Our Goals
Transform Cancer Care from Reactive to Proactive
The Centers for Early Detection and Interception represents a fundamental shift in how we think about and address cancer, from reactive to proactive. Most cancers are diagnosed when a patient already has symptoms, often when the cancer is already advanced, which can result in higher mortality. Many cancers can be prevented by intervening on precursor conditions.
At Dana-Farber, we believe we should prevent or intercept cancer before it starts. Our areas of focus: detection, risk assessment, and interception.
Increase Access to Screening and Detection
Cancer affects everyone and research has highlighted the health inequities that exist in historically marginalized communities. Earlier detection and interception can be especially important in communities where cancer screening rates are lower, which results in cancer often being diagnosed at a more advanced stage.
The Centers for Early Detection and Interception will be accessible to members of all communities.
Identify Patients at Risk of Progression
For patients who are diagnosed with precursor conditions, our teams will apply state of the art technologies to define their risk of developing cancer. We will discuss with patients their personal risk of progression to active cancer and provide treatment options to prevent progression.
Early Prevention and Interception
We are developing multiple modalities of early prevention including lifestyle modifications and interception methods such as vaccines, immunotherapy, and early precision medicine to stop cancer before it is symptomatic.
Build on Our Momentum of Discovery
No other institution has discovered more breakthroughs in cancer research than Dana-Farber. The Centers for Early Detection and Interception will focus on developing novel new technologies and methods for earlier cancer detection, as well as innovative ways to intercept cancer before it fully develops or progresses, including early intervention therapeutics like vaccines or immunotherapy.
Patients in the Centers for Early Detection and Interception will have the opportunity to participate in biobanking studies and clinical trials. Studies may include giving periodic bio-samples (primarily blood samples; sometimes other samples such as urine, saliva, stools or tissue). The program will also collect clinical and health behavior data such as diet, exercise, and social determinants of health to help develop new interventions. Clinical studies and trials include evaluation of new multi-cancer detection tests as well as immunoprevention studies such as vaccines.
Discoveries made through Centers for Early Detection and Interception will be shared by Dana-Farber with medical colleagues around the world so that people everywhere can benefit from them.
Our Leadership
The blueprint for Centers for Early Detection and Interception was developed in 2022 by Dana-Farber President and CEO Laurie Glimcher, MD, working with a multi-disciplinary faculty leadership team and disease center champions across Dana-Farber’s early detection clinical programs:
Irene Ghobrial, MD
Senior Vice President for Experimental Medicine
Director, Center for Early Detection and Interception of Blood Cancers
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Sapna Syngal, MD, MPH
Director, Center for Early Detection and Interception of Solid Tumors
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Elizabeth O'Donnell, MD
Director, Multi-Cancer Early Detection Clinic
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School