Best of MD Anderson 2019: Top cancer insights from our experts
BY Devon Carter
December 17, 2019
Medically Reviewed | Last reviewed by an MD Anderson Cancer Center medical professional on December 17, 2019
Whether you’re facing a cancer diagnosis, want to better understand your risk or celebrating life after cancer, you likely have questions about your health.
Sometimes, turning to the internet can lead to bad information or confusion. To help you find accurate answers to your questions, we spoke with our experts on many topics this past year. They shared insights on trending topics in cancer, the latest in cancer treatment and how we’re making advances through our Moon Shots Program.
Here are some of our experts’ most helpful insights from 2019.
3 nutrients cancer survivors should know
Nutrients help cancer survivors stay healthy and reduce their risk of the long-term side effects of cancer and its treatment. Our clinical dietitian Haley Gale shares advice on how to easily incorporate omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed and iron into your diet.
Treating cancer with targeted therapy
All cancers are caused by a mutation, which is a genetic change in the DNA of a cell. Targeted therapy works by focusing on the specific mutation of a cancer cell to stop or slow its growth. Vivek Subbiah, M.D., explains how we’re able to personalize cancer treatment to some patients’ specific tumors and how Phase I clinical trials are helping us discover more of these new therapies.
Although many cancers spread to the brain, few actually start there. Glioblastoma is the most comment primary brain tumor in adults – and the most aggressive. But with only 12,000 new diagnoses each year, it’s still considered rare and there’s a lot of mystery surrounding it. Here, Shiao-Pei Weathers, M.D., clears up common misconceptions about glioblastoma.
Understanding hereditary leukemia syndromes
Over the last decade, researchers have discovered about a dozen genetic changes linked to leukemia that can be passed down from parent to child. Find out how to know if you’re at risk as well as treatment options from our Courtney DiNardo, M.D., and genetic counselor Sarah Bannon.
Making immunotherapy a treatment option for more cancer patients
Immunotherapy is now commonly recognized as the fourth pillar of cancer treatment, but it still doesn’t work for everyone. Through MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program, our Immunotherapy platform is working make it a standard treatment option for many more types of cancers and more patients. Learn how from the platform’s leaders Jim Allison, Ph.D., Patrick Hwu, M.D., and Padmanee Sharma, M.D.
The what and when of cancer screenings for women
If you aren’t experiencing cancer symptoms, it doesn’t mean you should put off your routine cancer screenings. Our Therese Bevers, M.D., breaks down what cancer tests women need and when.
The good and bad of inflammation
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding inflammation, and it’s starting to get a bad rap. To clarify inflammation’s role and what cancer patients should know, we spoke with Stephanie Watowich, Ph.D., co-director of MD Anderson’s Center for Inflammation and Cancer.
9 things to know about CBD oil and cancer
CBD oil is everywhere these days, but is it safe? Does it cure cancer? Is it legal? Test your knowledge and learn what cancer patients should know in this interview with our Kimberson Tanco, M.D.
Insights on inflammatory breast cancer
Did you know that some breast cancer doesn’t show up as lump? Instead, patients can experience swollen breasts, red skin and nipple inversion. This type of breast cancer is aggressive and rare – it’s called inflammatory breast cancer. Learn more about its symptoms, treatments and the latest in research from our Wendy Woodward, M.D., Ph.D.
CAR T cell therapy side effects in lymphoma patients
A type of immunotherapy, CAR T cell therapy modifies a patient’s T cells to more effectively fight cancer. For 70-80% of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who try the therapy, their tumors shrink. But the side effects of CAR T cell therapy are different from those of other cancer treatments. Here, our Felipe Samaniego, M.D., shares what to know.
Treating complex tumors with pencil beam precision
A tumor’s shape is uneven. But pencil beam proton therapy applies radiation therapy to the unique shape of a tumor with unparalleled precision, and in turn, limits the exposure to the normal surrounding tissues. To better understand how this technology can treat complex tumors while limiting side effects, we spoke with Steven Frank, M.D., and Albert Koong, M.D., Ph.D.
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