Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Our nurses' commitment to research was amply on display at this year's Nursing and Patient Care Services Scholarship Week, held this spring. Organized by the Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services, the event featured a virtual gallery of posters, presentations, and publications by interdisciplinary teams of nurse scientists, advanced practice and clinical oncology nurses, clinical specialists, nurse leaders, clinical inquiry specialists, pharmacists, and oncologists. The gallery included 80 published papers, 25 posters, 13 study abstracts, and five podium presentation slide decks. The studies and projects, in areas ranging from symptom science to clinical trial recruitment, reflected Dana-Farber nurses' role in scientific and clinical practice, with the central goal of improving patient care and outcomes. "The goal of Scholarship Week is to highlight the wonderful work of our teams in nurse-led original research studies and evidence-based practice/quality improvement projects," says Kayoll Gyan, PhD, RN, associate director of the Cantor Center. The event included a keynote presentation by Lichuan Ye, PhD, RN, professor of Nursing at Northeastern University Bouvé College of Health Sciences School of Nursing. Her talk was titled "Inquiries in Sleep Health: Opportunities to Support Cancer Patients and Their Families." The Excellence in Dissemination Award winners for the 2023 calendar year, selected by a peer-review panel in April 2024, are: Leadership/Education category: Teresa Mazeika, MSN, RN, OCN; Jacqueline Tuskan MSN, RN, OCN; Renee Abdella, MSN, AGCNS-BC, OCN, BMTCN; Janet Bagley, MS, RN, AOCNS, NEA-BC Clinical Practice category: Megan A. Corbett, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, OCN; Marylou Nesbitt, MS, RN, AOCN; Bridget Scullion, PharmD, BCOP; Donna-Marie "Dee" Lynch, MSN, FNP-BC; Mariana Castells, MD, PhD; Yun Man, PharmD, BCOP; Terri Jabaley, PhD, RN, OCN Evidence-Based Practice/Research category: Ijeoma Julie Eche-Ugwu PhD, MPH, FNP-BC, AOCNP, CPHON, BMTCN; Teri Aronowitz, PhD, APRN, FAAN; Alexandra Merz, BA; Elizabeth Broden, PhD, RN; Joanne Wolfe, MD, MPH; Angela M. Feraco, MD, MMSc Publications A tie between two submissions from the same first author working with different teams: Research category: Joosun Shin, PhD, RN, OCN, AGACNP-BC; Kord Kober, PhD; Melisa L. Wong, MD, MAS; Patsy Yates, AM, PhD, RN, FACN, FAAN; Christine Miaskowski, PhD, RN, FAAN Research category:  Joosun Shin, RN, MS; Kord Kober, PhD; Melisa L. Wong, MD, MAS; Patsy Yates, RN, PhD; Marilyn Hammer, RN, PhD; Yvette Conley, PhD; Jon D. Levine, MD, PhD; Christine Miaskowski, RN, PhD ✨ More: https://lnkd.in/eTbGxSHU

This Sarcoma Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting Vinayak Venkataraman, M.D., of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Venkataraman is one of the leaders of the Adolescent and Young Adult Sarcoma Program (AYA) at Dana-Farber. His expertise is caring for patients with bone and soft tissue sarcomas, specifically in supporting the physical, emotional, and socioeconomic needs of AYAs facing cancer. “AYAs face cancer at a critical time in their lives. They have unique, often unmet physical, emotional, social, and financial needs. I am very passionate about caring for young adults, especially those with sarcomas. I try to meet them where they are, listen to their stories, align our goals of treatment with their goals of life, and help them thrive. I am also interested in developing novel care models and leveraging novel technologies to improve our care for this unique and underserved population.” “I love being a cancer doctor. I love caring and advocating for patients and getting to know them over time as we work together to improve their health and achieve their goals and dreams. I care for patients as if they were my family,” says Dr. Venkataraman. To learn more about sarcoma, visit Dana-Farber's website. #SarcomaAwarenessMonth #SarcomaAwareness

