VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

02/09/2026

We are bringing one of the nation's leading voices in breast cancer care to Richmond! 🌸✨

On February 24, Massey is honored to host Dr. Reshma Jagsi, a world-renowned expert from Emory University. Dr. Jagsi has dedicated her career to making breast cancer treatment more personal and equitable for every patient.

This is a rare opportunity for our community to hear from a leader who is dedicated to improving the human experience of of those fighting cancer.

Join us for this important conversation: https://bit.ly/4sWnxUk

02/06/2026

is thrilled that Katherine Tossas, PhD has been selected as a cohort member of the New Voices in Sciences, Engineering and Medicine at National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Over the next two years, Dr. Tossas will collaborate with other emerging SEM leaders to address national and global challenges.

02/05/2026

Cervical cancer is a very common cancer worldwide, yet it is one of the most preventable and treatable. In a special bonus episode of Real Cancer Talk, Robert Winn, M.D., sits down with two experts to break down the latest in screening, symptoms, and the path to eradication.

Joining the conversation are: ▶️ Katherine Tossas, Ph.D., Director of Catchment Area Data Analytics (CADA) at Massey, who shares her deeply personal story as a cervical cancer survivor and how it shaped her view on prevention. ▶️ Chelsea Salyer, M.D., Gynecologic Oncologist at VCU Health, who addresses common misconceptions and explains why this disease can actually be eliminated through modern medicine.

The group discusses the latest screening updates, what patients can expect during the process, and a crucial often-overlooked question: What can men do to help prevent cervical cancer?

Don’t miss this vital conversation!



🔗 Listen to the full episode here:

In this bonus episode of Real Cancer Talk, Dr. Robert Winn is joined by Dr. Katherine Tossas, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Director of Catchment Area Data Analytics (CADA), and Dr. Chelsea Salyer, a gynecologic oncologist and lead for the gynecologic oncology clinical trial program at VCU....

02/04/2026

Today is World Cancer Day, a global call to action that reminds us that while cancer knows no boundaries, neither does our resolve.

At Massey we say "One Team. One Fight." Our commitment isn't just local; it is a global. Whether we are collaborating with international researchers or serving our diverse community right here in Richmond, we believe that progress is only possible when we unite across languages, cultures, and disciplines.

Today, we stand in solidarity with the millions of patients, survivors, and healthcare heroes worldwide. We are fighting to close the care gap and ensure that life-saving innovation is accessible to everyone, everywhere.

02/04/2026

At the intersection of chemistry and biology, Massey researcher Matthew C.T. Hartman, PhD, is finding new ways to fight cancer at the molecular level.

Backed by over $2 million in recent federal grant funding, the Hartman Lab is tackling two of the biggest hurdles in drug discovery...

Bolstered by two recent multiyear grants, Matthew C.T. Hartman, Ph.D., and his team are fighting cancer at the molecular level as part of their work in chemical biology, a field that bridges two scientific disciplines to develop new medicines.

02/02/2026

In research, it’s easy to picture a lone scientist at a microscope. But Fadi N. Salloum, PhD, a member of Massey’s Cancer Prevention and Control program and Senior Associate Dean for Research at the VCU School of Medicine, sees it differently: he sees a network.

Dr. Salloum is a "connector" who believes that because no organ in the body is truly independent, the people who study them shouldn't be either. By breaking down traditional academic silos, he is leading a "horizontal" approach to medicine.

Get a glimpse into this innovative approach here: https://bit.ly/4rsBY0K

At Massey, we’re not just doing good science; we’re building the networks that lead to a better kind of care.

When people picture a researcher, they often see a lone figure hunched over a bench or microscope, focused on a single hypothesis. It’s a narrow image — methodical, deductive, solitary. Fadi N. Salloum, Ph.D., a member of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at VCU Massey Comprehen...

01/30/2026

A world-renowned leader in oncology is coming to Richmond! 🔬 🎙️

On February 24, Massey is proud to host Dr. Reshma Jagsi from Emory University. A titan in the field of breast cancer research, Dr. Jagsi has spent her career championing more personalized, equitable, and compassionate care for every patient.

