06/05/2026
June is Cancer Survivor Month, and our CEO Sally Friedman Berenzweig spoke with The Boca Raton Tribune for this insightful interview about survivorship, research and more.
Q: June is Cancer Survivors Month. What cancers are producing more survivorship now?
A: Several cancers that were once considered among the most difficult to treat have experienced remarkable gains:
• Lung cancer – Survival rates have nearly doubled over the past few decades due to targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and improved screening.
• Melanoma (skin cancer) – Immunotherapy has transformed outcomes for many patients with advanced disease. Today, localized melanoma has a five-year relative survival rate of over 99%.
• Multiple myeloma – Survival has improved dramatically with newer targeted drugs and immunotherapies.
• Hodgkin lymphoma – Already one of the most curable cancers, it continues to benefit from advances in immunotherapy.
• Breast cancer – Earlier detection and personalized treatments have significantly improved outcomes for many patients.
• Certain leukemias and lymphomas – Precision medicine and cellular therapies have led to major improvements in survival.
Perhaps most encouraging, survival for patients with metastatic (stage IV) cancers has improved significantly. Across all distant-stage cancers combined, five-year survival has doubled since the mid-1990s.
Q: What should a newly diagnosed patient expect?
A: A cancer diagnosis today is very different from what it was even 10–15 years ago. Many patients can expect a more precise diagnosis. Doctors increasingly use genetic and molecular testing to understand the specific biology of a tumor, not just where it started. Personalized treatment plans include a combination of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, clinical trials.
Q: Where can patients find reliable information about their prognosis?
A: Patients should be cautious about random internet searches. Prognosis depends on many individual factors, including age, overall health, cancer stage, tumor genetics, and response to treatment. The most reliable sources include:
National Cancer Institute (NCI) (Sylvester is the only NCI designated cancer center in South Florida) The patient’s own oncology team remains the most important source. Population survival statistics are helpful, but a physician who knows the patient’s specific diagnosis can provide a far more accurate assessment than any online statistic.
Q: Explain The Pap Corps’ relationship to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and why thousands of women and now more men join your chapters here.
A:As CEO of The Pap Corps Champions for Cancer Research, I am privileged to lead one of South Florida’s largest volunteer fundraising organizations, with more than 20,000 members united by a single vision: a world without cancer. Since 1952, The Pap Corps has partnered with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine to fund groundbreaking cancer research that is transforming the future of cancer care. Our nearly 50 chapters across South Florida host hundreds of fundraising events each year—from card parties and luncheons to galas, golf tournaments, and community initiatives. This year was one of our most successful ever. On May 14, 2026, The Pap Corps presented a gift of $4.3 million to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Over our 74-year history, The Pap Corps has donated more than $110 million to cancer research, including a $50 million commitment that helped establish The Pap Corps Campus at Sylvester in Deerfield Beach.
Q: Are Pap Corps chapters still in private communities? If someone wants to join a public chapter is that doable?
A: Yes. Many Pap Corps chapters are still based in private residential communities and country club communities throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties. However, the Pap Corps has expanded to include several “open” or regional chapters. For example, the Boca Friends (Broken Sound Country Club) chapter specifically states that anyone interested in joining is welcome. The easiest way to join is through the Pap Corps membership page:
Demographics
The Pap Corps Membership Page
You can also browse all chapters here:
The Pap Corps Chapters Directory
If someone does not live in a community with a chapter, they can contact the main office and be connected with an open chapter. https://www.thepapcorps.org/
Q: Can patients be treated in Deerfield?
A: Many patients choose Sylvester because they can receive care close to home while also having access to the resources of a major academic medical center. The Pap Corps Campus at Sylvester in Deerfield Beach remains a major treatment location. In fact, The Pap Corps recently celebrated the opening of the Lake of Hope on the Deerfield Beach campus. Sylvester has also expanded its presence in Palm Beach County. UHealth and Sylvester now have locations in Palm Beach County, including offices in downtown West Palm Beach and Palm Beach. For many Palm Beach County residents, the Deerfield Beach campus is still the primary Sylvester cancer treatment destination because it offers comprehensive oncology services without requiring travel to Miami. Patients who need highly specialized procedures can seamlessly access the main Sylvester campus in Miami while keeping much of their care closer to home.
Q: Anything else you want to say?
A: A message of hope.For Cancer Survivors Month, the message is clear: more people are living longer, fuller lives after cancer than ever before, thanks to research, earlier detection, and continued advances in treatment. Hope is a powerful motivator. Many members join because cancer has touched their lives. The Pap Corps gives them a way to turn that experience into something positive and meaningful. Instead of feeling powerless, members become part of the solution.
https://www.bocaratontribune.com/bocaratonnews/2026/06/cancer-survivors-month-qa-with-the-pap-corps-champions-for-cancer-research-ceo-sally-berenzweig/
Q: June is Cancer Survivors Month. What cancers are producing more survivorship now? A: Several cancers that were once considered among the most difficult to treat have experienced remarkable gains: Perhaps most encouraging, survival for patients with metastatic (stage IV) cancers has improved signi...
