Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Blood Cancers

Brain Cancer

Metastatic Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

Childhood Cancers

Anal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Esophageal Cancer

Gallbladder Cancer

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

Gastrointestinal Cancers

Bladder Cancer

Kidney Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Genitourinary Cancers

Cervical Cancer

Ovarian Cancer

Uterine Cancer

Vulvar Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head & Neck Cancer

Immunotherapy

Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Leukemia

Mesothelioma

Lung Cancer

Follicular Lymphoma

Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL)

Lymphoma

Myeloma

Cancer of Unknown Primary

Carcinoid Cancer

Neuroendocrine Cancer

Rare Cancers

Sarcoma

Melanoma

Skin Cancer

Thyroid Cancer

News

Cancer Horizons

All News

Blogs

Caregiving

Diet and Exercise

Financial

Psychosocial

Recipes

Sexual Health

Side Effect

Survivorship

Videos

All Videos

CURE Connections

CURE Expert Connections®

CURE Speaking Out

CURE TV

Educated Patient Sound Bites

On Demand: Webinars

Conferences

Conference Coverage 

Conference Listing 

Events

CURE Adventures

CURE Awards

Educated Patient In Person Education

Educated Patient Virtual Education

Resources

Advocacy Groups

Art Gallery

Clinical Trial Corner

Heal®

Partners

Podcasts

Publications

Share Your Story

Subscribe

CURE provides access to the cancer news, latest oncology research & expert insights that serve as a guide to every stage of the cancer experience.

About

Advertise / Support

Contact

CancerNetwork.com

TargetedOnc.com

OncLive.com

OncNursingNews.com

Terms & Conditions

Privacy

Do Not Sell My Information

CURE - Oncology & Cancer News for Patients & Caregivers

Twitter

Facebook

Youtube

Instagram

Spotlight

Breast Cancer Webinar Series

Cancer Type

Bladder

Breast

Kidney

Lung

Ovarian

Prostate

Skin

About CURE

Press Releases

Write for CURE

1rem

Authors

Keri is also a true partner in the management and care of the whole patient. 

A True Partner in Cancer Healing

For patients with MDS, close monitoring by doctors may help determine the appropriate timing to undergo stem cell transplants before the disease worsens.

‘Tempo’ of MDS Helps With Timing for Stem Cell Transplants 

During the treatment process for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), the time in which patients receive stem cell transplants matters, an expert told CURE® at the Society of Hematologic Oncology Annual Meeting.

However, many patients will have already met with an MDS specialist who has consistently monitored their disease over time, said Dr. Sergio A. Giralt.

Giralt is a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and attending physician in the Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, both in New York.

Throughout the treatment process, Giralt noted that patients and their doctors begin to understand the “tempo of the disease” after months or years with MDS. By doing so, the team is able to determine whether there are progressive cytopenias (consistently low blood cell counts, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets).

He emphasized that certain potential progressive abnormalities in the body may lead to higher-risk MDS.

“Before that happens, one should intervene because this is the time when the patient’s going to be youngest and their disease is going to the be the weakest,” Giralt explained.

Regarding transplant eligibility in patients with MDS, he emphasized that patients’ fitness may weigh more than their age. Before deciding on whether transplants are an option, patients take some assessments — including a physical examination — to help doctors determine eligibility.

Well, for many patients, they've already established care with an MDS specialist and a transplant specialist who've monitored these patients for many months or years, and the tempo of the disease, one can see whether there is progressive cytopenias or progressive acquisition of other molecular abnormalities, or increase of high-risk molecular abnormalities, or development of cytogenetic abnormalities that suggest that this disease is going to evolve rapidly into a more higher risk [disease], and that before that happens, one should intervene because this is the time when the patient's going to be youngest and their disease is going to be the weakest.

More important than age is a patient's fitness, and this is determined by a comprehensive geriatric assessment and a full physical exam and assessment by the transplant center physician.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

Tumor

“We've all been touched by breast cancer in some way. And we need everybody to be a part of this solution,” Kristen Dahlgren told CURE.

Why Kristen Dahlgren Left NBC To Advocate for Breast Cancer Vaccines

Kristen Dahlgren made headlines of her own recently

 when she announced she was leaving her media career to invest her time and energy in the Cancer Vaccine Coalition (formerly the Pink Eraser Project), a non-profit organization in support of breast cancer vaccines. Dahlgren, a breast cancer survivor, co-founded the organization with attorney and fellow survivor Michele Young.

“When you go on national TV and announce that you're leaving your job so that you can help cure cancer, you never know exactly what the response is going to be,” Dahlgren said. “It's a huge leap of faith. And, you know, if I've learned anything over the past week or so, it's that people are ready for this.”

