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Appendix cancer is extremely rare — so rare that it does not appear in the American Cancer Society’s 2025 cancer statistics report and is listed by the National Institutes of Health under “rare digestive tumors.” Each year, only about 3,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed. However, recent research shows that appendix cancer is becoming more common across all age groups. Dr. Shanel Bhagwandin, surgical oncologist and Medical Director of the Gastrointestinal Surgical Oncology

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a major change that affects hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women in menopause. After reviewing many years of research, they are removing certain “black-box” warnings from HRT products. These warnings were once very prominent and suggested high risk in broad terms. What are they changing? The FDA will update labels for HRT products to remove or reduce warnings about heart disease, breast cancer, and dementia, when use

At the Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) meeting in Barcelona this October, Alliance Board Member Dr. Vadim Gushchin presented a new perspective on how surgeons should be trained to care for patients with peritoneal surface malignancies (PSM)—a group of rare cancers that spread inside the abdominal cavity, titled " What is special about teaching and learning PSM surgery? ". PSMs are cancers that spread inside the abdominal cavity , forming many small or

By Joseph Vaakaa Nigeria Following the death of his mother, Joseph Vaakaa founded a cancer non-profit foundation in Nigeria in her name “ Mbakuran Vaakaa Cancer (MVC) Foundation ” which has a goal to educate and increase public awareness to the public about cancer as most of those infected die as a result of knowledge gaps and lack of timely care and treatment. The following is a description of his work in increasing awareness awareness in Nigeria. The MVC Foundation is reg

By Joseph Vaakaa Nigeria During her life time, my mother, the late Mbakuran Vaakaa, had no major health challenges, apart from amoebic dysentery and a peptic ulcer, until sometime in August 2018 when she started complaining of pains in her lower abdomen. At the General Hospital Adikpo Benue State in Nigeria, the healthcare professional said her problem was likely hemorrhoids , after a period of treatment, the problem persisted and she was referred to another hospital (Federal

Vladislav Kovalik, MD, MSPH; Armando Sardi, MD, FACS; Mary Caitlin King, BS; Sergei Iugai, MD; Luis Felipe Falla-Zuniga, MD; Carol Nieroda, MD; and Vadim Gushchin, MD, FACS The Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, MD Presentation Patterns and Treatment Outcomes in Appendix Cancer Patients Traveling to a High-Volume Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Center. Am Surg. 2025 Nov;91(11):1889-1897. doi: 10.1177/00031348251337155. Epub 2025 May 5. PMID: 4032288

A recent study by Mercy Medical Center reveals that despite longer delays to treatment and more advanced disease at presentation, out-of-state patients with rare appendix cancers achieve comparable long-term outcomes to local patients when treated at a high-volume specialized center. Key findings from the research, published July 2025 in The American Surgeon, include: Patients traveling from out of state waited an average of 4.6 months from diagnosis to surgery, compared to 2

This study focused on a key challenge: in many bowel cancers, especially stromal-rich types (those with lots of supporting tissue, or stromal cells, around the tumor), immune therapies aren’t working as well as hoped. Researchers investigated how certain “support” cells within the tumor (called stromal cells) may be actively helping the cancer by suppressing the body’s immune system. Then they investigated how to turn the immune system back on again in these hard-to-treat can

On October 20, 2025 some passionate and dedicated members of our community hosted the 2nd Annual Cure for Cancer Classic in Ellicott City, MD! Presented by Guilford Hall Brewery and Wilhelm Builders, this year’s tournament was held in loving memory of Chuck Phillips, an incredible husband, father, local community advocate and Executive Vice President of KCI Technologies based in Sparks, MD, who passed away in 2024 from Appendiceal Cancer.

This October, the Abdominal Cancers Alliance joined advocates, researchers, policymakers, and patient leaders from across the country at the NORD Breakthrough Summit 2025  in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) , the Summit brings together the rare disease community to share insights, build relationships, and drive collaboration toward better outcomes for all rare disease patients. Connecting Across the Rare Disease Landscape For the

A quarterly newsletter with the latest news, views and announcements from Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) Led by pioneering surgical oncologist Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, PSOGI is a collaboration of experts from around the world on the treatment of peritoneal cancer and is dedicated to improving treatment and survival of patients with peritoneal metastases . While PSOGI World News  is a quarterly publication primarily intended for healthcare professionals, t

By Sonya Walker October 2025 (Col. Ret.) Dr. Lawrence Henry's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, self- advocacy, and...

By Kristin Logan Texas October 2025 In 2023, I finally thought I had my life figured out. My only child was off to university in the...

When you hear “clinical trials,” you might think of the drug companies doing studies of new medicines. But did you know that federally funded trials—backed by government agencies—play a unique and absolutely critical role in cancer research? A recent study shows just how important they are for rare cancers, children, and complex treatment strategies.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI)  — the nation’s leading cancer research agency — has a new director. Dr. Anthony Letai officially...

Carlos A Munoz-Zuluaga ,  Mary Caitlin King ,  Panayotis Ledakis ,  Vadim Gushchin ,  Michelle Sittig ,  Carol Nieroda ,  Katherine Zambrano-Vera ,  Armando Sardi Systemic chemotherapy before cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) in patients with high-grade mucinous carcinoma peritonei of appendiceal origin . European Journal of Surgical Oncology. 2019 Sep;45(9):1598-1606. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31109821/ Summary: Researche

Ekaterina Baron, Armando Sardi, Mary Caitlin King, Andrei Nikiforchin, Felipe Lopez-Ramirez, Carol Nieroda, Vadim Gushchin, Panayotis...

Kristin Logan’s story is nothing short of heartbreaking—and revealing. A healthy mother, veteran, wife, and resident of British Columbia,...

In a HuffPost article  about stage 4 ovarian cancer and 5-year survival, readers are introduced to Susan , a woman diagnosed with stage 4 disease whose journey challenges common expectations. The article uses Susan’s experience as a powerful example of hope and resilience, showing that while statistics are important, they don’t tell every person’s story. Susan and her husband on their wedding day in 2017. What Susan’s Journey Teaches Us A strong reminder that survival curves

During September we recognized Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer Awareness Month to bring more attention to advanced forms of this cancer. ...