Cancer - July 2014 Archives

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Menopause hormone therapy: Pros and cons Hormone therapy can provide effective relief from menopause symptoms. Talk with your doctor to weigh your personal risks and benefits. Best sunscreen: Understand sunscreen options With so many types of sunscreen out there, it can be hard to know which to choose. This Q&A with a Mayo Clinic dermatologist can help. Buying prescription drugs online Ordering prescription medications online can save you time and money, but not all pharmacies are licensed. Stay safe with these do's and don'ts. EXPERT ANSWERS Are there any effective alternative treatments for food allergies? Find out which alternative treatments have shown promise for treating food allergies. Acute hepatitis C infection: Is it serious? Acute hepatitis C infection precedes chronic hepatitis C. Find out how acute hepatitis C develops and what the diagnosis means. Thirdhand smoke: What are the dangers to nonsmokers? Toxic tobacco residue clings to walls, carpets, clothes, cars and other surfaces. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

Pay it forward with random acts of kindness Practice kindness and pass it on. You'll make someone's day, and when that person passes the ...

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Cancer causes: Popular myths about the causes of cancer Myths about secret cancer causes may lead you to worry about your own health and the health of your family. Before you panic, take a look at the facts. Heart attack symptoms: Know what's a medical emergency Besides chest pain, do you know the signs of a heart attack? Watch for these symptoms. Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet Carbohydrates have numerous health benefits. In fact, your body needs them to function. But some carbs may be better for you than others. EXPERT ANSWERS Ginkgo biloba: Can it prevent memory loss? Ginkgo biloba is said to prevent memory loss, but study results suggest otherwise. Salt craving: A symptom of Addison's disease? Excessive salt craving may indicate an underlying medical condition, such as Addison's disease Late-day exercise: Can it cause insomnia? For some people, exercising within a few hours of bedtime may cause problems getting to sleep. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

Trial uses TheraSphere for the treatment of liver metastases TheraSphere delivers radiation through tiny glass beads — about a third of the width of ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic announced today that Daniel Sargent, Ph.D., has been awarded a $32.7 million, five-year grant by the National Cancer Institute to lead the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology’s Statistics and Data Center. The Center will be located at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Rochester. “This award will allow Mayo Clinic to continue and expand our over 35-year history as a national hub for conducting cancer clinical trials,” says Dr. Sargent, a biostatistician. The Alliance Statistics and Data Center is a multi-institutional operation that involves researchers at Mayo Clinic, Duke University, Dana- Farber Cancer Center, Ohio State University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance) is a national clinical trials network sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. The Alliance consists of nearly 10,000 cancer specialists at hospitals, medical centers and community clinics across the United States and Canada. The group develops and conducts clinical trials on promising new cancer therapies, develops treatment and prevention strategies and conducts research to alleviate side effects of cancer and cancer treatments. The Alliance enrolls 3,000 to 5,000 patients annually on its studies.

The next Mayo Clinic Radio will make you smile!  On Saturday, July 19, at 9 a.m. CT, Thomas Salinas, D.D.S., will join us to discuss different aspects of oral health.  We’ll talk about new ways to restore teeth and replacing missing teeth. Also on the list for discussion — the dramatic increase in oral cancers in those afflicted with HPV, how oral health impacts overall health, the affect of certain medications on oral health and the importance of oral health for aging patients.  Join us! Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions. To listen to the program on Saturday, click here.  Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio. Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines: News Segment July 19, 2014 (right click MP3) 

WHAT: Mayo Clinic, Fight Colorectal Cancer and Ed Randall’s Fans for the Cure will encourage baseball fans to “pitch in” to prevent prostate and colorectal cancer as the Minnesota Twins begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field in Minneapolis on July 21. Pitch for Prevention is intended to raise awareness about prostate cancer and colorectal cancer prevention through an educational event for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer survivors with Mayo Clinic physicians, educational booths on Target Plaza and a champion’s march of cancer survivors onto Target Field. The Pitch for Prevention educational event will be streamed live at pitchforprevention.com. The campaign will include a special appearance by country music star Craig Campbell, who lost his father to colorectal cancer at age 11. Losing his father at a young age inspired Campbell to become involved in the fight against colorectal cancer. He was recently named national spokesperson for Fight Colorectal Cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is the second-leading killer of men in the U.S., and colorectal cancer is the third-leading killer of both men and women in the U.S. WHERE: Target Field, Minneapolis. WHEN: Monday, July 21, 2014. Educational event begins at 4 p.m. Game begins at 7:10 p.m. WHO: Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Paul Limburg, M.D., founder of Pitch for Prevention, Craig Campbell, country singer and national spokesman for Fight Colorectal Cancer. Eric Powell, colorectal cancer survivor, will throw out the first pitch of the game. Dr. Limburg and Campbell will be available for interviews on July 21. MEDIA CONTACTS: Chloe Piepho or Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (MCCC) announced today that it has received an overall "exceptional" score on the competitive renewal of its National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG). The grant award will provide roughly $28.6 million in funding over five years, providing essential support for the MCCC's 10 research programs and 13 shared resources through 2018. The MCCC's NCI designation as a comprehensive cancer center was also renewed. To earn the comprehensive cancer center designation, an institution must participate in multidisciplinary laboratory, clinical and population-based research and educate the community it serves about research advances. There are 41 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers across the country. The MCCC is the only single comprehensive cancer center with three geographic sites – in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz.; Jacksonville, Fla., and Rochester, Minn. "Exceptional" is the highest rating given by the NCI. Fewer than 10 percent of NCI-designated cancer centers receive "exceptional" scores. "This rating reflects the level of science being conducted by our researchers and the high quality of our staff," says MCCC director, Robert Diasio, M.D.

Miss the show? Here's the podcast: Mayo Clinic Radio Full Show 7-21-14 The next Mayo Clinic Radio will make you smile!  On Saturday, July 19, ...

Mayo Clinic also earned the No. 1 overall spot on the “Best Hospitals” list PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix is ranked No. 1 in Arizona and the Phoenix metro area in the 25th U.S. News & World Report annual America’s Best Hospital List released today. Hospitals included in the U.S. News Report such as the Mayo Clinic, are part of an elite group recognized for “breadth of excellence,” according to the magazine.  Mayo Clinic in Arizona ranked nationally in 10 specialties including cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, ear, nose & throat, gastroenterology & GI surgery, geriatrics, gynecology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics and urology. In addition, Mayo Clinic in Arizona is recognized as high performing in diabetes and endocrinology. http://youtu.be/wNPvlHYKtIM

On this week's Mayo Clinic Radio program we’ll talk about the groundbreaking research involving the measles virus to fight cancer. The process is called oncolytic virotherapy and Dr. ...

Yoga helps cancer survivors with overall well-being Yoga can help cancer survivors overcome lack of energy and fatigue. Cancer survivors: Late effects of ...