Dr. Richard Frank— There is alot of talk in the world of cancer today about "personalized cancer medicine" (PCM). PCM means that a cancer patient's treatment is specifically tailored to that individual's cancer based on the results of sophisticated genetic analyses, such as determining the complete DNA sequence (called the genome) of the cancer. PCM
Dr. Richard Frank— Nearly every single day in my medical oncology practice, I have to explain to a fit, non-smoking, healthy-eating individual with no family history of cancer why they now have cancer. I cannot. As I explain in Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope, tobacco use, obesity, diets high in
Dr. Richard Frank— "Doctor, do you believe in alternative medicine to treat cancer?" As a medical oncologist, this is a question I am frequently asked by cancer patients. I totally understand why someone affected by cancer asks this question. The main reasons seem to be: A desire to do "all
Dr. Richard Frank— Surviving cancer requires knowledge and hope, making good choices, lots of effort and sometimes, a lucky break (or two). In Chapter 8 of my book, I tried to encapsulate these many aspects into the helpful mnemonic LMNOP. L is for Less fat in one's diet (especially saturated-fats
Dr. Richard Frank— Sometimes, miracles happen in the real world of fighting cancer. In this vignette from my practice, just published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, I relate how a man with pancreatic cancer, literally on death's door, somehow found another to walk through… Richard C. Frank, M.D., is director of
Dr. Richard Frank— Cancer is a medical condition that affects the human body (and other species). Scientists can break it down into its component molecular parts, the DNA and proteins that go awry. Oncologists can categorize it by type and stage and list the treatments for each condition. These are
Dr. Richard Frank— For most people, the word "cancer" conjures up fears of a life-threatening disease. Common definitions found on internet sites describe cancer cells as "growing out of control" and relentlessly spreading throughout the body causing harm. The reality, however, is much more complicated. Because I have found in
Dr. Richard Frank— The following article by Dr. Richard Frank originally appeared on Bottom Line/Health. Receiving a diagnosis of cancer is always frightening, but it can be devastating if you’re told that the condition is "incurable." For all cancers combined, about two-thirds of patients will be cured (have no evidence
Dr. Richard Frank— Welcome to the Fighting Cancer Blog. This website represents an extension of my book, Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope: A Guide For Patients, Families and Health Care Providers. The emphasis is on Hope and Knowledge: Hope for healing and success in dealing with cancer; Knowledge as