Honoring Veterans Through Early Cancer Detection
Last Updated: November 11, 2025
This Veterans Day, we’re shining a light on how innovation in care is giving back to those who’ve served.
Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) O’Donnell, Director of the Multi-Cancer Early Detection Clinic at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, joins the PQI Podcast to discuss the Sentinel Study—a Department of Defense–sponsored clinical trial offering multi-cancer early detection (MCED) testing to U.S. veterans.
Through a single blood draw, the test can screen for more than 50 types of cancer, addressing the urgent need for improved screening among veterans, who face a cancer risk nearly 20% higher than the general population.
Dr. O’Donnell shares how this innovative study combines science, service, and compassion to bring life-saving research to those who’ve served—and what it could mean for the future of oncology care.
Listen to learn more about:
- How early detection technology is transforming the future of cancer care
- Why veterans face unique cancer risks linked to their service
- What makes the Sentinel Study a model for accessible, equitable screening
- The personal motivation that drives Dr. O’Donnell’s work
For more information on the Sentinel study or to determine eligibility, visit redcap.link/VeteransScreeningStudy or contact the Sentinel Team at dfciprevention@mgb.org.
Additional Resources
Dr. O’Donnell received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where she served an additional year as a Chief Resident. She completed her fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is the Director of Early Detection and Prevention at Dana-Farber and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She specializes in plasma cell disorders with a particular interest in lifestyle medicine and patient and caregiver quality of life.
For more information on the Sentinel study or to determine eligibility, visit redcap.link/VeteransScreeningStudy or contact the Sentinel Team at dfciprevention@mgb.org.
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