Dave Linn, co-founder of Cycle for Survival, talked about his wife, Memorial Sloan-Kettering patient Jennifer Goodman Linn, whose tireless efforts to raise awareness for rare cancers led to the establishment of one of the world’s fastest-growing athletic fundraising events. Cycle for Survival has raised more than $12 million in support of lifesaving research on rare cancers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
Esquire Magazine named Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Paul Chapman as one of the 77 reasons to celebrate in 2011 for his work with the drug vemurafenib. In clinical trials for treating melanoma, the drug proved so successful that the trial was halted early, so all patients could benefit from the therapy.
Memorial-Sloan Kettering’s Carol Aghajanian discussed a study that showed that for women with advanced cases of ovarian cancer, the drug Avastin adds about four months to the time it takes for the cancer to worsen.
Through a partnership with Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Immigrant Health & Disparities Service, the Food Bank for NYC has been able to link hospitals with local food pantries to ensure that people fighting cancer have the necessary food to help win the battle.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Clifford Hudis discussed advances in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment since President Richard Nixon declared a “war on cancer” 40 years ago.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering biostatistician Ann Zauber commented on the phrase, “war on cancer,” which was declared 40 years ago when President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act. Dr. Zauber said we are winning the war and she likes the metaphor.
A grateful father was inspired to donate peripheral blood stem cells for a sick child after an anonymous donor saved the life of his own son, who received a bone marrow transplant at Memorial Sloan-Kettering when he was just 14 months old. Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Richard O’Reilly was interviewed.
Painful rashes and other skin-related side effects of newer targeted cancer drugs may increase treatment costs, according to a recent study published by Memorial Sloan-Kettering dermatologist Mario Lacouture.
Epidemiologist Elena Elkin discussed a study that found that Mexican women in the US are less likely to get mammograms than white women, black women and other Latinas.
Breast imaging radiologist Elizabeth Morris commented on the limitations of mammography in this article about nuclear physicist Dr. Edward Flynn, who was inspired by his wife’s cancer to create a better procedure.
Dr. Julie Silver, a breast cancer survivor, co-founded a company to help hospitals and rehab centers tailor rehab programs to cancer patients. Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Michael Stubblefield discussed Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Rehabilitation Service, which has grown from two therapists to 18 as its focus has broadened to address the comprehensive rehab needs of cancer patients.
Mark Teixeira of the New York Yankees paid a special holiday visit to the Department of Pediatrics. Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Richard O’Reilly was interviewed.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s David Straus discussed an editorial he wrote in response to a study that found that patients with early stages of Hodgkin lymphoma would benefit from chemotherapy alone because adding radiation leads to higher death rates.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Clifford Hudis commented on studies presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that showed that two new combinations of drugs significantly slowed the progression of tumors among women fighting metastatic breast cancer. Larry Norton also commented on the studies in The Washington Post.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering researcher Behfar Ehdaie discussed findings that showed that hormone-targeted therapy cuts the overall risk of death for men with aggressive prostate cancer.
Memorial-Sloan Kettering’s Andrew Zelenetz discussed maintenance therapy. Typically, cancer treatments are administered for a limited time to stabilize a cancer and its symptoms or to put it into remission, and treatment resumes only if the cancer gets worse or comes back. Maintenance therapy fights off any cancer cells that might remain in the body after the initial therapy.
Immunologist James Allison answered questions about the immunotherapy drug he developed, called ipilimumab (Yervoy™), approved by the FDA in March for patients with metastatic melanoma.
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Lloyd Old, internationally recognized as one of the founders and standard bearers of the field of tumor immunology, died on November 28. Immunologist and colleague James Allison commented on his passing in The Scientist.
