Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

On the type of temperate early June day that brings dozens of joggers and cyclists to the Charles River, a group of cancer survivors was chatting by the MIT Boathouse as they worked through warmup exercises. Once they had limbered up, they donned life vests, grabbed paddles, and filed onto a dock before stepping one by one into a so-called dragon boat, a long, canoe-shaped, watercraft originating from China's southern Guangdong Province.  Known as the Wellness Warriors, this group meets three times a week to paddle together. It’s excellent exercise, but for the Wellness Warriors the dragon boat offers more – a community where survivors feel understood.

Does sugar increase cancer risk? Christina Conte, RDN, LDN, nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helps us debunk myths and clarify the difference between added sugar and naturally occurring sugar. Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6044lOk42

People aren't the only ones who get stressed out. Our cells do, too. Particularly cancer cells, which are wired to proliferate quickly. But DNA replication, a critical part of cellular growth, is a highly choreographed molecular dance. It involves six known methods for fixing mistakes that can arise in the genetic code. In addition, there are multiple checkpoints when the cellular machinery pauses to ensure that DNA replication is unfolding in an orderly way. But this rapid replication can disturb the well-choreographed process, causing stress. Researchers are looking to exploit this vulnerability as a treatment strategy for some cancers. Learn more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6048l8zr0.

Congratulations and THANK YOU to the Pan-Mass Challenge, an incredible organization that has raised more than $1 billion for Dana-Farber since 1980.

Earlier this year, Dana-Farber achieved its fifth consecutive Magnet Recognition Program® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This accomplishment highlights the dedication of our nurses, interdisciplinary teams, and leadership to the exceptional care provided to our patients and their loved ones every day. Let’s learn more about what it means to our staff individually. Emma Dann, DNP, RN, vice president of Adult Nursing and Clinical Services and Associate Chief Nurse (Dana-Farber Network and Collaborative) 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂? Although Magnet designation is the highest honor for nursing excellence, it recognizes the entire Institute and how we collaborate to better serve our patients and their loved ones. Our care teams provide the best care possible – from infusion nurses to doctors, resource specialists and volunteers, pharmacy staff, and administrative roles; etc., we support the patient at every step of their time with us. #CelebrateOurPractice #MagnetMoments #ANCCMagnet

Since 1953, Boston Red Sox leadership has championed the team’s commitment to raising lifesaving funds that support Dana-Farber and The Jimmy Fund’s mission to strike out cancer while bringing countless smiles to patients and families. Tonight, the Red Sox leadership team will be honored as Sports Philanthropist of the Year by ESPN at its 10th annual Sports Humanitarian Awards, held as part of the #ESPYAwards. As the longest standing team and charity partnership in all of professional sports, we are proud to call the Red Sox our partners. Congratulations to the entire Red Sox organization on this well-deserved award.

Congratulations to Debolina Ganguly, PhD, recipient of an Early Career Researcher Award from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also known as acid reflux, usually isn’t harmful. However, frequent GERD can lead to Barrett’s esophagus, where the esophagus lining changes to resist stomach acid. While most with GERD or Barrett’s esophagus don’t develop esophageal cancer, Barrett’s esophagus can increase your risk. Learn more: http://ms.spr.ly/6044YCVeG

Scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Weill Cornell Medicine have developed and tested new #artificialIntelligence (AI) tools tailored to digital pathology — a relatively new field that uses high-resolution digital images that are created from tissue samples to diagnose diseases and inform treatment decisions. Their paper, published in The Lancet Digital Health on July 9, demonstrates that ChatGPT, an AI language model developed to understand and generate text, can be tailored using an artificial intelligence technique called retrieval-augmented generation, to provide accurate responses to questions about digital pathology and compile detailed results. Read more here: http://ms.spr.ly/6043lJNOF 🇷⋅🇺 Renato Umeton, Ph.D. (Hiring)

What are the different kinds of genetic testing for cancer? Huma Rana, MD, MPH, a physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helps break down the different options. #cancerprevention #cancerscreening #oncology #doctor #genetics #genetictesting #healthawarness