Monoclonal antibody drugs for cancer 
Monoclonal antibody drugs use natural immune system functions to fight cancer. These drugs may be used in combination with other cancer treatments. If you're considering monoclonal antibody therapy as part of your cancer treatment, learn about these drugs and carefully weigh the benefits against the potential side effects.

Where can prostate cancer spread? 
When cancer cells break away from a tumor in the prostate, they can travel to other areas of the body. In theory, prostate cancer cells can spread anywhere in the body. In practice, though, most cases of prostate cancer metastasis occur in the lymph nodes and the bones. Learn more from Dr. Erik Castle, a Mayo Clinic urologist.

The post Living With Cancer: Ovarian cancer risk after hysterectomy appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Ovarian cancer vaccine: Can it prevent recurrence?

Ovarian cancer vaccines are a type of immunotherapy, which is treatment that harnesses the body's germ-fighting immune system to attack cancer cells. Researchers hope to use ovarian vaccines to train the immune system cells to detect and attack any cancer cells that reappear after initial treatment has been completed.

Surgery followed by chemotherapy remains the standard primary treatment for ovarian cancer. Researchers also are studying how cancer vaccines are best used in combination with chemotherapy and other treatments, including other immunotherapies.

Although research has shown that ovarian cancer vaccines may hold promise, these studies have involved only small numbers of participants. More and larger studies are needed to further evaluate the potential role that vaccines may play in preventing recurrent ovarian cancer.

If you're interested in participating in a clinical trial studying ovarian cancer vaccines, discuss it with your health care provider. He or she can help you evaluate the options and determine whether a clinical trial is appropriate for your specific situation.

Ovarian cancer: Still possible after hysterectomy?
Surgery to remove your ovaries dramatically reduces your risk of ovarian cancer, but it doesn't eliminate the risk entirely.

You still have a risk of ovarian cancer or a type of cancer that acts just like it (primary peritoneal cancer) if you've had a hysterectomy.

Your risk depends on the type of hysterectomy you had:

• Partial hysterectomy or total hysterectomy.
  A partial hysterectomy removes your uterus, and a total hysterectomy removes your uterus and your cervix. Both procedures leave your ovaries intact, so you can still develop ovarian cancer.
• Total hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy.
  This procedure removes your cervix and uterus as well as both ovaries and fallopian tubes. This makes ovarian cancer less likely to occur, but it does not remove all risk.

You still have a small risk of what's called primary peritoneal cancer. The peritoneum is a covering that lines the abdominal organs, and is close to the ovaries. Since the peritoneum and ovaries arise from the same tissues during embryonic development, it's possible that cancer could result from the cells of the peritoneum.

Currently, there are no effective screening tests for ovarian cancer in women with an average risk of the disease. If you're concerned about your risk, discuss your options with your health care provider.

Written by Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah and Mayo Clinic staff.

Find more health and medical information on mayoclinic.org.

Related posts:

• Ovarian cancer is hard to detect
• Living With Cancer: Understanding ovarian cancer
• Women’s Wellness: Is endometriosis a risk factor for ovarian cancer?

The post Women’s Wellness: Some answers about ovarian cancer appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Pregnancy after gastric bypass can be safe and healthy. Research suggests pregnancy after the mother has weight-loss surgery might be safer than having a pregnancy that could be complicated by obesity.

While more research is needed, studies suggest that weight-loss surgery before pregnancy might protect women and their babies from obesity-related problems during pregnancy, including gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. The latter features high blood pressure and potential organ damage – often the kidneys – after 20 weeks of pregnancy

If you have had weight-loss surgery and are considering pregnancy, consult your health care provider for help with planning before conception. You also might consult a registered dietitian nutritionist and your gastric bypass surgeon for advice on nutrition and weight gain during pregnancy.

Experts typically recommend postponing pregnancy until your weight stabilizes — typically at least 12 to 18 months after surgery. Some experts recommend waiting longer.

Rapid or persistent weight loss might deprive a growing baby of important nutrients, leading to low birth weight. To monitor your baby's growth, your health care provider might recommend a fetal ultrasound during the third trimester.

After considering the type of weight-loss surgery and your specific nutritional needs, your health care provider might also recommend certain nutritional supplements, such as folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, iron and calcium, in addition to a daily prenatal vitamin before and during pregnancy.

This article is written by Mayo Clinic staff with Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah. Find more health and medical information on mayoclinic.org.

