Press Releases
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June 27, 2008
Researchers identify promising cancer drug target in prostate tumorsScientists at Dana-Farber report they have blocked the development of prostate tumors in cancer-prone mice by knocking out a molecular unit they described as a "powerhouse" that drives runaway cell growth. read more
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June 25, 2008
Dana-Farber launches national cancer education initiativeDana-Farber is launching a national continuing medical education (CME) course to bring the latest science and guidelines to community and sub-specialist oncologists engaged in patient care. read more
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June 23, 2008
Get the grill going! But beware of what may be sizzling over the flamesWhile the wonderful aroma of your favorite foods on the grill can make your mouth water, there are some caveats you should know before you dig in. read more
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June 19, 2008
Study links vitamin D to colon cancer survivalPatients diagnosed with colon cancer who had abundant vitamin D in their blood were less likely to die during a follow-up period than those who were deficient in the vitamin, according to a new study by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. read more
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June 4, 2008
Family history predicts better outcome in colorectal cancerResearchers at Dana-Farber have uncovered a cancer paradox: A family history of colon or rectal cancer doubles one's risk of the disease — but improves the odds of survival should the cancer develop. read more
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May 30, 2008
Study suggests chemotherapy diminishes fertility in breast cancer patientsPre-menopausal breast cancer survivors who were treated with chemotherapy following surgery were more likely to have diminished ovarian reserve compared to women who have never had breast cancer, according to a study led by Dana-Farber investigators. read more
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May 30, 2008
Black and Hispanic women less likely than white women to receive follow-up radiation for early breast cancer, study showsBlack and Hispanic women are less likely than white women to receive the radiation therapy routinely prescribed following surgery for early breast cancer, according to a study by Dana-Farber researchers. read more
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May 30, 2008
Smokers with advanced colon cancer may face higher odds of disease recurrencePeople with advanced colon cancer who have smoked cigarettes or used other tobacco products for many years may have an increased risk that their colon cancer will return, according to research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists. read more
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May 30, 2008
Black patients with terminal cancer more likely to choose aggressive care at end of life, study showsBlack patients with advanced cancer were more likely than whites to die in a hospital intensive care unit, reflecting a greater preference among blacks for life-extending treatment even in the face of a terminal prognosis, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. read more
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May 28, 2008
Dana-Farber pediatric oncologist selected as Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigatorDavid Pellman, MD, a pediatric oncologist at Dana-Farber and Children's Hospital Boston, is one of 56 scientists just selected as an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a non-profit medical research organization that ranks as one of the nation's largest philanthropies. read more
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May 21, 2008
President Benz issues statement about Senator Kennedy"Senator Kennedy has long been a warrior for better health care for all Americans, and we have all benefited from his dedication and unrelenting commitment to this ideal. We now stand with him as he faces this next, more personal battle." read more
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May 8, 2008
Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz Jr., MD, speaks at U.S. Senate hearing on latest phase of the war on cancerTestifying today at a U.S. Senate Committee hearing on federal priorities for the fight against cancer, Dana-Farber President Edward J. Benz, Jr., MD, urged legislators to view cancer research through the widest possible prism. read more
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May 6, 2008
Cells lining milk ducts hold key to spread of common form of breast cancer, study findsWhen a form of cancer that begins in the milk ducts of the breast invades neighboring tissue to spread to other parts of the body, the cause lies not in the tumor cells themselves but in a group of abnormal surrounding cells that cause the walls of the duct to deteriorate like a rusty pipe, according to a new study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers. read more
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May 2, 2008
Spring into sunny weather but stay sun safeAs the weather grows warmer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute physicians and nurses are encouraging people to be aware of the dangers of overexposure to the sun and to practice sun safety. read more
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April 18, 2008
Report describes first targeted therapy to produce remission of metastatic melanomaIn a demonstration that even some of the most hard-to-treat tumors may one day succumb to therapies aimed at molecular "weak points," researchers at Dana-Farber report the first instance in which metastatic melanoma has been driven into remission by a targeted therapy. read more
