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Defibrotide, a novel drug which modulates the response of blood vessels to injury, was markedly more effective than standard treatment in post-stem cell transplant patients with hepatic veno-occlusive disease, a life threatening toxicity of transplant caused by blockages in tiny blood vessels of the liver, according to a study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists.

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NEW ORLEANS—A targeted drug that is active against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is particularly effective when teamed with chemotherapy in patients whose cancer cells harbor a key genetic mutation, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and their colleagues will report at the American Society of Hematology’s (ASH) annual meeting on Monday, Dec. 7 (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 343-345, 5:15 pm CT).

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A new report from leading health and cancer organizations shows national cancer rates continue to decline. Rates of new cases and deaths from all cancers decreased significantly from 1999 to 2006 for men and women and for most racial and ethnic populations in the United States.

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A drug that has become a mainstay of multiple myeloma treatment may outperform alternative therapies in re-establishing the immune system of patients who have received stem cell transplants from unrelated, partially matched donors, according to early clinical trial results to be presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators at the American Society of Hematology’s (ASH) annual meeting on Sunday, Dec. 6 (Abstract 48, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 243-245, 5:45 pm CT).

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A new three-drug combination has shown in a phase 1/2 clinical trial that it is a “highly effective regimen” in the treatment of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells in bone marrow, say researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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The immune system's T cells are both jury and executioner. How they shift from one role to another has been a mystery. Dana-Farber investigators report that when a T cell’s “receptors” lock onto antigens, parts of the receptors bend and signal the T cell to change from scanning to fighting mode.

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Adult survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk for suicidal thoughts, even decades after their cancer treatments ended, according to a study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists.

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The holidays are almost here and festive food is everywhere. “While these foods are delicious to eat, some have the added bonus of containing cancer-preventing nutrients,” says Stephanie Meyers, MS, RD/LDN, a nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

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Cancer cells fueled by the mutant KRAS oncogene are notoriously difficult to treat. But Dana-Farber and Broad Institute scientists report that by targeting the more easily inhibited “co-dependent” gene, TBK, they bypassed a head-on assault against the KRAS gene and killed the cancer cells.

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When it comes to end-of-life care for cancer patients, a new study shows blacks don’t get the treatment they prefer. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston say blacks who chose aggressive measures like DNR or a “do not resuscitate” order in hopes of prolonging life were three-times less likely to receive them than white patients with the same preference.

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New findings by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute find multiple myeloma cancer cells thwart many of the drugs used against them by causing nearby cells to turn traitor – to switch from defending the body against disease to shielding the myeloma cells from harm.

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A new study shows electronic prescribing not only prevents mistakes, but also helps to reduce health care costs.

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Computers help us in so many ways – from getting our office work done to brewing a pot of coffee. In the medical community, computers have helped doctors for years. Now, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston are working to see if computers can help patients physically and emotionally during treatment.

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It’s one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, but most women have never heard about it. It’s called inflammatory breast cancer. Doctors say the disease is a silent killer because unlike traditional breast cancer, patients don’t recognize the symptoms.

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The staff, faculty, trustees, and patients at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are mourning the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

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Two of the most powerful approaches to cancer treatment -- a stem cell transplant and an immune system-stimulating vaccine -- appear to reinforce each other in patients with an aggressive form of leukemia, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have found.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have uncovered the mechanism behind a promising new approach to cancer treatment: damaging cancer cells’ DNA with potent drugs while simultaneously preventing the cells from repairing themselves.

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During this tough economy, many people are having a difficult time making ends meet. For cancer patients, the financial burden can be crippling as they battle the disease. But a new program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston is matching volunteer financial coaches with patients to help ease their money woes.

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Regular use of aspirin after colorectal cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of cancer death, report investigators from Mass. General, Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women's. The study's authors also find that the aspirin-associated survival advantage was seen primarily in patients with tumors expressing the COX-2 enzyme, a characteristic of two-thirds of colorectal cancers.

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Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that they can engineer mouse and human cells to produce brown fat, a natural energy-burning type of fat that counteracts obesity. If such a strategy can be developed for use in people, the scientists say, it could open a novel approach to treating obesity and diabetes.

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The androgen receptor "“ a protein ignition switch for prostate cancer cell growth and division "“ is a master of adaptability. When drug therapy deprives the receptor of androgen hormones, thereby halting cell proliferation, the receptor manages to find an alternate growth route.

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Higher selenium levels in the blood may worsen prostate cancer in some men who already have the disease, according to a study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Francisco.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists' discovery of a cancer-causing gene "“ the first in its family to be linked to cancer "“ demonstrates how the panoramic view of genomics and the close-up perspective of molecular biology are needed to determine which genes are involved in cancer and which are mere bystanders.

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In a new study, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists disprove a century-old theory about why cancer cells often have too many or too few chromosomes, and show that the actual reason may hold the key to a novel approach to cancer therapy.

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The vast majority of advanced colon cancer patients in a clinical trial were not concerned about the cost of prescription drugs for managing chemotherapy side effects, such as infection, pain and nausea and few adopted strategies to reduce drug cost burdens after joining the clinical trial, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

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The combination of chemotherapies 5FU and oxaliplatin compared to 5FU alone after surgery for colon cancer decreases colon cancer recurrence and promotes longer survival for patients under 70 -- but not for those who are older, according to Mayo Clinic and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists who will present their findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting.

