A Letter from the President
Dear Readers,
Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, President, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The study of cancer is rooted in time as well as place. To improve the outlook for long-term remission or cure, our research must focus not only on the tissues where tumors originate and their molecular make-up, but also on the stage at which cancers are diagnosed and treated.
From that perspective, we might say that cancer research begins before tumors even appear, with the identification of people who are at risk for the disease and the development of prevention tools. It continues with the study of better ways to diagnose and treat cancer and, when therapy is successful, techniques for improving survivors' quality of life. When treatment fails to halt the progression of a patient's cancer, research efforts would be incomplete if they did not include the areas of pain management and end-of-life care.
Dana-Farber's mission is to confront the full scope of cancer, as it is studied in the laboratory, addressed in the clinic, and experienced by patients and their families. The articles in this issue of Paths of Progress illustrate the breadth of that work.
As several of the stories demonstrate, cancer research increasingly takes the form of a dialogue between the lab and the clinic. In the cover story on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, for instance, you'll read how discoveries about human stem cells have led to techniques for reducing some of the complications of transplants. The piece also describes how knowledge gleaned from transplant patients has generated new avenues of research, including ways of boosting the inherent disease-fighting powers of transplanted tissue.
Another conversation is taking place between caregivers and community groups about cancer detection and prevention. The article on cervical cancer is a prime example. Members of Dana-Farber's medical staff meet regularly with women at risk to teach them about screening tests that can detect abnormalities before they progress to cancer. The story also highlights advances in the treatment of the disease and research that may one day make it possible to vaccinate women against cervical tumors.
If prevention represents one end of the spectrum in our engagement with cancer and its consequences, then the care of patients at the close of their lives represents the other. Dana-Farber has become a leader in issues relating to the medical, emotional, and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their families. A feature in this issue looks at the Institute's contributions to the field of palliative care, with a special focus on education programs to promote understanding around death and dying. This new focus is exemplified by our acquisition of the HealthCare Dimensions Hospice, which serves patients throughout the greater Boston area.
A thread running through all cancer-related work, giving substance to our aspirations for cures, is financial support. The form by which scientific investigations are funded can be as powerful an influence on research as the actual level of aid. In this edition, we examine how front-line science at Dana-Farber and other cancer centers is supported financially — the issues we face and the particular challenge of providing seed money to young investigators whose work has yet to attract major federal or corporate grants.
The world of cancer care and research grows wider by the day; this issue of Paths of Progress offers a glimpse of its range and diversity. As always, you're invited to contact the editors or me with feedback about the magazine, including ideas for future articles.
Edward J. Benz Jr., MD
President, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
