News Items

A new study recommends colorectal cancer screenings should start at age 45 because of the increasing number of colorectal cancer cases in younger adults. Learn more from Anton Bilchik, M.D., surgical oncologist, and Director of Gastrointestinal & Hepatobiliary Program.

Elaine’s husband Stephen, was diagnosed with a brainstem tumor in 2018. After undergoing a whirlwind of treatment options, Stephen’s tumor has shrunk thanks to the the brilliant neuro-oncologists, Dr. Santosh Kesari, Dr. Jose Carrillo, and their team at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Learn more about their inspirational story.

Getting a cancer diagnosis is often one of the scariest moments in a person’s life, and it’s no surprise that many people wonder about their chances of getting the disease. Learn about the lifetime risk of developing or dying from cancer and how to prevent it from Trevan Fischer, MD, Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology.

Researchers report a single dose of psychedelic drug helps with anxiety and depression for people receiving cancer treatment. Shanthi Gowrinathan, MD, a psychiatrist specializing in both women’s psychiatry and psycho-oncology, comments on the study in an article by Healthline.

Many factors play a role in breast cancer risk—genes, exercise, and hormones are just a few. While it’s less clear how certain foods may impact breast cancer, there is some evidence that adding certain cancer-fighting foods to your diet might help. Learn more from Trevan Fischer, MD, surgical oncologist and assistant professor of surgical oncology.

Let’s Talk About Breast Cancer Surgery. It’s a fearful topic, but the procedure could save your life. Learn what you need to know about surgery options for breast cancer from Janie Grumley, M.D., Breast Surgical Oncologist at the Margie Petersen Breast Center at Providence Saint John’s Center.

After receiving a cancer diagnosis for the fourth time, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she’s cancer-free. “Her journey is an exception — she clearly is strong and resilient,” said Dr. Anton Bilchik, professor of surgery at Saint John’s Cancer Institute. Read the full article by Healthline to learn about her journey and pancreatic cancer.

Alcohol is causing more deaths in America than ever, according to a new study. Anton Bilchik, M.D., surgical oncologist, and Director of Gastrointestinal & Hepatobiliary Program at JWCI, explains why alcohol-related deaths are rising in an article by Prevention.

The department of Translational Molecular Medicine and Sequencing Center under Dr. Dave Hoon, received a $4.5 million grant for Novel Epigenomic and Oncogenic Drivers of Melanoma Metastasis and Therapeutic Resistance and new approaches of next generation sequencing for various solid tumors from the Adeleson Melanoma Research Foundation for three years. This will be 8 years of continual funding in a multi-Institute collaborative funding program in cancer and neuro-related diseases.

In collaboration with Agenus, Dr. Steven O’Day, Executive Director of the Saint John’s Cancer Institute & Cancer Clinic, is working on a combination study with two novel CTLA-4 and PD-1 immunotherapy drugs for patients with advanced cancers. Dr. O’Day’s site treated the first patient in the world with the novel CTLA-4 Inhibitor, AGEN1181. Now his site has treated the first patient with AGEN1181 in combination with AGEN2034, a PD-1 inhibitor. This promising combination of immunotherapy is at the forefront of testing a variety of advanced cancers for all solid tumors.