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A new blood test used in combination with a conventional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening sharply increases the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis, and could eliminate tens of thousands of unneeded, painful, and costly prostate biopsies annually, according to a study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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By combining the art of origami with nanotechnology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have folded sheets of DNA into multilayered objects with dimensions thousands of times smaller than the thickness of a human hair. These tiny structures could be forerunners of custom-made biomedical nanodevices that would deliver drugs directly into patients' cells.

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Is your sunscreen keeping you sun safe? Dana-Farber experts offer tips for protection from the sun. Sunscreen is an important first line of protection against sun exposure, but experts warn that some of the ingredients can lose their potency over time.

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In a new study of terminally ill cancer patients, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that those who draw on religion to cope with their illness are more likely to receive intensive, life-prolonging medical care as death approaches "“"“ treatment that often entails a lower quality of life in patients' final days.

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A survey of physicians has found broad support for the position that parents should not bank their newborns' umbilical cord blood in a private blood bank unless another member of the family is at risk for a blood disease that will require a stem cell transplant.

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A new study reveals that clinicians using electronic prescribing often override the alerts and rely instead on their own judgment. The study suggests that most clinicians find the current medication alerts more of an annoyance than a valuable tool. The authors conclude that if electronic prescribing is to effectively enhance patient safety, significant improvements are necessary.

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Tough economic times are causing many people to tighten the belt on personal finances. But trimming fat from the budget doesn't have to lead to an expanding waistline. Experts at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute offer the following free and low-cost strategies to help maintain good health as well as possibly reduce various cancer risks.

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A pair of proteins may help explain why people with surgically removed colorectal cancer and who are overweight, physically inactive, and follow a Western-pattern diet may have an increased risk of dying of the disease or other causes, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists report in a new study.

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This time of year offers a cornucopia of cancer fighting foods and many of them will end up on the dinner table this holiday season. Stephanie Meyers, RD, LDN, CNSD, a nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, says many foods are at their nutritional peak now so it's important to incorporate them into a healthy diet. The key, however, is to know what to look for and how to prepare it.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have identified a previously undetected trigger point on a naturally occurring "death protein" that helps the body get rid of unwanted or diseased cells. They say it may be possible to exploit the newly found trigger as a target for designer drugs that would treat cancer by forcing malignant cells to commit suicide.

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Despite the long-held belief by many doctors that discussing end-of-life issues with patients increases the patients' emotional distress, such conversations can actually lead to improved quality of life -- both for patients and their loved ones, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers and colleagues have found.

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Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S., but little is known about breast cancer in women in their early 40s and younger. Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, at Dana-Farber says young breast cancer patients have a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than older women and an increased risk of psychosocial distress at diagnosis and in follow-up.

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Doctors have long encouraged patients with diabetes to exercise regularly to help control their insulin levels and to maintain a healthy weight. Now, breast oncologists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston are studying the relationship between exercise, weight, and insulin levels and the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

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For parents with cancer, in addition to worrying about their own well-being, many will wonder about what to tell their children about their cancer and their treatment. To help address these and other concerns, Dana-Farber developed a free Web site that contains an array of information that was developed in consultation with oncology professionals and parents with cancer, as well as their children.

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An array of broken, missing, and overactive genes have been identified in a genetic survey of glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of adult brain cancer, report scientists from Dana-Farber and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The large-scale combing of the brain cancer genome confirms the key roles of some previously known mutated genes and implicates a variety of other genetic changes.

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Medulloblastoma, an aggressive childhood brain tumor, originates in normal brain "stem" cells that turn malignant when acted on by a known mutant oncogene, say Dana-Farber and the University of California, San Francisco researchers. The findings suggest that not all tumors may be born from the same cells.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is launching a national continuing medical education course to bring the latest science and guidelines to community and sub-specialist oncologists engaged in patient care. The course will combine online curriculum with live meetings.

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Patients 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.

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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute physicians and nurses are encouraging people when they are outside, whether they are spending a day at the beach or a few hours working in their yard, to be aware of the dangers of overexposure to the sun and to practice sun safety.

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When DCIS spreads beyond the breast's milk ducts, the cause lies not in the tumor cells but in a group of abnormal surrounding cells that cause the milk ducts' walls to deteriorate. The discovery may lead to screening tests to determine whether the disease is likely to spread beyond the ducts, based on genetic abnormalities in cells in the ducts' lining.

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Researchers at Dana-Farber and Memorial Sloan-Kettering describe a new algorithm for ranking abnormal genes according to their likelihood of contributing to a cancer. They also report that a gene identified by the algorithm as a likely restrainer of tumor growth does indeed play that role in a common type of brain cancer, and is not a mere "bystander" to another restrainer gene.

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Expanded 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 Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston.

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Dana-Farber researchers found that giving periodic infusions of anti-CTLA-4 antibodies to patients with advanced melanoma or ovarian cancer who have been immunized with a GVAX vaccine unleashes a strong immune response to tumors, with less-harsh side effects.

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Elevated 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 researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.