Category Archives: MSK in the News

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness MonthIt’s the final day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when many MSK clinicians have been sharing their expertise with the media. Here is a selection of this month’s coverage:

Click here to learn more about breast cancer and MSK.

Global Access to Cancer Research and Treatment

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Bob Li, MD, PhD, MPH

Bob Li, MD, PhD, MPH. Photo by Richard DeWitt.

A Forbes profile of MSK’s Dr. Bob Li chronicles his path from China to Australia to the United States. At MSK, he works as a Thoracic Oncologist and the Physician Ambassador to China and Asia-Pacific, Bobst International Center.

In the article, Dr. Li emphasizes the need for more global coordination and inclusivity in cancer research and care. As he says, “We’re not going to find the cure for cancer unless we solve this equity question and this access question.”

Dr. Li notes that only 5% of patients globally enroll in clinical trials, which contributes to the “process from discovery in the lab to breakthrough and saving lives in human beings [taking] about 10-plus years.”

Learn more from the Harvard Business Review article co-written by Dr. Li last year, “We Need a Global System for Testing and Approving Cancer Treatments.”

Does Diet Matter?

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Francesca Castro and Dr. Urvi Shah

Francesca Castro (left). Photo by Chad Hunt.
Dr. Urvi Shah (right). Photo by Ethan Kavet.

Americans eat loads of ultra-processed foods, from soda to cold cuts to potato chips. But could these items be contributing to cancer rates?

Perhaps. In an article for VeryWellHealth, MSK Dietitian Nutritionist Francesca Castro notes that ultra-processed diets are generally low in fiber, which is known to protect against many cancers. Still, there are other foods that can increase cancer risk, like red meat.

Castro concludes, “There’s no one food or food group that can cure cancer or reduce cancer risk.” She recommends people look critically at their overall diet and think about whether they could benefit from eating more vegetables, fruits, and fiber.

Want to learn more? Listen to an interview with MSK’s Dr. Urvi Shah on the Healthcare Unfiltered podcast. She discusses the challenges of doing nutrition-related research, along with findings by her and others in the field about diet and cancer risk. Her descriptions of this research begin around 17:30. (Spoiler alert: eat more plant-based foods.)