News

WDIV Charlene Zezawa was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer that had spread to surrounding lymph nodes and her liver. Though she was on a treatment already, she wanted to make sure she was on the right path. So, her sister called 1-800-KARMANOS to set up a second opinion appointment. She joined Najeeb Al Hallak, M.D., MS , medical oncologist and co-leader of the  Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team  (MDT) and a member of the Phase I Clinical Trials MDT at...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , cancer centers, and other organizations across the nation recognize June as National Cancer Survivor Month. A cancer survivor is anyone with a history of cancer from the time they were diagnosed through the remainder of their life. June is a time to celebrate and honor the millions who have beaten cancer and encourage those who are currently undergoing treatment. Cancer Facts and Figures More than 18.1 million Americans with a history of invasive cancer were s...

WJR Join Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) for the second Community Conversations on Cancer series event at the Detroit Public Library on Wednesday, June 25. The Road Ahead: Understanding a Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Exploring Treatment will be presented by Ammar Sukari, M.D. , medical oncologist, member of the  Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team , member of the  Molecular Therapeutics Research Program  at Karmanos, and professor at the Way...

Arnold D’Ambrosio , chief development officer at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , has been named to Crain’s Detroit’s 2025 Notable Leaders in Philanthropy . D’Ambrosio joined Karmanos in 2023 and leads fundraising strategy and execution. He has been instrumental in securing support for the organization's continued success by fostering strong relationships with corporate and community leaders, charitable foundations, board members, and volunteers. Since joining Karmanos, D’Ambrosio has success...

Patient Power Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL) is the most common type of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), a cancer of the lymphatic system. Dipenkumar Modi, MD , hematologist and medical oncologist, and member of the Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant and Hematology Oncology Multidisciplinary Teams at Karmanos, describes the different ways to treat NSHL and its generally favorable prognosis. Read the article here .

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute ’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) continues the 2025 Community Conversations on Cancer series in June. The Road Ahead: Understanding a Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Exploring Treatment will feature a presentation from Ammar Sukari, M.D. , medical oncologist, member of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team , member of the Molecular Therapeutics Research Program at Karmanos, and associate professor at the Wayne State University School of Medi...

For the first time, staff at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute held a moment of silence for #HAVhope Friday on June 6, to raise awareness about hospital and workplace violence. Violence in hospitals has become a pressing issue across the U.S. in recent years and poses a threat not only to medical staff but also to the welfare of patients. In 2022, there were more than 2.1 million nonfatal incidences and nearly 74,000 fatal violence-related injuries in the U.S., according to a research report rel...

Cinzia Caparso, Ph.D., RN, an assistant professor in the Wayne State University College of Nursing and a member of the Population Studies and Disparities Research (PSDR) Program at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , has been named one of 12 national honorees for the prestigious 2025 Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Science Honor by the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR).  This annual honor recognizes early-stage investigators ...

Wei-Zen Wei, Ph.D., founding co-Chair of the Immunology Focus Group, member of the Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Research Program , and renowned faculty member at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine, has been honored with the appointment to the rank of Distinguished Service Professor. Dr. Wei, who is also the Herrick Endowed Chair of Cancer Research, is recognized for her extraordinary service outside her discipline and outside WSU that broug...

Patient Power Genetic testing can help physicians understand if a patient carries a genetic mutation that causes their cancer. Targeted therapies help target a specific gene mutation to attack those cells. Dipesh Uprety, M.D. , medical oncologist, member of the  Thoracic Oncology  and  Phase I Clinical Trials   Multidisciplinary Teams, outlined how targeted therapies work specifically for lung cancers and explained some common gene mutations. Read the article here .