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A new drug has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, in which the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute played a crucial role. The oral targeted menin inhibitor ziftomenib (known by its brand name Komzifti™) received FDA approval on Nov. 13, 2025. Ziftomenib is a once-daily oral targeted therapy for adult patients with nucleophosimin 1 (NPM1)-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). “AML is an aggressive blood and bone marrow cancer, and mutations in the NPM1 gene are among the most co...

“I knew if this treatment was going to help me, I would drive wherever to get it.” Living in Cadillac, David Levine was an avid hunter and outdoorsman who thrived on adventure. About 15 years ago, his active lifestyle was unexpectedly interrupted after a routine visit to his primary care physician. His routine bloodwork revealed elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels - a potential sign of prostate cancer . Though he had no apparent symptoms, Levine continued regular visits with his doctor until...

Logan Wirebaugh’s first pregnancy was difficult. She became seriously ill and had to stop working.. However, her second pregnancy had an even more devastating, life-altering impact: her daughter was stillborn. Overwhelmed by grief, Logan went into a deep depression. “It was pretty rough, and it put me, my fiancé, and our home into a really dark place,” Logan said. That darkness seemed insurmountable at first, but then a visit to the McLaren Flint Family Medicine Residency Center gave Logan the glimmer o...

Over the last decade, melanoma survival rates have improved significantly due to ongoing research and the development of immunotherapy. Lifileucel, also known by its brand name AMTAGVI, is a new form of immunotherapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with metastatic melanoma whose cancer has stopped responding to immune checkpoint inhibitors. The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is the first and only cancer center in Michigan to treat a patient with this new immun...

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , along with cancer centers and other organizations nationwide, recognizes November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the second most common cancer among women and men. Lung Cancer Facts and Figures About 226,650 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in 2025. The chance that a man will develop lung cancer in his lifetime is about 1 in 17. A woman's lifetime chance of developing lung cancer is about 1 in 18. Lung cancer is the leading cause of c...

Two hospitals part of statewide McLaren Health Care have earned an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national distinction that recognizes the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from harm while providing safe, compassionate health care. McLaren Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant and McLaren Northern Michigan in Petoskey both earned ‘A’ grades. The highest achievable recognition, grades are assigned based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, ac...

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and the second most common cancer for both men and women, according to the American Cancer Society . What’s especially troubling is that it often isn’t diagnosed until it’s already advanced—when treatment is much harder and less likely to succeed. That’s why early detection through screening is so important. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to learn about your risks, understand the importance of scre...

McLaren Greater Lansing nurse Michael Schauer was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the    DAISY Foundation’s program  to recognize the exceptional care nurses provide every day. The nomination, submitted by a patient’s family member, read as follows: “My mother was transferred urgently to McLaren Greater Lansing. While there, her vitals became unstable, and they discovered she was septic and needed lifesaving surgery. It was a very stressful time...

Luke Hartsuff, surgical technician (formerly an orderly) at McLaren Greater Lansing , was honored with the BEE Award. The BEE Award , which stands for “Be Extraordinary Every day,” recognizes health care team members who made an extraordinary difference in a patient's care or overall experience. The nomination, submitted by a coworker, read as follows: “As an orderly in the operating room, Luke has many responsibilities, including cleaning the operating rooms between cases, setting up the surgical beds ...

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, an important time to focus on how this chronic disease impacts millions of Americans daily. Diabetes affects how the body uses glucose (sugar) for energy. This condition doesn’t just affect blood sugar but can also have widespread effects throughout the body, including the vascular system. “Because diabetes raises blood sugar and causes insulin resistance, it causes injury to the lining of blood vessels,” said Dr. Jordan Knepper , vascular surgeon and medical direct...