In the 2016 animated film “Moana,” the title character bravely battled a volcanic demon and saved her people.

Now that summer has officially arrived, thoughts might be turning to a new seasonal look. But, before that, it might be wise to think about another look, one that results from spending too much time in the sun. Sunburn is not just an uncomfortable condition, it could be a precursor to skin cancer, the most common and potentially fatal cancer in the United States.

FDA advisors told the agency to wait on more data before approving an investigational immunotherapy for squamous carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC), largely due to questions over the drug's activity.

Using radiation to kill malignant cells in the body is nothing new, but thanks in part to funding from Wings of Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Research, oncologists are continuing to explore newer applications for one of their more standard medical therapies.

A Highlands Ranch forty-year-old mother of four was diagnosed with stage four cancer 10 months ago. The problem was, at the time, doctors did not know where exactly the cancer was in her body.

A doctor at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital is now using virtual reality to help cancer patients see their tumors in 3D form.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently lowered its recommended age to begin screening for colon cancer from 50 to 45. It’s the third most common cancer in America, and in Colorado, there are an estimated 2,100 new cases each year.

Dr. Chris Lieu, the Associate Director of Clinical Research at the CU Cancer Center, explained the change stems from an increase in the number of colorectal cancer cases among younger people.

Loss of MAP3K7 protein expression, seen in approximately 40% of prostate cancer patients, is a major driver of prostate tumor aggressiveness and should be considered for inclusion in management algorithms, researchers say.

Learning you have cancer is shocking and going through treatment is scary. At UCHealth, a team developed technology that allows patients to watch a favorite movie or show during radiation treatments.

Peyton taught the world that ovarian cancer doesn’t just strike mothers and grandmothers. “She’s brought so much awareness to the disease through her advocacy,” said CU Cancer Center member Saketh Guntupalli, MD. 

It is one of the most common types of leukemias in adults; however, the disease comprises only about 1% of all cancers. There are a variety of treatment options available for patients with AML, with more clinical trials evaluating new therapies in the pipeline.  In this episode of the “CURE talks Cancer” podcast, we spoke with Dan Pollyea, from the University of Colorado Cancer Center, about these treatment options.

Mia and her parents shared their experience with RadFlix with FOX31. They explained that watching TV or a movie while getting radiation treatment was a game-changer. RadFlix was developed by Douglas Holt, MD, Brian Miller, PhD, and Sarah Milgrom, MD. 

Bucky Dilts, former Denver Broncos and prostate cancer survivor, and Dr. Paul Maroni, shared with CBS Denver why men should be getting a prostate cancer screening.

Erin Schenk, MD, PhD, University of Colorado Cancer Center member, discusses the rapidly evolving treatment landscape in lung cancer.

Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD, distinguished professor, James Dudley Chair in Lung Cancer Research, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado, and a 2014 Giant of Cancer Care® in Lung Cancer, discusses potentially targeting HER3 in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

“Current guidelines recommend a 28-day course of enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis after surgery for gynecologic cancer,” wrote Saketh R. Guntupalli, Director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, and colleagues.

Paul A. Bunn, Jr, distinguished professor, James Dudley Chair in Lung Cancer Research, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado and a 2014 Giant of Cancer Care® in Lung Cancer, highlights encouraging data with fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu) in HER2-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

According to Kelly Faulk, University of Colorado Cancer Center investigator and pediatric oncologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, these findings are not altogether negative. “Good treatments have been developed for some of our most common childhood cancers, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” Faulk said in an interview with Healio.

On the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, there’s a factory known to churn out warriors, a fitness center just for patients battling cancer.

According to a study lead by Chad Rusthoven, MD, patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with brain metastases saw similar if not slightly better survival when treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) compared with standard-of-care whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT).

“These outstanding results support rituximab as a new standard-of-care therapy for young patients with advanced B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” co-author Thomas Gross, of University of Colorado Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital Colorado, said.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the deadliest form, with a 5-year survival rate of just over 5%. Nonetheless, thoracic oncologists at the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora who specialize in the treatment of advanced NSCLC say there is room for optimism. In this six-part series, distinguished professor Paul Bunn and his colleagues Ross Camidge and Erin Schenk discuss how to choose the optimal treatment for a patient on the basis of pathologic findings, disease staging, and biomarker testing.

“Colorado has some of the highest UV exposure levels in the country,” Dr. Neil Box of the University of Colorado’s Cancer Center said during an interview on CBSN Denver. “Melanoma is historically the most dangerous form of cancer,” adding basal cell and squamous carcinoma are the most common types of skin cancer.