News

If you feel healthy, it’s easy to think colorectal cancer screening can wait; Many people do. But the truth is, screening is one of the most effective ways to prevent colon cancer or find it early, when it’s easiest to treat. A colonoscopy, the gold standard of colorectal cancer screenings, is also one of the few cancer screenings that can help prevent cancer. Gastroenterologists can remove polyps during screening that could later lead to cancer. Let’s clear up some common myths that keep peop...

Dan Austin, a stage IV colorectal cancer survivor, shared his story with The Detroit News. Now 45 years old, he was diagnosed in 2024, right before he would be eligible by his insurance to begin colorectal cancer screenings. Najeeb Al Hallak, M.D., MS , medical oncologist and co-leader of the  Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Karmanos, briefly gave an update on how Austin is doing and explained how Karmanos takes care of the entire patient when they ...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute ’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) announces the 2026 Community Conversations on Cancer . This is the second year Karmanos has partnered with the Detroit Public Library to present the series. The sessions are held in person at the Main Branch, located at 5201 Woodward Avenue (Detroit, MI 48202) and virtually via Zoom, from 6 -7 p.m. The virtual option allows people from across the state to attend. The first three sessions cover colorectal cance...

Hyeong-Reh C. Kim, Ph.D., professor of Pathology and Oncology, has been appointed vice dean of Research for the Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine. Dr. Kim, who is a member of the Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Research Program at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, is a nationally respected scientist, educator and institutional leader with more than three decades of distinguished service to WSU. “Dr. Kim brings an exceptional combination of scientific excellence, strategic visio...

After a suspicious area showed up on Cindy Gancarz’s routine mammogram, she was called back in for a breast ultrasound. “They seemed to be okay with the results, but they did want to see me again in six months,” Cindy said.  “When I went to the McLaren Imaging Center in Flint for my next screening, the doctor decided to do a breast MRI to investigate further.” Breast MRI can often detect smaller masses that mammograms and ultrasounds may miss.  In Cindy’s case, that is exactly what happened. “...

WMYD TV20 On the last day of National Cancer Prevention Month in February, Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, CEO and president of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, joined the Home Health Care Today Show to discuss cancer screenings. Dr. Pasche was joined by Jenni Beamer, senior executive director of the American Cancer Society in Michigan. Watch the show here .

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is partnering with Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine and three athletic facilities to offer cancer survivors 12 weeks of exercise classes focused on building strength and improving overall fitness. These free classes are provided as part of an exercise program and interventional trial called CrossFit® and Physical Activity: A Better Life Experience (CAPABLE), which introduces cancer survivors to the sport of CrossFit®. Below are the sessions schedu...

For the third consecutive year, George Yoo, M.D., FACS , chief medical officer (CMO) at Karmanos Cancer Hospital, was again listed on  Becker’s Hospital Review’s Hospital and Health System Chief Medical Officers to Know . The 2026 list includes over 250 CMOs nationwide who are steadfast advocates for patient safety, trusted liaisons between medical staff and executive leadership and powerful catalysts for meaningful change. The named CMOs are leaders elevating standards through innovative quality-i...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is partnering with Wayne State University (WSU) School of Medicine and three athletic facilities to offer cancer survivors 12 weeks of exercise classes focused on building strength and improving overall fitness. These free classes are provided as part of an exercise program and interventional trial called CrossFit® and Physical Activity: A Better Life Experience (CAPABLE), which introduces cancer survivors to the sport of CrossFit®. Below are the sessions schedu...

On Black Friday, 2024, 35-year-old Rachel Gustafson woke up with an aching right armpit. “I thought it was because of how I was sleeping,” Rachel said. “But the pain didn’t go away, so I started feeling around and noticed a lump that felt like a Tic Tac in my underarm.” Rachel, who works in the medical field, immediately went to her doctor, who ordered a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. “They saw the lump I felt in a lymph node,” said Rachel. “I had a biopsy, then I waited for the results. The harde...