Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

On Monday, June 3, members of the Dana-Farber LGBTQ+ community, allies, and friends, gathered to raise the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride flag above Jimmy Fund Way. Pride Month is a time to celebrate and pay tribute to the achievements, contributions, and impact of the LGBTQ+ community. We choose to raise the most inclusive version of the Pride flag as a symbol of our commitment to provide a welcoming environment for our workforce, our patients, and their families. Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈

Kornelia Polyak, MD, PhD, co-leader of the Dana-Farber Harvard Cancer Center Cell Biology Program and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, has been elected to the 2024 class of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and Sciences (AAAS). Polyak is one of 250 recently elected members who are being recognized for excellence and invited to uphold the AAAS’s mission of engaging across disciplines. Induction ceremonies for new members will be held this September in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Polyak has been and continues to be a leading basic and translational investigator in breast cancer research and a pioneer in the study of tumors as ecosystems, emphasizing the importance of the tumor microenvironment in disease progression and therapeutic resistance. Her current research focuses on breast tumor evolution through the analysis of patient tissue samples and preclinical models. Polyak is also actively studying the role of risk factors, such as age, genetic predisposition, and diet, in cancer initiation and progression with the goal of designing novel approaches to prevent cancer. Founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock, and others, the AAAS is an independent research center that convenes leaders from across disciplines, professions, and perspectives to address important national and world issues. Members, of which more than 14,500 have been elected since the AAAS was established, include those who discover and advance knowledge and apply it to solve the problems of society.

Dana-Farber nurse scientists and clinicians were in the spotlight as honorees and presenters of key studies and projects at the 49th annual Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress. ONS Congress is the largest, most comprehensive oncology nursing conference in the country, featuring presentations that highlight the intersection of clinical knowledge, research, direct patient care, and advocacy resulting in innovation. Jessica McDade, BSN, RN, OCN, a charge nurse at Dana-Farber’s Inpatient Hospital, located in Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was one of three finalists for the 2024 Extraordinary Healer Award. This honor recognizes oncology nurses whose compassion and expertise improves the lives of their patients. In addition to McDade, four other Dana-Farber nurses were nominated: Carla Chapman, BSN, RN; Deborah DiPrete, BSN, RN;Megan English, BSN, RN; and Ludmila Svoboda, MSN, RN. In her nomination for McDade, Susan Ayers, MSN, RN, senior director, Dana-Farber Inpatient Hospital, wrote that her colleague was “the embodiment” of the mission of all nurses at Dana-Farber’s Inpatient Hospital: to provide exceptional, compassionate, relationship-based care grounded in research, education, and advocacy to serve the unique needs of patients and families. “She [McDade] is a leader in our department, supporting new-to-practice staff and serving as a resource to experienced staff,” Ayers wrote. “Nurses will reach out to Jessica for her guidance with patient care and complex family situations. She has a kind, compassionate way about her, making her very approachable.” The Extraordinary Healer Award, sponsored by Cure magazine and Oncology Nursing News, has been presented by the ONS since 2007.  Margaret Campbell, BSN, RN, of Dana-Farber was the 2022 recipient. “We are thrilled that CURE and the Oncology Nursing News honored five of our nurses this year,” says Anne Gross, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Dana-Farber. “Dana-Farber nursing research and evidence-based practice was disseminated at Congress through several podium, poster, and panel presentations throughout the five-day meeting. Our nurses' contributions are sparking positive change and impact on patient outcomes.” 

Bispecific antibodies are a type of immunotherapy. Learn how bispecific antibodies are being used to treat lymphoma. http://ms.spr.ly/6040Yc04w #bispecificanitbodies #immunotherapy #cancer

Does sugar increase cancer risk? No, sugar does not feed cancer. Christina Conte, RDN, LDN, nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helps us debunk myths and sheds light on the importance of knowing the difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar. While paying attention to added sugar is important, you can enjoy your sweets in moderation. Have a question about cancer risk and prevention? Comment below or email us at communication@dfci.harvard.edu. We'll try to address your question in a future episode. Like and share to spread the word about cancer prevention. #cancerprevention #cancerscreening #oncology #fyp #nutrition #diet #sugar #sweets #healthyeats #healthydrink

Three physician-researchers have been named to leadership positions at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Toni Choueiri, MD, director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology and medical director of international strategic initiatives, and Abby Rosenberg, MD, chief of Pediatric Palliative Care, have been elected to four-year terms on the ASCO Board of Directors. The Board, which includes cancer physicians and clinical researchers from a range of specialties, leads and sets policies for ASCO, the leading organization for physicians and other professionals caring for people with cancer. Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, associate chief of Gastrointestinal Oncology, was elected to a three-year term on the ASCO Nominating Committee, which develops slates of candidates for elected ASCO positions. “It is an incredible honor to be elected for a seat on the Nominating Committee,“ remarks Ng. “ASCO has played a huge role in my academic career and success, and I am looking forward to giving back by helping select future leaders who will continue to promote the important mission and goals of ASCO.“ The terms on the Board and Nominating Committee begin this month. 

