Cancer - February 2014 Archives

LA CROSSE, Wis. Registration is now open for the second annual Big Blue Dragon Boat Race hosted by the Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare. The race will take place on July 5, 2014, on the Mississippi River along La Crosse’s Riverside Park. The Dragon Boat Race is relatively new to the La Crosse community and is an exciting way to support and celebrate breast cancer survivors while promoting health and teamwork. The money from the event goes to the Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare's Center for Breast Care, and the early-bird team registration fee is $700 if paid by April 15 and $800 afterwards. Not only does this event sponsor sport and exercise, but also spectacle, as the act of the race itself brings a diverse set of spectators from all over the area. Last year the race brought in over 2,500 people to watch the race unfold. According to Teri Wildt, associate director of External Affairs at Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare, spectators and participants consisted of fitness enthusiasts, Rotarians, Franciscan Sisters, colleagues and breast cancer survivors. This year's race coordinators expect 60 teams to race head-to-head on the Mississippi River, with five separate divisions: corporate, mixed, men’s, breast cancer survivors and cancer survivors.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Feb. 24, 2014 — Mayo Clinic researchers have fashioned a new key to unlocking the secrets of the human genome. The Binary Indexing Mapping Algorithm, version 3 (BIMA V3) is a freely available computer algorithm that identifies alterations in tumor genomes up to 20 times faster and with 25 percent greater accuracy than other popular genomic alignment programs. BIMA results are published this month in the journal Bioinformatics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uFyCYtoFck Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Vasmatzis are available in the downloads. BIMA is a next-generation sequencing mapping and alignment algorithm, customized to process mate pair library sequencing. Mate pair sequencing is a comprehensive and cost-effective method for detecting changes throughout the entire genome. “BIMA allows us to evaluate tumor genomes in a fraction of the time it takes many popular technologies,” says George Vasmatzis, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic molecular biologist, director of the Biomarker Discovery Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, and senior author of the paper. “We believe this tool will lead to a better understanding of tumor genomics, and ultimately better therapy for patients with cancer.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT_rwTM6TVQ ROCHESTER, Minn. — Feb. 24, 2014 — Blacks may be twice as likely as whites to develop multiple myeloma because they are more likely to have a precursor condition known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a Mayo Clinic study has found. Not only is MGUS more common in blacks, but the type seen in the black population is also more apt to have features associated with a higher risk of progression to full-blown multiple myeloma, a cancer of a type of white blood cell in bone marrow.

  Join us Saturday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. CT, when we talk about men’s health.  We’ll discuss heart health with Stephen Kopecky, M.D., and prostate health with Matthew Tollefson, M.D., and we’ll talk with Thomas Osborn, M.D. about gout, a form of arthritis that affects an estimated 6 million Americans each year. Another important area regarding men’s health is testosterone. Endocrinologist Todd Nippoldt M.D., will be here to address testosterone deficiencies and testosterone therapy and respond to some of the media hype. We hope you’ll join us. Myth or Matter of Fact: Higher testosterone levels cause baldness. To listen to the program LIVE, click here. Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines: News Segment February 22, 2014 (right click MP3)

It's not too late to register for The 26.2 with Donna Finish Breast Cancer Marathon if you're in the Jacksonville, Fla. area this weekend! It's the only marathon in the country where all race proceeds and donated funds go to breast cancer research and care for those with the disease.  Running any marathon certainly takes time and dedication ... and no matter how much you train, you do need to pay attention to your health. That’s why the 'medical tent' is a key element of every marathon. In this report Vivien Willimas covers health issues unique for endurance runners.  [TRT 1:36] (Previously aired on MCNN Feb. 2013) Get more stories and information at: Sharing Mayo Clinic - The Donna Series 26.2 with Donna The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer Journalists: Video pkg. is available in the downloads. Click here for script. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiXoS3UQhtE

Treatment key to living with metastatic bone cancer Metastatic bone cancer usually can't be cured; instead, the goals are to provide pain relief and control further spread through treatment. Cancer treatment for women: Possible sexual side effects Cancer treatment can cause physical changes that make having sex more difficult. Find out which treatments are most likely to affect you. How to care for skin during radiation Taking care of your skin during and after radiation treatment is important. Skin changes can be one of the primary side effects of radiation therapy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jwdHjAnJCM ROCHESTER, Minn. — Feb. 18, 2014 — Newly-diagnosed patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who do not experience any cancer-related outcome events for two years after diagnosis have essentially the same life expectancy as they did prior to diagnosis, a Mayo Clinic study has found. Cancer related outcome events include disease progression or relapse, need for re-treatment or death. Journalists: Sound bites with lead author Matthew Maurer are available in the downloads.  Results of the study appear in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The findings indicate that the 24-month mark is a significant milestone that can be used both as an effective way to counsel patients on their long-term prognosis and as an earlier endpoint for future studies of newly diagnosed DLBCL.

Miss the show? Here is the podcast: Mayo Clinic Radio Full Show 2-22-2014 Join us Saturday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. CT, when we ...

Treatment key to living with metastatic bone cancer Metastatic bone cancer usually can't be cured; instead, the goals are to provide pain relief and control ...

Tube feeding is a seldom talked about way of allowing patients to overcome a serious injury or condition and continue to lead a relatively normal and productive life. Yet it’s largely invisible unless the individual wants to make it known. An inability to swallow due to stroke, cancer, cystic fibrosis, ALS or other condition makes tube feeding a necessity for thousands. Often it’s a temporary measure while someone is undergoing radiation or recovering from surgery. For others it’s a life-long practice and many people go to work, take vacations and manage their feeding as they go. Click here to see a demonstration of how feeding tubes work. Journalists:  Dr. Manpreet Mundi oversees the home enteral nutrition program at Mayo Clinic.  Sound bites with Dr. Mundi and broll are available in the downloads http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61rkC8Xs42o

A study published today in the journal BMJ says annual screening mammograms in women aged 40-59 do not reduce deaths from breast cancer any better than a physical examination or usual care. Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., a consultant in the breast clinic at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center says one limitation of the study is that it was conducted at a time when film screen mammography was the standard. “We’re now using digital mammography which has much better detection and sensitivity in finding cancers early.” she says. Dr. Pruthi acknowledges that routine mammography screening is a controversial issue with no current consensus among groups within the medical community, “The American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists recommend that we continue screening women in their 40s yearly,” Dr. Pruthi says. “The United States Preventive Services Task Force has published data recommending routine screening beginning at age 50.” Dr. Pruthi recommends that women take an individualized approach where they talk to their doctors and weigh the risks and benefits of screening taking into account their health, family history and their personal preferences. Mayo Clinic mammogram guidelines. Journalists Sound bites with Dr. Pruthi and b-roll of patient having mammogram are available in the downloads. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUKwHWC6sU4

In the coming months, collaboration between Mayo Clinic and The Links, Incorporated, will include educational outreach, critical research, and programs to prepare and encourage minorities to choose medical and health careers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African-American women: Are more likely to die of breast cancer than other women Have cancers that grow faster and are harder to treat, and are less likely to get prompt follow-up care when their mammogram shows something that is not normal Are less likely than white women to survive five years after a breast cancer diagnosis Are at least 50 percent more likely to die of heart disease or stroke prematurely than white women Ginger Wilson, a Chicago lawyer and businesswoman, had been experiencing breathing problems — wheezing and shortness of breath — as well as weight loss, inflammation and digestive issues. "After 18 months, I had been diagnosed with asthma, an intestinal bug, an ulcer, rosacea and more," she says. "I received treatment for the individual symptoms, but never one diagnosis for all the symptoms." One day, while on an outing, Wilson found she couldn't hike more than a few hundred yards. A friend, who was a doctor in training at Mayo Clinic, asked if she'd been checked for carcinoid syndrome, a condition caused by secretions from a slow-growing tumor. Wilson traveled to Mayo Clinic for evaluation, where the diagnosis was confirmed, and she underwent treatment. Seven surgeries later, she is back to being active in her Chicago community and owns the first African-American female legal staffing firm.