Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy and Survival

Isabelle Bedrosian, M.D., and George Chang, M.D., both assistant professors in the Department of Surgical Oncology at M. D. Anderson, have found a correlation between contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and survival for a select group of breast cancer patients. Their research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the first population-based study to find an association between the procedure and survival, and should offer concrete data to both the women making this often agonizing decision and the physicians responsible for their care.

2010-03-01

Help for Cancer Patients who are Substance Abusers

Maher Karam-Hage, M.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, discusses issues substance abusers face when diagnosed with cancer and how M. D. Anderson helps them.

2010-02-22

Physical Therapy for Cancer Patients

Naghma Ahmed, Senior Physical Therapist at M. D. Anderson's Rehabilitation Services, discusses what can be done to help cancer patients recover from physical conditions caused by cancer treatments, including:  general deconditioning, frozen shoulder, tendentious, peripheral neuropathies, and radiation fibrosis.

2010-02-08

Gamma Knife Surgery for Brain Cancer

Eric Chang, M.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the gamma knife radiosurgery technology. This treatment uses gamma rays, a form of high-energy radiation, that focus on a very small area on the body so very little normal tissue is exposed to the radiation.

2010-02-01

Acupuncture for Cancer Patients

Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., director, and Kay Garcia, LAc, Dr.P.H., clinical nurse specialist, both in M. D. Anderson's Integrative Medicine discuss how acupuncture can be used to help relieve some of the side effects accompanying cancer treatment.

2010-01-25

Minimally Evasive Robotic Thyroidectomy

Chris Holsinger, M.D., surgeon in the Head and Neck Department at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, is the first to perform the transaxillary robotic thyroidectomy (operation using a robotic device for thyroid surgery) in the United States. He explains how the surgery works and is joined by cancer survivor Cheryl Michel, who benefited from one of Dr. Holsinger's operations.

2010-01-11

Body Image Issues for Cancer Patients

Michelle C. Fingeret, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science with joint appointments in the Departments of Plastic Surgery and Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center discusses her innovative line of research centering on body image issues for oncology patients.

2010-01-04

Cardiac Care for Cancer Patients

Dr. Edward Yeh, founding chair of the Department of Cardiology at M. D. Anderson discusses cardiac care for cancer patients.  Dr. Yeh leads a team of cardiologists, clinicians and basic scientists that is defining the role of cardiology in a cancer setting. They are a team that knows both cardiology and cancer, and M. D. Anderson is the only cancer center to have a comprehensive cardiology department.

2009-12-28

Fear of Cancer Reoccurrence

Mary Hughes, a clinical nurse specialist in the M. D. Anderson's Psychiatry Department, discusses the common fear among cancer survivors - the possibility of their cancer coming back. Hughes explains when this happens, what personality types are most affected, what an individual can do to lessen this anxiety, and gives advice to cancer survivors.

2009-12-14

Influences Associated with Smoking Among Hispanics

Movies, acculturation and susceptibility are among the influences that affect smoking among Mexican-American youth and Latino men. Anna Wilkinson, Ph.D., assistant professor in Department of Epidemiology and Yessenia Castro, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Department of Health Disparities Research, both in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at M. D. Anderson, discuss their research.

2009-12-07

Dangers of Cigar Smoking

Maher A. Karam-Hage, M.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the current trend with cigar smoking, how the danger compares to cigarette smoking, cancers caused by the habit as well as other health issues caused by cigar smoke such as strokes and heart attacks.

2009-11-30

New Guildelines for Cervical Cancer

Andrea Milbourne, M.D. and Helen Rhodes, M.D., both associate professors in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, explain the basics about cervical cancer including symptoms and risks. They also discuss the new guidelines for cervical cancer and the controversy over the HPV vaccine.

2009-11-23

New Screening Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Pt 2

Robert S. Bresalier, M.D., professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, talks about the new colorectal screening guidelines and what screening schedule the healthy public should now follow. Pt 2

2009-11-16

What H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Mean for Cancer Patients

Roy Chemaly, M.D., associate professor in Infectious Disease at M. D. Anderson, has been on the front lines preparing for this flu season and developing strategies to reduce risk among cancer patients who have vulnerable immune systems. Dr. Chemaly discusses what cancer patients can do to lower their risk.

2009-11-09

New Screening Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Pt 1

Robert S. Bresalier, M.D., professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, talks about the new colorectal screening guidelines and what screening schedule the healthy public should now follow. Part 1

2009-11-02