Dana-Farber research makes it possible to predict how cancers will respond to chemo:

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have devised a test that can predict how effective the drugs will be by determining whether a patient’s tumor cells are already “primed” for death... the researchers report that cancer cells that are on the verge of self-destruction are more likely to succumb to certain chemotherapy agents than cancer cells that have yet to reach that stage. The discovery suggests that it may be possible to predict which cancer patients are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy, as well as to make chemotherapy drugs more effective by pushing tumor cells closer to the point of suicide.

Click here to read full press release from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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Among the research institutions NCI funds across the United States, it currently designates 66 as Cancer Centers. Largely based in research universities, these facilities are home to many of the NCI-supported scientists who conduct a wide range of intense, laboratory research into cancer’s origins and development. The Cancer Centers Program also focuses on trans-disciplinary research, including population science and clinical research. The centers’ research results are often at the forefront of studies in the cancer field.