74. From Lab to Life (Part 1): What You Need To Know About Cancer Diagnoses, Research and Care in Canada With Dr. Lillian Siu & Dr. Miyo Yamashita

Cancer is one of the most frightening diagnoses any of us can face — and yet, it’s also an area of medicine where progress is happening at an extraordinary pace.

In honour of World Cancer Day, this episode launches a new two-part series on cancer for Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo. Melissa sits down with two of Canada’s leading voices — a leading cancer scientist, Dr. Lillian Siu, and a powerful advocate and CEO, Dr. Miyo Yamashita, from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the top five comprehensive cancer centres globally.

Together, they break down what cancer actually is, why survival rates have improved so dramatically, where prevention and early detection truly save lives, and how cutting-edge research — from immunotherapy to liquid biopsies — is transforming outcomes for patients in Canada and around the world.

This episode is science-forward, deeply human, and essential listening for anyone whose life has been touched by cancer — which, statistically, is all of us.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What cancer is — and how it develops
• Cancer staging and how classification has evolved
• Why there is no single “cure” for cancer — and why that’s often misunderstood
• Which cancers are now considered highly treatable or curable
• Why cancer rates are rising as our population ages
• The concerning rise of early-onset cancers in younger adults
• Lifestyle, environmental, and genetic cancer risks
• What prevention actually means — beyond headlines and fear
• Screening and early detection: where it saves lives and where gaps remain
• Breakthroughs in precision oncology, immunotherapy, and targeted treatments
• The future of liquid biopsies and blood-based cancer detection
• Why philanthropy and research funding are essential to progress
• What gives cancer experts the most hope right no

About The Guests:

Dr. Lillian Siu

Dr. Siu is a senior medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is the 2025–2026 President of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the world’s largest scientific organization dedicated to advancing cancer research.

Her work focuses on translating scientific discoveries into personalized cancer therapies, including precision oncology and liquid biopsy technologies. She has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and was awarded ASCO’s highest honour, the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award. In 2025, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in oncology worldwide.

Dr. Miyo Yamashita

Dr. Yamashita is President and CEO of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Canada’s largest cancer charity and the primary fundraising organization for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She leads national and global efforts to fund breakthrough research in precision medicine, immunotherapy, genomics, and patient-centred innovation.

Under her leadership, the Foundation has focused on accelerating the translation of discovery science into real-world clinical impact. She has been named one of the Top 100 Oncology CEOs globally — with Princess Margaret the only Canadian institution recognized.

Resources & Learn More:

• Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – https://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret
• Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation – https://thepmcf.ca
• Cancer screening & prevention in Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/chronic-diseases/cancer.html
• World Cancer Day – https://www.worldcancerday.org

**Always speak with your health-care provider about screening, symptoms, or personal cancer risk.**

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

For any partnership inquires, contact beverly@agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com