News

More than 67 thousand Americans will learn they have head or neck cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society’s latest estimates .  Oropharyngeal cancers, which impact the voice box, throat, salivary glands, mouth, nasal cavity, and sinuses, can be especially devastating. “Cancers in this area have a huge impact on our patients’ lives,” said Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint Head and Neck Oncology Specialist Dr. Jeffrey Hotaling .  “Activities like swallowing, speaking,...

Detroit PBS Hayley Thompson, Ph.D., associate center director of Community Outreach and Education, and faculty supervisor of the  Office of Cancer Health Equity and Community Engagement (OCHECE)  at Karmanos, spoke to Stephen Henderson, host of American Black Journal, about the challenges that still exist for minorities in Detroit, and beyond when it comes to health equity and cancer. Dr. Thompson is also the director of the Center for Health Equity and Community Knowledge in Urban Populations...

Two of Detroit’s biggest Lions fans, mother and daughter breast cancer survivors Brenda Rushlow and Pamela Haddox, have been chosen by the American Cancer Society and the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative to announce the Lions’ third-round pick during the 2024 NFL Draft , hosted in Detroit. Rushlow and Haddox shared their story with FOX 2 in November 2023 . Rushlow and Haddox have the same medical oncologist at Karmanos Cancer Institute: Michael Simon, M.D., MHP , Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)...

Receiving a cancer diagnosis is the start of a care journey for each patient. Karmanos Cancer Institute provides many resources for patients, their families and caregivers, as they embark on their treatment path. Karmanos' Office of Cancer Health Equity and Community Engagement (OCHECE) recently partnered with the Macomb County Cancer Action Council (CAC) to provide insight into how cancer navigation can significantly impact a patient’s overall health outcomes during the “Navigating Your Cancer Journey”...

Cancer History Project Morhaf Al Achkar, M.D., Ph.D., MSCR, FAAFP, associate center director of Education at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, has been living with stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer for nearly eight years. On The Cancer Letter’s Cancer History Project podcast, he shares his journey of learning about his diagnosis. As a physician, he said he is privileged to have the resources and access to care that he has received. However, he has dedicated his career to identifying and looking...

Patient Power Ovarian suppression is a treatment that stops estrogen from being produced in a woman’s ovaries. Jailan Elayoubi, M.D. , medical oncologist and member of the Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos, explains what type of breast cancer patients this treatment is usually given to and to whom the treatment is not offered. Read the article here .

On any given Friday, you will find Loraine Roberts at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint. She's not a patient; she is one of eight McLaren auxiliary members who volunteer there on weekdays. “Most of us are seniors, and we're looking for something to do to give back to the community,"Loraine said. Loraine's motivation to not only give back but also share comfort and hope with cancer patients is personal. “I had stage four lung cancer in 2010. When I was getting treatment, the volunteers were so w...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute invites the community to the Screening Saves Lives: Cancer Screening and Educational Event in Farmington Hills. It takes place on Saturday, June 8, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Lawrence and Idell Weisberg Cancer Center at 31995 Northwestern Highway. Karmanos will provide breast cancer screenings, including mammograms, colorectal screening consultations, free head and neck examinations, and wellness checks. “We were amazed at having over 400 people walk thro...

Second Wave Utilizing a Michigan Health Endowment Fund Community Health Impact grant , Theresa Hastert, Ph.D., member of the  Population Studies and Disparities Research Program  at Karmanos and associate professor in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine, has worked closely with her team and a community advisory board to create the Michigan Community Outreach to Address Financial Toxicity (MI-COST) website. The idea for this project stems from original conv...

Patient Power Lung cancer claims the lives of millions of people across the world. Tarik Hadid, M.D., MPH, MS, FACP , medical oncologist and member of the Thoracic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos, explains some of the common signs and symptoms of lung cancer. Read the article here .