Category Archives: National Cancer Institute
Remembering Dr. Emil Frei III
Remembering Dr. Emil Frei III
Emil “Tom” Frei III, MD, who served as Dana-Farber physician-in-chief and whose work led to some of the first cures for a variety of pediatric and adult cancers, passed away on April 30 at age 89. Below are some reflections from individuals who knew Dr. Frei.
First cures
Tom Frei was one of a handful of physicians who developed combination chemotherapy for cancer and produced the first cures of childhood leukemia. His was a massive contribution to medicine. Patients and trainees will remember him with deep respect.
— David G. Nathan, MD, Dana-Farber President Emeritus
Way ahead of his time
Tom’s …
Breast Cancer’s Toll on African-American Women
According to the National Cancer Institute, NCI, nearly 27,000 African-American women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. While they are less likely than white women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they are more likely to die from it than any other race and are more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Lack of medical coverage, unequal access to improved treatments, and barriers to early detection and screening, account for the striking racial disparities according to NCI. Across the board, the death rate for all cancers combined is 25 percent higher for African-American women than …
