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All Things Cancer | National Foundation for Cancer Research

All Things Cancer | National Foundation for Cancer Research

National Foundation for Cancer Research 20 Episodes Jun 26, 2026

Join Dr. Sujuan Ba, CEO of the National Foundation for Cancer Research, as she interviews leading scientists, advocates, researchers, and patients shaping the future of cancer research and care. Each episode explores groundbreaking discoveries, personal stories, and transformative ideas in the fight against cancer, from lab innovations to patient resilience.

Episodes

The Cancer That Has No Symptoms — Until It's Too Late
The Cancer That Has No Symptoms — Until It's Too Late Jun 26, 2026 00:45:54 Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world — and the most survivable, if you catch it early. Dr. Ron Shore has spent 34 years and 28,000 patient screenings proving it. In this episode, he breaks down the three types of skin cancer, why melanoma can be silent until it's deadly, and the simple screening habits that could save your life. If you've ever skipped your annual skin check, listen t
He Spent 3 Weeks Unplugged at the Bottom of the Grand Canyon — While Accidentally Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment
He Spent 3 Weeks Unplugged at the Bottom of the Grand Canyon — While Accidentally Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment May 11, 2026 00:36:03 What happens when a curious biochemist follows his wife to California, falls in love with whitewater rafting — and accidentally makes one of the most important cancer discoveries of the 20th century?In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tony Hunter, the 2025 St. Gyorgi Prize winner and Salk Institute legend, whose 1979 discovery of tyrosine phosphorylation laid the foundation for over 80 cancer dr
Your Mammogram Can Now Predict Cancer Before You Have It -- Here's the Doctor Making It Happen
Your Mammogram Can Now Predict Cancer Before You Have It -- Here's the Doctor Making It Happen Apr 9, 2026 00:26:10 What if you could know your breast cancer risk at 25 and actually do something about it? Dr. Funmi Olopade, a trailblazing oncologist at the University of Chicago, has spent 30 years rewriting the rules of breast cancer care, and she believes we can eradicate it as a cause of premature death within a decade. In this episode, she breaks down how AI, genetic testing, and a simple blood test are tran
Doctors Gave Her 3 Years to Live. She Changed Cancer Research Instead.
Doctors Gave Her 3 Years to Live. She Changed Cancer Research Instead. Mar 6, 2026 01:01:27 At age 37, Kathy Giusti was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and told she had just three years to live. Instead of accepting that fate, she turned urgency into action and founded the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), transforming how cancer nonprofits accelerate drug development. Today, more than 15 therapies have been approved for multiple myeloma and survival rates have more than doubl
Why Was Half This Village Dying of Cancer— And No One Stopped It?
Why Was Half This Village Dying of Cancer— And No One Stopped It? Feb 17, 2026 00:39:24 Half a village was dying of cancer. No one could explain why.For the Season One finale of All Things Cancer, we’re ending with a story that changed the trajectory of cancer research — and saved generations of lives.What began as a keynote trip to Turkey turned into one of the most extraordinary cancer investigations in modern medicine.In this episode, Dr. Michele Carbone shares how he uncovered a
We’re Drowning in Cancer Data — And Still Missing Cures
We’re Drowning in Cancer Data — And Still Missing Cures Jan 27, 2026 01:01:17 In this episode, Dr. Sujuan Ba is joined by Dr. Ann Barker, one of the most influential architects of modern cancer research, for a wide-ranging conversation on where the field is headed and what must change to accelerate progress.Dr. Barker shares why cancer research is at a critical inflection point, driven by an explosion of data, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the urgent need to move
One Diagnosis. Seven Years. A Lifetime of Impact.
One Diagnosis. Seven Years. A Lifetime of Impact. Dec 12, 2025 00:31:03 In this heartfelt episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Shereen Pavlides and her daughter, Isabella Pavlides, to explore how personal loss can spark powerful action.From Isabella’s leadership through Play4TheCure and her growing Dine & Donate initiative to the lasting influence of her grandmother Esther’s seven-year journey with pancreatic cancer, this conversatio
Cancer Research Is at Risk: Dr. Bertagnolli Reveals What Washington Isn’t Saying
Cancer Research Is at Risk: Dr. Bertagnolli Reveals What Washington Isn’t Saying Nov 25, 2025 00:50:28 In this episode of All Things Cancer, Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Dr. Monica Bertagnolli — surgeon, scientist, former Director of the National Cancer Institute and former Director of the National Institutes of Health — for one of the most candid and forward-looking conversations we've ever shared. Dr. Bertagnolli reflects on her journey from a cattle ranch in rural Wyoming to leading the nation’s
The Next Frontier: Can CAR-T Therapy Finally Conquer Solid Tumors?
The Next Frontier: Can CAR-T Therapy Finally Conquer Solid Tumors? Oct 27, 2025 00:28:31 What happens when a pioneering oncologist and a next-generation immunotherapy researcher sit down to talk about the future of cancer care?Join NFCR President and CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba as she moderates an eye-opening discussion between Dr. Brian Leyland-Jones and Dr. Avery Posey. From early detection and sequencing to CRISPR and CAR-T breakthroughs, this episode dives into the science — and the human d
Beyond the Tumor: Dr. Isaac Witz’s Vision for the Future of Cancer Treatment
Beyond the Tumor: Dr. Isaac Witz’s Vision for the Future of Cancer Treatment Oct 1, 2025 00:20:18 In this episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Dr. Isaac Witz, the 2023 Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research laureate and a pioneer in tumor microenvironment science. Decades before it became a central focus of oncology, Dr. Witz recognized that cancer is not just about tumor cells—it’s about the environment that surrounds them.Dr. Witz shares how he cha
From Aha Moments to Breakthroughs: Dr. Drew Pardoll on Immunotherapy
From Aha Moments to Breakthroughs: Dr. Drew Pardoll on Immunotherapy Sep 8, 2025 00:38:38 In this episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR President and CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Dr. Drew Pardoll, a pioneer in cancer immunology, to explore the breakthroughs reshaping cancer research. From harnessing the immune system and advancing protein, cell, and microbial engineering to launching biotech startups that translate discoveries into real treatments, Dr. Pardoll shares how innovation an
From Terminal to Triumph: Cheryl’s Journey Through Stage 4 Melanoma
From Terminal to Triumph: Cheryl’s Journey Through Stage 4 Melanoma Aug 25, 2025 00:29:30 Continuing our Survivor Mini-Series: In this powerful episode of All Things Cancer, NFCR President and CEO Dr. Sujuan Ba sits down with Cheryl, a stage IV melanoma survivor whose determination and persistence changed the course of her life. Told she might not live to see another holiday, Cheryl refused to accept “no” for an answer. Her relentless search led her to a groundbreaking clinical trial t

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