Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

09/10/2025

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Sean Johnson to the surgical oncology team at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center! Johnson is a fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon and Assistant Professor of Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Board certified by the American Board of Surgery, Johnson earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his general surgery residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and an endocrine surgery fellowship at Duke University.

Johnson specializes in surgery for complex endocrine conditions, including benign and malignant diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. His expertise includes thyroid cancer surgery, parathyroidectomy, minimally invasive and robotic adrenal procedures. He also cares for patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia.

Please help us welcome him in the comments!

09/09/2025

09/09/2025

Cathy Eng, MD, executive director of the Young Adult Cancers Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, was interviewed for a Health report about a study that found an unexpected higher risk of colon cancer among marathon runners. Read the article below.

09/05/2025

Don't want to ride but still want to support Clip In? Sign up as a volunteer! We have volunteer openings for Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27.

Interested in riding AND volunteering? You can do that, too! We'll be sure to schedule your ride around your volunteer shifts.

Sign up here: volunteersignup.org/TRAAP

09/04/2025

Can a snail’s pace win the race in prostate cancer?

Paula J Hurley & team discover ASPN-triggered migration of prostate cancer cells that can be inhibited with HER2/HER3 antibody-drug conjugates in prostate cancer models: https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/187151

The figure shows general stain and protein/RNA labeling in a preclinical model of advanced prostate treated with vehicle or antibody-drug conjugates.

09/03/2025

08/29/2025

We’re closing out the month with a look back at the powerful evening of unity, innovation and hope during the Stand Up To Cancer live broadcast, which aired nationwide on Aug. 15.

We were honored to be featured in a segment that spotlighted the groundbreaking work of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Director Dr. Ben Park, and Dr. Tae Hyun Hwang, Director of Molecular AI at Vanderbilt University. Their leadership in AI-driven cancer research is helping transform how we detect, understand and treat cancer — making care smarter, faster and more personalized for all patients.

Before the cameras rolled, our team gathered for a pre-event celebration where patients, physicians, researchers and clinical and administrative staff came together to celebrate our progress and the hope that continues to inspire our mission. These moments remind us that behind every scientific breakthrough are data-driven research, real people and real-life stories.

We’re grateful to Stand Up To Cancer for providing a powerful platform that amplifies the voices of cancer centers like ours, and for all they do to advance cancer research and save lives through events like this one.

Click through to see our favorite moments!

08/26/2025

More than 80,000 people will be diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2025, according to the American Cancer Society. Staging, which indicates how advanced a cancer is, helps determine the best course of treatment for patients. Click on the link in the comments to read about how doctors and pathologists figure out bladder cancer staging and treatment.

08/25/2025

We have more concert tickets to give away! The individual who receives donations from the largest number of donors to their page by Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 11:59 p.m. CST will win two tickets to see Lainey Wilson at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, Oct. 2 (with special guests Muscadine Bloodline and Maddox Batson).

To win this challenge, you do not need to secure the biggest donations. Instead, focus on reaching out to the most people. If you secure 20 donations for $1 each, you will beat the person who receives one donation for $1,000!

08/21/2025

Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes are common conditions. Genetics can play a role in their development, but many people can prevent these illnesses with the right habits. And when these conditions do develop, the right medical treatment combined with lifestyle changes can actually reverse the disease.

See the link in the comments for expert information about how to help prevent or manage prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

08/20/2025

Last weekend, team members from our Vanderbilt Breast Center joined the Celebration of Life Golf Classic in support of the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition. ⛳️💗

Surgeons Dr. Kristina Shaffer and Dr. Megan Vucovich with nurses Ellie Kunkel and Lindsey Simmons formed a team to raise awareness and funds for the coalition’s Emergency Access Fund, which provides direct financial assistance to breast cancer patients across Tennessee.

We’re proud to support a mission that directly impacts patients and their families when they need it most.

08/19/2025

Getting the news that you have lung cancer can be a shock. It’s normal to be afraid, have many questions and feel overwhelmed. So what comes next? Start by learning about your diagnosis and building some support around you. The link in the comments will bring you some expert advice.