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Of all the many forms of cancer and the endless devastation they cause, lung cancer could be considered the most devastating, the most impactful. Of the more than 600,000 people who braved a cancer fight, yet succumbed to the disease, approximately a quarter of them were lung cancer patients. And yet, as stated by the American Lung Association, just 16 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed in an early, more treatable stage. “Our chances of successfully treating lung cancer and getting a favorable o...

For 30 years, Michael Cher, M.D. , urologic oncologist, chief of Urology and member of the Genitourinary Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), has been a leading presence at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University. Now, upon completing his 1,000 th robotic surgery, Dr. Cher reflected on how his journey with this technology began. “I trained in the era before robotic surgery,” he described. “When robotic surgery came around in the 2000s, we were able to transfer our traditio...

“If you care about your life and your family members, get the screenings because they are important." Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. The current lung cancer screening guidelines are in place to help lower the number of deaths due to the disease by catching the cancer in earlier stages. An annual lung cancer screening can save thousands of lives. Due to his firsthand experience, 69-year-old Edgar Cooper now understands the importance of these screening guidelines. He ...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , along with cancer centers and other organizations nationwide, recognizes November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. As its name suggests, pancreatic cancer originates in the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach. The pancreas plays a crucial role in digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels. About Pancreatic Cancer Exocrine cells make up much of the pancreas. When these cells grow out of control, adenocarcinoma of the pancreas occurs. Pancrea...

A new drug has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, in which the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute played a crucial role. The oral targeted menin inhibitor ziftomenib (known by its brand name Komzifti™) received FDA approval on Nov. 13, 2025. Ziftomenib is a once-daily oral targeted therapy for adult patients with nucleophosimin 1 (NPM1)-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). “AML is an aggressive blood and bone marrow cancer, and mutations in the NPM1 gene are among the most co...

“I knew if this treatment was going to help me, I would drive wherever to get it.” Living in Cadillac, David Levine was an avid hunter and outdoorsman who thrived on adventure. About 15 years ago, his active lifestyle was unexpectedly interrupted after a routine visit to his primary care physician. His routine bloodwork revealed elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels - a potential sign of prostate cancer . Though he had no apparent symptoms, Levine continued regular visits with his doctor until...

Over the last decade, melanoma survival rates have improved significantly due to ongoing research and the development of immunotherapy. Lifileucel, also known by its brand name AMTAGVI, is a new form of immunotherapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with metastatic melanoma whose cancer has stopped responding to immune checkpoint inhibitors. The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is the first and only cancer center in Michigan to treat a patient with this new immun...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , along with cancer centers and other organizations nationwide, recognizes November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer among women and men. Lung Cancer Facts and Figures About 226,650 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2025. The chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 17. A woman's lifetime chance of developing lung cancer is about 1 in 18. Lung cancer is the leading cause of c...

Patient Power Suresh Balasubramanian, M.D. , hematologist and medical oncologist, and member of the  Hematology Oncology  and  Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis  Multidisciplinary Teams at Karmanos, answered questions about how systemic mastocytosis can cause bone complications. Read the Q&A here .

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and the second most common cancer for both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society . What’s especially troubling is that it often isn’t diagnosed until it’s already advanced—when treatment is much harder and less likely to succeed. That’s why early detection through screening is so important. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to learn about your risks, understand the importance of scre...