Best Cancerresearch Podcasts (2025)

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At the Patient's Side: Appreciation for the Co-Survivor 26:14

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12d ago26:14

26:14

Writer, podcaster, and healthcare advocate Kristin Flanary—or Lady Glaucomflecken as she's known online—first introduced Your Stories host Dr. Mark Lewis to the concept of co-survivorship two years ago. As her husband Will went through two testicular cancer diagnoses and a sudden cardiac arrest, she later realized that she hadn't just supported him…

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Getting Back on the Board: How Kimmy Conquered Cancer 24:27

2M ago24:27

24:27

Professional snowboarder Kimmy Fasani was still breastfeeding her second child when she found a lump under her armpit. Just days later, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and found herself preparing for chemotherapy. Having lost both her parents to cancer, it was a terrifying moment for her, but she tried not to let her fami…

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Life is a Reason to Celebrate 31:11

3M ago31:11

31:11

When Molly Hones was diagnosed with fibrolamellar cancer for the second time in less than two years, she made two critical decisions. First: She wouldn't focus on the unknowns of her condition and would focus on the positives instead. Second, she would give back by participating in research. And so, in June 2023, Molly traveled to the Johns Hopkins…

1
From a Life Saved to Saving Lives 26:44

4M ago26:44

26:44

As a young person starting over in a new country—one where she didn't even yet know the language—young Yelena faced no shortage of challenges. But she also found opportunity she believes might not have existed in her native country. "As an Armenian individual growing up in Azerbaijan, going by my parents' and my family's experience, I don't think I…

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The Doctor is in ... and on Instagram 31:20

5M ago31:20

31:20

These days, there's no getting around it: In a society that practically lives online, it's no surprise that two-thirds of people with cancer—and their caregivers—turn to social media to inform their treatment and care decisions. Perhaps it was inevitable, then, that doctors like thoracic medical oncologist Eric Singhi, MD, would eventually follow s…

1
Conquering Cancer with Soap and Science 21:21

7M ago21:21

21:21

With a rare exception here and there, most scientists will at least complete a college-level science class before making their first cancer research breakthrough. Heman Bekele, on the other hand, is just wrapping up his sophomore year of high school. By the time he was named Time Magazine's Kid of the Year in 2024, Heman was already generating buzz…

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The Bell: A Viral Journey to Conquering Cancer 25:34

8M ago25:34

25:34

It started—as these stories so often do—with fatigue. At first, Jace Yawnick simply chalked it up to a busy life and a job requiring frequent travel. But then he noticed something: There were times the fatigue kicked in when he hadn't just gotten off a plane or done anything else particularly strenuous. "Intuitively," Jace says, "something within m…

1
The Comeback: How Emma Learned to Love Life Again 29:33

9M ago29:33

29:33

The first cancer diagnosis was scary enough. "I feel like Hollywood actually gets this moment pretty darn right," Emma says, recalling the day—not long before her 18th birthday—that she learned she had cancer. "The world around you kind of slows down, you get tunnel vision, maybe a little dizzy. The only thing you can really hear is your breathing …

1
Misinformed: The Online Rise and Real-Life Risk of Medical Misinformation 22:05

10M ago22:05

22:05

Whether you find it on social media, via search engine, or on a popular news website, it often seems like medical misinformation is everywhere, including in the cancer space. Maybe it's the claim that sugar causes cancer to spread faster. Maybe it's someone saying that people with dark skin don't get skin cancer. Or maybe it's the conspiracy theory…

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Two Cancers, One Lung, and Seven Summits 29:30

11M ago29:30

29:30

While his teenage classmates were getting ready for school, then-13-year-old Sean Swarner was watching the water rise in the shower, his hair clogging the drain. His first cancer diagnosis—and the subsequent treatment regimen—took an immense toll on his self-image and well-being. That morning in the shower, he remembers, all of the fear and despair…

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Lessons in Self-Care (and Self-Love) with Cancer Fashionista 39:30

12M ago39:30

39:30

For patients with cancer, the holiday season can be particularly difficult: How is anyone supposed to prioritize self-care and recovery at a time when much of the world is going on about the joys of giving? As a breast cancer survivor and a career fashion and beauty publicist, Melissa Berry is all too familiar with that challenge, along with the ma…

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Big Time Adulting: Kids, Cancer, and a Lesson in Laughter 40:26

1y ago40:26

40:26

Caitlin Murray has mastered turning life's setbacks into something that brings joy to the 1.5 million people around the world who follow her Instagram page. When her 3-year-old son, Calum, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2016, Caitlin and her family's lives were quickly filled with doctor visits, grueling treatments, and endless uncertainty. Soon af…

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Strength She Never Knew 32:40

1y ago32:40

32:40

Every 14 seconds, someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, making it one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the world, second only to lung cancer, and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women globally. And, while a cancer diagnosis can be devastating for anyone of any age or gender, one group faces a particularly unique and co…

1
Picking Up the Pieces After Childhood Cancer 25:41

1y ago25:41

25:41

Prom. Graduation. College. These are just a few rites of passage that high school seniors everywhere look forward to. But for Auburn, a devastating turn of events tilted her entire world off its axis and put all her senior year plans on hold. At just 18 years old, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Instead of graduatin…

1
Three Months at a Time 30:31

1+ y ago30:31

30:31

Gabriele "Gabe" Grunewald was a professional distance runner and a relentless optimist. She competed in Big Ten Championship races, became an NCAA track and field All-American athlete, and finished 4th in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Such accomplishments become even more impressive when you learn that—even as she racked up accolades and wins—Gabe …

1
Skin Cancer 101: Spotting the Ugly Duckling 30:22

1+ y ago30:22

30:22

Whether you're relaxing on the beach, taking a hike in nature, or hitting your favorite water park, we've heard it time and time again: Excess sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer, so protect your skin and apply your sunscreen. Of course, while some skin cancer risk factors are unavoidable, we all know there are proactive, preventive step…

1
Bringing Better Cancer Care Back Home 38:37

1+ y ago38:37

38:37

For Dr. Kekoa Taparra, cancer is deeply personal. Growing up in a remote area of Oahu, Hawaii, Dr. Taparra witnessed his younger cousin's struggles with neuroblastoma. He watched his mother lift and carry his aunt, too weak to walk because of breast cancer. He heard the sharp cries of another aunt suffering with endometrial cancer. These early expe…

1
Why Hasn't Cancer Been Cured? 38:40

1+ y ago38:40

38:40

Not only does cancer predate the practice of medicine, but it may also predate the human species entirely. In 2016, archeologists in South Africa unearthed a large 1.7 million years-old bone fragment, ultimately revealed to be the toe bone of an ancient but unknown species of human dating back millennia. On that piece of bone, they discovered somet…

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Stopping the Stigma 35:11

1+ y ago35:11

35:11

What do esophageal cancer, testicular cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, and colon cancer have in common? Each carries some type of stigma or taboo—whether because they're linked to behavioral causes or because they affect portions of the anatomy traditionally deemed private. The impact of these stigmas can be detrimental: In some cases, stigmat…

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A Collaborative Approach to an Uncommon Cancer 34:39

1+ y ago34:39

34:39

Imagine receiving a cancer diagnosis, only to immediately learn that not only has it spread to other parts of your body, but it's also incredibly rare for it do so—so rare, in fact, that little to no research exists to inform your treatment. Katie Coleman doesn't need to imagine this: She's lived it. In December 2020, at just 29 years old, Katie wa…

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The Woman Whose Cells Lived On 42:03

2y ago42:03

42:03

Henrietta Lacks: Her name is forever intertwined with Black history and medicine. Her cells are the source of the world's first immortalized human cell line. Without her consent, her biological material was used to make groundbreaking advancements in research in a wide range of conditions and diseases, including AIDS and polio to radiation treatmen…

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"So Much to Do" 43:15

2y ago43:15

43:15

Long before he was a world-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa was a 5-year-old boy selling food at gas stations in his native Mexico. But he wanted to dream bigger: At 19, he left his native Mexico in hopes of a better future. Despite speaking little English and having no money, he felt it was his chance at better supporting his l…

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A Boulder Approach to Conquering Cancer 33:28

2y ago33:28

33:28

Athlete, professional climber, reality show participant, competitor, physician, and cancer survivor: Favia Dubyk embodies the definition of conqueror. But facing advanced-stage lymphoma during her second year of medical school caused a major setback in Favia's athletic life. Surgical treatment and chemotherapy had devastating effects on her identit…

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Co-Survivors, Part 2 35:38

2y ago35:38

35:38

By the time internet-comedy power-couple Kristin ("Lady Glaucomflecken") and Will Flanary ("Dr. Glaucomflecken") were 35, Will had survived cancer twice, along with a sudden cardiac arrest. Throughout these traumatic experiences, Kristin took on the role of caregiver. In at least one case, she was also his lifeline. Between her experience marrying …

1
Thinking Pink and Beyond 24:00

2y ago24:00

24:00

You've seen them: the pink ribbons pinned to your senator's suit jacket. Runners dressed in head-to-toe pink athletic gear, racing for a cure. Football players streaking down the field in pink cleats. It wasn't always like this. Long before people began thinking pink, breast cancer remained fairly stigmatized, a taboo subject only discussed behind …

