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Press Releases

2005

• December 28, 2005
  Study suggests way to re-energize immune response to chronic viral infection

  Like boxers wearied by a 15-round bout, the immune system's CD8 T cells eventually become "exhausted" in their battle against persistent viral infection, and less effective in fighting the disease. read more

• December 27, 2005
  Blacks' lower rate of lung cancer surgery not just due to access to care issues

  Even when they have equal access to specialized care, blacks with potentially curable lung cancer are about half as likely as whites to undergo surgery that could save their lives, according to a study by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers. read more

• December 13, 2005
  Dana-Farber enters the "next frontier" in cancer research by creating proteomics center with $16.5 million gift from Jack and Shelley Blais

  With a landmark $16.5 million gift from John F. (Jack) and Shelley Blais of Framingham, Mass., Dana-Farber will establish a world-class protein research facility, the Blais Proteomics Center, where the study of cellular proteins marks the "next frontier" in cancer research. read more

• December 8, 2005
  Low-dose chemotherapy plus antiangiogenesis drug has activity in advanced breast cancer

  Chemotherapy given in low, frequent doses—a novel strategy called "metronomic" delivery—achieved partial shrinkage of disease in some advanced breast cancer patients when given concurrently with an angiogenesis inhibitor, report researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. read more

• November 29, 2005
  DF/HCC-UMass Boston partnership to focus on health disparities and cancer research

  The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) and the University of Massachusetts Boston have received a five-year, $4.3-million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a strategy to reduce health disparities in Boston neighborhoods and help further diversify the region's biomedical leadership through new research and training projects. read more

• November 29, 2005
  Dana-Farber launches new Web site design

  Four years after introducing a Web site that has won more than a handful of prestigious awards, Dana-Farber has launched a complete redesign of its Web site that will offer visitors a quicker, more efficient way to learn about Dana-Farber and its services. read more

• November 22, 2005
  Janet Porter named Dana-Farber executive vice president and chief operating officer

  Janet Elaine Porter, an associate dean at the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health, has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer at Dana-Farber. read more

• November 16, 2005
  It's never too late to quit smoking

  There is never a bad time to stop smoking, but there is no time like the present to quit. November is Lung Cancer Awareness month, and with the holiday season approaching, quitting smoking is the best gift smokers can give themselves, their families and their friends. read more

• November 14, 2005
  Compound from marine bacteria shows potential as multiple myeloma therapy

  An anti-cancer compound derived from bacteria dwelling in ocean-bottom sediments appears in laboratory tests to be a potent killer of drug-resistant multiple myeloma cells, and potentially with less toxicity than current treatments, report Dana-Farber researchers in the November issue of Cancer Cell. read more

• November 3, 2005
  New medical director named for Dana-Farber Blum Family Resource Center Van program

  Dana-Farber has named Jacques Carter, MD, MPH, as the medical director of the Gillette Company Community Prostate Cancer Screening and Education Program operated out of the Dana-Farber Blum Family Resource Center Van read more

• November 1, 2005
  November is National Marrow Awareness Month

  Every 15 minutes someone in the United States is diagnosed with a medical condition that requires treatment with a blood stem cell or bone marrow transplant. November is National Marrow Awareness month, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is encouraging people to help save lives by registering to be a potential donor. read more

• October 26, 2005
  Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center team to demonstrate multidisciplinary treatment for breast cancer during Webcast

  A Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) treatment team will use a Webcast on Thursday, Oct. 27, to demonstrate to viewers their multidisciplinary approach to treating breast cancer. This approach will show how DF/BWCC brings together pathology, radiology, surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology to treat breast cancer. read more

• October 25, 2005
  Despite rarity of errors in chemotherapy orders, improvements still needed, study finds

  In one of the first studies to examine chemotherapy errors in ambulatory care for cancer patients, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer and Brigham and Women's have found that about three percent of chemotherapy orders in three outpatient infusion clinics studied contained mistakes. Most of the errors were intercepted by nurses and pharmacists before reaching patients, and none were life-threatening or caused patient harm; but the results show that room for improvement exists even in hospitals with strong error-prevention programs, the authors say. read more

• October 19, 2005
  Herceptin treatment lowers recurrence rate in early breast cancer

  The targeted drug trastuzumab, or Herceptin, previously shown to prolong survival in advanced breast cancer, dramatically reduced the chances of recurrence in patients with early-stage disease when given for one year following standard chemotherapy. read more

• October 12, 2005
  Double trouble: Cells with duplicate genomes can trigger tumors