The post Women’s Wellness: Pregnancy after gastric bypass surgery appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed during pregnancy. The specific medication must be chosen carefully, however. Some antibiotics are OK to take during pregnancy, while others are not. Safety depends on various factors, including the type of antibiotic, when in your pregnancy you take the antibiotic, how much you take, what possible effects it might have on your pregnancy and for how long you're on antibiotics.

Here's a sampling of antibiotics generally considered safe during pregnancy:

• Penicillins, including amoxicillin, ampicillin
• Cephalosporins, including cefaclor, cephalexin
• Erythromycin
• Clindamycin

Certain other antibiotics are believed to pose risks during pregnancy. For example, tetracyclines can discolor a developing baby's teeth. Tetracyclines aren't recommended for use after the 15th week of pregnancy.

If an antibiotic is the best way to treat your condition, your health care provider will prescribe the safest antibiotic at the safest dosage. If you have questions or concerns about the use of an antibiotic during pregnancy, talk to your health care provider.

Low-dose aspirin — 60 to 100 milligrams daily — is sometimes recommended for pregnant women with recurrent pregnancy loss, clotting disorders and preeclampsia.

However, use of higher doses of aspirin poses various risks depending on the stage of pregnancy. During the first trimester, use of higher doses of aspirin poses a concern for pregnancy loss and congenital defects. Taking higher doses of aspirin during the third trimester increases the risk of the premature closure of a vessel in the fetus's heart. Use of high-dose aspirin for long periods in pregnancy also increases the risk of bleeding in the brain of premature infants.

If you need to take aspirin during your third trimester of pregnancy, your health care provider will likely closely monitor you and your baby.

If you need to take a pain reliever during pregnancy, talk to your health care provider about the options. He or she might suggest occasional use of acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) instead of aspirin.

______________________________________________

The article above is written for mayoclinic.org by Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah 

The post Women’s Wellness: Is it safe to take antibiotics or aspirin during pregnancy? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

This Mayo Clinic Q and A article originally published Sept. 10, 2016.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Six months ago, after becoming pregnant for the first time, I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks. My husband and I want to become pregnant again, but we’re worried about another miscarriage. Are there things I can do to prevent it this time? I’m 27 years old, and I don’t have any health problems.

ANSWER: Having a miscarriage can be shocking, stressful and sad. It’s understandable that you want to do everything you can to avoid going through it again. Although there are some steps you may be able to take to lower your risk of another miscarriage, in most cases, a miscarriage isn’t related to anything a pregnant woman did or did not do. The majority of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities that happen for no clear reason. Many women who have a miscarriage go on to have normal pregnancies and deliver healthy babies.

In general, a miscarriage is defined as the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation. Because it is not a topic that receives much attention, miscarriage tends to be more common than people might think. Doctors estimate that up to 25 percent of all recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Most miscarriages happen because the fetus isn’t developing normally. Problems with the baby’s genes or chromosomes are usually the result of errors that occur by chance as the embryo divides and grows. They typically aren’t due to an inherited disorder, and usually aren’t caused by a mother’s behavior or health.

"Although there are some steps you may be able to take to lower your risk of another miscarriage, in most cases, a miscarriage isn’t related to anything a pregnant woman did or did not do."
- Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah

That said, there are a few risk factors that can raise the chances of having a miscarriage. Among the most significant is advanced maternal age. This one doesn’t apply to you right now, and it won’t for some time. Women older than 35 have a higher risk of miscarriage than do younger women. At 35, the risk of miscarriage is about 20 percent risk. At 40, it goes up to about 40 percent. At 45, it’s about 80 percent.

Another risk factor that doesn’t sound like it fits your situation is having certain medical conditions. Some disorders that may raise the risk of a miscarriage include uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, infections, hormonal problems and problems with the uterus or cervix.

When it comes to lifestyle choices you can control, it is important to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs when you are pregnant. Not only do these activities raise your risk for a miscarriage, they endanger the health of your baby throughout pregnancy. If you are on prescription medication, ask your doctor if it’s safe to continue taking that medication during pregnancy.

Staying at a healthy weight before you become pregnant and throughout your pregnancy may also help ensure your baby’s health. Being underweight or overweight appears to be linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, as well as other health concerns during pregnancy. For example, women who are significantly overweight are more likely to develop gestational diabetes.