Researchers Are ‘Building Up the Wall of Evidence’ to Support Cancer Vaccines in the Future

 that, starting with the Cleveland Clinic, patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) were being enrolled in an expansion phase of an ongoing phase 1 clinical trial evaluating a novel cancer vaccine administered in combination with the immunotherapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab).

A team of researchers from the University of Washington Medicine Cancer Vaccine Institute and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle announced findings in 2022 in JAMA Oncology that a plasmid DNA vaccine “was associated with the generation of immunity in most patients, which persisted after the end of vaccinations.” Representatives from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center 

 that the center had partnered with Amazon in an ongoing early-phase clinical trial investigating the safety and efficacy of a cancer vaccine.

Cancer Vaccine ‘Closer Than We Ever Thought,’ 2025 Availability Possible

“We have the science that in a short amount of time — we're talking about two, five, 10 years — if we marshaled our forces, what was breast cancer will be what is polio, it will be a treatable condition for most that will be treatable by vaccines, both in terms of how we treat the illness but hopefully [also] within 10 years the illness itself will be preventable,” said Young. “It's an extraordinary turning point in human history, when what has been the ancient killer of women, and very much still across the world, the leading epidemic for women the leading killer, which shapes our lives, one in eight in the US, one in seven in the world, and third world countries, even greater numbers. We could end it.

Current roadblocks faced by researchers, Dahlgren said, include recruiting patients for participation in clinical trials and funding for research. The Cancer Vaccine Coalition is aiming to build a database of patients interested in participating in trials and is turning to the public to help with funding.

“We have our doctors, and they meet every few weeks, and we just listen to them,” Dahlgren said. “We've asked them, ‘What are your pain points in this process?’ And without a doubt, funding is number one. Look, these trials are very expensive. When you get into phase 3 trials, especially, most institutions don't have that kind of money. So, they're looking to the government to get the funding for it, or they're looking to big pharma or biotech to fund it. You know, that's our current model, that takes time. And so, one way that we're looking to sort of accelerate the process is being able to fund these trials or help fund these trials. And so that's a big part of this. And look, I come from a mom who told me to never talk about money. And now, here I am asking people, if you can, to help us out financially.”

Donations to support the Cancer Vaccine Coalition and the work of the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York can be made by visiting cancervaccinecoalition.org, where supporters can also learn about the team of doctors working with the organization from institutions including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Roswell Park and Cleveland Clinic.

“We are women with a mission, and it is to free the potential of every woman in this world that may be stopped part-way, all the way, by breast cancer,” said Young.

When you go on national TV and announce that you're leaving your job so that you can help cure cancer, you never know exactly what the response is going to be. It's a huge leap of faith. And, you know, if I've learned anything over the past week or so, it's that people are ready for this, they are really excited about this science.

Look, Michele and I are not the scientists, we're not the ones who are actually doing the vaccine research, but we are just doing everything we can to get the word out about it and to get people to know that this is close, this is a possibility. This is no longer pie-in-the-sky thinking, all of the pieces are there for the science and we're going to do everything we can to support it and accelerate it. So, we've just heard from thousands upon thousands of people who are really excited and getting involved. And that's what this is, this is an effort for everyone.

We've all been touched by breast cancer in some way. And we need everybody to be a part of this solution. And so, whether it's donating funds via our website, whether it's volunteering, or whether it's just spreading the word and talking to people to let them know what's out there, this is going to take every single one of us to do.


Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

“We've all been touched by breast cancer in some way. And we need everybody to be a part of this solution,” Kristen Dahlgren told CURE, regarding her decision to be a co-founder of the Cancer Vaccine Coalition.

Leaning on a community of oncology nurses, other patients and survivors can help ease the burden of receiving a cancer diagnosis, said Kristen Dahlgren.

‘Give Yourself Grace’ After a Cancer Diagnosis, Kristen Dahlgren Says

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming, but patients should give themselves grace, Kristen Dahlgren told CURE®.

Dahlgren is a former NBC news correspondent. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she became a co-founder of the Cancer Vaccine Coalition (formerly the Pink Eraser Project).

In an interview with CURE® ahead of the 2024 Extraordinary Healer® award event — for which she was the keynote speaker — she emphasized to patients that leaning on a community of nurses and fellow patients and survivors is important.

“I was blown away by the generosity of other [patients],” she said during the interview. “Tap into that and never think that you’re bothering someone.”

Why Kristen Dahlgren Left NBC to Advocate for Breast Cancer Vaccines

Dahlgren said she still experiences a fear of recurrence. So, part of her mission with the Cancer Vaccine Coalition is to support the development of cancer vaccines. Notably, she urged that this could help survivors lessen their fear of recurrence with these vaccines.

