Updated Dec. 23, 2021

The omicron variant has now overtaken the delta variant in the United States as the predominant strain of...

Writing MD Anderson into our wills was an easy decision for my late wife, Jackie, and me. Because even after she received a stage IV lung...

When I enrolled at MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 2017, I never expected to write most of my master’s thesis...

In my 22 years at MD Anderson, I have seen hurricanes, floods and freezing conditions in Houston, but nothing like the...

I knew I was responding well to my stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma treatment when the grapefruit-sized tumor in my chest began getting noticeably...

When I woke on the morning of Jan. 28, 2021 — the day we launched our organizational Strategy — it felt surreal. We had spent so much time...

June 28 is a day I’ll always remember. That was the day we began welcoming visitors back to our campuses after 15 months. It was a day full...

The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of year for some, but for others, the stress and emotions during this time can be overwhelming...

The box containing the first 4,875 COVID-19 vaccine doses to arrive at MD Anderson was much larger than I’d expected. It only had five small...

Meet Patrick “Miracle” Mead Jr. His wife gave him the nickname “Miracle” after he made a full recovery from a brain tumor that once left the...

For many of us, coffee is part of our daily routine. But depending on what you add to your morning brew, you could be consuming a lot of empty...

In many cases, women spot signs of breast cancer outside of regular breast cancer screenings. In fact, paying attention to changes in your...

When leiomyosarcoma survivor Gail Walsh told her orthopedic oncologist Patrick Lin, M.D., that she planned to hike the Appalachian Trail,...

When Daniel ‘Joe’ Einspahr, M.D., and his son bike into Virginia Beach next summer, they will have more than one reason to celebrate. Not...

Senior clinical dietitian Christie Siebel can empathize with her patients. With their pain following surgery. With their nausea after chemotherapy...

As a retired Navy hurricane research pilot, I don’t leave anything up to chance. When I was with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration...

Last updated Jan. 12, 2022

COVID-19 boosters have now been approved for all adults. This is welcome news for many who are eager to...

Breast calcifications are calcium deposits found through screening mammograms. When calcium builds up in soft tissue, it can appear like small...

Adenocarcinomas can develop in many different parts of the body, including the lungs, prostate, colon, rectum, small bowel, pancreas, stomach...

If you’re trying to eat healthy, you probably don’t go a day without thinking about sugar. Avoiding sugar is hard because it’s in most foods...

Our bodies naturally heal after our skin gets cut, and they can defend against the common cold. So, why not cancer?

The relationship...

If you’re a cancer patient who was fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before having a stem cell transplant or receiving a CAR T cell infusion...

Cancer has disrupted my life three times over the past 16 years.

The first time was in 2005, when my late husband, Eli, was diagnosed...

Last week, I had the opportunity to donate blood at MD Anderson’s Blood Bank. Blood donation continues to be so important for MD Anderson’...

I’ve never been happier to live in Houston than I was during the spring of 2018. That’s when a routine mammogram revealed I had ductal carcinoma...

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. Most treatments are focused on clear cell carcinoma, which is the most common...

For some people, especially parents, the scariest thing about Halloween is the enormous piles of candy that start popping up everywhere.

Many patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer will hear their doctors use the word “adjuvant” to describe certain treatment options.<...

When my daughter, Preslie, was eight years old, I noticed that her left eyelid seemed to be a little droopy. But I never expected it to be...

Until January 2020, I had always felt like I had an unspoken agreement with cancer: I’d make good lifestyle choices — protecting my skin,...

I had just finished breastfeeding my one-year-old in October 2017, when I felt a lump in my left breast during a shower. I knew there was...

Many patients will be prescribed chemotherapy as a part of their cancer treatment plan. That could involve taking pills at home or wearing...

Throughout his esophageal cancer treatment, Ross Bernkrant never once looked up the survival rates.

“I knew it wasn’t good,” he says...

Ashley Martinez will never forget the day her in-laws celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Not only was it a major milestone for her...

Teresa and Billy Mayo have shared almost everything during their 46-year marriage. But the couple recently shared something they never anticipated...

When you agree to genetic testing, you expect a yes or no answer:  yes, you have an abnormal change in a gene that increases your cancer...

When it comes to exercise, the most important thing is that you do it. But if you like high-intensity exercise, research suggests that doing...

