August - September, 2008

An experimental cancer vaccine is showing promise against the same general type of brain tumor diagnosed in Sen. Edward Kennedy. This vaccine, along with chemotherapy doubles survival in most patients. A drug to prevent bone loss during breast cancer treatment also substantially cut the risk that the cancer would return. It's the first large study to affirm wider anti-cancer hopes for Zometa and other bone-building drugs called bisphosphonates. The University of Miami School of Medicine earned merit as a local business builder for creating a biotechnology hub in Miami. Dr. Pascal J. Goldschmidt, senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Miller School of Medicine was recognized for his economic contributions such as the creation of the Miami Institute for Human Genomics and the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute. Nurses play key roles at the Miami Institute for Human Genomics such as genetics studies for Parkinson's disease, dementia and macular degeneration/glaucoma. Donor shortages strike every age group but children in particular desperately need organ donors to save their young lives. A proposal by top leaders at the UM medical school includes plans to build a new Life Science Park, near Jackson Memorial Hospital to provide office space for companies that collaborate with UM researchers. This will make it easier to turn scientific discoveries into commercial products, UM President, Donna Shalala, agrees that Miami's economy needs the kind of jobs a bioscience industry can offer. Children who are born underweight or early have more than double the risk of developing autism. The risk was especially pronounced among low-birth weight girls. The finding supports the idea that there are different kinds of autism and different mechanisms underlying these cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to ban all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in an effort to protect the world's 1.8 billion young people. Unfortunately the tobacco industry keeps finding new ways to channel its vast resources. Stefan Gluck, M.D., Ph.D clinical director of the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at UM/Sylvester, is the lead author of an ongoing study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology. A regimen of drugs may represent an important new option for first line therapy of patients with HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer. The number of Americans battling liver disease is increasing due to obesity and a diabetes epidemic. Liver disease often leads to cancer. Patients with liver cancer who have no other treatment option might benefit from more aggressive operations that were once considered too risky. Mark Brown, M.D., professor and chairman emeritus of orthopedics at the Miller School of Medicine has written a book called, "Conquer Back Pain and Neck Pain; Walk it Off!" Walk instead of taking pills. Michael Ozner, M.D., voluntary assistant professor of medicine at the Miller School of medicine, talks about the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. This diet includes fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fish, olive oil and red wine. This may also be the prescription to help prevent type 2 diabetes as well as reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimers. Leslie Baumann, M.D., professor of dermatologyand director of the Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute, said that the off-label use of preparation H in the New York club scene can be very dangerous. Men who use it on their bodies to hide flab pose a health risk as the ointment shrinks blood vessels. Combining the hormone, leptin with even a small amount of exercise seems to revive the hormone's ability to fight fat gain. If a way is found to improve sensitivity to leptin then it could readily be used to fight obesity. People who use marijuana for a long time can develop abnormalities in their brains. It can cause memory loss and early psychotic symptoms. At least 40 percent of American infants and toddlers are not getting enough vitamin D. Breast feeding mothers should take supplements or give their infants vitamin D. Aaron Wolfson, M.D., professor and vice chair of radiation oncology and co-leader of the Gynecologic Oncology Site Disease Group at UM/Sylvester has designed a device called a Gynocyte which can deliver targeted therapy to cervical cancer patients. This new advancement in cervical cancer could make radiation treatment easier, safer and much more effective. The device gives an intense amount of radiation to the tumor without damaging nearby, normal tissues and increasing cervical cancer survival rates. UM/Sylvester has a Tumor Immunobiology and Immunotherapy multidisciplinary research program comprising 20 top scientists, working to find our how the immune system interacts with tumors. There has been a case of a man who took part in an experimental treatment that revved up his immune system to fight the tumors in advanced melanoma. He is now in complete remission. Risedronate is effective in maintaining or improving bone mass in postmenopausal women who have had chemotherapy for breast cancer. Colon cancer patients with high blood levels of Vitamin D boost