Cancer

intimate relationship with cancer has directly shaped my academic, professional, and personal aspirations. When I was six years old, I lost my 63-year-old grandmother to breast cancer, despite her relentless 10-year fight against the disease. At age 11, my grandfather, who had already overcome testicular cancer earlier in life, passed away from non-small cell lung cancer that riddled his body after only three weeks. Then, when I was 15, I lost my 41-year-old aunt to colon cancer. Not only do…

Ever since the discovery of recurrent gene fusions in prostate cancer in 20053, several prostate cancer specific molecular aberrations have been identified and are potentially targetable with specific inhibitors (Figure 1). Despite the high prevalence, the clinical utility and association of these markers with disease progression has not been firmly established. It may be due to the fact that the estimates on the prevalence of these molecular markers and clinical correlation analyses were based…

proven health benefits to women around the globe. Studies find that, “the pill” reduces risk for various cancers. Two, for example, are endometrial and ovarian cancer. These are both uterine cancers that take away over 25,000 lives a year. Endometrial cancer is a cancer that start in the lining of the uterus. “Endometrial cancer accounts for 90% of all uterine cancers”, according to the National Cancer Institute. Combination birth control (estrogen and progestin pills), progestin-only injections…

against colorectal cancer. Yet, how much had to be taken, and for how long, to achieve those benefits is still being currently studied. Through some research, I found that African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. There might be a correlation with cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer since they are both high in African Americans. Therefore, the increase use of aspirin to self-medicate against cardiovascular disease may lower colorectal cancer. I wonder who…

There have been many developments in cancer over the last few decades, but unfortunately, even the best treatment might not work. Growing up, I experienced many family members battle cancer. Both of my uncles were recently diagnosed, and after countless trips to the hospital, my uncle Jamie passed away. My other uncle, Jimmy, moved in with us shortly after. My family and I continue to take care of him and support him throughout the battle he is rigorously fighting. Jimmy was diagnosed with…

evaluated as an indicator of normal biological process, pathogenic process, or pharmacological responses to therapeutic intervention (Biomarkers Definitions Working, 2001). Although great efforts have been made in the last decade to discover novel cancer biomarkers for use in clinical practice, a striking number of these efforts fail to make it into the clinic (Fuzery, Levin, Chan, & Chan, 2013). One of the causes of this failure of translation could be the limited knowledge that scientists…

our own lives. When Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, he had no choice but to face his own mortality. Doctors told him it was an incurable form of cancer, and that his days on Earth were now limited. During Jobs’s 2005 commencement address at Stanford University, he commented that this was the closest he had ever come to facing death. Fortunately, during a biopsy later on it was discovered that the pancreatic cancer was a very rare type that could be cured through surgery.…

Importance of studying cancer Cancer is a vastly complex disease exhibiting a plethora of genomic alterations and resulting regulatory failures at the root of its progression. Following the milestone of the Human Genome Project (HGP) era, researchers are now focusing on integrating the rich genome-wide association studies (GWAS), single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, and identified gene signatures within the in vitro, in vivo and clinical frameworks to further our understanding of the…

brought his first and last child home; it was there when he went to prison to save his son’s names. It was there at his bedside when he took his last breath. The year I was going into middle school was the year my Grandpa was diagnosed with Pancreas Cancer.…

Ryan Skinner 4/25/17 Dr. Doty Thyroid Cancer Thyroid cancer is, unsurprisingly, cancer of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located at the base of your neck and has a butterfly-like shape. There are countless variations of thyroid cancer, but the most major forms include papillary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, thyroid lymphoma. Fortunately, thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon worldwide and is highly treatable. In the…