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April 17, 2008
Famed Ortiz "Yankee curse" jersey to be auctioned off to benefit Dana-Farber's Jimmy FundThe now famous David Ortiz replica Red Sox jersey that was chipped from beneath two feet of cement in the new Yankee Stadium is available for auction on eBay. The auction will benefit the Jimmy Fund, which supports adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. read more
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April 15, 2008
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts honors Dana-Farber with second annual Health Care Excellence AwardBlue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts announced today that Dana-Farber has been selected as recipient of its second annual Health Care Excellence Award. read more
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April 8, 2008
New data-handling technique finds genes to be team players in restraining brain cancer cell growthThe search for cancer genes is increasingly a matter of molecular "To Tell the Truth," as scientists seek to distinguish genes actually involved in the disease from those that are imposters. read more
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April 4, 2008
Lack of patient-provider discussion contributes to disparities in use of breast reconstruction after mastectomyIn a new study examining disparities in postmastectomy breast reconstruction, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber concluded that lack of patient-provider discussion may contribute to socioeconomic, age and race-related inconsistencies in the use of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. read more
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March 31, 2008
Study finds improvement in the care of children with cancer at the end of lifeExpanded use of palliative care services is associated with enhanced communications between families and caregivers, improved symptoms management, and better quality of life for children dying from cancer, according to study by researchers at Dana-Farber and Children's Hospital Boston. read more
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March 20, 2008
Scans spot hidden tumors in rare cancer syndromeResearchers at Dana-Farber report that full-body PET/CT scanning detected unsuspected, treatable tumors in 3 of 15 patients with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), a rare genetic cancer syndrome for which no screening tests have been recommended. read more
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March 19, 2008
National group selects Dana-Farber as palliative care learning labDana-Farber has been chosen as a "national learning lab" that other hospitals across the nation can consult with to improve their palliative (end-of-life) care programs. read more
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February 22, 2008
Another way to grow blood vessels: Scientists find alternate pathway to angiogenesisResearchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have found a previously unknown molecular pathway in mice that spurs the growth of new blood vessels when body parts are jeopardized by poor circulation. read more
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February 19, 2008
Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro pledge $27 million for state-of-the-art facilities and services to support cancer care at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer CenterOnce again demonstrating their commitment to improve healthcare and the fight against cancer, Carl J. and Ruth G. Shapiro have pledged $27 million to Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center in Boston to substantially upgrade and expand its facilities for cancer care services. read more
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February 19, 2008
Vaccine-and-antibody treatment shows effectiveness and milder side effects in advanced melanoma and ovarian cancer patientsOne of the shortcomings of a therapy that uses millions of identical antibodies to boost the immune system's attack on cancer cells is that many patients whose tumors recede in response to the treatment also experience serious inflammatory problems, such as severe diarrhea and rashes. In a new study, a team led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers shows that giving periodic infusions of such "monoclonal" antibodies to patients who have received a widely used cancer vaccine unleashes a strong immune response to tumors, with less-harsh side effects. read more
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February 13, 2008
Anxiety linked to overestimation of breast cancer risksElevated levels of anxiety may cause women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the most common form of non-invasive breast cancer, to overestimate their risk of recurrence or dying from breast cancer, suggests a study led by Dana-Farber researchers. read more
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February 12, 2008
Dana-Farber, Merck & Co. Inc. enter agreement to create "team" approach to cancer drug developmentIn an effort to improve the success rate of investigational cancer drugs entering clinical trials, the Center for Applied Cancer Science (CACS) of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Merck and Co., Inc., have established a collaboration to identify promising drug targets, and develop therapeutic candidates to reach those targets. read more
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January 11, 2008
New picture of HIV-1's protein jacket identifies attractive target for antibody-based vaccineBy coaxing the HIV-1 protein to reveal a hidden portion of its protein coat, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School have provided a newly detailed picture of how protective, or so-called broadly neutralizing, antibodies block HIV-1 infection. read more
