News

Discrimination experienced by Black people can affect their health and increase their frailty, which can be particularly impactful for cancer survivors, according to a new study by researchers at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and colleagues at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, DC. “Association between major discrimination and deficit accumulation in African American cancer survivors: The Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors Study” was published in Cancer...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is looking for cancer survivors to participate in 12 weeks of physical activity classes for free. These classes are offered as part of a clinical trial study exploring how exercise improves quality of life for cancer survivors. Enrollment is open to 20 cancer survivors in Detroit and 20 in the Petoskey area for the Cross-Training and Physical Activity: A Better Life Experience (CAPABLE) study. The American Cancer Society recommends cancer survivors avoid inactiv...

The reality is that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common. HPV only affects humans, and almost every human will be exposed to at least one type of HPV during their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s because HPV is transmitted through direct contact. There are over 200 subtypes of the virus, which affect the skin or tissue inside the body. Around forty of those subtypes are transferred through sexual activity. Transmission can be through direct sk...

A cold February night with a slight drizzle was perfect for the fifth annual Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer™ Detroit Celebration Ice Show at Campus Martius Park in Detroit. Many professional, local and volunteer skaters came out to perform choreographed routines and support cancer research at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute .                                                   ...

FOX 2 M. Najeeb Al Hallak, M.D., MS , medical oncologist and member of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology and Phase 1 Clinical Trials Multidisciplinary Teams at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , explains why it is important for people to begin routine colonoscopies at age 45. A colonoscopy is the only cancer screening that includes cancer prevention. During the screening, doctors can eliminate polyps in the colon that could develop into cancer. Dr. Al Hallak also answered questio...

Clinical trials are the pathway to finding new cancer treatments to improve patient outcomes. The National Institutes of Health and other professional organizations require that studies include participants from diverse populations. Historically, Black patients have been underrepresented in clinical trials. This is especially problematic when enrolling Black men in prostate cancer clinical trial studies. Prostate cancer affects more Black men than White men. A recently published study in Cancer Medicine...

"...I am 100 percent confident that I would not even be here today, or in as good health as I am, had it not been for the information that I got from genetic counseling." In November 2021, as Nancie Petrucelli reviewed her upcoming patient schedule, she recognized an all too familiar last name. “I thought, could it be?” Petrucelli, the director and senior genetic counselor with Karmanos Cancer Institute’s Cancer Genetic Counseling Service , checked the new patient’s chart. She found that the patient’s m...

Since 1976, February has been designated Black History Month in the United States. The month provides an opportunity to celebrate African Americans' many contributions to the country's history while recognizing inequities and struggles that have divided the nation over time. Inequality has spanned every inch and industry in America, from voting rights to equal pay, and the field of medicine is no exception. At the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , we acknowledge the disparities and inequities that...

Experiencing a relative go through a cancer diagnosis and treatment can spark wonder – “Will I also get cancer?” “How can I prevent this from happening to me?” “What preventative measures do I need to make my kids aware of?” There are many pathways you can take to try to prevent cancer. One way is to receive the recommended cancer screenings at the rate your health care team advises. Another effort you can explore is genetic counseling and testing . Up to 10 percent of all cancer cases are hereditary. G...

“I told him to have all his patients sign the bat after completing radiation to show hope from one survivor to the next.” Patient-centered care plays an essential role in anyone’s cancer journey. Individuals travel from all over the country to receive the specialized care offered at Karmanos Cancer Institute. One 66-year-old Whitehouse, Ohio resident lives miles from the newest state-of-the-art cancer care campus that provides outstanding patient-centered care and delivers new life-changing cancer thera...