A famous doctor’s cancer mystery
How a lymphoma flare after a COVID shot created a puzzle for a vaccine advocate.
A year ago, I received an email from a famous immunologist I've known for more than a decade through my work as a science journalist. He had been diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, and was at the start of receiving treatment. But beyond the diagnosis, something else was on his mind: a series of CT body scans had shown that after receiving a COVID booster in his right arm some of the lymph nodes on that side of his body seemed bolstered with more malignant cells within days.
Was it a coincidence? He wasn't sure, but he had begun reading scientific papers and reaching out to researchers to find out more. It was a difficult question to pursue, not only because his case seemed to be an isolated example, but also because he had spent so much of the pandemic advocating for vaccination. In my latest feature story for The Atlantic, I follow the doctor on his year-long journey to unravel this mystery. You can read more here:
Did a Famous Doctor's COVID Shot Make His Cancer Worse?
Also, in case you missed it, I had the privilege of guest-hosting the 2-hour radio program Science Friday a few weeks ago. If you'd like to tune in to hear the whole episode (which covers everything from a new Lyme disease test to how a trove of canned salmon dating back to the 1970s could help us understand the rise of fish parasites) here's the link: