Penn Medicine - Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute

05/05/2026

Read about Christe King (pictured with her husband Tim) and her journey with stage IV metastatic breast cancer.

What has been your biggest challenge during cancer treatment and into survivorship?
I think the biggest challenge for me has been the unknown—the uncertainty of how my body would respond to treatment. As a mom of two young children, it’s very important for me to still be able to care for them while going through treatment.

Another challenge, both during treatment and into survivorship, is dealing with new side effects and the constant waiting for test results, wondering whether the cancer has shrunk, stayed the same, or spread. From a stage IV perspective, there’s also the reality that treatment is ongoing and lifelong, which brings its own emotional and physical challenges.

Where are you now in your journey?
I’m still in active treatment [at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute], but I am having some good results. The cancer is stable in many areas and has shrunk in others. I am now one year out from my diagnosis. It’s a strange feeling—almost like a “cancer-versary". It’s not something I celebrate because of the cancer itself, but I do celebrate God’s sovereign hand in this journey and how far He has brought us.

Because it is stage IV cancer, treatment is ongoing for as long as it remains effective. I have bloodwork, doctor’s appointments, and infusions every three weeks, along with radiation therapy in certain areas for palliative care. I also undergo restaging scans every three months.

Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for newly diagnosed patients?
I know how overwhelming a cancer diagnosis can be. So many emotions come with it. The simplest advice I can give is this: take one day at a time.

Stay grateful and cherish every daily moment with loved ones. You are not alone in this battle. It truly takes a village to face something like this, so surround yourself with a community that prays, cares, and walks alongside you. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help.

Give yourself space to weep and grieve the life you thought you would have before cancer, but don’t stay there. Hold on to hope: hope in God, in modern medicine, in your care team, and in your community.

04/30/2026

Fred and Marsha Quade are a remarkable couple dedicated to serving others. Every Thursday, they volunteer at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute, where they were instrumental in opening the facility 14 years ago and trained the very first volunteers—work they continue today.

They bring kindness, encouragement, and love not only to our patients and their families, but our staff members too. Known for dressing alike and for Fred’s colorful sneakers, they spark smiles and connection in every visit. For some, that small moment of joy may be the only smile they experience all day.

Beyond their volunteer work, the couple serves through the Pastoral Family Health Commission, mentoring pastors and their spouses throughout the Lancaster area. Fred also serves as a member of the Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Patient Family Advisory Council.

Thank you, Fred, Marsha, and all our wonderful volunteers. Your generosity and dedication make a world of difference, and we are honored to serve alongside you.

04/27/2026

If you're a cancer survivor or the caregiver/loved one of a survivor treated at Penn Medicine - Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute, we want to share your story!

Please comment below or contact social media specialist Meredith Farrell at meredith.farrell@pennmedicine.upenn.edu for more information.

04/23/2026

On March 26, the Ecklin Events Spring Fashion Show was held in the historic Stevens School Ballroom in downtown Lancaster.

The immersive event highlighted women’s, men’s, and children’s fashion from some of the area’s most beloved retailers, modeled by proud cancer survivors. A portion of the event proceeds benefited the Ann B. Barshinger Survivorship and Supportive Services Fund at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.

Team members from ABBCI were on hand to help thank Jara Potts and Kayley Tronsberg of Ecklin Events for the donation.

The Survivorship and Supportive Services Fund was established to provide immediate use funds for educational materials for oncology patients and their caregivers, support groups, continuing education to the Survivorship and Supportive Services team and other priorities identified to support the spiritual and emotional needs of oncology patients.

04/21/2026

One caregiver steps inside and visibly exhales. Another lingers for a quiet moment of encouragement with a colleague. Someone else only has time to grab a warm cup of tea and a cookie "to go" before heading back into their busy workday.

It’s all part of Tea for the Soul, a chaplain-led, drop-in staff support program that brings moments of pause, reflection, and connection directly to Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health (LGH) units and departments. Tea for the Soul is open to all healthcare staff.

“Through a welcoming space with tea, a calming presence, and optional conversation, we provide trauma-informed spiritual care that acknowledges the emotional and spiritual impact of healthcare work,” said staff support chaplain resident Julia Snyder, MDiv, who brought this national model to LGH. "There are no expectations. Just space to breathe."

At the program's heart is a simple message: "You pour out every day, let us pour into you," explained Snyder, who warmly greets and serves guests after they select from a tray of specialty teas. “I have witnessed firsthand the emotional weight healthcare workers carry and the need for accessible, in-the-moment support within the clinical environment,” she added.

04/16/2026

Cancer is often seen as a disease that mainly affects older people, but more younger people are being diagnosed.

“Forty percent of cancers are actually happening to people under the age of 65,” explained Shanthi Sivendran, MD, a clinical associate professor of Hematology-Oncology at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, who serves as senior vice president of Cancer Treatment Support for the American Cancer Society.

PBS

04/09/2026

Launched in 2025, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP) lets beneficiaries spread high Part D drug costs into monthly payments rather than paying the full amount at the pharmacy.

Jalpa Doshi, PhD, the Leon Hess Professor in Internal Medicine at Penn Medicine and a senior fellow of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, published research showing the Part D out-of-pocket cap alone didn’t solve affordability, as many cancer patients still couldn’t pay large upfront costs, leading some to abandon prescriptions.

“We had way too many patients who were abandoning their cancer prescriptions at the counter,” she said.

AARP

04/06/2026

Blood tests that aim to detect multiple types of cancer have recently been in the news. However, most of these tests are not FDA-approved as clinical trials testing their effectiveness are still ongoing.

“The real question is, is this empowering and improving people’s health or creating a lot of noise?” Susan Domchek, MD, executive director of the Basser Center for BRCA at Penn Medicine, told Forbes.

Right now, Domchek and other experts encourage people who are interested in such tests to participate in a research study. For example, the National Cancer Institute is currently enrolling 18,000 adults in a large clinical trial to evaluate two cancer blood tests.

04/01/2026

Lynch syndrome is a genetic disorder that impacts roughly 1 in 300 Americans—and puts people at a higher risk of developing cancer before age 50.

Although it's the most common hereditary cause of colorectal cancer and uterine cancer, Lynch syndrome doesn't have as much public awareness as other hereditary cancer syndromes, like the BRCA mutation, explained Bryson Katona, MD, PhD, co-founder and inaugural executive director of the King Center for Lynch Syndrome at Penn Medicine.

Those with a personal or family history of developing Lynch syndrome–related cancers before age 50 should talk to their doctor about genetic testing.

03/30/2026

Today and every day, we are so grateful for our dedicated oncology physicians and their outstanding contributions to our patients, to science, and to the community. To all of our doctors: thank you!

03/27/2026

A new nationwide survey commissioned by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance revealed that half of all U.S. adults don’t know that they can screen for colorectal cancer using simple at-home tests.

“Colorectal cancer is highly preventable, and it’s usually cured when caught early,” said Richard Wender, MD, chair of Family Medicine and Community Health at Penn Medicine and medical adviser to the alliance.

“We can save lives by starting conversations sooner, taking symptoms seriously, and ensuring people have access to accurate information and screening options.”

HealthDay News

THURSDAY, March 5, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Colon cancer is now the deadliest cancer for adults under 50, yet it remains one of the most preventable since polyps

03/26/2026

Before he was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer and began treatment at Penn Medicine, Philadelphia Flyers radio and podcast host Jason Myrtetus was ignoring some troubling symptoms. He is now very passionate about making sure people get screened for colorectal cancer.

"I was really scared of the colonoscopy, which in hindsight is ridiculous," he said. "If you're 45 years or older, or you have past history, get that colonoscopy."