“That’s part of why I’m doing [the Cancer Vaccine Coalition] because I dream of a day where I know that my immune system will kick in if that cancer ever creeps back in,” Dahlgren explained. “I think that future is a real possibility, so I’m leaning into that.”

Give yourself grace. It is a long road and can be tough. I always say cancer is not linear; it's not a start to finish and then you're done. There are ups and downs and it continues for years and I'm at seven surgeries now. It's not easy, and I still live with lymphedema, and I still live with fears of recurrence.

But you have to give yourself grace that you are going through it, it's not always going to be easy, but you're stronger than you think. You need to take care of yourself, listen to your body and listen to your nurses. And you'll get through it.

There's an amazing community to help you, not just the oncology nurses, but the other patients and survivors. I was blown away by the generosity of other cancer patients. And so, tap into that never think that you're bothering someone, I had people stay on the phone with me for an hour talking through how I would share with my 3-year-old that I had cancer and whether or not I should do the cold cap. These were people I had never met before but had gone through this journey, and were willing to give me that time. There are a lot of us out there. I'm always happy to talk people through it, so tap into that network and say thank you to your nurses.

Transcription was edited for clarity and conciseness.

“I think there is a very near future where we have available breast cancer vaccines for all of us, our children and for everybody,” said Kristen Dahlgren.

Breast Cancer Vaccines Could Possibly Make a Change for “So Many”

 on the rise, Kristen Dahlgren wanted to do what she could to spread the word.

A breast cancer survivor, Dahlgren emphasized that she doesn’t want others to “go through what I’ve been through.”

 before she realized her passion for advocating for cancer vaccines grew. She noted that the development of vaccines for cancer will make a significant change for “so many people.”

“If people join this movement, we [can] really support the scientists [and] the work they're doing,” Dahlgren said during an interview ahead of the 2024 Extraordinary Healer® award ceremony. “I mean, globally, we could change things for everything, both for everyone who could get breast cancer and for the families that love them.”

Dahlgren is co-founder of the Cancer Vaccine Coalition (formerly the Pink Eraser Project), a non-profit organization supporting breast cancer vaccine research. She noted that the organization has “taken off” and that scientists are “all on board.”

“Doctors say that we'll have cancer vaccines in 25 to 30 years. There are people out there who need them now,” she said. “So if we can accelerate that process, [in a safe way] by getting the data more quickly for the approval process, then we can get those to the people who need them sooner.”

When I learned that breast cancer vaccines were available, I knew that I had to do something to spread the word about it. To support the science, to fund the science if we have to, and to really move this forward. If I didn't do it, I wasn't sure who would. And so, just like when you get cancer, and you ask, “Why me?” the answer, ultimately, is “Why not me?”

It's the same thing with advocacy. Why not me? Why not me using this platform that I have, and this voice that I have, to tell people that breast cancer vaccines are in development, are close and all we need to do is to get them over the finish line. That will change things for so many people. I don't want anyone else to go through what I've been through.

I think there is a future — a very near future — where we have available breast cancer vaccines for all of us, for our children and for everybody out there.

2024 Extraordinary Healer event 

CURE Media Group recognized Meaghan Mooney, B.S.N., RN, OCN, as the winner of its 2024 Extraordinary Healer® award, which honors nurses in the cancer community who dedicate their lives to make a difference in the lives of patients and their loved ones.

Essays were submitted by colleagues, patients and family members identifying Mooney, two finalists and 73 other Extraordinary Healer® nominees, all detailing the noble acts of oncology nurses, from, “they leave no stone unturned when meeting and assessing patients,” to “it is not just about the cancer or the patient’s treatment; it is about the person and seeing their smiles through often sad times.”

The Extraordinary Healer® award event, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, was hosted on April 24, during an in-person celebration held in conjunction with the 49th Annual Oncology Nursing Society Congress in Washington, D.C.

The night featured a keynote address from Kristen Dahlgren, an award-winning journalist turned breast cancer advocate. Throughout her career, she has traveled the world to document major news stories for outlets like NBC Nightly News and NBC’s Today Show. Earlier this year, she announced on the Today Show that she would be stepping down from her role at the network to start the Cancer Vaccine Coalition (formerly known as Pink Eraser Project), which is teaming up with cancer vaccine researchers to get a safe and effect breast cancer vaccine on the market in the next five to 10 years.

Dahlgren also has a personal connection to cancer, as she was diagnosed with of stage 2 breast cancer in 2019. She recalled a family friend — who was also an oncology nurse — who took time off to come to the cancer center to spend time with Dahlgren while she underwent treatment.

“Really what I remember most is that through it all, she made me feel like a human, even a friend, at a time when nothing at all felt normal. That is a gift that I won’t forget,” she said.

