News

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, but the good news is that a colonoscopy can help detect and prevent it. In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month this March , it’s important to highlight how preparing for a colonoscopy is easier than you might think. In fact, it’s a simple and essential step toward maintaining your health. A colonoscopy is the gold standard to screen for and prevent colorectal cancer. A clean colon allows the gastroenterologist to spot any ab...

FOX 2 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 , explained some risk factors that you can control to help reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. He also detailed the types of screenings that are available for patients, with colonoscopy being the gold standard for screening and preventing disease. Watch the interview here .

Crain’s Detroit Business We all get busy, but it’s important to schedule our routine cancer screenings to catch cancer early. As Eliza Wright Beal, M.D., MS , surgical oncologist and member of the  Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team  at Karmanos, wrote, it’s even more important to take advantage of a colonoscopy's preventative characteristics and not delay this very important screening. Dr. Beal explained why a colonoscopy is the only screening for colorectal c...

“Health equity” is a term that has become commonly used in both research and medical practice. However, what health equity means to community members on a hyperlocal level is rarely explored. As new research describes, this was the goal of the Detroit Community Health Equity Alliance, an initiative of Wayne State University’s Center for Health Equity and Community Knowledge in Urban Populations, or CHECK-UP. A report recently published in Health Equity provides unique insight from community stakeholders...

First for Women Simone Smith, entrepreneur, jewelry designer, and wife of LL Cool J, was diagnosed in 2004 with stage III chondrosarcoma, a malignant tumor that originates from cartilage cells. Chondrosarcoma usually develops in the pelvis and long bones, like thighs and arm bones. However, it can grow in various parts of the body. Tarik Hadid, M.D., MPH, MS, FACP , medical oncologist and member of the Sarcoma Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos, explained that though it’s not known what causes ...

Patient Power When mast cells, a white blood cell, gather oddly in the skin, physicians call this systemic mastocytosis rash. This is a rare disorder. Jay Yang, M.D. , hematologist, medical oncologist, and leader of the  Hematology Oncology Multidisciplinary Team  at Karmanos, detailed what this rash may look like, what causes it, and potential symptoms. Read the article here .

A long-held dream of creating a painted rock garden at Karmanos Cancer Institute has finally come to life, thanks to the hard work of an Eagle Scout candidate from Troop 1795 in Southgate. The project, completed in November, marked the completion of years of planning and a shared vision for the entrance to the main Karmanos location in Detroit. The rock garden has been on the wish list of several Karmanos team members, including Clara Beaver DNP, RN, AOCNS, ACNS, BC, manager of Clinical Education and cl...

Taking the first bite of a meal or sip of a drink suddenly became difficult for Daniel Zuhlke. Whatever he ate or drank would stop when it reached his throat, and when it finally went down, it was painful. “I thought I had a hiatal hernia because I had watched my father struggle with one,” Daniel said. “But my doctor thought my symptoms sounded like something more serious. He sent me for tests.” Imaging, followed by a biopsy revealed Daniel did have something more serious. He had esophageal cancer. “I w...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , cancer centers, and other organizations across the nation recognize March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women; however, there are a variety of screening tests available to detect it. Colorectal Cancer Facts and Figures In 2025, an estimated 107,320 cases of colon cancer and 46,950 cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. More than 52,000 people in the U.S. will die from color...

Detroit Free Press As Elissa Robinson, a stage IV colorectal cancer patient, makes decisions on her care, she met with Najeeb Al Hallak, M.D., MS , medical oncologist and co-leader of the  Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), and Hussein Aoun, M.D. , interventional radiologist and member of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology MDT at Karmanos. Robinson’s colorectal cancer had spread to her liver and ovaries. She shares her journey with the decisions...