This is a unique chance to hear from a visionary dedicated to elevating the human experience in the cancer journey and ensuring excellence is accessible to all.

Don't miss this vital conversation: https://bit.ly/4sWnxUk

01/29/2026

“No one fights alone.” 🦸‍♂️🔥

January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, a vital time to recognize that occupational exposure makes cancer the leading cause of death for firefighters.

Today, we’re sharing the story of Greg Leitz, a retired Spotsylvania County firefighter who turned his Gleason 9 prostate cancer diagnosis into a mission of advocacy. From the specialized clinical care of Dr. Jack Melson to the spiritual support of Chaplain Charles Riffee, Greg’s journey highlights why comprehensive cancer care must treat the whole person, not just the disease.

🔗 Read Greg’s full story of hope and resilience: https://bit.ly/49Ymiv6

Two years ago, Greg Leitz’s world was spinning. It was on January 4, 2024, when he learned he had Gleason 9 prostate cancer. 

01/28/2026

A cancer diagnosis in a rural community shouldn't mean a three-hour commute for life-saving treatment. Susan and Leslie Sutton, M.D., are helping ensure it doesn't.

We are proud to announce that the Suttons have made a transformational estate gift to endow two chairs for oncology care at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill. This investment allows Massey to recruit and retain top-tier specialists to serve rural patients directly in their own community.

As Dr. Mary Helen Hackney, medical director of community oncology, noted, this gift provides a long-term solution that will benefit Southside Virginia for generations to come.

🔗 Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/49RDGBu

Twenty-two years ago, cancer care in rural Southside Virginia was challenging for patients and their families. Susan Sutton remembers it was particularly hard for her late mother, Susan McKinney — a longtime resident of Meredithville, Va. — when she received a breast cancer diagnosis. 

01/26/2026

One of the biggest challenges in oncology is the "hibernating bear" effect: patients finish treatment and appear cancer-free, only for dormant cancer stem cells to "re-awaken" years later, leading to intense relapse. Because these cells are inactive during chemotherapy, they often go untouched by traditional treatments.

But scientists at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a potential game-changer.

Massey researchers Umesh Desai, Ph.D., and Bhaumik Patel, M.D., have pioneered a synthetic, sugar-based molecule nicknamed G2.2. This molecule is designed to mimic natural sugars on our cell surfaces to: ✅ Draw dormant cancer stem cells out of "hibernation." ✅ Trigger a specific pathway that forces those cells to self-destruct. ✅ Work alongside chemotherapy or as a standalone therapy to prevent recurrence.

This discovery is the result of over 30 years of specialized research into glycosaminoglycans (sugar-based polymers). It’s a powerful reminder that "long-term research is the engine of life-saving innovation."

Congratulations to the team at the VCU School of Pharmacy and Massey’s Developmental Therapeutics program on this incredible milestone as they move toward FDA review!

🔗 Read about the full breakthrough here:

For more than three decades, Umesh Desai, Ph.D., a member of the Developmental Therapeutics research program at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, has investigated one of biology’s most intricate and least understood molecular families – and the potential to prevent cancer relapse.

01/26/2026

Due to Winter Storm Fern, some VCU Health locations and outpatient services will be closed or have modified schedules on Monday, Jan. 26. Click for details: https://bit.ly/45w2zl1

01/22/2026

Big news for cancer research! 🧬 🔬

We are thrilled to share that Dr. Paul B. Fisher and Dr. Swadesh K. Das have been awarded a $1.8 million grant from the Department of Defense to advance a novel immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancer.

Their work uses modified immune cells to target cancer with incredible precision. This research is especially critical for our Service Members and the broader community, as we look for better ways to treat metastatic disease.

At Massey, our mission is built on the belief that quality cancer care should be for all. By supporting high-impact research like this, we are working to ensure that the future of cancer care is effective and accessible for everyone.

Read the full article about this groundbreaking project: https://bit.ly/4pOSYgB

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Researchers at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM) were recently awarded a $1.8 million, 3-year grant from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to study the implications of using a modified enhanced therapeutic version of melanoma differ...