Mike Hennessy Jr.

Cybercriminals take advantage of patients with cancer through ransomware attacks, phishing scams and identity theft. 

Navigating life with cancer can be a journey fraught with challenges, from the physical and emotional toll of treatment to the financial burdens that often accompany a diagnosis. In the midst of this, some patients find themselves facing other hardships: exploitation and fraud.

reports on the disturbing trend of scammers targeting patients with cancer. As one expert aptly notes, a cancer diagnosis can render individuals vulnerable not only medically but also financially, creating fertile ground for such attacks.

The feature delves into several incidents, from text message scams to institutional cyberattacks on prominent cancer centers. The accounts of patients reportedly receiving threatening emails following cyberattacks and the theft of millions of patients’ personal information underscore the magnitude of this issue.

Ransomware attacks, phishing scams and identity theft are among the nefarious tactics employed by cybercriminals, taking advantage of patients’ fears and uncertainties for financial gain. The sophistication of these tactics and the abundance of personal information available can pose a threat to patients’ well-being.

Elsewhere in this issue, an expert discusses some of the issues faced by adolescent and young adult, or AYA, patients as they transition into adult care over time, including long-term concerns regarding fertility and cognitive impairment.

“It’s such a struggle because they might not be thinking about some of these long-term effects. They might not be thinking about fertility or ‘What classes am I going to take next semester?’ because they’re just trying to get through day to day,” Lillian Dugan, director of programs for the Dear Jack Foundation, explained as part of our “Speaking Out” series.

This issue also looks at how a healthy diet has been shown to be associated with sustained minimal residual disease negativity in some patients, provides expert insight into post-mastectomy chest numbness in patients with breast cancer and explores how the BCMA protein has been targeted in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

As always, we hope you find our stories inspirational and informative. Thank you for reading.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to 

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In the Spring 2024 issue of CURE® Magazine, we also cover financial hardships caused by scammers who purposely target patients with cancer. 

Patients With Cancer Facing Fraud and Exploitation

The lung cancer space is continuing to evolve. Check out the 2024 Lung Cancer Special Issue for more.

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, poses significant challenges to patients, caregivers and health care professionals alike. This special issue of CURE provides information on recent treatment developments, as well as insight into some of the issues currently faced by patients.

We look at news from the Food and Drug Administration, which recently approved both Tagrisso (osimertinib) in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations and Tepmetko (tepotinib) for adults with metastatic NSCLC with mesenchymal-epithelial transition exon 14 skipping alterations. These developments underscore the importance of molecular profiling and precision medicine in optimizing patient outcomes.

Elsewhere in this issue, we shine a spotlight on treatment advancements for ALK-positive NSCLC. Although it is a relatively rare diagnosis, one patient recalls that his doctors told him it was “like hitting the lottery,” due to the targeted therapy treatment options that are available for this disease subtype. Treatments for ALK-positive NSCLC continue to make waves as targeted therapies are explored for patients earlier in their cancer journeys and advancements are made in postsurgical treatment options.

This issue also reports on some of the latest efforts in treating small cell lung cancer, a type of cancer that is relatively less common, making up approximately 15% of lung cancer diagnoses, but is also more aggressive and diagnosed at later stages when compared with NSCLC.

“For decades, we didn’t have a lot of options to offer patients with lung cancer. Chemotherapy was kind of the standard approach to managing that diagnosis. But we’ve seen a lot of recent progress that offers hope for patients who are diagnosed with small cell lung cancer,” Amy C. Moore, vice president of global engagement and patient partnerships for the LUNGevity Foundation, told CURE as part of our “Speaking Out” series.

In breaking down the science behind these innovative therapies and looking at the practical aspects of treatment decision-making, we hope to empower patients and their loved ones with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed choices and advocate for optimal care.

The CURE® 2024 Lung Cancer Special Issue provides insight into the ever-changing innovation in the lung cancer space.

Hope and Innovation in the Lung Cancer Space

Learn more about mending the mind, piece by piece in the spring issue of Heal, a magazine for cancer survivors. 

For many survivors, discussing their mental health in clinical settings doesn’t happen enough during and after cancer treatment. This may lead to difficulty easing back into the life they considered “normal,” with its responsibilities such as returning to work or taking care of their families. Addressing psychological needs after cancer treatment is essential to healing the mind piece by piece, and the 

 brings awareness to this important topic

“What has happened is [patients], physicians and people on the care team underestimate the psychological impact of cancer,” says Dr. Patricia Ganz of UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. “The patient is realizing, ‘[Treatment] may be over, but my life is forever changed and I’m still a cancer patient/survivor.’”

We hear about two survivors’ experiences as they discuss 

 by finding their purpose, seeking support and advocating for themselves and others. We also talk with a distinguished medical oncologist who focuses on survivorship and emphasizes the need for medical professionals to ask patients about their mental health status before they receive a diagnosis of cancer; survivors may experience more difficulties if these needs are not addressed earlier on.