their survival odds by 48 %. Roberto Tuchman, M.D., associate professor of pediatric neurology at the Miller School of Medicine, has been named to Autism Speaks' Scientific Advisory Committee. Reduction of blood pressure could reduce the risk of dementia for patients over 80 years old. When added to heart failure, the irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation can form a deadly combination. Controlling heart rate is the key to survival. A new device, the microfluidic CTC-chip, has shown increased sensitivity in detecting and isolating circulating tumor cells in the blood of patients with lung cancer. Researchers say this technology allows doctors to monitor for real-time changes that can help guide and improve current cancer therapy. A new experimental drug that inhibits tumor blood vessel formation slows the progression of matastatic thyroid cancer in some patients. A government advisory panel recommends that diabetes drugs should face tougher safety standards that could cost manufacturers millions of dollars, but protect patients from unforeseen heart risks. New studies suggest that glaucoma treatment can prevent blindness. Traditional surgery has better outcomes than using glaucoma drainage devices. Cold sores caused by the herpes simplex 1 virus affect millions of Americans. Researchers think they have unlocked the mechanism that keeps the virus dormant, evading drugs that could wipe it out. Watermelons contain an ingredient that produces effects similar to Viagra. The ingredient, citruline, can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra. W. Garrard Goodwin M.D., director of UM/Sylvester, is one of the clinical investigators taking part in a session on Advexin phase 111 clinical data. Advexin is a tumor suppressor therapy to treat recurrent refractory head and neck cancer and is the first of its kind to be submitted for regulatory approval in the U.S. and Europe. The FDA has approved a new test that measures the strength of HER2 gene amplification in breast cancer patients so decisions can be made about whether they should be given the drug Herceptin. Hormone therapy which suppresses the testosterone that feeds prostate tumors has value in treating aggressive prostate cancer, along with surgery and radiation. Genetic activity in breast cancer cells from younger patients could explain why tumors tend to be more aggressive when they strike at a younger age. A new study finds there is a dramatic rise in the frequency of sex among the 70 year old set. Many in this age group are intimate and enjoying it. Sleeping too much or too little appears to heighten the risk of stroke. Leslie Baumann, M.D., professor of dermatology and director of the Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute spoke about cosmetic procedures which don't involve surgery. Injections of Sculptura can get rid of wrinkles and Titan Laser can treat a variety of skin problems such as dark spots and loose skin. However, prevention is the key to anti-aging. Dr. Baumann recommends wearing sun screen every day, eating a diet rich in antioxidants and using retinoid creams. Your odds of surviving cancer depend on which country you live in and your race. Economic differences, access to health care and availability of cancer treatments feed the disparities in survival. A potential new treatment has been developed against cancer that attaches magnetic nanoparticles to cancer cells, allowing them to be captured and carried out of the body. Scientists have developed a new method of reconstructing a cells 'family tree', and have applied this technique to trace the history of the development of cancer. Byron L. Lam, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, conducted a study that found extreme visual impairment can lead to an increased risk of suicide. May Abdel Wahab, M.D., associate professor of radiation oncology at the Miller School of Medicine spoke about the benefits of using microsphere therapy to target liver cancer. UM/Sylvester is one of the few sites in the nation to offer this treatment, using the TheraSphere product. A new imaging technique based on an engineered version of the common cold virus, may help doctors detect the spread of prostate cancer to the lymph nodes earlier. William O'Neill, M.D., executive dean for clinical affairs, spoke about the increased use of drug-coated stents. He also reported on the Impella device which helps doctors repair blocked arteries while the heart continues pumping. Joshua m. Hare, M.D., chief of cardiology and director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, at UM is recruiting heart failure patients for a stem cell trial using a BioCardia catheter. The Miller School of Medicine has been certified as a GeneGo Center of Excellence. GeneGo develops database and software biology technology for life science research. Nearly one in three Americans suffers from high blood pressure, but for women it can create unique challenges. Women with high blood pressure are more likely to be obese and have high cholesterol. Comparing blood pressure in the ankle and arm could give doctors a quick way to know which patients are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Naomi Prever - VP Education - naomirltr@bellsouth.net - 561-997-6020