March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and an ideal time to focus on the third most common cancer in the U.S. Many people know the importance of early detection for effective treatment, but fewer are aware that the disease sometimes has a genetic cause. Daniel Sussman, M.D. , leads a gastroenterology high-risk prevention clinic at Sylvester. “We help identify people who are at increased risk for cancer,” he explains, adding that the clinic facilitates genetic testing to see if there’s a heritable cause. Either way, the clinic then helps patients with personalized prevention plans.
Sylvester Researcher Wins Stanley J. Glaser Award for Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy
Kevin Van der Jeught, Ph.D., has received a $72,000 Stanley J. Glaser Foundation Award to advance an experimental mRNA-based immunotherapy strategy for colorectal cancer . His research aims to boost the body’s immune response to anti–PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors. The project is designed to expand the number of patients who can benefit from immunotherapy and move the strategy toward an early-phase clinical trial at Sylvester in the coming years. The work reflects growing interest in using mRNA technologies to train immune cells to better detect and eliminate cancer.
Breast cancer treatment saves lives, but also can cause fatigue, muscle loss, emotional distress and other health issues for patients. Now, a Sylvester-led study published recently in The Lancet Healthy Longevity has shown that exercise during chemotherapy for breast cancer not only rebuilds strength, but also measurably improves quality of life, helping women improve mood, energy and overall well-being while receiving care. “Chemotherapy places stress on every system in the body,” explains LaShae D. Rolle, MPH, CDH, lead study author. “Quality of life becomes a central outcome during treatment, not something to consider only after it ends.”
Bloodstream Clues Reveal the Role Androgen Receptor Alterations Play in Advanced Prostate Cancer
A new Sylvester study using serial liquid biopsies to track how metastatic prostate cancer evolves under treatment pressure found that androgen receptor (AR) alterations consistently emerged and were linked to poorer outcomes across therapies. The findings , published last month in Clinical Cancer Research , suggest that a single genomic test at diagnosis may be insufficient for managing advanced prostate cancer and support using real-time molecular testing to guide personalized care.
Sylvester Researcher Wins Stanley J. Glaser Award for Pancreatic Cancer Immunotherapy
Jashodeep Datta, M.D., a surgical oncologist and immunotherapy researcher at Sylvester, has received a Stanley J. Glaser Foundation Research Award for his work advancing pancreatic cancer immunotherapy. His research focuses on decoding immune‑driven treatment resistance to develop more precise therapies and deliver them earlier in the treatment course for patients eligible for surgery. The award will support a new treatment strategy that blocks the interleukin-1 (IL-1) inflammatory pathway, which tumors can use to weaken the body’s immune response. Datta’s team plans to translate this work into an investigator-initiated clinical trial evaluating the combination approach for patients with operable pancreatic cancer.
The 2026 Dolphins Cancer Challenge surpassed $100 million raised for Sylvester, marking a historic milestone for the community-powered event that supports cancer research and patient care. Since its launch in 2010, the annual ride, run and walk has brought together thousands of survivors, supporters and community leaders united in the fight against cancer. One hundred percent of participant-raised funds directly support breakthrough research, innovative technologies and personalized treatments at Sylvester. The milestone underscores how sustained community investment continues to accelerate discoveries aimed at improving outcomes for patients and cancer survivors.
For many South Floridians, cancer screening does not start in a clinic. It begins when a Sylvester Game Changer vehicle pulls into their neighborhood. This mobile outreach strives to meet people where they are by bringing cancer screenings, education and research to their communities. “We are committed to reducing cancer burden through preventive care, including free screenings, educational programs, counseling and referral services,” says Erin Kobetz, PhD, MPH , associate director for community outreach and engagement, vice president for health promotion and chief wellbeing officer at Sylvester.
# # #