When I was diagnosed with stage III pancreatic cancer in January 2017, I was pretty shocked. Both of my parents died of heart disease in their...

A few of my relatives have had cancer over the years, but not many. And the one who developed lung cancer was a grandparent who smoked three...

In some ways, 2005 was a challenging year for Carrington Marzett. The 15-year-old sophomore was still settling in after a recent move from...

I was about halfway through my cancer treatment for soft tissue sarcoma of the nasal cavity — a type of nasopharyngeal cancer —when I decided...

Diabetes affects roughly 10% of people in the United States. Another 1 in 3 has pre-diabetes, or elevated blood sugar levels that don’t quite...

In my almost 73 years on this planet, I’ve been in a war, been held as a political prisoner, and been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome...

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that occurs in melanocytes, the cells that carry pigment.

But are there different types? How is it...

If you’ve never heard of double-hit lymphoma or you’re unfamiliar with the specifics of the disease, you’re not alone. This rare and aggressive...

On a warm day in May 2018, Ashton and Charmayne Thomas swiftly booked a flight from Arizona to Houston. They dropped off their two eldest...

As a cancer surgeon and researcher, I’ve poured my heart and soul into making a difference for patients over the past 20 years. Recently,...

Between 20% and 70% of patients who receive an allogeneic stem cell transplant as a part of their cancer treatment will develop at least a...

Kinsley Curley was only 3 years old when she was diagnosed with a stage IV Wilms’ tumor, one of the most common types of kidney cancer found...

Acupressure is an ancient practice from traditional Chinese medicine. It can seem mysterious because the theory is based on pressure points...

After she’d been sick with flu-like symptoms for several weeks, Kirsti Hoopingarner decided to see her doctor. She’d been having trouble breathing...

When John Paul Shen, M.D., tells people he studies appendix cancer, many are surprised to learn that you can get appendix cancer in the first...

Reports of breakthrough COVID-19 infections are on the rise, as the delta variant rapidly spreads in communities across the country.

In March 2019, Shelly Busby began experiencing unusual vaginal bleeding. Frightened and concerned, she went to her OB/GYN for an examination...

Last updated Oct. 25 2021

Research studies show that immunocompromised people who have low or no protection following two doses of...

A hysterectomy is a common procedure used to treat gynecologic cancers, like ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and endometrial cancer, and other...

Whether it’s a cancer drug, vaccine or other medication, medical treatments in the U.S. have to go through a specific process to make sure...

As a child, researcher Surendranath Shastri, M.D., D.Ph., worshiped his dad. “He was a lifetime smoker, so I thought it was cool to smoke,...

Whether you have a lumpectomy or a type of mastectomy, your chest may be flattened, misshapen or asymmetrical after surgery. Breast reconstruction...

Becky Van Curen’s family had no history of cancer. So, when she was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015, she was shocked and scared....

Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer, but it’s still considered rare with fewer than 5,000 cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year....

Under your skull, between your brain and the top of the neck, is an area called the skull base. The space is home to a platform where the...

Many cancers grow when there’s a glitch in the DNA of our cells. Sometimes that error is passed down from a parent to their child, and sometimes...

When a small, painless lump began developing on Melissa Evans’ left arm near her elbow in late 2014, she didn’t give it much thought. The...

My melanoma diagnosis started out like many others: a suspicious mole followed by a dermatology appointment — and then, bad news. That was...

Skin is the biggest organ we have. As such, it often acts as a type of window into the rest of the body. So, rashes and other skin disorders...

When it comes to vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit, many dietitians will tell you to make sure you eat the full rainbow of colors...

I’ve prepared for a lot of big moments and competitions in my 30 years of coaching college and high school basketball. But nothing could have...

Keeping cool during the summer can be a challenge for even the healthiest individuals. So, how do you manage it when you’re a cancer patient...

As a former competitive CrossFit athlete, Katherine Norman sees herself as a healthy person. Over the last year, she also saw herself as a...

Having ulcerative colitis doesn’t mean you will get colorectal cancer, but it does increase your risk.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic...

As you age, you may have trouble remembering important dates like a loved one’s birthday or forget where you left your car keys. Memory loss...

I was 14 weeks pregnant with my first child last fall when my right breast suddenly became very inflamed. At first, it was only the change...

