Backstage @ Upstage

HOST: Hildy Grossman PRODUCER: Jordan Rich
GUESTS: Wade Iams, MD and Misty Shields, MD, PhD.

What if sudden leg weakness or severe fatigue wasn’t just stress or aging—but your body’s
immune system sounding an early alarm for a hidden lung cancer? Joining us to solve this
medical mystery are two outstanding thoracic oncologists, Dr. Wade Iams, director of lung
cancer research at Tennessee Oncology in Nashville, and Dr. Misty Shields, Assistant Professor
at Indiana University School of Medicine. Today, we’re uncovering an autoimmune disorder,
Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome, or LEMS—...

HOST:  Hildy Grossman    CO-HOST:  Jordan Rich

GUESTS:   Melina Marmarelis, MD   

What if the secret to defeating lung cancer is already hidden inside our own cells?

In this episode of Backstage @ Upstage, we explore the cutting edge of cancer care and how tiny biological clues are completely revolutionizing how we detect, understand, and treat lung cancer.

We are joined by Dr. Melina Marmarelis, a leading thoracic oncologist and researcher at Penn Medicine (University of Pennsylvania). Dr. Marmarelis breaks down the vital role of biomarker testing and introduces us to the future...

HOST:  Hildy Grossman    CO-HOST:  Jordan Rich

GUESTS:   Sahil Patel, MD, Pulmonologist

Inflammation is a brilliant lifesaver when you twist an ankle—and a silent danger when your body forgets how to turn it off. In this eye-opening episode of Backstage @ Upstage, host Hildy Grossman sits down with pulmonologist Dr. Sahil Patel to demystify the hidden biological forces shaping our health.

Together, they translate complex cellular science and modern environmental hazards—from microplastics and smog to the surge of chronic conditions in younger populations—into clear, practical takeaways. Dr. Patel reveals how short-term healing can mutate...

HOST:  Hildy Grossman    CO-HOST:  Jordan Rich

GUESTS:    John Lamb, Taylor Kirkwood, and Hildy Grossman

What does it take to build a musical—and turn personal tragedy into a mission? Join hosts Hildy Grossman & Jordan Rich with guests John Lamb and Taylor Kirkwood. Together, they pull back the curtain on the 20-year journey of Ziegfeld! What started as a Broadway tribute grew into a story of ambition, glamour, and grit. When Hildy faced an unexpected lung cancer diagnosis, the show took on a new purpose. Original composer Seth Rubin completed the score before tragically losing his life to...

HOST:  Hildy Grossman CO-HOST:  Jordan Rich

GUESTS:   Joan H. Schiller, MD and Francine Jacobson, MD, MPH

In 2021, the World Health Organization issued a stark warning: climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. And yet, the public often perceives climate change as an abstract concept or a political debate, not a health problem. It’s time to change this perception.

Alarmingly, lung cancer deaths have surged by nearly 30% since 2007. Every year we experience accelerating heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and extreme weather events. Moreover, all these changes impact cancer occurrence and care. Our gu...

HOST:  Hildy Grossman CO-HOST:  Jordan Rich

GUESTS: Kyle Concannon, MD, Samantha Murrell, Bianca Bye and Leah Phillips

The face of lung cancer is changing. No longer viewed simply as a “smoker’s disease” that only impacts older adults, there is a rising and concerning trend of younger adults and non-smokers being diagnosed with advanced disease. 

Our guests today have so much light to shine on this issue. In this powerhouse episode, we hear from Samantha Murrell, diagnosed with Stage 4 with a HER2 biomarker at age 37. She notes that her way of coping with her diagn...

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich
GUESTS: Lecia Sequist, MD and Allison Chang, MD, Ph.D.

We are building on our previous "All in the Family" episode, with Jaclyn Lo Piccolo,
MD, Ph.D., Pasi Janne, MD, Ph.D., of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Jill
Feldman from EGFR Resisters. To look deeper into how a family history of lung
cancer might increase the risk for other members, we invited Drs. Lecia Sequist
and Allison Chang from Mass General Hospital to discuss their latest research on
risk factors and the...

