Fox Chase Cancer Center News

PHILADELPHIA (November 18, 2010) – Cancer patients, caregivers, researchers, volunteers, medical staff and friends will gather on December 8th at 5:30 p.m. for the 21st annual Tree of Life Ceremony at the Fox Chase Cancer Center cafeteria (333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia). The event, which raises funds for patient care at Fox Chase, is a place for those touched by cancer to honor lost loved ones, pay tribute to caregivers, and support each other in the effort to prevail over cancer.

PHILADELPHIA (November 15, 2010) – The Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center is developing a program to examine and address health risks for smokers who are family or friends of lung cancer patients.  Participants receive health risk assessment, a counseling session on smoking, and self-help materials, as well as a gift upon completion of the study.

PHILADELPHIA (November 8, 2010) – The Laborers’ District Council Charity Fund, a 501(c)3 non profit organization, donated $30,000 to Fox Chase Cancer Center to be used for Mesothelioma research. A check presentation took place on Monday, November 8, 2010 at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

The funds are part of the $130,000 that was raised at the Laborers' District Council Charity Fund's 11th Annual Charity Golf Classic on June 1, 2010.

PHILADELPHIA (November 5, 2010) – Marcia Boraas, MD, FACS, Attending Surgeon, Breast Surgery, has returned to Fox Chase Cancer Center as an attending surgeon in the department of surgical oncology. She specializes in treating patients with breast cancer, as well as those who may be at high risk of the disease and patients with suspected breast cancer.

SAN DIEGO, CA (November 3, 2010) – Removal of the prostate gland often eradicates early-stage cancer. But patients whose cancer has spread may need to follow up with what is known as salvage radiation therapy. Researchers at Fox Chase have now determined a better way to monitor outcomes after this procedure.

PHILADELPHIA (November 1, 2010) – Zeng-jie Yang, MD, PhD, has joined Fox Chase Cancer Center as an assistant professor in the Cancer Biology Program. Yang comes to Fox Chase from the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University, where his postdoctoral research primarily focused on the origins of medulloblastoma, a highly malignant form of brain cancer that is typically seen in children.

SAN DIEGO, CA (November 1, 2010) – Treating paranasal sinus cancer with three-dimensional radiation that conforms to the shape of the tumor—a technique that minimizes side effects such as severe dry mouth and vision problems—is safe and effective, research at Fox Chase Cancer Center shows. Aruna Turaka, radiation oncologist at Fox Chase, will present the results at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

SAN DIEGO, CA (November 1, 2010) – When treating prostate cancer with radiation therapy, side effects such as urinary problems and rectal pain and bleeding are a concern, as is impact on the patient’s overall quality of life. So when new, more efficient treatment methods are developed, one important question is whether better treatment comes at the cost of increased side effects and decreased quality of life.