Recent MSK Discoveries & Advances

Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers are relentlessly exploring every aspect of cancer — from basic investigations of cells and molecules to clinical trials of new treatments and population-wide studies of the disease. While our core mission is to translate this knowledge into new strategies to control cancer, many of our investigators are also making scientific progress against other diseases and conditions.

Below are some examples of discoveries and advances that recently were made in our laboratories and clinics, and featured in our news stories.

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378 News Items found
scan of mouse blood vessel
In the Lab
Surprising Discovery Connects Rare Vascular Disease to Cancer Gene

Researchers found that a common cancer gene called PIK3CA also causes the condition venous malformation. Their discovery has already pointed the way to targeted therapies for this rare and painful condition that affects one in 10,000 people.
Colored x-ray of lung cancer
In the Lab
New Lung Cancer Therapy May Target Previously Untreatable Tumors

Researchers are developing uses for a drug that could benefit many people with lung cancer.
Image of two sets of embryonic cells
In the Lab
The Dual Life of PTEN: Gene Mutations Contribute to Both Cancer and Birth Defects

MSK investigators have shown that a gene mutation linked to many kinds of cancer can also cause birth defects of the nervous system.
Doctor standing in front of a rainbow flag
Advocacy
Out in Front: Scientists and Activists Call for Recognition of LGBT Cancer Risks

How does being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender affect your risk of getting cancer? Good question.
A child has his eyes examined by an ophthalmic oncologist.
Q&A
Large Study of Retinoblastoma Survivors Identifies Extent of Medical Conditions Later in Life

The treatment that children receive for retinoblastoma can lead to health problems later in life. A new study documents their frequency and extent.
Pictured: Casper zebrafish
In the Lab
Studying Cancer Mysteries Just Beneath the Scales

Hail to the zebrafish. MSK scientists are using a small fish to answer some big questions about cancer.
Young man receiving chemotherapy.
Q&A
Meet the MSK Oncologist on a Quest to Cure Hodgkin Lymphoma with Fewer Long-Term Side Effects

MSK medical oncologist David Straus is looking for less-intensive treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer most commonly found in young adults.
This cross section of a mouse intestine shows dividing cells (stained white) in the epithelial layer of the intestine, which lines the organ. These proliferating cells help restore intestinal tissue after damage from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
In the Lab
Immune System Molecule Could Become New Treatment for Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Scientists are using a molecule from the immune system to combat this serious complication in a new way.
Illustration of DNA strands
In the Lab
Project GENIE Aims to Make Sense of Vast Amounts of Genomic Data

A multi-institutional effort led by MSK’s Charles Sawyers is seeking to interpret information about the genetic causes of cancer.
Microscopic image of spherical cluster of cells, most of them pink cells with a smaller number of blue ones.
Feature
Three Compelling Cancer Advances from 2015

MSK researchers moved cancer science ahead in 2015 with landmark discoveries that suggest new treatment strategies and shed light on how the disease progresses.