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST, Jordan Rich
Guests: Sachi Badola and Lauren Coye

Think you’re too young for lung cancer? Think again! This week, we’re joined by
two incredible young women who are highlighting the realities and breaking the
stigma. Our first guest, Lauren Coye, shares her grueling journey to finally being
diagnosed with lung cancer.  After being told she had recurring upper respiratory
infections, starting at age 14, Lauren’s persistence led to the discovery 10 years
later that saved her life. Her story is a testament to the life-saving power of self-<...

HOST:  Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich
GUEST: Sumati Ram-Mohan, Vice President of Upstage Lung Cancer

Why did singer and cabaret performer Hildy Grossman launch Upstage Lung Cancer 18
years ago? In this episode, Hildy describes how a fluke accident resulted in early detection of
her lung cancer and put her on a life-changing path. When faced with an early diagnosis, Hildy
didn’t just ask "Why me?"—she asked, "What now?" She realized that while anyone with lungs
can get lung cancer, not everyone has a stage to fight it. Thus, Upstage Lung Cancer was...

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST, Jordan Rich

Guests: Justin Gainor, MD, Director of Targeted Immunotherapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital and David Barbie, MD, Director of the Barbie Lab at Dana Farber Cancer Institute Targeting Innate Immunity in Cancer

Lung cancer has long been one of the most complex and difficult cancers to treat. But what if we could outsmart it—not just with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, but by training the immune system itself? This episode explores a revolutionary question: Could a vaccine change the future of lung cancer? To shed light on answers to th...

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jessica Lin, MD., Sarah Craig, Frank Marotta Hearing the diagnosis of Stage 4 can be devastating, but today, it is no longer the final word. More people are living with Stage 4 lung cancer than ever before, thanks to a revolution in innovative treatments, immunotherapy and precision medicine. … Continue reading The Scariest Words You’ll Hear, “It’s Spread” Moving From Fear to Hope →

How a silent killer invades our homes and our genes HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jackie Nixon, Citizens for Radon Reduction; Jane Malone, National Policy Director Indoor Environments Association; Khadijah Mitchell, Ph.D., Temple University, School of Public Health Your DNA is not a fixed blueprint. Dr. Khadijah Mitchell elucidates epigenetics, showing that our … Continue reading THE AIR THAT I BREATHE →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Chi Fu Jeffrey Yang. MD, Thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital, Professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School For any cancer patient facing surgery, there are always questions and worries. Hildy interviews an outstanding thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital, Chi Fu Jeffrey yang, MD. They discuss the … Continue reading CUT IT OUT! What To Know About Lung Cancer Surgery →

From Lung Cancer Patient to Full Time Advocate HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Dusty Donaldson, Lung Cancer Patient Advocate, LiveLung Founder At fifty-one, Dusty’s life was a whirlwind. A mother of three, she was also juggling a full-time career and graduate school when a lung cancer diagnosis stopped everything in its tracks. Her … Continue reading When You’re Handed Lemons, Make Lemonade! →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Jacy Dawn Valeras, Award-winning Television Host, Producer, Podcaster and Music Business Executive Hildy welcomes Jacy Dawn Valeras—television host, producer, music business executive, and podcaster with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Jacy shares her life-long dream of becoming a country music singer. With her father’s encouragement, … Continue reading WHEN YOU HIT A WALL Let Music Change Your Path →

Voicing New Reasons for Optimism HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Maida Mangiameli, Dusty Donaldson, Misty Shields, MD, Ph.D., and Ann Steagall Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive form of lung cancer with a 5-year survival rate of just 7%, a disheartening statistic. Despite this, survivors, researchers, and the medical community … Continue reading PROGRESS BRINGS HOPE FOR SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jaclyn LoPiccolo, MD, Ph.D., Pasi Janne, MD, Ph.D., Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Jill Feldman, EGFR Resisters Hildy opens with a powerful anecdote about an early Upstage Lung Cancer Board member whose mother, grandmother, and aunt all had lung cancer. She endured months of allergy and antibiotic treatments … Continue reading ALL IN THE FAMILY Is Lung Cancer Inherited? →