  Abnormal cell division that yields cells with an extra set of chromosomes can initiate the development of tumors in mice, researchers at Dana-Farber have shown, validating a controversial theory about cancer causation put forth by a scientific visionary nearly 100 years ago. read more

• September 28, 2005
  Failure of PSA levels to fall in prostate cancer patients may lead to poor outcomes

  Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber examined a diagnostic tool that had not previously been studied — prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir — the lowest PSA level achieved after treatment for prostate cancer. (PSA is a protein whose levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer.) read more

• September 22, 2005
  For patients from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

  Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have disrupted the lives of countless Americans, including those being treated for cancer. For those patients who were following a Dana-Farber protocol, or for those who would like to transfer their care to Dana-Farber, we have designated a dedicated staff member to take your call and help you receive the care you need. read more

• September 19, 2005
  Study finds Tarceva® benefits older lung cancer patients

  The tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib (Tarceva®) showed encouraging activity with relatively tolerable side effects in elderly, previously untreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), reports a team led by investigators from Dana-Farber. read more

• August 25, 2005
  Attacks of King George III's madness linked to key metabolism molecule

  Dana-Farber researchers say they have uncovered a molecular explanation for the episodic attacks of irrational and demented behavior in porphyria, the disease believed to have afflicted "Mad" King George III, the British ruler blamed for the loss of the American colonies in the Revolutionary War. read more

• August 23, 2005
  New England Patriots practice facility renamed the "Dana-Farber Field House"

  The New England Patriots, in conjunction with Dana-Farber, recently announced that the team's indoor training facility will be named the "Dana-Farber Field House," thanks to the generosity of Dana-Farber Trustee Jack Blais. read more

• August 22, 2005
  Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute host 5th P.A.R.T. Golf Classic, Sept. 12

  MASHPEE, Mass. — A day of golf on a beautiful course, a delicious dinner, and the chance to bid on exciting items constitute a perfect day for many. That is exactly what will happen on Monday, Sept. 12, at the 5th Annual P.A.R.T (Prostate Awareness for Research and Treatment) Golf Classic at the Willowbend Golf Club in Plymouth, Mass. learn more

• August 17, 2005
  Two designer drugs hit same lung cancer target, but only one is effective

  Two designer cancer drugs differed dramatically in a laboratory test comparing their ability to shut down a mutant, overactive growth signal in lung cancer cells, reports a team headed by scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. read more

• August 15, 2005
  Lung cancer can strike anyone, but smokers at greatest risk

  The recent death of television news anchor Peter Jennings and Dana Reeve's diagnosis have put lung cancer in the national spotlight. This increased attention, cancer experts hope, will spur greater public awareness of the disease's causes and symptoms, leading to a reduction in lung cancer deaths. read more

• August 8, 2005
  Individual effort makes a difference: Dana-Farber president discusses the role the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge plays in helping patients with cancer

  The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, the annual bicycling fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund that held its 26th ride this summer, has benefited cancer patients and their families in ways that go far beyond the laboratory and the clinic. read more

• July 21, 2005
  Researchers earn federal grant for HIV/AIDS vaccine immunology work

  Four Harvard Medical School faculty – including Dana-Farber's Joseph Sodroski, MD – will serve in leadership roles within the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), a virtual consortium of universities and academic medical centers established last week by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. read more

• July 22, 2005
  Make a Splash! 10th annual Boston Harbor Islands Swim

  Swim Across America is looking for swimming enthusiasts to dive into Boston Harbor on Friday, July 22, to benefit cancer research. Or, they may take part in either a one-mile competition or a half-mile recreational swim at Nantasket Beach the following day, Saturday, July 23. read more

• July 14, 2005
  Subtle changes in normal genes implicated in breast cancer

  Using a super-efficient method they invented to search for a type of cancer-related change in all genes of a cell, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have discovered new evidence about how the "microenvironment" of breast cancers helps drive the cancers' growth and migration. read more

• July 8, 2005
  U.S.News & World Report ranks Dana-Farber as New England's top cancer hospital

  

  For the fifth straight year, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has been rated the top cancer hospital in New England and the fourth best in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. read more

• July 6, 2005
  Scientists identify novel gene driving the growth and survival of melanoma cells

  A team of researchers led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered a genetic abnormality in the cells of some advanced melanoma patients that worsens their chances of survival, but also might be a target of future drug attack against the dangerous skin cancer. read more

• July 1, 2005
  DNA-scanning technology finds possible sites of cancer genes in chromosomes of lung cancer cell

  With equipment designed to probe the smallest segments of the genetic code, researchers at Dana-Farber and collaborating institutions have found something much larger: sections of the chromosomes of lung cancer cells where cancer-related genes may lurk. read more