Celebrities are promoting it, the internet is pushing it and your friends may even be raving about how taking collagen has helped their skin...

If your health care provider has said you need a loop electrosurgical excision procedure, or LEEP, you may be wondering exactly what a LEEP...

I got into medical school thinking I’d specialize in either cardiology or orthopedic surgery. But one of the great things about it is that...

For many years, brachytherapy has been used to treat low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk prostate cancer. But more recently, doctors...

I am a bit of a hypochondriac, so I’ve diagnosed myself with cancer on more than one occasion. But I never believed it would actually happen...

Historically, cancer patients with autoimmune disease likes lupus, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis have been excluded from clinical...

In 2013, I noticed blood in my stool, which I thought was related to hemorrhoids. I also noticed heartburn on occasion. But it took five years...

First discovered in the 1980s, exosomes are microscopic spherical packages, called vesicles, released by all cells. Their normal role in the...

When Jorge Castillo’s back began to ache, he thought he’d injured himself at work.

“I install and repair electrical power grids, so...

Months after his chondrosarcoma treatment at another hospital, Chuck Lichtman developed a life-altering hernia. It made it hard to move, sleep...

Radiation therapy is one of the most common forms of cancer treatment. It uses high-energy X-rays to pinpoint and destroy cancer cells. Radiation...

Headaches, seizures and weakness throughout the body can all be potential brain tumor symptoms. Because these symptoms can also be signs of...

Nicola Sirito had a rare diagnosis – a soft tissue sarcoma on his spine – but his MD Anderson care team knew they could successfully...

Before my husband, David, was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the nasal cavity called sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC...

Ethan Ludmir, M.D., grew up watching Star Wars. But unlike other fans, his favorite character wasn’t Luke Skywalker or Han Solo. Instead,...

Ewing’s sarcoma is a rare cancer that can occur in the bones or soft tissues. It’s more common in children and teens than in adults, but it...

Receiving a brain tumor diagnosis can be overwhelming. There are so many different types of brain tumors and treatment options, and you may...

As an internist with my own practice, I’ve been referring my patients to MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center for many years when they are faced...

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of rare chronic blood cancers that are often challenging to treat,with few approved treatments...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent announcement that those who’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer...

Thousands of people will get screening exams for breast cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer this year. Others will get diagnostic tests...

If you were faced with something bigger and scarier than you initially knew how to deal with, how would you handle it? Would you sit back...

In early 2020, I woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. By chance, my hand brushed my right breast, and I felt a lump the...

Not long after my acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis in May 2019, my local oncologist said I’d probably need a stem cell transplant. At the...

Clinical Nurse Christine Durana donates blood so often, she takes a photo of her arm each time to help her remember when it’s been 56 days...

Oropharyngeal cancer includes cancers of the tonsils, base of the tongue and other parts of the throat. It’s usually caused by the human papillomavirus...

In 2016, my daughter was six months old, and I was still working on recovering from a difficult pregnancy. I had gone back to work as a special...

Any time you see a new doctor, one of the first things they’ll ask about is your medical history. That’s because everything from the aftermath...

Drew Huggins still gets emotional when he recalls the day clinical trial coordinator Jing Yang phoned him with some good news that changed...

You’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and life is inching back toward normal. Now, with temperatures creeping back up, you find yourself...

Most stomach cancers are caused by bacteria called helicobacter pylori or H. pylori. Having H. pylori doesn’t mean you’ll get stomach...

We all know that eating your greens is good for you, but what if you could extract the green and take it as a supplement?

A recent...

I’ve known six people who have died of pancreatic cancer, including my own dad in 2015. So, when I was diagnosed with that disease in June...

Adoptive cellular therapy is a form of immunotherapy that uses cells from our immune systems, such as T cells, as a treatment for cancer....

In some parts of the world, mushroom extracts are often used by patients for their medicinal benefits. They’re packed with vitamin D, which...

Musician Jeff Blankenship was playing guitar in the orchestra pit during a local theatre’s live production of “American Idiot” when he began...

Some types of chemotherapy can damage nerves, leading to a side effect called peripheral neuropathy. Patients may feel tingling, burning or...

Cancer is defined by where it starts and not by where it spreads. Where it starts helps determine how it’s treated and even the way people...

