Cancer - May 2015 Archives

CHICAGO — Use of the targeted agent pacritinib significantly reduced the symptoms and burden of advanced myelofibrosis in patients, says a Mayo Clinic researcher who co-led PERSIST-1, the worldwide phase 3 clinical trial that tested the therapy. Specifically, pacritinib substantially reduced severe enlargement of the spleen, a typical feature of advanced myelofibrosis, in more than 20 percent of patients and alleviated debilitating side effects in more than 46 percent. Investigators further found that pacritinib could be used safely in patients with myelofibrosis who have thrombocytopenia, a life-threating loss of blood platelets that can lead to deadly bleeding. The only currently approved therapy for myelofibrosis — ruxolitinib — is not recommended in patients who have severe thrombocytopenia. Ruben A. Mesa, M.D., chair of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, will present these results at a press conference held during the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005 Email: dangor.yusuf@mayo.edu  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTzjIdPfTSM

CHICAGO — Because of the significant benefit found in combining the targeted drug ibrutinib with standard chemotherapy for relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), an interim analysis has closed the international HELIOS phase III clinical trial. Led by Mayo Clinic, researchers found that ibrutinib and chemotherapy (bendamustine and rituximab, known as BR) reduced the risk of death or cancer progression by almost 80 percent in patients with previously treated CLL or SLL, compared to use of BR alone. MEDIA CONTACTS: Joe Dangor (on-site at ASCO), Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 651-261-9089 (cell), dangor.yusuf@mayo.edu. Paul Scotti, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 904-953-0199 (office), scotti.paul@mayo.edu. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTNKotg-hqI

Take steps to let nature help you heal Focusing on the little things that nature offers can take your mind away from stress. It also ...

ROCHESTER Minn. – Mayo Clinic today announced that fundraising associated with the VICE documentary “Killing Cancer,” which aired on HBO earlier this year, has exceeded $2 million. This achievement was reached a month earlier than anticipated. The Killing Cancer campaign also set a record at Mayo Clinic with 30 percent of gifts received online, compared to 10 percent for previous campaigns. Many of the gifts came from new supporters to Mayo Clinic a reflection the younger demographics of the VICE audience and VICE’s strong digital presence. “The money raised in the Killing Cancer campaign will have impact right away, helping advance cancer research and finding cures for patients,” said John Noseworthy, M.D., Mayo Clinic president and CEO. The success of the campaign was due in large part to a fundraising match challenge issued by VICE founder and CEO Shane Smith with a total goal of $2 million. Through the challenge, Mr. Smith matched the first $1 million in gifts made by more than 10,000 documentary viewers and loyal Mayo Clinic supporters. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

Confused about the best sunscreen to use? Wondering whether sunscreen can be harmful? Lawrence Gibson, M.D., a dermatologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., offers ...

Ginger for chemotherapy-induced nausea: Does it work? Looking for relief from the nausea and vomiting that chemo can cause? Research shows that ginger may ...

Embargoed Releases. See specific embargo information for each study. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic urologists will present research findings on several topics at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting May 15–19 in New Orleans. Researchers will be available to discuss their research with reporters who are covering the conference. Mayo Clinic studies to be presented include: Holmium Laser Excision of Genitourinary Mesh Exposure Following Anti-Incontinence Surgery: Minimum Six-Month Follow-up. Embargoed until Sunday, May 17, 2015 1:00 p.m. CT The polypropylene mesh implants used in some incontinence surgeries for women can erode tissue and sometimes intrude into the bladder or urethra, often causing pain, bleeding and infection. Conventional treatment requires major open surgery. Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered they can trim mesh with an endoscopic laser and remove it without having to make incisions. “Removal of mesh with old-fashioned surgery is a big surgery,” says lead author Daniel Elliott, M.D., a Mayo Clinic urologist. “We were trying to see if there is a way to get this done easier. With certain types of mesh exposures this is very effective and others it’s not. But it presents itself as a potential option for some of these people to avoid a major surgery.”

Cancer survivors take control by writing their own story Writing can be a way of getting your feelings out. It can validate what you're experiencing ...

Choosing long-term care for a loved one ... or yourself ... can be a difficult decision. The level of care, the cost and ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — May is National Melanoma Skin Cancer Prevention Month and the perfect time to raise awareness about this deadly disease. Mayo Clinic experts in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota are available to discuss Melanoma prevention, detection and treatment strategies.  Here are some skin cancer prevention tips from Mayo Clinic: Avoid the sun during the middle of the day. For many people in North America, the sun's rays are strongest between about 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy. You absorb UV radiation year-round, and clouds offer little protection from damaging rays. Avoiding the sun at its strongest helps you avoid the sunburns and suntans that cause skin damage and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Sun exposure accumulated over time also may cause skin cancer. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PjsSyLG0dQ May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month and Claire would want you to pay attention. Claire had cancer … but she also had ...

Choosing long-term care for a loved one ... or yourself ... can be a difficult decision. The level of care, the cost and the physical ...