.74 million to fight cancerPeople from across the United States and all over the world showed their support for the fight against cancer by giving to the 6th Annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon and raising more than $3.74 million for cancer research and care for adults and children at Bostons Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. read more
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August 17, 2007
International experts cite shortcomings in pediatric pain and palliative careAdvances in pain and palliative care for adults have been significant in the past decade due in part to increased recognition, support and use by caregivers and patients. While acknowledging that lessons from adults can be borrowed to help pediatric patients, an international team of pediatric palliative care specialists is also calling for increased research to address children's differing physical, psycho-social and clinical needs. read more
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August 17, 2007
Low levels of key protein may indicate pancreatic cancer riskA protein that dwindles in response to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle may one day help doctors predict which people are at increased risk for pancreatic cancer, new research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and collaborating scientists indicates. read more
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August 14, 2007
"Western" diet linked to increased risk of colon cancer recurrenceColon cancer patients who eat a diet high in red meat, fatty products, refined grains, and desserts — a so-called "Western" diet — may be increasing their chance of disease relapse and early death, report researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. read more
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August 6, 2007
Multi-center study nets new lung tumor-suppressor geneCollaborating scientists in Boston and North Carolina have found that a particular gene can block key steps of the lung cancer process in mice. The researchers report in the journal Nature that LKB1 is not only a "tumor-suppressor" gene for non-small cell lung cancer in mice, it also may be more powerful than other, better-known suppressors. read more
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July 30, 2007
Promising treatment target found in Hodgkin lymphomaDana-Farber scientists have identified a protein that prevents the body's immune system from recognizing and attacking Hodgkin lymphoma cells. Based on this finding, the researchers are now investigating targeted therapies to disable this molecular "bodyguard" and boost a patient's ability to fight the blood cancer. read more
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July 10, 2007
Scientists find brown fat master switchResearchers at Dana-Farber have identified a long-sought "master switch" in mice for the production of brown fat, a type of adipose tissue that generates heat and counters obesity caused by overeating. read more
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June 18, 2007
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute breaks ground on Yawkey Center for Cancer Care, a state-of-the-art outpatient facilityDana-Farber Cancer Institute today celebrated the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care, a state-of-the-art outpatient care and clinical research facility that will serve as the model for cancer centers of the future. read more
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June 14, 2007
Combined screening approach leads to discovery of gene linked to breast cancerUsing a novel three-part screening process, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a gene that is made inappropriately in about a third of all breast cancers. The discovery, reached in collaboration with researchers at Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, is reported in the June 15, 2007, issue of the journal Cell. read more
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June 4, 2007
Black Americans' beliefs may hamper lung cancer prevention and careBlacks in the United States are less certain than whites about recommendations to prevent lung cancer and are more fearful of having symptoms evaluated — beliefs that may keep them from seeking timely treatment for the disease, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting in Chicago. read more
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June 4, 2007
Exercise lowers insulin in breast cancer survivorsNormally sedentary breast cancer survivors who completed an exercise program reduced the levels of insulin in their blood, revealing a likely link between physical activity and better outcomes, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. read more
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June 4, 2007
Drug shows activity against brain metastasesThe drug lapatinib shrank tumors and slowed progression of brain metastases in some patients with advanced breast cancer, according to results of a clinical trial being presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. read more
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June 4, 2007
Even when a child with cancer's prognosis is unpromising, parent/physician communication can provide hope, study findsPhysicians who inform parents of children with cancer about the likely course of the disease can provide hope, even when the child's prognosis is poor, according to a Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study presented at a press briefing at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting. read more
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June 4, 2007
Diet may influence survival after treatment for stage III colon cancer, study suggestsPatients with stage III colon cancer who have undergone surgery and chemotherapy with the goal of cure may have a higher risk of relapsing and dying early if they follow a predominantly "Western" diet of red meat, fatty foods, refined grains, and desserts, according to research led by investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. read more
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May 25, 2007
New mouse model closely mimics human cancersA team led by Dana-Farber scientists has developed a more human-like mouse model of cancer they say will aid the search for cancer-causing genes and improve the predictive value of laboratory drug testing. read more
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May 23, 2007
Dana-Farber's Eric Winer, MD, named chief scientific advisor of Susan G. Komen for the CureSusan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, has announced the appointment of Eric P. Winer, MD, a nationally known medical oncologist, researcher and educator from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical Center, as its chief scientific advisor. read more
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May 18, 2007
Natural immune-control system may hold clue to treatment of autoimmune disease and tissue rejection, study findsThe immune system's ability to police itself may offer a new method of arresting the cells responsible for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and for the rejection of transplanted organs and tissues, scientists at Dana-Farber report in a study in the May issue of the journal Immunity. read more
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May 7, 2007
Diabetes drug dramatically boosts power of platinum chemotherapyA widely used diabetes drug dramatically boosted the potency of platinum-based cancer drugs when administered together to a variety of cancer cell lines and to mice with tumors, scientists from Dana-Farber report. read more
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April 26, 2007
