Dartmouth Cancer Center

10/29/2025

Congratulations to Mary Chamberlin, a breast oncologist at Dartmouth Cancer Center, who is the latest addition to WMUR's "Heroes Among Us." Motivated by her patients, each year, Dr. Chamberlin gets out of the clinic to support patient programs and cancer education by cycling 200 miles in The Prouty.

Dr. Mary Chamberlin, an oncologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and proud Prouty participant, has been named the latest Hero Among Us.

10/28/2025

Data shows that the increase in breast cancer incidence among women under 50 is outpacing the increase in women 50 and older. One area of growing concern is contralateral breast dose—the small amount of radiation that sometimes reaches the breast opposite the one being treated. While contralateral dose may be small, research shows it’s not insignificant. Previous studies found that radiation exposures above a certain amount in younger patients are linked to an increased risk of developing cancer in the opposite breast.

“The breast is a radiosensitive organ, especially in younger patients. Since we’re treating younger and younger women who have excellent prognoses and many decades ahead of them, minimizing contralateral breast dose is essential,” says DCC radiation oncology resident Allison Matous, MD.

Learn how Matous is studying new technology that allows radiation therapists to see invisible radiation beams and make sure they are targeting the area—and only the area—meant to be treated. https://cancer.dartmouth.edu/stories/article/shedding-new-light-breast-cancer-radiation-safety

10/27/2025

Breast density and decreasing age at diagnosis are two of the reasons Dartmouth Cancer Center breast surgeon Kimberly Ellis, MD, recommends that every woman get a mammogram starting at age 40. Merced Sun-Star taps Dr. Ellis' expertise in this article about the importance of screening mammograms, including how genetic mutations factor into a person's risk for breast cancer and helpful tips for your first mammogram: https://www.mercedsunstar.com/living/article312641535.html

More on breast density and its connection to breast cancer from Dartmouth Health's Carol Huntley-Smith, APRN, and radiologist Mark W. Johnson, MD, MMS: https://cancer.dartmouth.edu/stories/article/breast-density-and-its-connection-breast-cancer

10/22/2025

The Valley News recently featured a wonderful story about the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation’s CReW (Cancer Recovery through Rowing) program — a free rowing program for people at any stage of cancer treatment or recovery.

As one participant shared: “Even though we’re a group of cancer survivors, we don’t talk about cancer most of the time — and yet it’s the most supportive group you could have.”

At Dartmouth Cancer Center, we celebrate programs like CReW that empower survivors through movement, community, and connection.

Read the full story in the Valley News:

Discover the inspiring story of CReW, a rowing program for cancer survivors in the Upper Valley. Experience their resilience and camaraderie.

10/21/2025

Covered recently by the New Hampshire Bulletin, DCC Cancer Population Sciences researcher Megan Romano, PhD, presented why higher-than-expected rates of kidney cancer in Merrimack and Manchester could be cause for concern and a spark for further investigation into the role of environmental contaminants like PFAS. “Ultimately, it is our hope that a future research study will clarify the potential links between environmental exposures and health outcomes in this region, and provide insight for public health initiatives,” Romano said. https://bit.ly/471EP9I

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention graphic, https://bit.ly/3sINg82)

10/20/2025

As we observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re reminded that treating breast cancer isn’t just about targeting tumors—it’s also about protecting healthy tissue. DCC radiation oncology resident Allison Matous, MD, is using an innovative technology called Cherenkov imaging to reduce the risk of invisible radiation beams coming in contact with the breast that is not being treated. Read more. https://cancer.dartmouth.edu/stories/article/shedding-new-light-breast-cancer-radiation-safety

10/17/2025

Do you have 60 seconds to help relieve your tight back or stiff shoulders? “A few rounds of seated cat-cow a few times a day can help to release any lower back pain, warm up your spine, increase blood flow and improve your overall mobility," says yoga teacher Nicole Parker. https://bit.ly/4nCqpTa

Learn more from Nicole about the benefits of chair yoga and how you can incorporate gentle moves into your daily routine to feel better all around. https://bit.ly/476HDSH

10/15/2025

We're excited to expand access to our cold cap therapy program to chemotherapy patients in southern New Hampshire at the end of 2025. Cold cap therapy, which involves wearing a chilled cap before, during, and after chemotherapy infusions, constricts blood vessels in the scalp and lowers the temperature of hair follicles. This process both reduces blood flow and limits the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach the hair follicles.