Last week, members of Dana-Farber's Community Health staff (r-l: Devan Carr, Jenny Lee, Tula Q. Mahl, and Valerie Abrigo Rivera) attended the Asian Women for Health Gala: CelebrAsians. The event was hosted by activist, advocate and artist Payal Kumar, and included a performance by Kathak dancer Anjali Nath. Asian Women for Health is dedicated to advancing Asian women’s health and well-being through community engagement, education, and representation.

As operations director at the Institute’s first regional campus since its 2008 opening, Dawn Kerivan - who retired May 31 - kept the two-floor, 54,000 square-foot center running smoothly through Epic upgrades, COVID-19, and anything else that came along. She was committed to ensuring staff and patients felt a sense of community, and that they received the same care at Dana-Farber - Milford that they would by traveling to Boston. “As clinicians, we are only as good as the people running the operation, and Dawn was the best,” says Mona Kaddis, MD, a senior network physician in Milford. “She is a deeply committed person who was an advocate for patients and staff. Every time we had a twist in the road, she went the extra mile. We could never have built up this center without her.” Helping run a cancer center was not the career Kerivan envisioned when she earned a degree in International Management from Simmons University. She spent nearly a decade working in market and new product research for Polaroid Corporation in Boston, but the cancer experience of several close family members provided motivation to shift her focus. In 1992 she took a position working with Kaddis, who was then running a private oncology practice affiliated with Milford Regional Medical Center. The practice grew quickly, adding physician Michael Constantine, MD (now medical director of Dana-Farber - Milford) as well as several nurses and support staff. Their group became a specialty practice at Milford Regional Medical Center, and in 2007, a partnership was formed with Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital that resulted in the construction of a state-of-the-art cancer center across the street from Milford Regional. “Dr. Kaddis and Dr. Constantine had a dream to bring cancer care to the community of Milford, and that vision led them to Dana-Farber,” says Kerivan. Each Tuesday, Kerivan recalls, she would go into Boston and meet with people at Dana-Farber to help in the design and construction of the building. She also worked with patients in the community to help with everything from managing patient flow to the color scheme of the new facility. And when Dana-Farber - Milford opened, in January 2008, Kerivan made sure it ran smoothly –overseeing operations for a center that today has more than 100 staff and faculty including nine physicians. “It’s hard to sum up in words all the contributions that Dawn has made over the last 16-plus years,” says Sarah Francis, vice president of Network Operations. “Dawn has been a cornerstone in our Milford campus, helping to construct and architect the space, and has been instrumental in growing the practice and making it the special place it is today.” Kerivan knows she will miss the camaraderie of her coworkers and the patients they care for, but she says she is ready for the next phase of her life. Much of it will revolve around her daughters and granddaughters, starting with a trip to Calgary this summer.

Join us for our fourth annual Living with EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancer virtual forum. Monday, June 10 | 6 – 8 p.m. ET During this free event we will discuss information about EGFR-mutant lung cancer, research advances, genetics and genomics, symptom management, radiation therapy, and supportive care, and hear from our patients and caregivers. For more information and to register, visit http://ms.spr.ly/6043Yc2uh

We are pleased to announce that Chandrajit Raut, MD, MSc, has been named Surgeon-in-Chief for Dana-Farber. Dr. Raut succeeds Gerard M. Doherty, MD. As Surgeon-in-Chief for Dana-Farber, Dr. Raut will be responsible for the oncologic surgical staff and programs through our current collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH). He will work closely with faculty and staff to ensure we continue to provide the highest standards of quality and care. In addition to this role, Dr. Raut also serves as Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology for BWH; Distinguished Chair for Cancer Care, Department of Surgery, BWH; Surgery Director, Center for Sarcoma and Bone Oncology, Dana-Farber; and Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Raut is a graduate of Stanford University, the University of Oxford and Harvard Medical School. He completed his general surgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a surgical oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a committed clinician who specializes in the care of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. Dr. Raut is a prolific researcher who has received two National Institutes of Health R01 grants to develop innovative chemotherapy-eluting films to reduce surgical bed tumor local recurrence rates. Additionally, he has served as Co-Principal Investigator or institutional Principal Investigator on several U.S. and international phase 2 or phase 3 clinical trials evaluating therapies in various sarcomas. Dr. Raut is the former program director of the Mass General Brigham/Dana-Farber Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship program at Harvard Medical School. He serves as section editor for Sarcoma in the journals Cancer and Surgical Oncology Insights and is co-chair of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Surgery Committee. He has authored over 280 papers and over 30 book chapters. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Raut to Dana-Farber.