OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

10/09/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month 🩷

Here are 5️⃣ facts to know about breast cancer.

Share these with a friend, a family member, or a loved one.

For more information about breast cancer, including screening, signs and symptoms, who's at risk, survival rates, and clinical trials: https://bit.ly/3KQUobj

10/07/2026

Meet Doc, the good boy who brings people joy 🐕

Through a partnership with Assistance Dogs Northwest, Doc has been comforting patients at the OHSU infusion center on the South Waterfront since January.

“Not every dog can handle being in a hospital all day. It can be stressful and tiring. Doc is really well-suited to it, because he loves people, but he is also quite stoic," said Assistance Dogs Northwest Founder Maureen Maurer.

Doc joins Casey and Darby (sister) to make a special trio of OHSU paw-fessionals dedicated to supporting patients, families, and caregivers.

‘He's a good boy. And he brings people joy': Partnership with Assistance Dogs Northwest expands to Knight Cancer Institute.

09/29/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Melinda Davis on receiving a multi-phase award from the National Cancer Institute to help address barriers that prevent patients across Oregon from getting cancer screenings.

“Screening for multiple cancers is more challenging given the varied age range and modalities available, but as one partner said when we were writing this grant, ‘This is the bread and butter of primary care. This is what we do every day!’” - Dr. Davis

09/26/2026

“One of the surprising findings is that antioxidants aren't always beneficial in the context of cancer.”

- Dr. Robert Eil on new OHSU research that found tumors can evade the immune system by releasing an antioxidant protein (via FOX 12 Oregon):

A new study shows that some prooxidants may be necessary when battling certain tumors and cancers. We are joined by OHSU Doctor and Researcher, Rob Eil.

09/25/2026

: Rachelle Kirsch, Outpatient Oncology Dietitian specializing primarily in GI malignancies/surgical patients

What is your favorite part about working in your field?

The people! Both the patients and providers are incredible.

What led you to the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute?

I began at OHSU in 2019, primarily on the inpatient side, but once I started working with outpatient oncology patients at , I knew this was where I wanted to be. It’s an honor to work with such talented teams who care so deeply about our patient population.

What inspired you to become a dietitian who treats patients with cancer?

I have always enjoyed how nutrition combines science and practicality. My goal is to help patients feel their best while undergoing treatment. With complex malignancies and surgical interventions, digestion can be greatly altered, and diet optimization plays a pivotal role in how people tolerate the foods they love

What was your “Dream Job” as a kid?

I will say I had a lot of “dream jobs” as a child; initially, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I was always curious about nutrition but didn’t learn about the profession of Dietetics until I started college, and then I never looked back.

What do you like to do for fun or as a hobby outside of work?

Outside of work, my biggest hobby is eating! I love to enjoy food with family and friends. Some of my favorite foods include sushi, seafood, pasta, tacos, etc.

What is your favorite thing to do/eat/explore in Oregon?

I enjoy running and exploring Oregon with my family. We love the beach and central Oregon

What is the best emoji to describe you? Or one you use often?

Well, my work emoji would have to be 💩 as I focus a LOT on digestion and bowel regularity in my role. But personally, I would say 😂 and 🫶.

09/23/2026

New findings from the PATHFINDER 2 study, published this week in Nature Medicine, show that adding a multi-cancer early detection blood test to recommended cancer screening increased the number of cancers detected by 6.5 times, helping identify cancers that often have no routine screening options and might otherwise go undetected until later stages.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute was the study's largest enrollment site and led the research.

Read more: https://news.ohsu.edu/2026/09/22/pathfinder-2-findings-advance-multi-cancer-early-detection-blood-testing

09/22/2026

Four-time Olympic skier AJ Kitt was amazed by his children's reaction when he finally told them he had CML.

"They were just like, ‘OK, can you pass the ketchup?' It was just no big deal. And it's been like that ever since. They're as comfortable with it as I am.”

The nonchalant reaction is thanks in large part to the development of Gleevec, which took a fatal cancer and turned it into a highly manageable diagnosis.

Drug developed with research from OHSU's Brian Druker changed course of leukemia treatment; on 25th anniversary of FDA approval, Olympian recounts his diagnosis, how the medication saved his life.

09/22/2026

In 1998, Mel Mann was told he had Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and that he had three years to live.

Fast forward to 2026 ⏩ Mel's still healthy and training for his next marathon. 🏃

On this , listen to Mel's story (via NPR):

25 years ago, the FDA approved a pill that would change the way scientists treat cancer … for good. The pill was called Gleevec; it was designed specifically to treat CML, chronic myeloid leukemia, and it was one of the first targeted cancer therapies available. A quarter century after approval, i...

09/16/2026

Ready 🙌 Set 📝 Register! 🏁

Our adult medical oncology team on Vista Pavilion (4th & 5th Floor) registered 24 new potential donors during the Bone Marrow Registry Donor Drive event at the OHSU Farmer’s Market yesterday!

Thank you to everyone who turned out for this event, and we look forward to seeing many more at the upcoming events:

▪️Sept. 26: Lake Oswego Farmer's Market, 830 am- 130 pm
▪️Sept. 29: Robertson Life Sciences Building, 10 am- 2 pm
▪️Oct. 1: Back to OHSU Campus BBQ, 5- 730 pm

As a reminder, if you are between the ages of 18 and 55 and in generally good health, you may be eligible to register as a donor.

Potential donors answer a few simple questions and swab the inside of their cheeks with a kit that’s provided. There is no cost to register.

The team also has kits at Vista Pavilion, or you can request a kit from the online registry: https://www.dkms.org/get-involved/virtual-drives/ohsu13

Together, we can help delete blood cancer.

09/15/2026