New mechanism identified for resistance to targeted lung cancer drugsAn international research team, led by investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has found a new way that some lung tumors become resistant to treatment with targeted therapy drugs like Iressa and Tarceva. read more
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April 10, 2007
Smokeless tobacco is a losing gameAs another baseball season begins, fans will be heading to the ballpark to watch their favorite players hit home runs, steal bases, and argue over what's fair and foul. Unfortunately, they will also see something else many consider to be foul — players chewing tobacco. read more
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April 4, 2007
Yawkey Foundation contributes $30 million to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute toward construction of proposed state-of-the-art cancer care centerIn the spirit of the late Tom and Jean Yawkey's nearly half-century of dedication to the fight against cancer, the Yawkey Foundation has awarded $30 million, the largest gift in its history, to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The gift will help underwrite construction of the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care, a state-of-the-art outpatient facility that is proposed to be developed on Brookline Avenue, at the heart of Dana-Farber's campus. read more
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March 31, 2007
Switching genes to overdrive improves muscular dystrophy symptoms in miceScientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown in a laboratory study that revving up a crucial set of muscle genes counteracts the damage caused by a form of muscular dystrophy. read more
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March 12, 2007
Study questions "cancer stem cell" hypothesis in breast cancerA Dana-Farber study challenges the hypothesis that "cancer stem cells" — a small number of self-renewing cells within a tumor — are responsible for breast cancer progression and recurrence, and that wiping out these cells alone could cure the disease. read more
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March 12, 2007
Study reveals how some molecules inhibit growth of lung cancer cellsBy mapping the interlocking structures of small molecules and mutated protein "receptors" in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, scientists at Dana-Farber and their colleagues have energized efforts to design molecules that mesh with these receptors, potentially interfering with cancer cell growth and survival. read more
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March 8, 2007
"Guardian of the genome" protein found to underlie skin tanningA protein known as the "master watchman of the genome" for its ability to guard against cancer-causing DNA damage has been found to provide an entirely different level of cancer protection: By prompting the skin to tan in response to ultraviolet light from the sun, it deters the development of melanoma skin cancer, the fastest-increasing form of cancer in the world. read more
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February 27, 2007
Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer may increase risk of death from cardiovascular disease in older men, study findsAndrogen deprivation therapy — one of the most common treatments for prostate cancer — may increase the risk of death from heart disease in patients over age 65, according to a new study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital and other institutions. read more
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February 20, 2007
Study confirms normal patterns of grief, highlights yearning"Is my grief normal?" That is one of the most common questions posed by people who have lost a loved one. A new study by Dana-Farber researchers has helped answer that question by affirming the commonly accepted stages of grief — disbelief, yearning, anger, depression, and acceptance — and the sequence in which these emotions occur. read more
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February 12, 2007
Technology offers practical method of obtaining tumors' 'genetic profile' to guide treatment, scientists reportA study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University provides the first demonstration of a practical method of screening tumors for cancer-related gene abnormalities that might be treated with "targeted" drugs. read more
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February 9, 2007
Study recommends greater attention to spiritual needs of people with advanced cancerPeople with advanced cancer felt they received little or no spiritual support from religious communities and the medical system, according to a new survey. However, those who did receive such support reported a better quality of life. read more
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February 9, 2007
International study points to new breast cancer-susceptibility geneA gene whose existence was detected only a couple of years ago may increase women's risk of breast cancer when inherited in a mutated form, and may contribute to prostate cancer as well, researchers at Dana-Farber and colleagues in Finland report in a new study. read more
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January 31, 2007
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute launches $1 billion capital campaignDana-Farber Cancer Institute today launched the most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history and the largest ever hospital-based campaign in New England. read more
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January 29, 2007
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Dana-Farber celebrate new waterfront campusMayor Thomas M. Menino joined Dana-Farber Cancer Institute officials on Friday, January 26, as they celebrated the opening of their new administrative space in the Boston Marine Industrial Park. read more
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January 26, 2007
Gene knockouts reveal FoxOs' vital functions in cancer defense, health of stem cellsIn an elegant, multiple-gene knockout experiment, a team of Boston scientists has discovered that a trio of molecules, called FoxOs, are fundamentally critical in preventing some cancers, maintaining blood vessel stability, and in keeping blood-forming stem cells healthy. read more
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January 22, 2007
New test predicts blood cancer's sensitivity to experimental cancer drugA test developed by Dana-Farber scientists is the first to identify which malignant blood cells are highly vulnerable to a promising type of experimental drugs that unleash pent-up cell suicide factors to destroy the cancer. read more
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January 17, 2007
Scientists map key landmarks in human genomeDana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have developed a powerful method for charting the positions of key gene-regulating molecules called nucleosomes throughout the human genome. read more
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January 12, 2007
Survey reveals need for standardized oral chemotherapy prescribing practices, safeguardsDespite the widespread use of prescribing safeguards for infusion chemotherapy, few of those measures have been implemented with oral chemotherapy, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber. read more
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January 9, 2007
Why doesn't the immune system attack the small intestine? New study provides unexpected answerAnswering one of the oldest questions in human physiology, researchers at Dana-Farber have discovered why the body's immune system — perpetually on guard against foreign microbes like bacteria — doesn't attack tissues in the small intestine that harbor millions of bacteria cells. read more