• June 28, 2005
  Dana-Farber offers tips to reduce grilling-related cancer risks

  Meat sizzling on the grill may tempt your taste buds, but all that barbecuing may be cooking up cancer-causing chemicals, warn experts at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. read more

• June 27, 2005
  High-powered gene profiles provide new clues to genes involved in common form of lung cancer

  Using technology that makes it possible to zoom in on smaller sections of cell chromosomes than ever before, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified nearly 100 chromosome regions where genes are either over-copied or missing in non-small cell lung cancer. read more

• June 17, 2005
  Trial results support earlier use of new myeloma drug

  Final results of a large Phase III trial in relapsed multiple myeloma patients show that bortezomib, or Velcade, clearly outperformed a standard drug therapy for patients with relapsed myeloma and now warrants further testing as initial therapy for the blood disease, say researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. read more

• June 15, 2005
  Dana-Farber attains nation's highest honor for nursing excellence; first cancer center in New England to earn Magnet recognition

  Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has earned the prestigious Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the highest institutional honor awarded for nursing excellence. Dana-Farber is the only cancer center in New England - and one of fewer than 150 hospitals worldwide - to earn the distinction. read more

• June 9, 2005
  MicroRNA study opens potential revolution in cancer diagnosis

  Despite significant progress in understanding the genetic changes in many different cancers, diagnosis and classification of tumor type remain, at best, an imperfect art. This could change quickly, thanks to the recent findings of a group of researchers. read more

• June 9, 2005
  Dana-Farber marks 1,000th unrelated blood stem cell transplant

  Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in partnership with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Children's Hospital Boston, recently marked its 1,000th unrelated blood stem cell transplantation procedure, making it the first in New England – and one of only a few nationally – to achieve this milestone. read more

• June 2, 2005
  Novel combination overcomes drug-resistant multiple myeloma cells

  A novel strategy devised by Dana-Farber scientists has proved highly effective in killing drug-resistant multiple myeloma cells in the laboratory and could open a new form of attack on the deadly blood cancer, they report. read more

• May 27, 2005
  New program seeks to reduce cancer's impact in minority and underserved populations

  Dana-Farber staff members are helping launch a community-based program aimed at reducing cancer disparities in minority and underserved populations through prevention and early detection efforts. read more

• May 20, 2005
  Visit by Red Sox legends DiMaggio, Doerr and Pesky honors friend, teammate's memory

  More than 50 years after they helped spread the word about Dana-Farber in its earliest days, Boston Red Sox legends Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky returned to the Institute last week to honor both a friend treated here and the memory of their late teammate Ted Williams. read more

• May 17, 2005
  Aspirin use may protect against colon cancer recurrence, reduce risk of death

  Colon cancer patients who took aspirin regularly fared better after surgery, reducing their risk of disease recurrence and death by half compared to non- users, researchers reported today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. read more

• May 17, 2005
  Test predicts risk of blood clot in women receiving tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer

  New research findings may help physicians determine which women have an increased risk of blood clot when taking tamoxifen for the management of breast cancer, a team led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators recently reported. read more

• May 17, 2005
  Exercise reduces risk of recurrence and death in early stage colon cancer patients

  Patients treated for early stage colon cancer fared significantly better if they exercised regularly at the level of an hour's walk six times a week, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. read more

• May 17, 2005
  Breast tumor's biological traits guide hormone therapy

  The characteristics of an individual patient's breast cancer can help physicians choose the most effective treatment sequence with tamoxifen and the newer aromatase inhibitors, according to a study led by researchers from Dana- Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. read more

• May 16, 2005
  Moderate alcohol use linked to increase in breast cancer risk

  Postmenopausal women who consume even moderate amounts of alcohol may face an increased risk of breast cancer, particularly if their cancer is fueled by the hormones estrogen or progesterone. read more

• May 16, 2005
  New targeted therapy helps patients once Gleevec fails in gastrointestinal cancer

  Patients with a digestive-tract cancer known as Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) whose disease progresses after successful treatment with the drug Gleevec™ (Imatinib) can significantly slow the disease and prolong their survival by taking the new targeted oral drug called SU11248, according to a recent report. read more

• May 16, 2005
  Drug combination boosts survival rate in head and neck cancers

  Adding a third drug to a standard chemotherapy combination can dramatically improve the survival of patients with advanced head and neck cancer, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. read more

• May 13, 2005
  Bruce Johnson, MD, to discuss advances in cancer research during online chat, May 19