A Biomarker Dialogue Between Patient and Scientist HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Marc Muskavitch, PhD, ALK+ & Zachary Rogers, PhD, Research Fellow, Koch Institute at MIT This episode features a powerful conversation between two scientists, one now navigating life as a Stage 4 ALK+ lung cancer patient. Most lung cancer patients only learn … Continue reading Living with ALK+: Diagnosis, Treatment, & Hope →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Zachary Rogers, Ph.D. Postdoc at MIT | American Cancer Society Fellow Lung cancer treatment is undergoing a revolution. In the last 15 years, we’ve transitioned from broad chemotherapy to precision medicine, targeting the specific genetic drivers of each patient’s cancer. This shift, along with the rise of immunotherapy, … Continue reading THE RIDDLE OF DRUG RESPONSE: Why Does A Drug Work For One Person And Not Another? →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: James Hiter, Streak for A Cure James and Hildy had a similar experience in having their lung cancer found by accident. James, a “streaker” who runs daily, epitomized health. So, a lung cancer diagnosis—discovered accidentally during a bout of the flu—came as a devastating shock. A routine X-ray … Continue reading Improvise Life! Seize The Day While Living With Cancer →

HOST:  Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: James Hiter, Streak for A Cure James and Hildy had a similar experience in having their lung cancer found by accident. James, a “streaker” who runs daily, epitomized health. So, a lung cancer diagnosis—discovered accidentally during a bout of the flu—came as a devastating shock. A routine X-ray revealed a tumor of the size of a tennis ball. This unexpected twist led James to uncover a family history of the disease: his grandmother and great-uncle both succumbed to lung cancer. Driven by this knowledge, he joined a research study exploring the genetic l...

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: Zofia Piotrowska, MD, MHS, Massachusetts General Hospital This podcast delves deeper into the evolving understanding of the HER2 biomarker in lung cancer, twenty years after its discovery. We’re joined by Dr. Zofia Piotrowska, renowned oncologist and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, to build on our previous discussion, “HER2 … Continue reading Beyond the Breast: Unraveling HER2 in Lung Cancer, What A Difference 20 Years Makes! →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUEST: TERRI CONNERAN, Founder of KRAS Kickers Imagine facing five recurrences of cancer in seven years. Terri Conneran did, and she turned her adversity into a powerful force for change. Terri embodies the strength of the will to defy the odds of a cancer diagnosis and emerges as a … Continue reading Kicking Cancer! From Diagnosis to Defiance: One Survivor’s Story →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Carl Gay, MD, MD Anderson, Misty Shields, MD, Ph.D., Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. Hildy shares her experience of losing a friend who was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal system. Knowing that neuroendocrine cells are present in the lungs prompted Hildy to wonder if lung … Continue reading Size Matters! Small Cell Neuroendocrine Tumors Pack A Mighty Wallop →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jaime Cheah, Ph.D., Director of Collaborative Screening in the Center for the Development of Therapeutics at the Broad Institute and Jane Wilkinson, co-founder and president of CANCollaborate Our guests, Jane Wilkinson and Jaime Cheah join the conversation to tell us about some incredible work to expand the use … Continue reading Everything Old Is New Again! Imagine This: Repurposing Existing Drugs For New Uses →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Geoff Oxnard, MD, VP Clinical Development, Global Head Thoracic Cancer | Thoracic Oncologist, Boston Medical Center With so many misunderstandings about clinical trials, this podcast aims to clarify what a clinical trial is, how they have changed over time, why it is important to inform patients about them … Continue reading Misunderstandings About Clinical Trials Reflecting On Past Lessons to Future Innovations →

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: David Barbie, MD and Elliott Brea MD, Ph.D. As Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” That said, our guests on this podcast share groundbreaking research that investigates new ways of using one’s own immune system to fight cancer. Understanding … Continue reading GROUNDBREAKING TREATMENTS FOR CANCER What’s New in Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer? →

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Francine Jacobson, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston The process of being diagnosed and treated for lung cancer is often an arduous one. Hildy discusses her own winding road – how slipping on the stairs while wearing new shoes ultimately led to diagnosis and successful treatment. The … Continue reading WHAT NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU: HOW TO SUPPORT LUNG CANCER PATIENTs AND FAMILIES →

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jacob Sands, MD and Julia Rotow, MD, Dana Farber Cancer Institute Do you worry about cancer? Do you, or does someone you love, have cancer? Our guests today explore the often-worrisome journey from screening and diagnosis to treatment. This podcast features a thoughtful conversation among oncologists who share … Continue reading WHAT’S UP DOC? Current and Future Lung Cancer Care →

