Patients with advanced/unresectable or metastatic breast cancer treated with palbociclib combination therapy experienced low levels of baseline pain and fatigue, a recent study found. The study is apparently one of the first outside a clinical trial to evaluate the day-to-day effects of advanced/unresectable or metastatic breast cancer and its treatment along with the effects of…
Erythrocytapheresis (automated red cell exchange) increasingly is used to replace sickled red cells in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients as an alternative to transfusion. The procedure doesn’t significantly raise the total hemoglobin — a frequent result of other methods — when replacing sickled red cells with healthy donor cells. Erythrocytapheresis removes the patient’s sickled red…
Sexual health is important for any adult’s well-being, but patients with cancer face a new set of challenges when it comes to sexuality. Laila S. Agrawal, M.D., breast cancer oncologist with Norton Cancer Institute, is spearheading efforts to develop a sexual health clinic at Norton Healthcare. “The World Health Organization says that sexual health is…
The decision whether or not to take hormone therapy (HT) after menopause is not made in a vacuum. Breast cancer risk is influenced by lifetime estrogen exposure and genetic risk factors. HT is just one part of the equation, along with factors like age of menopause onset, obesity and whether or not the patient breastfed….
Addressing the emotional effects of cancer and its treatment on children and young adults can improve outcomes and help manage adverse effects of treatment. Norton Healthcare is presenting a three-part series drawing from a recent continuing medical education (CME) opportunity on evidence-based standards for care as applied to pediatric cancer patients and their families. The…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Venclexta (venetoclax) as part of a non-chemotherapy treatment of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults 75 years or older, or who have comorbidities that preclude use of intensive induction chemotherapy. Don A. Stevens, M.D., an oncologist at Norton Cancer Institute, was a pivotal investigator in…
A review of patients with midline tumors suggests shunting may be a more robust treatment for hydrocephalus in pediatric and adult patients with diffuse midline gliomas. Charts of 43 consecutive midline tumor patients were reviewed with approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to determine the rate of hydrocephalus and the appropriate neurosurgical interventions. The…
It used to be that pediatric cancer was almost always fatal. Fortunately, now almost 85% of kids survive to have a full and rewarding future. Those children and their families often need help adjusting emotionally during and after their ordeal. “With cancer and blood disorders, there can be a lot of additional stress, and even…
In 2016, not long after his 4th birthday, Jameson Milby began experiencing headaches, nausea and vomiting. The Milby family’s pediatrician, James A. Tavelli, M.D., with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Okolona, ordered an MRI, which showed a large brain tumor in the posterior fossa. The following day, William C. Gump, M.D., pediatric neurosurgeon with Norton…
As a neuro-oncologist with Norton Cancer Institute, Kaylyn Sinicrope, M.D., treats brain tumors and other neurological conditions related to cancer. Dr. Sinicrope said she was attracted to oncology by the deep doctor-patient relationships that are built and the opportunity to improve care for those with brain tumors in particular. “I see so many patients who…
Differentiating cancer from other unexplained masses, lumps or abnormalities can be quite complicated. It hinges on access to state-of-the-art testing, knowledgeable specialists who can make the right referral and follow-up, plus effective ongoing care. Norton Cancer Institute offers expedited access to advanced evaluation and diagnostic services from two community-based clinics. One is located in the…
John T. Hamm, M.D., director of Norton Cancer Institute’s research program and chairman of the Norton Hospital Cancer Committee, will lead the Quality of Care Council of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The Quality of Care Council provides strategic guidance on ASCO’s cancer quality activities, leadership in joint efforts with other societies and…