None of the following activities cause miscarriage: lifting, straining, having sex or exercising.

If you have questions or concerns about becoming pregnant again, talk to your health care provider. He or she can review your health and family history, talk with you about risk factors and discuss any preconception care that could be helpful.

As you go forward, please keep in mind that, in almost all cases, miscarriages are beyond a mother’s control. If you become pregnant again, unless an underlying medical condition is identified that needs special care, you shouldn’t need to do anything differently. Get regular prenatal care and focus on taking care of yourself and your baby. — Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

The post Women’s Wellness: Miscarriage is usually beyond a mother’s control appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Six months ago, after becoming pregnant for the first time, I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks. My husband and I want to become pregnant again, but we’re worried about another miscarriage. Are there things I can do to prevent it this time? I’m 27 years old, and I don’t have any health problems.

ANSWER: Having a miscarriage can be shocking, stressful and sad. It’s understandable that you want to do everything you can to avoid going through it again. Although there are some steps you may be able to take to lower your risk of another miscarriage, in most cases, a miscarriage isn’t related to anything a pregnant woman did or did not do. The majority of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities that happen for no clear reason. Many women who have a miscarriage go on to have normal pregnancies and deliver healthy babies.

In general, a miscarriage is defined as the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation. Because it is not a topic that receives much attention, miscarriage tends to be more common than people might think. Doctors estimate that up to 25 percent of all recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage.

Most miscarriages happen because the fetus isn’t developing normally. Problems with the baby’s genes or chromosomes are usually the result of errors that occur by chance as the embryo divides and grows. They typically aren’t due to an inherited disorder, and usually aren’t caused by a mother’s behavior or health.

That said, there are a few risk factors that can raise the chances of having a miscarriage. Among the most significant is advanced maternal age. This one doesn’t apply to you right now, and it won’t for some time. Women older than 35 have a higher risk of miscarriage than do younger women. At 35, the risk of miscarriage is about 20 percent risk. At 40, it goes up to about 40 percent. At 45, it’s about 80 percent.

Another risk factor that doesn’t sound like it fits your situation is having certain medical conditions. Some disorders that may raise the risk of a miscarriage include uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, infections, hormonal problems and problems with the uterus or cervix.

When it comes to lifestyle choices you can control, it is important to avoid smoking, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs when you are pregnant. Not only do these activities raise your risk for a miscarriage, they endanger the health of your baby throughout pregnancy. If you are on prescription medication, ask your doctor if it’s safe to continue taking that medication during pregnancy.

Staying at a healthy weight before you become pregnant and throughout your pregnancy may also help ensure your baby’s health. Being underweight or overweight appears to be linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, as well as other health concerns during pregnancy. For example, women who are significantly overweight are more likely to develop gestational diabetes.

None of the following activities cause miscarriage: lifting, straining, having sex or exercising.

If you have questions or concerns about becoming pregnant again, talk to your health care provider. He or she can review your health and family history, talk with you about risk factors and discuss any preconception care that could be helpful.

As you go forward, please keep in mind that, in almost all cases, miscarriages are beyond a mother’s control. If you become pregnant again, unless an underlying medical condition is identified that needs special care, you shouldn’t need to do anything differently. Get regular prenatal care and focus on taking care of yourself and your baby. — Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Miscarriage is usually beyond a mother’s control appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Reporter Vivien Williams talks to Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah about the do's and don'ts of sex and exercise during pregnancy.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (:55) is in the downloads. Read the script.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Sex and Exercise During Pregnancy appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post GERD / Miscarriage / ACL Injury: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Acid reflux and heartburn are common digestive conditions that many people experience from time to time. When these digestive problems happen more often and begin to interfere with your daily life, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD, which is a chronic digestive disease that occurs when stomach acid flows back into your esophagus. On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, gastroenterologist Dr. Jeffrey Alexander covers treatment for GERD and how lifestyle changes can improve the condition. Also on the program, obstetrician Dr. Yvonne Butler Tobah discusses the difficult subject of miscarriage. And, sports medicine specialist Dr. Ed Laskowski explains an all-too-common knee injury, the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Listen to the program on Saturday, July 9, at 9:05 a.m. CDT, and follow #MayoClinicRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: GERD / Miscarriage / ACL Injury appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Listen to the program on Saturday, July 9, at 9:05 a.m. CDT.

Miss the show?  Here's the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: GERD / Miscarriage / ACL Injury appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.