Keck Medicine of USC Physician Blog | Cancer

June 1, 2026

Physician Burnout: A Hematologist-Oncologist’s Views on Work-Life Balance

Christopher Foss, MD, a hematologist-oncologist with USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine of USC, explains how he...

May 8, 2026

Do Oncologists Have Freedom to Think Outside the Box?

For some cancers with few approved or new treatments, oncologists have to get creative with treatment options.   With some cancers...

May 4, 2026

Harnessing the Immune System In Situ: A Novel Approach to Broad-Spectrum Tumor Immunotherapy

A Keck Medicine of USC physician-scientist discusses the future possibilities of turning a tumor into its own vaccine.  At USC...

April 22, 2026

Gastrointestinal Cancers and Clinical Trials: What Patients Need to Know Earlier On

A Keck Medicine of USC gastrointestinal oncologist explains what patients need to know so they don’t miss the opportunity to...

April 20, 2026

Bone Metastasis Happens in Up to 50% of Advanced Cancer Cases. Is Treatment Improving?

Learn how orthopedic oncologists are optimizing patients’ quality of life thanks to innovative therapies.  The approach for treating bone metastasis...

April 2, 2026

Personalized Medicine Shows Promise in Improving Sarcoma Care

Keck Medicine of USC medical oncologist Mark Agulnik, MD, discusses how personalized medicine is advancing sarcoma treatment beyond histology, reshaping diagnoses and helping doctors...

February 11, 2026

Bone Marrow Transplant: How Keck Medicine of USC Is Excelling in Survival Outcomes

Preet M. Chaudhary, MD, PhD, discusses the repeat ranking of the USC Norris Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapy...

January 27, 2026

Cancer Surgery: How Can Doctors Set Realistic Patient Expectations About Results?

A Keck Medicine of USC breast surgeon shares best practices to keep patients informed about treatment steps and expectations. A...

December 16, 2025

7 Big Changes in Radiation Oncology

A Keck Medicine of USC radiation oncologist discusses top shifts in radiation oncology.  The world of medicine is fast-changing, and...

December 9, 2025

What Should Doctors Know About FDA’s Black Box Change for Hormone Replacement Therapy Drugs?

A Keck Medicine of USC breast surgeon discusses the FDA’s decision — and whether using HRT to treat menopause symptoms...

November 18, 2025

Helping Patients Weigh Medical Advice from Friends and Family

When patients receive outside medical opinions from friends, family or online sources, how can physicians respond? A Keck Medicine of...

October 27, 2025

Will Circulating Tumor DNA Help Predict HPV-Related Throat Cancer?

A Keck Medicine of USC head and neck surgeon discusses circulating HPV DNA as a biomarker that could help make...

October 22, 2025

Cancer Treatment: When Should Doctors Change Course?

A hematologist-oncologist discusses signs that a different line of cancer treatment is needed. Confirmation bias exists everywhere, even within cancer...

September 22, 2025

Steroids Found to Limit Effectiveness of Lung Cancer Immunotherapy Treatment

Keck Medicine of USC researchers discovered that tumors shrank less in patients who were given steroids for symptoms of lung...

August 15, 2025

A New Oncolytic Herpes Virus Could Be an Effective Second-Line Treatment for Advanced Melanoma

A genetically modified HSV-1 could help some melanoma patients live longer. The Keck Medicine of USC physician who led the...

August 4, 2025

Neoadjuvant Use Shows New Promise for Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Keck Medicine of USC head and neck surgeon Uttam K. Sinha, MD, discusses if adding neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy to...

July 16, 2025

Will Spatial Genomics Help Identify Barrett’s Esophagus Patients at High Risk of Esophageal Cancer?

A Keck Medicine of USC expert explains how next-generation genetic analysis could help stratify patients’ cancer risk — and guide...

June 24, 2025

How One Oncologist Helps Patients Weigh the Pros and Cons of Cancer Treatments

Every cancer treatment comes with its own risks and advantages. A Keck Medicine of USC medical oncologist explains how nuanced...

June 10, 2025

Can Older Breast Cancer Patients Tolerate Immunotherapy Plus Chemotherapy?

Using a newer combination of immunotherapy and lower doses of chemotherapy, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center experts treated a 79-year-old...

May 19, 2025

Single-Port Surgery for Prostate Cancer: Benefits and Challenges

A Keck Medicine of USC urologist explains why single-port surgery’s regionalization of care can yield better outcomes for prostate cancer...

March 4, 2025

Radiation Oncology: Leading Teams in Technology, Training and Beyond

A Keck Medicine of USC expert discusses what makes radiation oncology teams thrive. Radiation oncology is constantly evolving. Staying at...

December 4, 2024

Ambitious Breast Cancer Clinical Trial Program Ramps Up at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Breast cancer oncologist Daphne Stewart, MD, explains why Keck Medicine’s USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is working to expand patient...

November 21, 2024

Why Aren’t More Nonsmokers Being Screened for Lung Cancer?

More nonsmokers are being diagnosed with lung cancer. Yet, this population is not routinely screened for the disease. Lung cancer...

November 14, 2024

The Surgery Giving Testicular Cancer Patients with Fertility Problems New Hope

A Keck Medicine of USC urologist used the onco-microTESE procedure to retrieve sperm from a testicular cancer patient with one...

November 6, 2024

If HPV Causes Throat Cancer, Why Aren’t More People Getting Vaccinated?

A Keck Medicine of USC head and neck cancer surgeon discusses the need for more awareness among the public and...

October 1, 2024

USC Sarcoma Program Treats All Types of Sarcomas

Keck Medicine of USC’s expanded USC Sarcoma Program unites experts in oncology, orthopedic surgery and more. Sarcomas are rare and...

August 29, 2024

Hematology Oncology: How to Lead in a Fast-Changing Field

Staying on top of research and development is challenging. One expert shares his advice. Hematology and oncology are two of...

August 22, 2024

Why I’m Not Offended When My Patient Wants a Second Opinion

Second opinions in health care can be valuable for many reasons, says a Keck Medicine of USC oncologist. Not all...

August 8, 2024

Which Patients Seek a Second Opinion?

What makes a patient likelier to want another opinion? A Keck Medicine of USC hematologist-oncologist shares his insights. Most patients...

May 28, 2024

Study Explores the Future of At-Home Cancer Treatment

A first-of-its-kind clinical trial from Keck Medicine of USC will investigate if immunotherapy administered at home can achieve the same...

May 7, 2024

New Study Will Test If ‘Inoperable’ Pancreatic Tumors Can Be Safely Removed

Keck Medicine of USC researchers are investigating whether performing chemotherapy followed by a novel type of surgery is a viable...

April 18, 2024

Artificial Intelligence May Improve MRI Analysis for Prostate Cancer

Keck Medicine of USC physicians are investigating whether artificial intelligence can raise the accuracy of the Prostate Imaging Reporting and...

April 11, 2024

7 Lessons from a Career in Breast Cancer Surgery

Seven lessons I wish I had known when first becoming a breast cancer surgeon. As a breast surgical oncologist, I...

February 6, 2024

6 Things to Know When Starting a Career in Oncology

David D. Tran, MD, PhD, co-director of the USC Brain Tumor Center, shares six things to know when starting a...

January 23, 2024

Identifying a New Diagnostic Test for Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer

A new study led by USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center developed a liquid biopsy that may distinguish between cancerous and...