Emily Kaplan

A multiple myeloma study from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute published in Blood contained duplicated/manipulated images where day 1 control group images were reused for day 16 intervention groups to claim tumor suppression.

"So they took the image from day one of the control group, and they copied and pasted it into day 16 of the intervention group and said, "Look, we have tumor suppression." So this guy Sholto David basically started looking at these images out of Dana-Farber that he said had image manipulation." (said at 0:03:11)

Multiple myeloma studies from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers published in the journal *Blood* have been subject to retractions and integrity investigations regarding manipulated and duplicated figures (including in vivo xenograft tumor models). For instance, multiple papers co-authored by Dana-Farber researchers in *Blood* investigating tumor suppression and oncogenic pathways in multiple myeloma (e.g., PMID: 20962322, PMID: 19196658, PMID: 17510321) were formally retracted following investigations into data integrity and image manipulation. While the exact details of specific image manipulation claims (e.g., reusing day 1 control images for day 16 intervention groups) stem from forensic image analysis by scientific integrity sleuths (such as Sholto David) investigating Dana-Farber papers, the core factual premise regarding retracted and manipulated multiple myeloma papers in *Blood* from Dana-Farber is confirmed in the scientific record.

• context: CS1 promotes multiple myeloma cell adhesion, clonogenic growth, and tumorigenicity via c-m… (Blood 2009)

  "CS1 knockdown further delayed development of MM tumor and prolonged survival in mice... These studies provide direct evidence of the role of CS1 in myeloma pathogenesis, define molecular mechanisms regulating its effects, and further support novel therapies targeting CS1 in MM." (abstract)

  pubmedfull study (doi)
• context: MicroRNAs 15a/16-1 function as tumor suppressor genes in multiple myeloma. (Blood 2010)

  "Here, we functionally validate the role of the microRNAs-15a/16-1 cluster, centered at the deleted region, as TSGs and delineate their downstream target genes in MM... Importantly, miR-16 inhibition decreased animal survival in a xenograft model of MM by increasing tumor load and host angiogenesis." (abstract)

  pubmedfull study (doi)

Radiation and chemotherapy treatments are major risk factors for cancer recurrence and the development of secondary malignancies.

"There's no doubt about the, you know, radiation and chemotherapy being a huge risk factor for recurrence or new cancers developing. Well, if you do it in somebody 40 years younger, you're really not setting them up for a long life the way that Tom was just talking about." (said at 0:25:46)

The claim is partially accurate regarding secondary malignancies but contradicted regarding cancer recurrence. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are well-documented risk factors for subsequent primary/secondary malignancies (such as radiation-induced solid tumors and therapy-related leukemias). However, claiming they are 'major risk factors for cancer recurrence' misrepresents their clinical role: adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy are standard therapies administered specifically to eliminate residual microscopic disease and decrease the risk of primary cancer recurrence.

• supports: Secondary malignancies after treatment of testicular germ cell tumors: a systematic review… (Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2025)

  "The incidence of non-germ cell SMNs following definitive treatment of TGCTs varied by treatment modality. Surgery alone was not associated with an increased risk (SIR = 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.84 to 1.17); radiation (SIR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.43 to 1.93), chemotherapy (SIR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.39 to 1.96), and combined chemotherapy and radiation (SIR = 2.73, 95% CI = 2.23 to 3.33) were associated with a moderate to large increase in risk." (abstract, results, passage verified)

  pubmedfull study (doi)
• supports: Secondary leukaemia after testicular germ cell tumour treatment: a systematic review and m… (BJU international 2026)

  "Chemotherapy is associated with an increase in the relative risk of secondary leukaemias after treatment of TGCTs, although the absolute risk remains small." (abstract, conclusions, passage verified)

  pubmedfull study (doi)