Why I took a chance on immunotherapy
MD Anderson’s Dr. Patrick Hwu often tells me that if he could write a cancer success story, he would want it to read just like mine. Why? Because my treatment for stage IV kidney cancer in 2014 is the perfect example of what makes MD Anderson special.
My story involves a determined oncologist, a talented surgeon and a potent immunotherapy drug. All together, they have kept me cancer-free for nearly five years.
My stage IV...
Oral cancer survivor: personalized maxillofacial prosthodontist treatment helped me
When Patricia Lines came to MD Anderson for her first appointment in 2012, she was impressed by the way all the different parts of her care...
Can exercise make chemotherapy more effective?
You already knew exercise can help prevent cancer. But what if it could help you fight your cancer?
Researchers are looking into how...
3 myths about inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to infection or injury. But because of misinformation circulating in the media, there’s confusion about whether inflammation is healthy or harmful.
We recently asked Stephanie Watowich, Ph.D., co-director of MD Anderson’s Center for Inflammation and Cancer, about common myths surrounding inflammation and what cancer patients should know.
Here’s what she shared.
Myth: Inflammation...
My colorectal cancer diagnosis caught me by surprise
My journey with colorectal cancer began suddenly and unexpectedly. One day I was feeling OK and the next, after a painful night, I found myself...
Osteosarcoma survivor: MD Anderson has helped shape my future
In 2016, osteosarcoma was the last thing on my mind. I was a typical and active high-school junior playing sports and hanging out with my...
Community scientists help advance cancer research in the community
A researcher designs new materials that could help prevent cancer in underserved communities, so why aren’t the materials being used? A new...
Getting to know Carin Hagberg, M.D.
The career of Carin Hagberg, M.D., has come full circle. She began her career at MD Anderson as a research assistant in the clinical immunology...
5 things I learned after my double mastectomy
As a former nurse in MD Anderson’s Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), I felt pretty familiar with breast cancer surgery. So, I thought I knew...
Nurses on the front lines of immunotherapy
A patient writes, “The Astros will win the World Series next year,” in bold print as Jaquelin Velasquez watches. The clinical nurse in Lymphoma...
Astrocytoma survivor: I feel lucky
How often does a brain tumor save your life? In Kellilyn Monar’s case, it may have done just that. She’d planned to be at the Route 91 Music...