News

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) has continued its Community Conversations on Cancer series in 2025 in partnership with the Detroit Public Library. The program invites members of the public to dialogue about current cancer research and treatment, improved health outcomes, and a deep understanding of a cancer diagnosis. The 2025 series includes six events, each a collaborative, informative discussion introducing the community to a different asp...

WDIV Not satisfied with just having surgery as the only treatment option, Terrell Thomas came to Karmanos Cancer Institute for a second opinion for his prostate cancer. After meeting with Michael Cher, M.D. , urologic oncologist and member of the Genitourinary Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Karmanos, he was also given the option of radiation therapy, which was the treatment he chose. That’s when he met Nitin Vaishampayan, M.D. , radiation oncologist and leader of the Genitourinary Oncology MDT...

For Gen Sheng Wu, Ph.D., a member of the Molecular Therapeutics Research Program at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Oncology and Pathology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, witnessing the research he began 20 years ago lead to a newly approved cancer treatment is a dream come true. ONC201, now renamed dordaviprone (ModeysoTM), was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 6, 2025, to treat a rare and aggressive brain cancer...

Among American men, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death after lung cancer. While early detection can make a significant difference, the decision to begin screening isn’t always straightforward and should involve a conversation with your doctor. Screening tests can help detect prostate cancer in its early stages, often before any symptoms appear. However, these tests are not designed to diagnose cancer on their own. If screening resul...

The  Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , along with cancer centers and other organizations across the nation, recognizes and promotes awareness of four cancer types during September: Blood Cancer Gynecologic Cancer Prostate Cancer Thyroid Cancer Blood Cancer Awareness Month Blood cancers include leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. They occur in blood-forming cells, the bone marrow and the lymphatic system, which is a part of the immune system. According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), s...

Clinical Leader Patients may not be the only ones who may be apprehensive about participating in clinical trials; some physicians may be hesitant to recommend them to their patients. This could be due to misconceptions that both parties may have heard and believe. Wasif Saif, M.D., MBBS , medical oncologist, co-leader of the  Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team  (MDT), and leader of the  Phase I Clinical Trials MDT  at Karmanos, talked to Clinical Lead...

When Randy Hoffman’s PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) score kept rising, both he and his doctor decided it was time to act. “They say age will make your PSA climb, but when it shot straight up, I knew something was going on,” Randy said. “I was referred to a urologist, who did a biopsy and discovered I had an aggressive prostate cancer.  My Gleason score was 8.” The Gleason score is a grading system for prostate cancer.  Scores of 8 and higher indicate higher grade cancers that are growing fast...

The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health has awarded Anna Gottschlich, Ph.D., M.P.H., member of the Population Studies and Disparities Research Program at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and assistant professor of Oncology in the Wayne State University School of Medicine, a five-year, $916,545 career development award to support her research on the epidemiology of cancer health disparities and early detection and interception strategies to improve cancer equity. The g...

Prostate cancer has become a significant health concern among men, being the second leading cause of death in the United States. While the survival rate in men remains high , those who have advanced, otherwise known as metastatic prostate cancer, and have exhausted conventional hormonal treatment plans may have a new option with the introduction of Pluvicto ®, now available from the cancer experts at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing, in partnership with MSU Health Care.  “As the...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University will host the Third Annual Lung Cancer Symposium , bringing together some of the nation’s most respected leaders in thoracic oncology for a day of leading-edge science, practical insights and collaborative discussion. This year’s program features national experts in thoracic oncology research and treatment: Elliott Brea, M.D., Ph.D. – Dana Farber Cancer Institute Ryan Gentzler, M.D. – University of Virginia Meera Patel, M.D. – Baylor C...