A survey of nearly 50,000 cancer survivors has found that more than a quarter had a physical disability that impaired their mobility and almost 10% had a disability affecting self-care, Dana-Farber researchers report in a recent study. Both rates are sharply higher than those for adults who have not had cancer. If the findings are extended to the estimated 18.1 million cancer survivors in the U.S., they suggest that more than 5 million survivors have a mobility disability and 1.3 million have a self-care disability, according to the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The impact of such disabilities falls especially heavily on members of racial and ethnic minorities, underserved groups, and individuals with unhealthy lifestyles or other medical conditions. The study findings underscore the importance of developing ways to limit the long-term side effects of cancer treatment, and of the benefits of exercise to preserve physical function and ward off disability, researchers say. "The effects of cancer and its treatment can lead to a variety of physical limitations that impair people's quality of life and ability to care for themselves," says Chao Cao, PhD, MPH, first author of the study. "Even as the number of cancer survivors has grown, the prevalence and patterns of physical disabilities in this group have received little scientific attention. Our study is one of the first to examine this issue." Data for the study came from a nationwide survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that collected information on health-related risk behaviors and chronic medical conditions among U.S. adults. Researchers focused on data from 47,768 cancer survivors and 2.4 million adults without a history of cancer who participated in the survey. After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors and health conditions, the researchers found that 27.9% of survivors had a mobility disability compared to 13.4% among non-cancer adults. And 7.4% had a disability in self-care activities such as dressing or bathing, compared to 3.8% of non-cancer adults. Investigators also found different rates of disability within different groups of survivors. Female survivors, for example, were significantly more likely to report mobility problems than male survivors were. Mobility-related disabilities also were more common in non-Hispanic Blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanics than in non-Hispanic whites. Low educational attainment, low family annual income, being unmarried, having obesity, current smoking, being physically inactive, and having a chronic condition, were also associated with a higher prevalence of mobility disability among cancer survivors. "These results point to the need for prevention efforts targeted at groups more likely to experience cancer-related disability," says the study's senior author, Jennifer Ligibel, MD.   More: https://lnkd.in/gbueguXT

“There’s a critical moment in zombie movies," says Judith Agudo, PhD, a principal investigator in the Cancer Immunology and Virology Department at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "A bitten character has a chance to warn others before turning into a zombie. Cancer has a similar moment. Cells can send out alerts to the immune system before they become cancerous. But when this system fails, cancer forms.". Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6040lpNAE

We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Frederica M. Williams, FCIS (UK), MBA and Whittier Street Health Center this morning for a community meeting to discuss the Institute’s plans for our proposed new inpatient cancer hospital.

At the 2024 Annual Recognition Awards, the wide range of work that drives Dana-Farber excellence was on display. The staff recognized included people who are expanding Dana-Farber's outreach to underserved communities, supporting and mentoring research staff, managing the schedules of Institute leaders, and drafting guidelines for genetic testing, just to name a portion of their responsibilities. "We continue to build something truly special here,” President and CEO Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, told the staff who had gathered virtually to celebrate. “I am incredibly proud and grateful that we have all of you working together making Dana-Farber an even better place for our patients.” Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Officer Heidi Conway noted that Human Resources had a tough task this year of sorting through and narrowing down 209 nominations for 95 individuals for the awards. But she pointed out that it’s a good problem to have. The figure reflects the depth of talent and culture of gratitude at Dana-Farber. “The amount of magnificent work that is being done every day is overwhelming,” she said. Each award represents a core value of Dana-Farber's mission: impact, excellence, compassion and respect, discovery, and equity and inclusion. Departments honored ranged from pediatric palliative care to quality and patient safety, the cancer care equity program, and ambulatory clinical operations. Two new awards were added this year: The Discovery Award, honoring the spirt of innovation, and the Inclusion Diversity, Equity and Allyship Award, which celebrates those who embody inclusiveness and demonstrate allyship with patients, families, and colleagues. Congratulations to this year's recipients! 🌟 Administrative Support Professionals of the Year  amelia careghini, Carlie Hankard, Ariel Manning, Alexis Tice Manager of the Year  Ellen Casey-Magleby, Kim Craig, Maura Dacey, RN, Kimberley MacNeill Anne L. Levine Advocacy & Outreach Award  Tia Goodman & The Mammography Team (Nina Castilla, Luz Munguia-Hernandez, Joceneia Timas, Sujeila Trujillo) Community Service Award  Rachel Freedman, MD, MPH Discovery Award  Jason Pyrdol, Anna Revette, PhD Ed Benz People & Culture Award  David Jackman, MD, Deborah Toffler, MSW, LCSW Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship Award Gabrielle Ernst, MS, Diane Koeller, MS, MPH, CGC, Emerald Littlejohn, Minyu Denise Ma Rowlee Award for Staff Excellence  Anna Justis, PhD,  Charmine Thales Manuel, Pann Nwe, Michael Quinn