1
From Chickens and Ice Cream to Clinical Trials 14:12

2y ago14:12

14:12

As a little girl, Kenedi loves eating ice cream, drawing stories about her family's chickens, and playing with her sister. But at age 7, after feeling sick for some time, a cancer diagnosis upended Kenedi's life. Despite being the top disease-related cause of death for children, pediatric cancers are still considered rare. As with most rare disease…

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The More You Know 34:04

2+ y ago34:04

34:04

Imagine you—or a loved one—receives a cancer diagnosis. Overnight, you find yourself trying to become an oncology expert, desperately looking for information about options. You stumble across a research paper that looks promising—if you could make sense of all the science-speak. In this episode of Your Stories, host and cancer survivor Brenda Brody…

1
Dentistry to Oncology 33:58

2+ y ago33:58

33:58

For patients with oral cancers, treatment is often just the beginning of their journey. Even after they emerge cancer-free, many still face a long journey to recovery and restored quality of life As a maxillofacial surgeon and oncologist, Dr. Chi Viet concentrates heavily on helping her patients to not only conquer this rare cancer, but to more eas…

1
Spreading the News About Colorectal Cancer Research 34:06

2+ y ago34:06

34:06

NBC journalist Craig Melvin's 43-year-old brother, Lawrence Meadows, passed away from colorectal cancer in 2020. Since then, Craig has made it his mission to increase public awareness and raise support for colorectal cancer research. Along with two-time Conquer Cancer grant recipient and colorectal oncologist Dr. Kimmie Ng, Craig joins this episode…

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Building a Bridge to Hope 28:30

2+ y ago28:30

28:30

Support communities for people conquering cancer form a critical bridge between the worlds of social work and oncology and offer immense benefits for people transitioning from patient to survivor. Stephanie Stern, a licensed professional counselor, support group facilitator, and program director at a nonprofit community organization, helps people t…

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From Disappointment to Discovery 32:19

2+ y ago32:19

32:19

At just 19 years old, Anya was diagnosed with Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD), an extremely rare and incurable blood cancer. After three years of unsuccessful treatments, Anya was quickly running out of options. In this episode of our Your Stories podcast, Anya's mother, Colleen, and one of Anya's oncologists, Conquer Cancer-funded researcher Dr. Jit…

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Generations of Courage 31:14

2+ y ago31:14

31:14

For some families, cancer is in their genes. But this didn't stop Hattie Sherman from conquering it. Hattie is a third-generation survivor of hereditary breast cancer, with her mother, Molly, and grandmother having experienced the diagnosis as well. Fortunately, as cancer research continues to advance, treatments are vastly improving for each gener…

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Re-Release: A Conversation About Race in Cancer Care 46:32

3y ago46:32

46:32

In 2022, one of our most popular Your Stories episodes was the conversation featuring Dr. Karen Winkfield, who is a Biden-appointed member of the National Cancer Advisory Board and one of the country's leading experts in advancing health equity. We are re-releasing this episode to highlight the lasting importance of addressing health disparities an…

1
"It's Treatable" 34:35

3y ago34:35

34:35

Lillian Kreppel had to advocate for herself and seek a second opinion before receiving a delayed diagnosis: HPV-related stage II anal cancer. During treatment, she found stark limitations in HPV information, including lack of public awareness and patient education, inadequate guidelines for cancer screening, and a lot of HPV-related social stigma. …

1
It Takes a Team 34:30

3y ago34:30

34:30

Less than 1% of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) – the most aggressive type of brain cancer – live longer than a decade. But Molly is one of those rare survivors. Her best friend, Martha, and Martha's sister, Conquer Cancer board member Dr. Amy Peterson, fiercely supported Molly every step of the way. Molly tells Your Stories h…

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Just Keep Swimming 33:48

3y ago33:48

33:48

When Liz Beisel's late father, Ted Beisel, passed away in 2021 from pancreatic cancer, she partnered with Swim Across America to help fund a Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award. Dr. Peter Yu, an early-career oncologist and pancreatic cancer researcher, received this grant in 2022. This helped launch his promising research project to improve tre…

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The DESTINY of Breast Cancer Care 27:19

3y ago27:19

27:19

Dr. Shanu Modi led DESTINY-Breast04, a groundbreaking study that resulted in FDA approval of a promising treatment that can improve survival for nearly 50% of all patients with metastatic breast cancer today. This Conquer Cancer grant recipient talks about the importance of patient participation in clinical trials, the necessity of donor-funded res…

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Learning How Language Saves Lives 30:34

