News

Each month, we’d like to highlight some current work at Huntsman Cancer Institute. See how a potential new immunotherapy for breast cancer is being developed, learn about research being done to prevent cancer risks in young adults, gain an understanding of how a specific DNA mutation can change lung cancer tumors, check out how nurses are creating a new way to monitor a serious type of pneumonia, and read how researchers have linked biomarkers to distress in colorectal cancer patients.

With February being Cancer Prevention Month, Huntsman Cancer Institute community health educator Gabriela Silva identifies five lifestyle choices you can make to decrease your risk. Whether it’s being more active, eating healthier, or staying up to date with your screenings, these small changes can help you avoid a cancer diagnosis.

Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. But how do you protect yourself from a gas you cannot see, taste, or smell?

Sex can feel like a taboo topic, but it is an important part of a relationship, including for people with cancer. A cancer diagnosis and certain treatment options can have temporary or permanent physical and emotional impacts that can affect a person’s sex organs, fertility, sex drive, and body image. Talking about sex with your cancer care team can help in understanding what to expect during and after treatment.

In 2015, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded Huntsman Cancer Institute with its Comprehensive status. Huntsman Cancer Institute is the only NCI-designated Cancer Center in the Mountain West, meaning we provide the highest national standards for cancer research, prevention, and treatment. Through our state-of-the-art scientific research leading to new care and treatments, we remain committed to delivering a cancer-free frontier.

Daniel Ermann, MD, has been selected for the highly competitive Lymphoma Scientific Research Mentoring Program, class of 2023. This program awards a career development grant of $10,000 to the selected scholars, which will help Ermann fund his research. His award-winning clinical trial investigates the effectiveness of current pneumonia vaccine practices recommended for people with chronic lymphoma, and whether these could be improved upon to reduce infections and death for these patients.

When it comes to cancer prevention, the professionals at Huntsman Cancer Institute work with young patients and their families. In this latest Letter of Hope, Yelena Wu, PhD, describes how her team is continually working, collaborating, and innovating to move beyond typical practices.

At Huntsman Cancer Institute, our patients are at the center of everything we do. Our vision of delivering a cancer-free frontier™ is guided by three core principles—putting patient and community first, coming together for a united effort, and excellence in all we do. Feedback is very important to us and we use it to improve services and support our patients. That’s why we want our patients to tell us about their experience.