Understanding Cancer | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Cancer and other health conditions not only affect the body physically; they can also carry a major emotional impact. While the main focus for many patients is treating the cancer itself and its accompanying side effects, it’s also crucial to address your mental health. While there are many ways to do this, meditation and mindfulness can be effective tools. To learn more about a technique that’s practiced by millions of people worldwide, we talk with Patricia Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager for meditation and mindfulness at Dana-Farber’s Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living.

What is the number one cause of pancreatic cancer? What are the early warning signs of this disease? And how are researchers making progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer overall? In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we talk about some of the most common questions and myths about pancreatic cancer with Brian Wolpin, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcani, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

It's no secret: Cancer treatments are powerful. It’s also no secret that these drugs can also harm healthy cells in the body, which can lead to side effects. It’s not uncommon for patients to feel nauseous or experience a loss of appetite as a result of treatment. While there are medications you can take to address these symptoms, making dietary adjustments can also help. In this podcast, Dana-Farber nutrition specialist Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO, shares tips for patients.

Although scientists are still learning about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes, including the question of whether they heighten cancer risk, there’s also been a flurry of news reports about lung-related illnesses and deaths caused by vaping. There’s currently a controversial temporary ban on the sale of all vaping products in Massachusetts, and menthol cigarettes could be banned in the state as well. News outlets and social media sites also report widespread e-cigarette use by students in schools, including classrooms and bathrooms. Dr. Andy Tan, a researcher at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who is an expert in tobacco prevention and control, is here to tell us some fast facts about vaping, menthol cigarettes, vaping in youth, and what we know about the best cessation methods.

Caregivers play a vital role in helping cancer patients face the daily challenges of their diagnosis. While everyone’s needs may vary, caregivers are often asked to assist a patient with their meals. This help comes in many forms, from preparing a single dish to grocery shopping. No matter what you're asked to do, it’s important to make healthy, educated decisions that can effectively deliver the key nutrients a patient requires. But how do you know what to look for when reviewing a recipe or walking through the grocery store? While most good nutrition habits are universal, there are a few things to keep in mind when cooking or shopping for a cancer patient. For this episode, we sit down with Dana-Farber senior nutritionist Stacy Kennedy MPH, RD/LDN, CSO, who offers suggestions for caregivers. Visit www.dana-farber.org/nutrition for more information.

If you’ve ever thought about starting a diet, you're not alone. Studies suggest that more than 45 million Americans will attempt to diet every year. While it’s easy to find a regimen that claims you’ll lose weight and feel better, how do you know it’s safe or even good for you? The amount of misinformation about diets isn’t just confusing — it can be downright dangerous. For cancer patients and survivors, this is especially true. Patients who are on active treatment or have ended treatment have different nutritional needs than others. In this podcast, we address some of the most popular fad diets with Dana-Farber senior nutritionist Stacy Kennedy MPH, RD/LDN, CSO, from the keto diet to intermittent fasting. Plus, we get down to the heart of the matter: whether a patient on active treatment should even diet at all. For more information on all things nutrition, visit www.dana-farber.org/nutrition.

As of 2019, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States — but survival after diagnosis has been gradually increasing in the past decade due to advances in treatment. However, since 1994, cases of young-onset colorectal cancer have increased by 51 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. In March 2019, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center announced the launch of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, which focuses exclusively on the care of colorectal cancer patients under age 50, in an effort to address the alarming increase in rates among young adults. In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters, we interview Dr. Jeffrey Meyerhardt, clinical director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber. He answers common questions about treatment and research, family history, and ways you can reduce your risk, whether you’re a young adult or older.

Whether you're a cancer patient or not, what should you be paying attention to on the Nutrition Facts label found on packaged food and beverages in the United States? How you can take this information and adapt it to your specific needs? We dig into these questions and more with Stacy Kennedy MPH, RD/LDN, CSO, senior nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. For more information on nutrition for cancer patients and survivors, visit dana-farber.org/nutrition.