Although she is currently a survivor, she emphasized the importance of the little efforts that meant so much to her throughout her cancer experience.

“Please know that all of those small, thoughtful things you do are noticed and appreciated,” she said. “In the throes of treatment, it is not always easy or top of mind for patients to say thank you, but from the bottom of our hearts, I’m going to do that for patients tonight and say thank you so much. In some of the most difficult moments of our lives, you bring hope and comfort. You give up yourselves to strangers. You sacrifice time with your families. And during the pandemic, you put yourselves at risk. All of that is appreciated. You care for every single patient who comes through the door. So we see you, we appreciate you, and while you’re about to meet all of these wonderful ladies who were nominated tonight, I think all of you are heroes.”

Mooney, chief of staff at Ascension Medical Group Texas in Austin, was nominated by Meredith R. Cooper, cofounder of the organization Wonders & Worries, which provides support services for children and teenagers of parents with cancer and other serious illnesses. Since serving as a chair in 2023 and cochair in 2024, she has helped to raise over $2.1 million to make sure that children receive the support they need during their parents’ illness.

In addition, she uses her years of experience as an oncology nurse to move from clinical roles to significant roles overseeing the wellbeing of patients of Ascension Medical Group.

“It is Meaghan’s unwavering dedication to supporting children and families during a parent’s illness, along with her willingness to take her direct patient care to practices within her professional position and her community service, that allows me to say Meaghan is truly an extraordinary healer deserving of this honor,” Cooper said during the ceremony.

The other finalists for the Extraordinary Healer award were Jessica McDade, B.S.N., RN, OCN, charge nurse at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and Lauren Yakelis, B.S.N., RN, manager of the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinical Program at Benson Cancer Center at Ochsner Health in New Orleans. 

Encircling Patients With Care and Kindness

McDade was nominated by Susan Ayers, M.S.N., RN, OCN, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who detailed the many ways that she has been dedicated to her role as an oncology nurse since 2009. She provides care to patients with cancer, leads her department, supports new staff, serves as a resource to her team, and teaches nursing students in the clinical setting at a nearby nursing school.

In Ayers’ nominating essay, she detailed a patient on their hematology oncology unit who had a complex history of opioid use disorder while newly diagnosed with metastatic bladder cancer.

“The patient was frustrated, feeling the medical world had judged and failed her,” Ayers said. “Jessica, a master of the art of nursing, bonds with patients who it can be hard to make connections with. Jessica encircles them with care and kindness. Patients talk to Jessica, and share hardships and challenges that were unknown to others.”

McDade also continued that care to the patient’s family to help them participate in her care.

“She helped Kim’s family cope with her poor prognosis,” Ayers noted. “Jessica taught them how to care for Kim and treat her like a person and not just a patient. Jessica helps patients find their voice and supports the patient during challenging conversations with family members.”

Illuminating the Pivotal Influence of Oncology Nurses

Yakelis was nominated by Kristin Linde, MHA, B.S.N., RN, BMTCN, of Benson Cancer Center, who mentioned her innate ability to lead by example and go beyond the call of duty. Some of these examples include washing the clothes of some of her hospitalized patients, organizing a Christmas reunion for a mother undergoing a stem cell transplant, and personally transporting a patient’s mother to her apartment so she can retrieve the patient’s necessary medication while they were unexpectedly admitted to the hospital 26 days after transplant.

She also played a role in launching a CAR-T cell program, marking the first of its kind in Louisiana.

“Lauren’s efforts successfully onboarded three CAR-T medications into their program, significantly broadening the spectrum of treatment options for three distinct patient populations that previously faced limited prospects,” Linde said. “She stands as an exemplary role for nurses, simultaneously illuminating the pivotal influence that nurses can have within the realm of health care."

‘A Composition of Compassion, Expertise and Resilience’

Kristie L. Kahl, vice president of oncology content at MJH Life Sciences, the parent company of CURE Media Group, reflected on the nominations that were received for this year’s Extraordinary Healer® award and the appreciation that shone through them all.

“Each of you in this room encompasses a composition of compassion, expertise and resilience,” she said during the ceremony. “We are so proud to have the unique opportunity to recognize our oncology nurses. This was apparent to me how adored all of you are. … It is through these essays that a picture is painted of how you go above and beyond the call of duty, forging deep connections with patients, forging trust and understanding.”

Lynn Hall, Senior Director of Patient Experience in the Oncology Patient Engagement Customer Solutions Organization at Johnson & Johnson, noted how the role oncology nurses play in patient care is engrained in the company’s mission.

During this in-person event, over 500 attendees celebrated the remarkable efforts made by oncology nurses in the care of patients with cancer.  

Wendy Stock, MD

Articles

Latest Updated Articles