Study Shows How MTAP Influences Response to Immunotherapy Drugs

Immunotherapy drugs that harness a patient’s immune system to fight cancer have become an important treatment for a subset of patients with certain cancers. A team co-led by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital has uncovered new findings about why some patients fail to respond to these drugs. The research suggests new approaches for making the medications more effective. Read More

Discussion Over Treatment vs. Surveillance for Screen-Detected Prostate Cancer

In October, The New England Journal of Medicine published a case vignette focusing on a 61-year-old man with prostate cancer. Two physicians—Anthony Victor D’Amico, MD, PhD, chief of Genitourinary Radiation Oncology at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, and Freddie Hamdy, FRCS(Urol.), FMedSci, of the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Oxford—present evidence on the appropriate clinical care approach. NEJM readers can cast their vote on which direction they would take based on the two essays. Read More

Could Shared Decision Making Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Prostate Cancer Screening?

The efficacy of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in reducing prostate cancer (PCa) mortality remains a matter of debate. Nonetheless, some racial and ethnic minority groups—particularly Black and Hispanic men—are less likely to receive prostate cancer screening and treatment. This discrepancy, in turn, may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in PCa outcomes, including higher mortality rates. Read More

Why Do Some Patients Respond Better to Immunotherapy Than Others?

Immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has been a life-changing advance for a subset of people with cancer, but additional research is needed to learn how to make these treatments more broadly effective and longer lasting. A team led by scientists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has published a paper revealing new details about the tumor characteristics that facilitate a strong clinical response to these drugs. Read More

Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center Presenters: ASTRO Annual Meeting 2023

Radiation oncology conference 2023

The 2023 ASTRO Annual Meeting – the leading meeting in radiation oncology is holding its annual conference October 1-4. Several leaders from Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center will present their latest research and clinical advancements in their particular areas of expertise in radiation oncology. Read More

World-Class Sarcoma Treatments by Multidisciplinary Team at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center

Multidisciplinary cancer care is crucial for uncommon and complex diseases like sarcomas, and very few cancer centers can provide the level of expert care that Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center can. That is because Dana-Farber Brigham has invested heavily in its clinical and research infrastructure, building a team of specialized physician-scientists and other sarcoma-focused clinicians who work closely together to provide outstanding care and drive life-changing research advances. Read More

Clinic Screens High-Risk Patients to Reduce Incidence of Anal Cancer

HSIL pathology slide

A Brigham clinic offers high-resolution anoscopy to screen for anal dysplasia in people at increased risk of anal cancer due to HPV infection, HIV status, and other factors. Co-founders James Yoo, MD, and Jennifer A. Johnson, MD, explain their mission to reduce the incidence of anal cancer in high-risk populations.

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Stark Differences Found in Hospital-level Patterns of Nonoperative Management for Low-risk Thyroid and Kidney Cancers

A growing set of low-risk cancers, including early-stage thyroid and kidney cancers, is associated with excellent outcomes regardless of management strategy. Given the risks associated with overtreatment of these cancers, it follows that many patients should be treated nonoperatively. Read More

SSO 2023 International Conference on Surgical Cancer Care Presenters

The Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) is holding its annual International Conference on Surgical Cancer Care in Boston on March 22-25.

Several leaders in surgical oncology from Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center will present their latest research and clinical advancements in breast cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, and more. Read More

Delay in Salvage Therapy Increases Risk of Death for Some Prostate Cancer Patients

Study led by Anthony Victor D'Amico, MD, PhD, chief of Genitourinary Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center.

A recently approved and widely adopted imaging study that improves detection of prostate cancer recurrence in patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy is having an unintended effect of delaying potentially life-saving salvage treatment with radiation and androgen deprivation therapy, according to a study led by Anthony Victor D’Amico, MD, PhD, chief of Genitourinary Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center.

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