Cancer - August 2013 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Aug 26, 2013 — An increasing gap between the incidence of thyroid cancer and deaths from the disease suggests that low-risk cancers are being overdiagnosed and overtreated, a study from the Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery finds. The study appears in the current issue of BMJ. "High tech imaging technologies such as ultrasound, CT and MRI can detect very small thyroid nodules many of which are slow growing papillary thyroid cancers, says the study's lead author Juan Pablo Brito, M.B.B.S. an endocrine fellow and health care delivery scholar at Mayo Clinic. "This is exposing patients to unnecessary and harmful treatments that are inconsistent with their prognosis."

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Aug 26, 2013  — Patients who had complex gynecologic surgery managed by an enhanced recovery pathway (ERP) resulted in decreased narcotic use, earlier discharge, stable readmission rates, excellent patient satisfaction and cost savings, according to a Mayo Clinic study. The findings are published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Video and audio of Dr. Dowdy are available for download on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Could a little red wine lower your risk of prostate cancer? In this Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute, Dr. Jeffrey Karnes says maybe. To ...

MULTIMEDIA ALERT: For audio and video of Sahra Borges, Ph.D., talking about the study, visit the Mayo Clinic News Network. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A drug ...

Mouth sores are an unfortunate, but common ailment with radiation therapy. In this Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute, Dr. Robert Miller tells us about a ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mK_ygqrIY0 Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have discovered that a drug used to treat blood cancers may also stop the spread of invasive breast cancer. Their study, published ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6DoZK9JPF4 A new population-based study has found that patients with glioblastoma who died in 2010, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new population-based study has found that patients with glioblastoma who died in 2010, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval ...

Mayo Clinic is now offering chronic pain sufferers a new, implantable pain-blocking device approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — that is safe for full-body MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanners. The device is an advancement on neurostimulation technology that's been is use for decades, but has been denied many patients who would likely need ongoing MRI scans. Also called spinal cord stimulation, the small, battery-powered transmitters deliver signals through electrical leads implanted along the spinal cord. The signals interfere with pain messages traveling from nerves to the brain. Mayo Clinic pain medicine specialist, Halena Gazelka, M.D., says the devices work extremely well for the majority of people with intractable back, arm and leg pain. But, until now, she's had to tell numerous patients they couldn't use one because MRI scans were more important for managing their medical conditions. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Halena (hah-LEE-nah) Gazelka (gah-ZEL-kah) and b-roll of the device, x-rays and a spinal model are available in the downloads. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpVLb4RCG_0

A drug recently approved for use in multiple myeloma is now being tested for its ability to fight central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma, a deadly cancer of the immune system ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O3fLMg6qwQ Richard Joseph, M.D., medical oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida, talks about the most deadly form of skin cancer, known as melanoma. Here ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My physician recommended that I be screened by a dermatologist for a baseline risk assessment. What is this, and is it necessary? I use sunscreen regularly and have skin that normally does not burn. Am I still at risk for skin cancer? ANSWER: Anyone can get skin cancer. So it is a good idea for everyone to get a baseline risk assessment from a dermatologist. This assessment can give you a better understanding of your risk for developing skin cancer. It also can help determine how often you should see a dermatologist for checkups in the future. There are three major types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. Basal cell skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer worldwide. Squamous cell skin cancer is the second most common. Although less common than the other two, melanoma is a more serious type of skin cancer that can be difficult to treat if it is not caught early.