3y ago30:34

30:34

Imagine yourself or a loved one being diagnosed with cancer by a doctor who doesn't speak your language. How do you understand what's happening, what treatment options are, or how to make informed health care decisions? Before Dr. Jenny Ruiz became a pediatric oncologist, her first experience with kids and cancer came when a younger cousin was diag…

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Cancer as a Young Adult 32:11

3+ y ago32:11

32:11

In 2017, Carly Flumer was a hospital primary care worker and health communication student in her mid- 20s when a few wellness exams revealed a lump in her throat. Follow-up scans forever transformed her young adult life: She was diagnosed with stage I papillary thyroid cancer at 27. What followed, even as her scans showed no evidence of disease, wa…

1
"Thriving" 31:35

3+ y ago31:35

31:35

Mai had dreamed of being pregnant and having a child, but for years she knew something was off with her body — pain, fatigue, abnormal bleeding, irregular menstruation. It took follow-up appointments, second opinions, and her refusal to stop until she had an answer. Eventually, Mai received a diagnosis: ovarian cancer. Mai was only 26 when she was …

1
Survivor's Guilt 28:23

3+ y ago28:23

28:23

A Pap smear during pregnancy revealed Bethany Hart had a rare and aggressive type of cervical cancer. Her baby, a girl she and her husband named Hallie, was born via c-section, but did not survive. "I remember, vividly, the quiet, the shock … I will never forget that feeling," said Bethany, who was told treatment would leave her unable to give birt…

1
Climbing Cancer Mountain 38:55

3+ y ago38:55

38:55

Mark Crafts – who passed away in 2022 after living with stage IV colorectal cancer for more than four years – experienced an excruciating journey he describes as "climbing Cancer Mountain." "I just envision that I am on this long path that goes up and up and up," said Mark, who shared his experiences with Conquer Cancer since the beginning of his d…

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This Life Rocks 27:14

3+ y ago27:14

27:14

Jana Hirsch's mom died from cancer when she was a little girl, so she knows all too well the feelings of pain and loss her 11-year-old daughter, Nika is enduring. Nika's dad, Rico, died from cancer last year. In this Your Stories podcast, Jana offers advice for helping children mourn and Nika shares how helping others keeps her dad's memory alive.…

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A Conversation About Race in Cancer Care 47:24

4y ago47:24

47:24

In 2022, one of our most popular Your Stories episodes was the conversation featuring Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, who is a Biden-appointed member of the National Cancer Advisory Board and one of the country's leading experts in advancing health equity. We're re-releasing this episode to highlight the lasting importance of addressing health disparitie…

1
Armoring Up 36:26

4y ago36:26

36:26

Emmy award-winning journalist Loriana Hernadez-Aldama takes you behind the scenes of her incredible and emotional story surviving leukemia and then breast cancer. Loriana believes being "prehabilitated" helped her take on treatment, and she challenges you to be ready in case you are faced with an unexpected diagnosis or recurrence.…

1
Making A Difference 17:31

4y ago17:31

17:31

Dr. Nathalie McKenzie is a global caregiver, an innovative scientist, and an advocate for equitable care whose patients celebrate her compassion and determination. She is also a breast cancer survivor who knows firsthand how Research Conquers Cancer®. In the latest Your Stories podcast, meet one of the many researchers Conquer Cancer supports as sh…

1
Co-Survivors 31:20

4y ago31:20

31:20

Kristin and Dr. Will Flanary are the First Couple of Comedy. Will – aka @DGlaucomflecken on the internet and comedy stages, aka Dr. Flannery to his optometry patients, and aka Dad to the two kids he shares with Kristin - aka @LadyGlaucomflecken - is a two-time testicular cancer survivor; he also survived cardiac arrest – all before age 35.…

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Full Disclosure 35:17

4y ago35:17

35:17

The scariest call of Brenda Brody's life came on Halloween in 2012: She had breast cancer. Though always an out-going, positive person, the fear of what might follow as she set out to survive cancer haunted the single mom and business owner. Brenda tells Dr. Mark Lewis how she endured the mental anguish of treatment, the advice she gives new patien…

1
Day by Day 22:57

4y ago22:57

22:57

In the latest Your Stories podcast, 12-year-old Cain and his mom, Tawny share with host Dr. Mark Lewis how their family maintains hope and what others can do to help families who are conquering cancer together.By Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation

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Web MDs 37:58

4+ y ago37:58

37:58

On Twitter, Mark Lewis, MD, cleverly offers bits of info on science and his own life as a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) cancer syndrome. In his attempt to remove any shame some people feel for having cancer or any hereditary disease, Dr. Lewis offers "signpost to things that are reliable and that are meaningful" while prov…