Why is nutrition so important, and what should cancer patients should keep in mind during and after treatment? With the help of Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD/LDN, CSO, senior nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we debunk a few nutrition myths and provide tips on what you can do to eat healthfully. During the episode, Kennedy discusses the benefits of working with a nutritionist. It’s important to note that she is referring to a licensed nutritionist or a registered dietitian with oncology experience. Patients should always make sure they’re working with a reputable practitioner who has undergone the proper academic training. If you are receiving treatment at Dana-Farber, your doctor’s scheduling office can book you a one-on-one visit with a nutritionist. Otherwise, you can search the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics’ website to find a licensed nutrition provider in your area: https://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert

Childhood cancer is rare, but when it happens, it usually brings up an endless stream of questions for parents. How did this happen? What will life be like for my child? In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we talk about some of the most common questions and myths about childhood cancer with Allison O’Neill, MD, Clinical Director of the Solid Tumor Program at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Center.

We all know sleep is important, but sometimes a good night of Z’s feels hard to come by. In today’s episode of Understanding Cancer from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we’ll talk about insomnia and some of its causes, and we’ll give a few tips on how to address the sleep issues that so many of us face.

We hear it all the time: Cancer is a battle, and patients have to fight in order to increase their chances of a good outcome. It’s a common message used in the media, the premise being that a person’s cancer can be eradicated if they are tough enough. But does this put the burden of healing on patients by turning them into winners and losers? Does it saddle those who aren’t doing well with the added guilt of not having fought hard enough? And how much does a person’s attitude really matter in the grand scheme of their cancer treatment? In this episode, we examine these question and more — plus some strategies for how patients, caregivers, and survivors can deal with mental health issues and emotional stress that can result from cancer treatment and survivorship — with Bill F. Pirl, MD, MPH, vice chair of psychosocial oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The search for new and better cancer treatments has resulted in some incredible discoveries in recent years. Immunotherapy, a kind of cancer therapy that harnesses the immune system to fight cancer, has monumentally changed the way that some cancers are treated. Chemotherapy and radiation have greatly improved. And researchers are working on bringing more treatment options to patients every single day. However, despite the many advances in cancer therapy, not all patients respond to these new treatments. Cancer treatments also often lead to side effects that may last for months to years after treatment. Given this, many cancer patients turn to alternative or complimentary therapies as potential cancer treatments or as ways to alleviate side effects. In this episode, we explore the evidence behind the use of alternative therapies in patients with cancer with Dr. Jennifer Ligibel, director of the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living. We also talk about the power of integrative therapies, which cancer patients can use enhance their quality of life during and after cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy has long been a mainstay of cancer treatment. Today, in the era of precision cancer medicine, there are newer treatments and chemotherapy that can “target” cancer cells more specifically. Researchers have also discovered the effectiveness of using chemotherapy drugs in conjunction with other drugs to pack a more powerful punch. To put it simply: Chemo is a lot better today than it used to be. Still, there’s a lot of misinformation surrounding this kind of cancer treatment. In this episode, we explore some of the most common myths and misconceptions with Clare Sullivan, MPH, BSN, OCN, clinical program manager for Patient Education at Dana-Farber.

Father and daughter Dennis Gorden and Becky Nutley can each tell you first-hand what a cancer diagnosis is like. Gorden was diagnosed with bladder cancer; Nutley has smoldering multiple myeloma. The two sat down together to share their experiences, including how they strengthened their support network and learned to cope with their diagnosis.

Cancer research is often geared toward finding new and effective treatments, but researchers are also constantly trying to pinpoint ways to find cancer in its early stages, when it is often more treatable and even curable. Incredible advancements have been made in early detection in recent years, but it can still be hard to sift through all of the facts and false information to figure out what you need to know. Today, we’ll address some common myths, misconceptions, and questions about early detection of cancer with two Dana-Farber experts: Dr. Brittany Bychkovsky and cancer genetic counselor Jill Stopfer.

Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer forms in the prostate, a gland located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum in males. In the United States, a man has a one in five chance of being diagnosed with this disease in his lifetime. But there are still a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding prostate cancer, including how it’s detected and how it’s managed and treated. Today with Dr. Mark Pomerantz, a medical oncologist in the Genitourinary Cancer Treatment Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we’ll go over some of those common myths and talk about the latest treatment options for prostate cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women, and as a result, there is an almost endless stream of information about the disease on the Internet and beyond. One fact we know is that early detection of breast cancer can often make the disease easier to treat, and in some cases, easier to cure. So what are some fast facts that everyone should know about breast cancer risk, and what are some common myths and misconceptions that just aren’t true? Today, we’ll tell you what you need to know with the help of two Dana-Farber experts: Dr. Brittany Bychkovsky and cancer genetic counselor Jill Stopfer.

Leukemia, a type of blood cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, is one of the most well-known types of cancer. In the case of leukemia, the bone marrow produces abnormal blood cells, suppressing the production of normal blood cells that help the body fight off infections. There are many different myths and misconceptions floating around about this cancer, which we address with the help of Daniel DeAngelo, MD, PhD, director of Clinical and Translational Research for the Adult Leukemia Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

For thousands of years, marijuana—also known by names such as pot or weed—has been used for medicinal purposes. A psychoactive drug, marijuana is an illegal drug under U.S. federal law; however, some have legalized medical and recreational marijuana on their own, including Massachusetts, the home state of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. So where does marijuana come into play when it comes to treating cancer? And can it help patients manage cancer? We dive into these questions, and other common questions, myths, and misconceptions about marijuana and cancer, with Ilana Braun, MD, chief of Adult Psychosocial Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Brain tumors are some of the most complex types of cancers that exist, requiring a multidisciplinary team of many specialists. There are two main types of brain tumors: primary brain tumors, which originate in the brain, and secondary brain tumors, also known as brain metastasis, which refers to a tumor that has spread to the brain from its area of origin. Today with Ugonma Chukwueke, MD, an oncologist in the Center for Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we break down some of the most common myths and misconceptions about brain tumors — whether you’re looking for information on how they start, what their signs and symptoms are, or how they’re treated.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

Listen to recordings of nutritionists and other experts discussing the relationship between diet and cancer. Each episode covers different nutritional topics such as foods to avoid and foods to explore, advice to help you lose weight, and tips on how to maintain weight during treatment. Nutritionists also discuss some of the latest myths and rumors about different foods and their relationship to cancer.

What should we eat, and what shouldn’t we eat? What keeps cancer patients healthy, and what can help fend off cancer in the first place? These are big questions, and it can be hard to tell the difference between a nutritional myth and a nutritional fact. “Superfood,” a relatively new term, refers to foods that have certain supposed very good health benefits. In this episode, Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, a senior clinical nutritionist in Nutrition Services at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, helps us uncover what the real deal is with these foods — and whether they can help cancer patients.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Meditation is a practice that can help us learn to be present in the moment and navigate life's challenges. Produced by Patty Arcari, PhD, RN, program manager of mindfulness and meditation at Dana-Farber's Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies, this audio meditation guide may be able to help you discover your inner peace.

Immunotherapy is a kind of treatment that has had stunning results in some patients with cancers like melanoma, lymphoma, and kidney cancer. Immunotherapy drugs empower the body’s immune system by enabling the body to fight cancer — an approach that can slow or halt cancer in certain patients. In our latest podcast series, The Science Behind Cancer, we dive into the basics of immunotherapy with the help of Osama Rahma, MD, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber’s Center for Immuno-Oncology. With Rahma’s help, we explore the different types of immunotherapy, who should be treated with it, how researchers are looking to further develop this treatment, and more.

No one wants to give their kids bad news, and it’s hard to imagine something worse than telling your kids you have cancer. For lymphoma survivors Gina Johnson and Connie Grayson, the challenge was greater — because they not only had their own kids to tell, but as teachers, they also had a school full of children to navigate. Every kid reacts differently to the news, as Johnson recounts her discussion with her children. “We sat down at the kitchen table and my daughter screamed hysterically,” recalls Gina. “But my son just sat there. ‘Is that it?’ he said.” For Connie, the discussion was complicated by the fact that she had recently lost her own father to melanoma.“ My daughter had lost her grandfather to cancer, and then her mother was diagnosed with cancer, too.” Grayson says. “She was very, very angry.” Using both humor and honesty, Gina and Connie were able to help their own kids manage their anger and fear, and to also help the many kids whose lives they touch at their schools.