  Dana-Farber's Bruce Johnson, MD, will be the featured expert during an online chat at People Living With Cancer (www.plwc.org), on May 19, from 2-3 p.m. read more

• May 12, 2005
  Dana-Farber offers tips to help reduce the dangers of skin cancer and melanoma

  As the weather grows warmer, New Englanders' thoughts turn to enjoying the sunshine and outdoor activities. Dana-Farber physicians and nurses are encouraging people to be aware of the dangers of overexposure to the sun and to practice sun safety. read more

• April 27, 2005
  Dana-Farber President emeritus David G. Nathan, MD, to receive prestigious George M. Kober Medal

  Dana-Farber President emeritus David G. Nathan, MD, is to receive the most distinguished award in academic internal medicine, the George M. Kober Medal, from the Association of American Physicians, the association has announced. read more

• April 4, 2005
  Scientists find molecular pathway suspected in precancerous stomach lesions

  Researchers at Dana-Farber have identified a chain of molecular signals that generate the specialized lining of the stomach during fetal development, a discovery that could lead to better diagnosis, treatment and prevention of stomach and esophageal cancer in adults. read more

• April 1, 2005
  Stanley J. Korsmeyer, MD, renowned cancer biologist, mentor, and colleague passes away at 54

  Stanley J. Korsmeyer, MD, a scientific leader at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute whose landmark discoveries about why cancer cells survive opened a promising new avenue for cancer treatment, died on March 31. A non-smoker, he died of lung cancer at 54 read more

• March 29, 2005
  Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber discover cause of several incurable bone marrow malignancies

  Using an Internet strategy to rapidly collect blood and tissue samples from far- flung patients, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Dana- Farber Cancer Institute have identified the cause of three related cancers of the bone marrow called myeloproliferative diseases (MPD). read more

• March 7, 2005
  Massachusetts hospitals join together to improve care and reduce errors

  Dana-Farber was one of the first healthcare organizations to participate in an ambitious program to improve patient safety in the state's 105 hospitals. read more

• February 28, 2005
  March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

  This year, more than an estimated 145,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and another 56,000 likely will die from the disease. Although it is highly treatable when caught early, only one out of three Americans at risk for developing colorectal cancer will be regularly screened for it. read more

• February 22, 2005
  How often should women get mammograms?

  Researchers at Dana-Farber have devised a mathematical tool that predicts how the frequency of mammograms affects the number of lives saved by detecting breast cancers at an earlier stage. read more

• February 17, 2005
  National Cancer Institute director outlines ambitious goals during Dana-Farber visit

  In a visit to Dana-Farber earlier this month, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, gave a panoramic view of research initiatives pointed toward his announced goal of eliminating suffering and deaths from cancer by 2015. read more

• February 14, 2005
  Study finds new designer drug is potent treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia

  A laboratory study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has shown that a potent and highly selective therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) may ultimately be more effective than Gleevec®, the current standard of care. The researchers report in the February issue of Cancer Cell that the new compound, AMN107, is about 20 times more potent than Gleevec and is effective in treating Gleevec-resistant disease in model systems. Discovered by and in development with Novartis Pharma AG, AMN107 is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor. read more

• February 7, 2005
  Congratulations to Robert and Myra Kraft and the New England Patriots

  The staff and patients of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute heartily congratulate the Kraft family and the New England Patriots on their outstanding Super Bowl win. read more

• February 2, 2005
  New Hampshire Oncology-Hematology, Dana-Farber announce affiliation

  New Hampshire Oncology-Hematology, PA, a regional group practice serving patients in Concord, Hooksett, Laconia, Exeter and Derry, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced an affiliation agreement today at a press conference in Manchester. read more

• February 2, 2005
  Blocking cell signaling can stymie viral infections, study shows

  In a finding that represents an entirely new approach to treating viral diseases such as smallpox, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and collaborating institutions have shown that infections can be stymied by interfering with signals used by viruses to reproduce in human cells. read more

• January 27, 2005
  Scientists discover molecular "switch" in liver that triggers harmful effects of saturated and trans fats

  Dana-Farber researchers have identified a molecular mechanism in the liver that explains, for the first time, how consuming foods rich in saturated fats and trans-fatty acids causes elevated blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and increases one's risk of heart disease and certain cancers. read more

• January 25, 2005
  Communication between primary-care physicians and patients can reduce medication-related problems, study suggests

  Primary-care physicians who encourage their patients to let them know about bothersome side effects of prescribed medications — and who address such problems promptly — can reduce the chances that patients will be harmed by the medications, according to a new study by researchers in Boston. read more

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