Monthly Spotlights
Cancer Research Awareness Month
Dana-Farber researcher Maria Murray adjusts a slide on a microscope.
In 2007, the U.S. Congress designated May as National Cancer Research Month. At Dana-Farber, we're joining the American Association for Cancer Research's national campaign to raise awareness of the ways research institutions contribute to the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer.
Dana-Farber has always linked research to cancer care. Sidney Farber, M.D., introduced the country's first research program in chemotherapy for children with cancer in 1947. Dr. Farber and his team were the first to accomplish temporary remissions of acute lymphocytic leukemia in children. They were also the first to attain remissions in Wilms' tumor of the kidney, boosting cure rates from 40 to 85 percent in their young patients.
Dr. Farber's Children's Cancer Research Foundation became the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Today, we remain dedicated his mission: Conducting research that brings new scientific knowledge "from the lab bench to the bedside." Explore the features below to learn more about how Dana-Farber translates cancer research into patient treatment.
Highlighted Research Areas
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are one way researchers analyze new medical treatments. In a trial, doctors test new drugs, therapies, and diagnostic procedures in patients in hopes of one day improving care.
Entering a clinical trial: Is it right for you?
Cancer and Genetics
Understanding the genetic underpinnings of cancer gives researchers at Dana-Farber a better understanding of the biology and origins of the disease. It helps us identify at-risk individuals and develop new, more effective therapies for patients.
Tissue Banking
Tissue banking is storing leftover human tissue that has been removed during a medical procedure such as an operation, a biopsy, or a blood test. Scientists use tissues from these banks to study disease and find better ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat cancer in the future.
Photo gallery: How tissue banking works
Tissue Banking: Advancing Cancer Care
Research Stories
- Seizing the Moment: Sixty years of Dana-Farber's scientific discoveries
- From discovery to delivery: Drug development at Dana-Farber
- Divide and conquer: Sorting lymphomas by gene signatures aids drug targeting
- Different eras, continuing goals: Two scientists discuss 50 years of cancer research