How do you know if you're at higher risk for skin cancer? Family history and increased sun and UV exposure raise skin cancer risk. Elizabeth Buchbinder, MD, senior physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, breaks down the risk factors for skin cancer.

Telemedicine visits for cancer care may not only be more convenient and easier to schedule than in-person appointments, they're also better for the planet, new research by Dana-Farber scientists shows. Based on an analysis of data from a regional cancer center, the researchers calculate that, nationwide, cancer care that utilizes telehealth and local care would generate 33.1% less greenhouse gas emissions than the traditional model of in-person care, primarily due to reduced travel to medical appointments. The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and published in JAMA Oncology, suggest that an approach to care adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic can have significant environmental benefits. "While health care in the United States provides health benefits to many people, it generates substantial amounts of greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and inadvertently harm health," says Andrew Hantel, MD, who led the study with Gregory Abel, MD, MPH, and Jonathan Slutzman, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital. "We wanted to explore the potential reductions in emissions that can be achieved with a decentralized approach to cancer care that includes telehealth. To do so, we used data generated during the 'natural experiment' of the pandemic, when care shifted from an in-person to a telemedicine-preferred model." The researchers calculated the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per visit-day at Dana-Farber during two time periods: March-December 2020, when the pandemic prompted the Institute to shift largely to telemedicine; and March 2015-February 2020, when a traditional in-person model was in place. (A visit-day is the combined visits a person has at a healthcare facility in a single day.) They began by listing all the components of a clinical visit, both in-person and telehealth. For in-person visits, that includes everything that happens from the time a patient leaves home for an appointment until the time they return – such as driving to the hospital, parking the car, taking the elevator to the clinic, using hand sanitizer, using the bathroom, and driving back home. They also factored in the use of electricity for lights and computers, even the paper that covers the exam room table. Using a variety of databases, they then determined the carbon dioxide emissions associated with each of these. For telehealth visits, there were far fewer aspects to track – mainly, computer and internet usage by the patient and clinician. They found that per visit-day emissions of carbon dioxide at Dana-Farber were 36.4 kilograms lower during the telemedicine period than the in-person period, an 81.3% decline. They then calculated what emissions levels in the pre-pandemic period would have been if telemedicine had been in place and extrapolated it to the whole U.S. population. More: https://lnkd.in/eckUZHGC

Stem cell transplants are a powerful treatment for blood-related cancers and conditions. Our Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program has performed over 11,600 transplants, and our expertise ensures top-notch care during and after recovery. Click the link to read more about stem cell transplants: http://ms.spr.ly/6049lp2Af

“Perdí a mi papá cuando tenía 13 años. Siendo todavía un niño, no sabía el gran impacto que esto tendría en mi vida. Cualquier cosa que pueda hacer para ponchar al cáncer, lo haré.” –Alex Cora, mánager de Boston Red Sox El 13 y 14 de agosto sintonice el Radio Teletón WEEI Sports Radio Network/NESN Jimmy Fund patrocinado por Arbella Insurance Group y escuche cómo su apoyo ayuda a forjar el futuro de la investigación y de los tratamientos para el cáncer de los pacientes de Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.