Smoking is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer. Yet, about 20% of lung cancers deaths occur in people who have never smoked, according to the American...

In the past, patients with a particular cancer type all received the same treatment, but research has shown that tumors have unique features...

Tea is thought to have many health benefits, from keeping you hydrated to supporting weight-loss and reducing dental cavities.

Tea...

It wasn’t until I attended a relative’s socially distanced birthday party last spring that I really let myself consider the possibility of...

Between 5% and 10% of cancers are hereditary. This means that the cancer is caused by a change in your genes called a genetic mutation.

During a routine physical exam in June 2010, my doctor expressed concern about a possible heart abnormality. A CT scan showed my heart was...

Betsy Lucas was five months pregnant when a curious dime-sized lump arose on her neck.

Her family doctor thought it was likely an inflamed...

A picture is worth a thousand words, and Jordan Pietz is helping tell MD Anderson’s stories with his artistic talents and scientific knowledge...

One of the most difficult aspects of treating lung cancer with radiation therapy is determining the best way to deliver it. Ideally, doctors...

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you may have heard of the Whipple procedure. This complex surgery is...

Hand-foot syndrome (also called palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia) is a side effect of some chemotherapy drugs that can cause redness, swelling...

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines earlier this month for those who’ve gotten vaccinated against...

Today, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released new guidelines for annual lung cancer screening through low-dose CT scans...

In early 2020, I started experiencing front-facing falls. I didn’t have any other symptoms, though, so I didn’t think much of it. That is,...

As a health care quality professional, Al Thomas always made his annual physical a priority. When he went to see his primary care physician...

Last year, Caroline Hysmith became a stem cell donor for her dad, Timothy. She was only 15 at the time.

As part of his leukemia treatment...

Living with a tracheostomy and learning proper tracheostomy care can take some adjustment for cancer patients who rely on them during cancer...

When my son, Sawyer, was just two years old, we started to notice that he had swelling on the left side of his face. I saw what looked like...

When Tony Beasley was diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer in 2016, he could have easily asked “Why me?” Instead, he posed the unlikely...

Since the discovery of KRAS gene mutations in 1983, researchers have worked to develop new therapies that target this protein when treating...

Nanomedicine is a quickly emerging area of study that uses nanoparticles for drug delivery, diagnoses and in vivo imaging. While nanomedicine...

I always thought of lung cancer as a smoker’s disease, so I was pretty astonished when I received my own diagnosis in December 2019. I’d been...

New strains of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have already been identified in four different countries, including the United...

The first time I heard the term “total pelvic exenteration” in January 2016, I thought my local doctors were crazy. I’d been in treatment...

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a type of imaging test that’s used to diagnose cancer and monitor tumor growth.

“MRI is an excellent...

Jon Humphrey was apprehensive about having his chemotherapy port installed. In June 2020, he was preparing to start chemotherapy for bile...

My road to MD Anderson for breast implant-associated large cell anaplastic lymphoma treatment (BIA-ALCL) had lots of ups and downs. And, honestly...

When other cancer patients ask for advice, rectal cancer survivor Robert Cuppett tells them to go to MD Anderson -- and to go there first....

Last update March 8, 2021

Myths and misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccines may be impacting the decisions you make about whether...

The COVID-19 vaccines mark the first widespread use of mRNA technology. They work by using synthetic genetic code to instruct the patient’...

My dear husband, Craig, fought courageously, but lost his battle with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2016. It’s hard to believe it’s already...

When Charlie was eight weeks old, I noticed his legs had become limp. We took him to the ER and discovered he had a large tumor compressing...

Discovering and developing new treatments for cancer is a difficult process with many obstacles. These challenges can slow the process of...

Jenn Myers was scrolling through Facebook while waiting for her chemotherapy session to start last April when a post caught her attention....

For some patients with non-small lung cancer, chemotherapy isn’t the most effective treatment option. But based on a tumor’s molecular profile...

When I was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in March 2012, I got treated near my home in southern Louisiana. It wasn’t because I didn’...

I’m originally from Maine, but I’ve known for a long time that MD Anderson is the gold standard of cancer care. So, when I was diagnosed with...

The terms Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma can be easily confused. Although they’re both named after the scientist who discovered them, they...

When JuanDiego Mata-Ornelas was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at age 16, he was too young to travel alone from his home in south Texas to...