Engaging in moderate activity can ease tension and effectively manage mental health after cancer treatment. A clinical psychologist and behavioral scientist offer insight into techniques and strategies to exercise the mind and body for better quality of life. They also recommend ways to find support through group settings, which may help survivors work through anxieties and stress related to cancer.

“One of the strategies we teach cancer survivors in our research and clinical program isn’t to avoid worrying, but to go ahead and worry, and to do it in a time and place of their choosing,” says Daniel Hall of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. “We call this ‘worry time.’”

Also in this issue, sociodemographic factors may play a key role in 

cardiometabolic conditions among cancer survivors

. We speak with a clinical psychologist from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida about what these cardiometabolic conditions, which frequently affect survivors who identify as Hispanic or Latino, entail and where disparities regarding heart-healthy behaviors lie.

In our survivor spotlight, Dr. Dustin Deming, a gastrointestinal oncologist and a survivor of rectal cancer, discusses his experience with the cancer type he specializes in, which he considers “extremely ironic.” However, he says, his experience allows him to better empathize with his patients. Being a survivor of rectal cancer also gives him an opportunity to share his story with his patients, and he says that he’s “truly honored” to be on their care team.

Lastly, we have two sweet and savory sauce recipes that pair nicely with almost any meal this spring. If you’ve been looking for some new flavors, these quick and easy recipes are just for you! For fans of fruit, I highly encourage you to try the mango avocado dressing over a mix of leafy greens and fresh vegetables.

In our issue of Heal Spring, we bring awareness to important topics, such as mental health after cancer treatment and how survivors can mend their minds.

Cultivating Mental Wellness After Cancer

Our recent issue focused on lung cancer in military veterans. 

Members of our armed services have protected our country for generations, providing us with national security and personal freedoms. However, many of our veterans receive a diagnosis of lung cancer, which the federal government has acknowledged can be attributable to risk factors such as environmental exposures during military service, smoking exposures and age. This November, our country celebrates 76 years of Veterans Day, and we want to increase awareness of 

“We certainly have a lung cancer problem in this country,” said Dr. Drew Moghanaki of UCLA Health in California. “It also stems from very aggressive tobacco marketing campaigns, (with military contracts) to push cigarettes into the ration bags of our soldiers, who were just kids when they joined.”

We spoke with three doctors about appropriate treatment options for veterans, potential causes of lung cancer based on chemical exposures, and inequities regarding socioeconomic status and geographic location.

“We know that lung cancer disproportionately affects our veterans,” said Dr. Charles B. Simone II of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and the New York Proton Center. “We know that lung cancer in general is one of the most common cancers in the United States, but ... people that are in (or are) retired from the armed forces have disproportionately high rates of lung cancer, such that really 1 in 5 of all cancer diagnoses in our veterans are in lung cancer.”

also looks at the approach of altering treatment doses of therapy, which can ultimately change the lives of patients for the better.

This approach, known as treatment de-escalation, can not only continue to control cancer, but it can also improve patients’ quality of life. When treatment leads to symptoms that interrupt daily life, such as fatigue, it’s important for patients to know that they can speak with their doctors about potentially lowering their dose.

Other news covered in this issue includes the recent approval of a targeted therapy drug from the Food and Drug Administration for some patients with RET fusion-positive non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a novel vaccine for the disease, a drug combination that may improve survival in patients with extensive- stage small cell lung cancer and more.

A patient also shares her story about the day she received her diagnosis of ALK-positive NSCLC, and how she believed there was a “divine interaction” that helped her get the care and support she needed.

We hear from a doctor from one of our cancer center partners who discusses unmet needs regarding treatment options for patients with NSCLC and the impact of the platinum-based chemotherapy shortage on patients, as we continue our coverage of the shortage that continues to affect so many patients and their families.

“In patients who have had an early stage, say a stage 1 or stage 2 lung cancer, the mainstay of therapy is surgery. That’s where we often would use cisplatin chemotherapy, as a prevention or as an adjunct ... after the surgical treatment,” Dr. Gene G. Finley from Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, Allegheny Clinic Medical Oncology, told 

. “That strategy has also been pretty effective. And that’s where the 

has been most difficult for us, not in the majority of patients who present with advanced disease.”

As always, we hope you find our stories inspirational and informative.

This November, our country celebrates 76 years of Veteran’s Day, and we want to increase awareness of veterans with lung cancer in this special issue of CURE.

Mike Hennessy Jr.

Patients With Cancer Facing Fraud and Exploitation

Hope and Innovation in the Lung Cancer Space

Cultivating Mental Wellness After Cancer

On the Front Lines With Veterans Facing Lung Cancer

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