Being able to understand and read DNA made it possible for researchers to find mutations within the genome and develop therapies aimed at attacking those specific mistakes.

Since opening in 1998, Roswell Park neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists have performed the advanced radiosurgery on nearly 9,000 patients from across the country and around the globe.

Generally, only about 5 to 10% of cancer diagnoses are traced to an inherited factor or gene mutation, but in the young adult (ages 18-39) population, experts say it’s likely higher.

As of July 2021, Roswell Park can now treat any first responder whose cancer has been certified under the World Trade Center Health Program and have it covered by the federal program.

"We wanted to develop a lab where people could perfect their skills before they touched a patient. The most important thing was patient safety.”

Given the risk of opioid addiction, doctors at Roswell Park decided to explore if restricting opioid prescriptions would affect patients’ recovery.

A team of Roswell Park physicians has published a study that shows the importance of financial counseling for cancer patients to help them avoid “financial toxicity,” or the worsening outcomes after treatment that one group of patients experienced.

“The immune system is a powerful tool, and only in the last decade have we really begun to tap into its potential as a cancer-fighting powerhouse,” Dr. Puzanov says.