HOST: Hildy Grossman CO-HOST: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Cheryl Davis, of Red Thred Solutions; Lauren Coye, Patient and Patient Advocate What often goes unheard in medical situations is the patient’s voice. Our guests have a lot to say about this matter. Cheryl Davis has extensive experience in patient advocacy in the pharmaceutical industry. Now she aids … Continue reading LISTENING TO THE PATIENT’S VOICE: We Are All Patients, Sometime →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Chi Fu Jeffrey Yang, MD with Alexandra Potter and Deepti Srinivasan Our podcasts have focused on disparities in healthcare, particularly in Hispanic, Asian, and rural communities. This podcast considers the Black community in the US, and in particular, black women. What do we know about lung cancer differences … Continue reading BLACK WOMEN AT HIGH RISK FOR LUNG CANCER? It Takes a Village →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jacqueline Nixon and Gloria Linnertz Radon is a radioactive gas released in rocks and soil, possibly in your home or where you work. It’s odorless, tasteless, and invisible and can seep up through the ground and circulate into the air. As a result, Radon can enter homes through … Continue reading RADON: A MAJOR CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER- TAKE ACTION! →

What Women Need to Know About Lung Cancer Host: Hildy Grossman with Jordan Rich, co-host Guest: Narjust Duma Flores, MD Lung Cancer has a reputation of being a man’s disease. Today this notion couldn’t be further than the truth. Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of women as well as men, taking more … Continue reading DID YOU KNOW LUNG CANCER’S A WOMEN’S DISEASE? →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Pasi Janne, MD, Ph.D., Director, Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the Scientific Director of the Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Research Gabrielle Goodman, HER2 patient Bill Brand, HER2 patient Caren Suesserman, Exon 20 Group Virtual Meeting Leader and Patient Advocate Most people are … Continue reading HER2 BIOMARKER ISN’T JUST ABOUT HER Not Just a Breast biomarker! →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Anthony Sireci, MD, and Hilary Hammell, MD In this podcast, we ask the question, “Along with an accurate cancer diagnosis, why is comprehensive biomarker testing so important? Our guest, Dr. Anthony Sireci, vice president of clinical biomarker and diagnostics development at Loxo@Lilly, has devoted his career to biomarker … Continue reading Have You Heard Of Biomarker Testing? If So, How To Get It When You Need It →

Immunotherapy is a cutting-edge treatment for lung cancer. Learn all about it. HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: David Barbie, MD, Oncologist, Dana Farber Cancer Institute We often hear about our immune system, but outside of science class, few of us understand how it works. Whether your last brush with science was high school … Continue reading How in The World Does Our Immune System Work? Immunotherapy 101 for Lung Cancer →

HOST: HILDY GROSSMAN   CO-HOST: JORDAN RICH GUEST:  RAYMOND OSAROGIAGBON, MD, FACP, Director of the Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program at Baptist Cancer Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Many of us living in urban areas have some awareness and experience of barriers to healthcare, but we seldom consider the obstacles that face people living in rural areas. This is especially … Continue reading ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE IN RURAL AND BLACK COMMUNITIES    Understanding Common Barriers and Overcoming Hurdles →

HOST: Hildy Grossman, Co-Host: Jordan Rich GUESTS: Jacob Sands, MD, Oncologist, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Andrea McKee, MD, Chair of Radiation Oncology, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC) In previous Backstage @ Upstage podcasts, we’ve discussed the importance of low dose CT scans to detect lung cancer early. Both of today’s guests are dedicated … Continue reading Changing Failing Grades for Lung Cancer Screening Removing Barriers to Screening Can Save Lives →

Host: Hildy Grossman Co-Host Jordan Rich Guest: Francine Jacobson, MD, MPH Dr. Francine Jacobson discusses the value of screening for early detection of lung cancer. From the perspective of patients and care givers, facing radiation can be concerning. Dr. Jacobson discusses the lowering doses of radiation to help find lung cancer early, with the benefit … Continue reading Radiation for Diagnosis and Treatment What’s New for lung cancer? →

HOST: HILDY GROSSMAN CO-HOST: JORDAN RICH GUEST: GLORIA ZHANG, Executive Director of Strategic Alliances at New Tang Dynasty The Asian and Pacific Islander population represents over 30 countries and contains ethnic groups that speak more than 100 different languages! Chinese- Americans represent over 24% of the Asian-American population and are the focus audience for our … Continue reading Asian- Americans face disparities in lung cancer healthcare →