Palliative care is an often misunderstood specialty, focused on providing support and pain management strategies to cancer patients throughout all stages of their illness. This approach, which can be blended into curative cancer therapy, focuses on care for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. But is it only for patients at end-of-life? And how does it differ from hospice care? In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters, we explore this common misconception and dive into how palliative care really works with James Tulsky, MD, chair of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at Dana-Farber.

Clinical trials are scientific studies in which new treatments — drugs, diagnostic procedures, and other therapies — are tested to determine if they are safe and effective for patients. Nearly all cancer drugs in use today were tested and made available to patients through clinical trials, making them a crucial component of cancer research. But what does it mean for a patient to enroll in a clinical trial? In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters, we break down common myths and questions about how these trials work with the help of Geoffrey Shapiro, MD, PhD, director of the Early Drug Development Center at Dana-Farber.

A cancer diagnosis can inspire many questions, one of the most common being, “How did I get this disease?” There are a host of different causes, and in many cases, researchers do not have a definitive answer. But is it possible for cancer to spread from person to person? In this episode of Cancer Mythbusters, we’ll tackle this question with the help of Dana-Farber's Ann S. LaCasce, MD, MMSc — and explore how to reduce the negative stigma that some cancer patients face as a result of their diagnoses.

Every time tobacco is inhaled, it creates conditions in the body almost ideally suited to the formation of cancer. So how do experts explain lung cancer in non-smokers — and what are the significant risk factors for lung cancer other than smoking? Geoffrey Oxnard, MD, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber’s Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, helps us get to the bottom of this, and other misconceptions about lung cancer and smoking, in the latest episode of Cancer Mythbusters.

Despite the fact that cancer survivorship is on the rise, it may seem that cancer is everywhere — and that there’s nothing we can do about it. But are we really powerless to stop certain cancers from coming our way? Or, at least, to lessen the chances of developing those cancers? With the help of Huma Q. Rana, MD, clinical director of Cancer Genetics and Prevention at Dana-Farber, we dive into our latest myth: there’s nothing you can do to lessen your chances of developing cancer.

Most breast lumps are not cancer. But many myths persist about the relationship between the two — including whether a woman can tell if a lump is cancer by the way it feels, and whether a small lump is less likely to be cancer than a large lump. With the help of Beth Overmoyer, MD, director of the inflammatory breast cancer program at Dana-Farber’s Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers, we debunk these myths and other common questions about breast lumps and cancer.

From 2016: Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, director of clinical research for Dana-Farber’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, discusses colorectal cancer prevention, including screening, risk factors, and ways to lower risk.

When Linda Solomon, a trained medical technologist, saw the results of her routine complete blood count in 2009, she knew it wasn’t good news. Solomon, then 61, was diagnosed with stage III multiple myeloma – and given three years to survive. Several rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, and eight years later, Solomon is still here, although life looks different than it did before. In the latest episode of Voices, Solomon recounts her treatment experience and coming to terms with a late-stage cancer. She is also joined by her husband, Alan, to talk about his caregiving experience and what life is like for them now.

Gabby Spear, a young, active mom, had never noticed a lump or pain before suddenly finding her breast cancer in November 2013, when she was 38. She was shocked. Hear Spear share what her treatment was like, how it affected her family, and how she talks about her BRCA-positive cancer with her two daughters.

Amy McHugh's daughter, Emily Coughlin, was a normal, active 4-year-old, until she started experiencing knee pain the ultimately led to a diagnosis of high-risk neuroblastoma. Listen as McHugh recalls what the experience was like for her and her family, and hear from Emily, now 11, what she remembers from her time in treatment.

When Mike Johnston felt a lump in his chest in 2009, he assumed it was a side effect of a high blood pressure medication. But after a routine doctor's visit, followed by a mammogram and ultrasound, Johnston's diagnosis was confirmed: He had male breast cancer. Hear Johnston reflect on his diagnosis and treatment, including how friends and family reacted to the news and why he has become such a big breast cancer advocate today.