Cancer is defined by where it starts and not by where it spreads. Where it starts helps determine how it’s treated and even the way people refer to it, such as with lung cancer, breast cancer or kidney cancer, to name a few. Even if cancer cells spread to other parts of the body – called metastatic disease – cancer is still treated based on where it first occurred.
But sometimes, the origin of metastatic cancer isn’t known. This...
From Marie Curie’s discovery of radium that eventually lead to radiation therapy, to the pioneering work in chemotherapy by Jane Cooke Wright...
Can immunotherapy treat breast cancer? For certain patients, the answer is yes.
Two immunotherapy drugs — atezolizumab and pembrolizumab...
The immune system defends the body from viruses and bacteria. But it’s not as successful in killing cancer on its own. Immune checkpoint inhibitors – a type of immunotherapy – harness the immune system to treat many types of cancers, including colorectal cancer.
“They work by blocking signals in a tumor that stop the immune system from working,” says Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D. By preventing these signals, checkpoint inhibitors allow...
The COVID-19 vaccines mark the first widespread use of mRNA technology. They work by using synthetic genetic code to instruct the patient’...
For some patients with non-small lung cancer, chemotherapy isn’t the most effective treatment option. But based on a tumor’s molecular profile...
We’ve all felt uncertain at times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Do I have the coronavirus? Should I get tested? Do I need to quarantine?
Holiday celebrations look a lot different this year because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It’s a difficult time for everyone, but...
Multiple myeloma is a cancer that develops in a type of white blood cell called plasma cells. Normally, these cells help us make antibodies...
B-cell lymphoma isn’t one disease. There are about 63 subtypes, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) being the most common. A chemotherapy...