You may have heard the controversial news this week that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends against routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years who are not at high risk for breast cancer.  Instead, the panel advises biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years.

Even more, the USPSTF recommends against teaching breast self-examinations.

Several physicians weighed in on the matter in a Philadelphia Inquirer story on the benefits and risks of mammograms, including Louis Weinstein, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University.

"A lot of this is not new," said Dr. Weinstein to the Philadelphia Inquirer, in reference to the average risk of a 40-something woman dying from cancer compared to a 50-something woman. Dr. Weinstein doesn't encourage women in their 40s to get screening because he knows that "the majority of findings under 50 tend to be false positives."

Read the full "The mammogram storm: Benefits vs. risks" story on philly.com.

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is a radiology procedure that is used to identify certain conditions and evaluate the effectiveness of a cancer treatment. Recently, a team of researchers at Jefferson found that PET imaging of non-small cell lung cancer prior to receiving radiation therapy should not be the basis for determining areas that may benefit from higher doses of radiation to control the cancer.

"Investigators are looking to PET imaging to find ways to predict if any part of the tumor would benefit from a higher radiation dose,” said Nitin Ohri, MD, a resident in Radiation Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. "I wanted to see if residual activity on a scan after treatment correlates with the activity pattern on a scan done before treatment."

Some studies suggest that areas that have the highest amount of hypermetabolic activity on PET scan before treatment are the areas most likely to have increased activity after treatment, according to  Dr. Ohri.

Dr. Ohri looked at the PET scans of 43 patients, of which 15 had significant activity on the scans both before and after treatment. He set up a coordinate system that divided tumors into nine regions or 17 regions for larger tumors. He then correlated the activity in the regions both before and after treatment.

Optic nerve sheath meningiomas are rare tumors that are traditionally treated with surgery, which is typically a blinding procedure. However, researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals have found that a specialized type of radiation therapy offers the same local control, with fewer adverse effects on vision. The investigators presented their data at the 51st ASTRO Annual Meeting (Abstract #2676B-261).

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy is a more precise, targeted type of radiation therapy that allows an effective dose of radiation to the tumor, but helps spare other structures around it. In the case of optic nerve sheath meningiomas, the eye lens and brain cells are spared, according to Robert Den, MD, a resident in Radiation Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals.

“Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy is beneficial because it is a non-invasive means to achieve disease control, while allowing patients to continue with their daily lives without being hindered by a major surgical procedure,” Dr. Den said.

Dr. Den and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of 58 patients with optic nerve sheath meningiomas who were treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy between 1996 and 2006. They reviewed patient charts for technical radiotherapy information and for treatment outcomes, which included local control, visual acuity and acute and late toxicity related to treatment. The median follow-up was 70 months.

Robin Stoloff's Health Update on NBC 40 put the spotlight on Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's Adam P. Dicker, MD, PhD, to discuss the new FDA-approved drug that helps to treat brain tumors.

In the interview, Dr. Dicker reveals that this new drug, called Avastin, denies a tumor its blood supply and is safe to give to patients who's brain tumor has recurred.

Watch the NBC 40 interview.

They say that laughter is the best medicine.

Jefferson family physician Richard Wender and several Jefferson med students were featured in a Philadelphia Inquirer story on the use of clowns and humor in medicine.

Dr. Wender said that he is "interested in humor as a way of communicating, of creating healing relationships. Humor is part of how both patients and clinicians cope."

Each Friday evening, a group of about a dozen Jefferson staff members try to spread cheer to hospital patients, families and medical staff, the Inquirer reported.

Read the full Philadelphia Inquirer story.

Dr. Anthony Infantolino of the Jefferson Digestive Disease Institute was featured in a Channel 3 CBS story on the Third Eye Retroscope. This new technology allows doctors to see behind the many folds and flexures of the colon during a colonoscopy.

"There are blind spots in the colon. This has been shown to pick up polyps that are hidden on the backside of the folds. This is like having a rear-view mirror," said Dr. Infantolino.

With this new device, doctors will be able to find an additional 10 percent of polyps that would have otherwise gone undetected.

Read the full "Health: Finding Colon Cancer" CBS 3 article.

Attend a free comprehensive breast care update presented by the Jefferson Kimmel Cancer Center. Gordon F. Schwartz, MD, newly appointed Director of the Jefferson Breast Care Center, will discuss and answer your questions about the latest and best breast cancer diagnostic and treatment options.

When
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Time
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Where
Betty and Milton Katz Jewish Community Center
1301 Springdale Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Get Directions

To register or to make an appointment with a Jefferson physician, call 1-800-JEFF-NOW.

Dinner will be served.

Join us to hear women’s pro basketball legend Lisa Leslie speak about her family’s experience with liver cancer.  A light lunch will be provided.

In addition to Lisa Leslie, the lunch program will include presentations and information from:

• Thomas Jefferson University Hospital physicians who help liver cancer patients every day
• American Liver Foundation representatives who educate people about liver health

When
Friday, October 16, 2009

Time
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Where
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Hamilton Building, Connelly Auditorium, 221 South 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Registration is required. For more information and to register call 1-800-JEFF-NOW.

Provided as an educational resource by Covidien.

Birgit Rakel, MD, of the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine provides health advice for women in the October issue of Body + Soul, a Martha Stewart publication. Dr. Rakel's insights are part of the cover article "Healthy at Every Age," which looks at each decade of a person's life to fend off cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and more.

The October issue is available on newsstands and at the Jefferson Medical and Health Science Bookstore.

Dr. Rakel, who specializes in integrative and alternative medicine, is also an instructor at Jefferson Medical College.

Read the Body + Soul article.
 

Through September 30, you can support prostate cancer awareness and research at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center (KCC) by purchasing a pretzel in the shape of a "P" at the Philly Pretzel Factory 11th Street location (across from Jefferson University Hospital) in Philadelphia. Half of the proceeds from sales of the specialty pretzel will go to the KCC.

In addition, look for information on a drawing for Phillies tickets at the 11th Street store. The location will also accept directed donations for the KCC prostate cancer programs.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men. Screening is important because prostate cancer shows no symptoms in its earliest stages.

Learn more about prostate cancer and how the Kimmel Cancer Center can help you or someone you love.