April, 2008

The Regional Medical Campus at FAU presently has 32 students and will expand next year to 64 students. The residency program will be at JFK hospital, in Palm Beach, with sub specialties. Ira Karmin MD, Medical Director of Women's Health Services, University of Miami at FAU, spoke at the Pap presidents meeting about new alternatives to hysterectomies, such as medications and minimally invasive procedures. Women who have completed their child bearing can be candidates for a procedure called ablation which destroys the endometrial wall using laser and heat. A protein hormone in body fat is a clue to help scientists determine the growth and spread of breast cancer. Digital mammography is better than film for women under 50 with dense breasts. Once diagnosed with breast cancer, many women are overwhelmed with the onslaught of information and critical decisions facing them. UM/Sylvester provides patient care coordinators and social workers to help newly diagnosed patients cope with the wide range of information they receive. Researchers have developed what they believe is the first blood test that accurately detects ovarian cancer at an early stage. A Florida company, Cyro-Cell International, can store stem cells from menstrual fluid, cord blood and fat from liposuction. Women who report feeling more stressed could be at a greater risk of developing cervical cancer, because their immune system can't fight off the human papillomavirus. The flu season is getting worse, partly because the flu vaccine doesn't protect people against most of the spreading flu viruses. A study led by Edward Harhaj MD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Miller School of Medicine identified an enzyme related to adult T cell leukemia. New research offers early evidence that hormones produced by the heart, to control both blood pressure and volume, could be harnessed to treat, and possibly cure, a wide range of cancers. Baxter International recalled nearly all of its heparin blood-thinning products six weeks after they were linked to severe allergic reactions in some patients. Heparin is vital in many medical and surgical procedures. A double lung transplant leads to longer survival than a single lung transplant in patients younger than 60 who are in the final stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In clinical trials, Avastin showed that when used in combination with paclitaxel, a chemotherapy drug, slows progression of the tumor, but does not increase overall survival. The FDA approved use of Avastin but there are concerns about the side effects, including an increased risk for blood clots and hypertension. Smokers and people with significant exposure to secondhand smoke should start getting screened for colon cancer five to ten years earlier than the current recommended age of 50. Leslie Baumann MD, professor in the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and director of the UM Cosmetic Center spoke about the benefits to your skin from drinking green tea, pomegranate and acai berry juice. One glass of red wine can help fight fine lines. Researchers say it is extremely common for humans and pets to share or pass E. coli strains between one another. Picking up and E. coli bug from your pet might lead to a urinary infection. Julio Barredo MD, director of pediatrics and director of the children's cancer programs at UM/Sylvester was presented the Micah Batchelor Award for Excellence in Children's Health Research, for his work on drug therapies for acute lymphoblatic leukemia. UM/Sylvester is taking part in a Phase 1/2a trial of RAV12, a monoclonal antibody used to treat gastrointestinal cancer. An abstract detailing early results from the trial has been accepted as a poster discussion at the 2008 annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Between 1990 and 2004, five and ten year survival rates for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients in the U.S, has improved. This is likely because of the advancements in therapy. Roy Casiano MD, professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Miller School of Medicine talked about a new kind of treatment called, Natural Orifice Surgery, which can remove most tumors without causing scarring or disfigurement. This type of endoscopic surgery also causes less pain and infection as well as shorter hospital stays. Transplant surgeon, Andreas Tzakis MD, professor of surgery and director of the Division of Liver and Gastrointestinal Implantation at the Miller School of Medicine discussed his work with uterine transplants in pigs. His goal is to give women who have had hysterectomies a chance to give birth. Physicians at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute are using a new, non-invasive imaging technology to diagnose early stages of macular degeneration and other eye diseases. Naomi Prever - VP Education - naomirltr@bellsouth.net - 561-997-6020