From the President:
One of the most common, and unfair, criticisms of scientists is that they're too focused on the hows of physical processes—at the expense of the whys. In reality, it is the ability to go beyond studies of cause-and-effect, to ask new questions based on new evidence, and to see promise in a pattern of data that is the essence of the scientific imagination.
This issue of Paths of Progress includes several articles that highlight the questing spirit. The lead story examines metastasis—cancer's ability to spread—not just as a physical phenomenon, but as a challenge to our understanding of malignant disease. The article considers why some Dana-Farber researchers are drawn to this specialized field. For some, it's a consequence of having treated patients with metastatic tumors and wanting to offer better therapies; for others, it is a desire to explore an area still wide open for discovery.
Closely related is a piece that asks, "Why Oncology?"— specifically, why members of the Institute's staff chose to work both on cancer and at DFCI. Their stories offer insight into the qualities that define not only an institution, but an entire profession.
"Why me, why now?" is a question nearly every cancer patient has posed at some point. For many, faith is an important ally in their fight against the disease, and our cover story describes how Dana-Farber's chaplains and other staff help patients and their families understand the role spirituality may play in their treatment.
In this issue, you'll also find a medical detective story that grew out of a single query: Why do some patients with non-small cell lung cancer respond to a specific medication while others do not? The answer, deduced by Dana-Farber researchers, may help save the lives of thousands of lung cancer patients worldwide.
These stories, plus an overview of DFCI's advances in treating head and neck cancers, offer a compelling look at the Institute's work. When you're finished reading this issue, you'll know why such efforts are so valuable.
Edward J. Benz Jr., MD
President, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