“Not losing hair is very important for many patients,” Linda Vahdat, MD, MBA, deputy director of Dartmouth Cancer Center, told the New Hampshire Union Leader. “It preserves a sense of privacy for the patient — and when patients look in the mirror, they don’t look sick … It makes a big difference in leading a ‘normal’ life while undergoing cancer chemotherapy.”

https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/nh_medical/dartmouth-expands-cold-cap-therapy-service-to-nashua-patients/article_caf1f05b-45e4-4130-94e4-a1adee6614a8.html

10/14/2025

You may know him as a beloved oncologist, taking care of patients with lung cancer and leading new clinical trials for the past 27 years. Maybe you've seen him on the 5K wooded walk at The Prouty each year. Now, Konstantin Dragnev, MD, steps up as interim director of Dartmouth Cancer Center. His goal? To "support the steadfast commitment of our extraordinary clinicians, researchers, staff, and community members who make Dartmouth Cancer Center such a special place. Together, we will continue to push forward in advancing cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship, bringing hope, discovery, and healing to you—the people we serve across northern New England and beyond."

Konstantin H. Dragnev, MD, shares words of support for the extraordinary clinicians, researchers, staff, patients and community members who make Dartmouth Cancer Center such a special place.

10/13/2025

There are a few spots left to attend this Saturday's event: Life After a Cancer Diagnosis: A Day of Connection, Hope, and Wellness.

Presentations include:
🔹How to Talk to a Child about a Loved One's Cancer Diagnosis
🔹Managing Fear of Progression and Reoccurrence
🔹Nutrition after a Cancer Diagnosis
🔹Sex and Intimacy after a Cancer Diagnosis for Women
🔹Transforming Cancer Care: Recent Advances Across Solid and Hematologic Malignancies
🔹Art Outlet: Concentric Circles Mixed Media Exploration
🔹Building Your Personalized Self-Care Plan
🔹Chair Yoga
🔹Journaling for Hope and Resilience
🔹Survivor Stories and Panel Discussion

Register here to attend: https://bit.ly/4m8eFXa
For questions, please contact: cancersupport@hitchcock.org.

Interested in volunteering at this event? Please sign up here: https://bit.ly/3UY3RQ8

10/10/2025

Do you have 60 seconds? Are you sitting down? This 1-minute gentle and low-impact seated knee-to-chest led by yoga teacher Nicole Parker has a triple impact of stretching out the glutes, loosening the lower back and strengthening the core: https://youtu.be/EFdKeiVl3J8

Find other chair yoga stretches like this and learn more about gentle movements that you can incorporate into your everyday routine to improve overall well-being. https://cancer.dartmouth.edu/stories/article/gentle-movement-benefits-chair-yoga-cancer-recovery

10/09/2025

Welcome Tulika Ranjan, MD, MBA, our new director of neuro-oncology operations!

Dr. Ranjan will see patients at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Manchester. As operations director, she is overseeing the expansion Dartmouth Cancer Center’s neuro-oncology services, including access to clinical trials in southern New Hampshire and optimizing processes across neuro-oncology to improve patient health outcomes, as well as increase efficiency and capacity.

https://www.dartmouth-health.org/about/news/article/tulika-ranjan-md-mba-named-director-neuro-oncology-operations-dartmouth-cancer-center?utm_campaign=SS&utm_content=1760031903&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook