Cancer - January 2015 Archives

New stool DNA test screens for colorectal cancer The Cologuard test may offer an easier, less expensive way to screen for colorectal cancer, which ...

Much like motor vehicles have engines, our bodies have similar parts to help us function. The heart and brain are the big anatomy regulators, but did you know the thyroid is also a crucial driver of bodily operation? When your thyroid experiences problems, your whole body starts to feel out of sorts — and your quality of life suffers. Knowing how your thyroid works and what signs indicate something is wrong will help you get the care you need and enhance your livelihood. Deb Vogelsang, nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic Health System, answers some common questions about thyroid disease. Q. What is a thyroid? A. A thyroid is a gland at the base of the neck. This important part of your body produces hormones that regulate blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate and weight. Q. What are potential thyroid problems? A. There are four main thyroid afflictions: hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules. Hyperthyroidism is the case of an overactive thyroid. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is underactive. Thyroid cancer refers to malignancy in cells of the thyroid. Thyroid nodules are growths on the thyroid. While all of these conditions can be serious, each has its own symptoms and distinctions.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new breast cancer risk prediction model combining histologic features of biopsied breast tissue from women with benign breast disease and individual patient demographic information more accurately classified breast cancer risk than the current screening standard. Results of a Mayo Clinic study comparing the new model to the current standard, the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT), are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhhvpZcbY00

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am 73 and just had a prostate biopsy that showed a malignant tumor with a Gleason score of 8. Is this an indication of an aggressive cancer and if so, what are my treatment options? ANSWER: Gleason score indicates the grade of your prostate cancer. The higher the Gleason score, the more aggressive the cancer is likely to be. Of the factors related to prostate cancer that doctors take into consideration when deciding on treatment, Gleason score is probably the most important one. In most cases, treatment with radiation and hormonal therapy or with surgery is recommended based on a Gleason score of 8. The Gleason score was developed in the 1960s by a pathologist named Donald Gleason. It has stood the test of time, and doctors now rely on it to predict how likely prostate cancer is to grow and spread. For most kinds of cancer, tumor grade is determined by looking at individual cancer cells through a microscope using a high level of magnification to examine the details of those cells. Gleason score is different. With this method, a pathologist examines prostate tissue samples under a microscope using low magnification to observe the patterns of the cancer cells.

Does having a cancer biopsy increase the chances your cancer will spread? We’ll explore this topic with cancer surgeon Dr. KMarie Reid Lombardo on the next Mayo ...

Rochester, Minn. — A new breast imaging technique pioneered at Mayo Clinic nearly quadruples detection rates of invasive breast cancers in women with dense breast tissue, according to the results of a major study published this week in the American Journal of Roentgenology. Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) is a supplemental imaging technology designed to find tumors that would otherwise be obscured by surrounding dense breast tissue on a mammogram. Tumors and dense breast tissue can both appear white on a mammogram, making tumors indistinguishable from background tissue in women with dense breasts. About half of all screening-aged women have dense breast tissue, according to Deborah Rhodes, M.D., a Mayo Clinic Breast Clinic physician and the senior author of this study. MBI increased the detection rate of invasive breast cancers by more than 360 percent when used in addition to regular screening mammography, according to the study. MBI uses small, semiconductor-based gamma cameras to image the breast following injection of a radiotracer that tumors absorb avidly. Unlike conventional breast imaging techniques, such as mammography and ultrasound, MBI exploits the different behavior of tumors relative to background tissue, producing a functional image of the breast that can detect tumors not seen on mammography. The study, conducted at Mayo Clinic, included 1,585 women with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts who underwent an MBI exam at the time of their screening mammogram. MEDIA CONTACT: Sam Smith, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

Magic mouthwash: Effective for mouth sores resulting from chemotherapy? Some forms of chemotherapy and radiation therapy cause painful mouth sores. Magic mouthwash may ...

Miss the show? Here's the podcast: Mayo Clinic Radio Full Show 1-24-2015 Does having a cancer biopsy increase the chances your cancer will spread? We’ll ...

Share your story about living with cancer Telling your tale about surviving cancer can provide reassurance and a ray of hope to others. Make a ...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Is preventative surgery an option for people with a strong genetic predisposition to pancreatic cancer? If not, are there any screening tests that can catch it early? ANSWER: Although removing the pancreas is a possibility for people who have a strong family history of pancreatic cancer, it is used only rarely as a means of preventing the disease. That’s because there are significant health risks associated with not having a pancreas. No formal screening methods are in place for this type of cancer. But certain imaging exams may be able to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages. Your pancreas is located in your abdomen, behind the lower part of your stomach. One of its main jobs is to make insulin, a hormone that regulates the transfer of sugar, or glucose, from your bloodstream into your cells. The pancreas also makes enzymes that aid in your body’s digestion.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A study of more than 2,000 patients by researchers at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Jacksonville, Florida, has dispelled the myth that cancer biopsies cause cancer to spread. In the Jan. 9 online issue of Gut, they show that patients who received a biopsy had a better outcome and longer survival than patients who did not have a biopsy. The researchers studied pancreatic cancer, but the findings likely apply to other cancers because diagnostic technique used in this study — fine needle aspiration — is commonly used across tumor types, says the study’s senior investigator and gastroenterologist Michael Wallace, M.D., M.P.H., professor of medicine. Fine needle aspiration is a minimally invasive technique that uses a thin and hollow needle to extract a few cells from a tumor mass. A long-held belief by a number of patients and even some physicians has been that a biopsy can cause some cancer cells to spread. While there have been a few case reports that suggest this can happen — but very rarely — there is no need for patients to be concerned about biopsies, says Dr. Wallace. “This study shows that physicians and patients should feel reassured that a biopsy is very safe,” he says. “We do millions of biopsies of cancer a year in the U.S., but one or two case studies have led to this common myth that biopsies spread cancer.”

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Smoking cessation: Creating a quit-smoking plan Have you resolved to quit smoking for good? Having a plan can help you cope with nicotine withdrawal and strong urges to light up. Memory loss: When to seek help Losing your memory may be a sign of normal aging, a treatable condition or the onset of dementia. Know when to see your doctor. EXPERT ANSWERS Hangover prevention: Do lighter colored drinks help? Drinking lighter colored drinks is not a good method of hangover prevention — but it may help a little. Loss of taste and smell: Natural with aging? Aging can play a role in the loss of taste and smell, but not always. Learn about other factors. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.