All articles tagged with #chemotherapy
Holly, a mother from London, wrote a children’s book titled 'Edie's Magic Hair' to help her daughter Edie cope with hair loss during chemotherapy for bone cancer. Now that Edie is in remission, Holly is crowdfunding to distribute copies to pediatric cancer units across the UK to help other children facing similar treatment side effects.
ABC News correspondent Will Reeve, 34, publicly disclosed his diagnosis of embryonal testicular cancer in April 2026, just months after his January wedding. Following an orchiectomy in May, he underwent a lymph node dissection in June and two cycles of chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering in July. Reeve stated that the treatment reduced his recurrence risk to nearly 1% and aims to raise awareness about the disease.
Ron Bennington, a veteran comedian and SiriusXM host, was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in March and is turning chemotherapy into a weekly YouTube podcast, Portcast, recorded in his hospital room with guests like Jim Gaffigan, Stavros Halkias, Michael Che, and more, blending frank discussions of death and caretaking with his signature irreverent humor.
Becky Jones, 21, was told she had a terminal brain tumour and underwent 11 years of temozolomide chemotherapy, despite scans never showing a tumour. In 2025 she learned she never had cancer; she actually had tumefactive demyelination, an inflammation treatable with steroids. More than 40 patients are suing University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust over prolonged or unnecessary TMZ, and a Royal College of Physicians review found case mismanagement and a 'betrayal of patient trust.' The trust says it has implemented stronger oversight and actions to improve prescribing.
A 27-year-old fitness-minded entrepreneur in Florida experiences testicular, abdominal, and back pain, leading to a stage 2 testicular cancer diagnosis after ultrasound and MRI; he’s mid-way through a three-round chemotherapy regimen while balancing treatment with work and supported by his girlfriend and family, highlighting how cancer can affect even healthy, active young people.
In mice, two pre-chemo doses of psilocybin prevented peripheral neuropathy across six chemotherapy rounds by activating receptors on sensory nerves to keep mitochondria moving, preserving nerve function without reducing tumor shrinkage; a non-hallucinogenic analog targeting the same pathway also provided protection, suggesting potential for preventing neuropathy in cancer patients.
Australian mom Kellie Finlayson was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer just three months after giving birth, after years of changes in her bowel habits and fluctuating weight were dismissed. She has since undergone extensive treatment, including surgery and over 80 rounds of chemotherapy, with cancer later spreading to her lungs. Now 30, she continues treatment to keep the disease stable and uses her platform to raise awareness and encourage others to take warning signs seriously.
A mouse study published in Science found that psilocybin, given before chemotherapy, can prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by preserving mitochondrial trafficking and ATP production in nerve endings. The protective effect relies on the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, and a non-hallucinogenic 5-HT2A activator also provided protection. Human trials have not yet proven efficacy, though researchers plan to move toward clinical testing.
A Cincinnati-area pastor, Brian Hoehler of New Hope Community Church in Green Township, was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer and is set to begin chemotherapy and radiation in the third week of September; the West Side community has rallied, purchasing items from his Amazon wishlist and raising over $16,000, while also celebrating his recent master's degree in clinical mental health counseling and his years of service as a police officer, pastor, and food-pantry founder.
The FDA has approved Revolution Medicines’ daraxonrasib (Rasonque), a daily pill that nearly doubles median survival in pancreatic cancer in a trial of about 500 patients versus chemotherapy, signaling a major advance in treating one of the deadliest cancers.
A Case Western Reserve University study suggests over-the-counter NAD+-boosting derivatives NMN, NR, and NAM may enable pancreatic cancer cells to withstand chemotherapy (oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine) in lab and animal tests. While NAD+ boosts can benefit healthy cells, cancer cells may gain energy to repair chemo damage, prompting caution for patients undergoing treatment and routine screening of supplement use by oncology teams; findings are not yet proven in humans and more research is needed.
A 3-year-old girl with neurofibromatosis type 1 developed two optic pathway gliomas that threatened her vision. After café-au-lait spots led to an NF1 diagnosis, brain MRIs revealed the tumors. Maddie Fries underwent 14 months of weekly chemotherapy beginning mid-2024, including chest-port placement for infusions, to stabilize the tumors and preserve her sight. Her vision remains impaired but stable (about 20/60 with glasses), and she continues regular MRIs and eye exams; she’s starting kindergarten this August, highlighting the lifelong vigilance NF1 requires.
A NICU nurse diagnosed with a rare synovial sarcoma that started in her lung and spread to the brain undergoes brain surgery and intensive chemotherapy, gets engaged and married during treatment, and three years later remains with no detectable disease and ongoing monitoring.
University of Oklahoma researchers have received a five-year, $2 million NCI grant to study how pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma reprograms cholesterol metabolism, guided by the RNA-binding protein ZC3H15, which helps cancer cells resist chemotherapy and undergo EMT. The team will use patient-derived models and mice to uncover cholesterol-driven survival mechanisms and will evaluate adding rosuvastatin to FOLFIRINOX to improve treatment effectiveness.
Researchers at The Wistar Institute found that fructose released by treatment-surviving ovarian cancer cells acts as a signal that weakens cell–cell adhesion and promotes detachment and spread. The effect can occur even without chemotherapy, and higher dietary fructose may influence tumor behavior, with cholesterol-lowering statins also weakening cancer cell adhesion. The study, published in Nature Aging, raises the possibility that this mechanism could occur in other torso-spreading cancers, though clinical studies are needed.