Author Archives: tiedera

Routine Prostate Size Evaluation Not As Effective in Cancer Screening

Journalists:  For links to web-video and audio files, see the bottom of this post.
New Mayo Clinic research studied the association between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate size and found that routine annual evaluation of prostate growth is not necessarily a predictor for the development of prostate cancer. But the study suggests that if a [...]

Robotic Repair for Vaginal Prolapse Has Significant Benefits

Journalists:  For links to web-video and audio files, see the bottom of this post.
New Mayo Clinic research has found that robotic surgery for vaginal prolapse dramatically reduces patient hospital stay and recovery time. These findings are being presented this week at the North Central Section of the American Urological Association in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Vaginal prolapse is [...]

Deadly Stomach Infection Rising in Community Settings

Journalists:  For links to web-video and audio files, see the bottom of this post.
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a sometimes deadly stomach bug, Clostridium difficile, is on the rise in outpatient settings. Clostridium difficile is a serious bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. These findings were [...]

Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Reduces Need for Surgery by Almost Half

A new study led by Mayo Clinic researchers has found that ulcerative colitis patients had a 41 percent reduction in colectomy after a year when treated with infliximab, according to a study published in the October 2009 issue of Gastroenterology.
Ulcerative colitis , an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation of the colon, is [...]

Crohn’s Disease Patients Benefit From Infliximab Plus Azathioprine

The use of infliximab (IFX) plus azathioprine (AZA) and infliximab monotherapy increase the likelihood of patients achieving long-term steroid-free clinical remission in patients with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease, according to a new study. This study represents the first time longer term outcome data has been available to show the advantages of the combination therapy [...]

New Testing for Barrett’s Esophagus Patients

One in five Americans experiences heartburn at least once a week, and many dismiss the malady as a mere annoyance, choosing to swallow antacids and get on with their lives.
But what they don’t know can hurt them. Left untreated, the condition can lead to Barrett’s esophagus, which in turn can put patients at risk for [...]

Improved DNA Stool Test Could Detect Digestive Cancers in Multiple Organs

Mayo Clinic researchers have demonstrated that a noninvasive screening test can detect not only colorectal cancer but also the common cancers above the colon — including pancreas, stomach, biliary and esophageal cancers. This is one of more than 100 Mayo Clinic studies presented at Digestive Disease Week 2009 in Chicago, May 30–June 4.
“Patients are often [...]

Detection of Bile Duct and Pancreatic Cancers Doubles With New Tests

Pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer are difficult to diagnose and often fatal because they are discovered in the advanced stages of the disease. Researchers have developed new tests that double the ability to detect bile duct and pancreatic cancers according to a Mayo Clinic study published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
Pancreatobiliary tumors such [...]

Statins – What’s Good for the Heart is Good for the Prostate

 Major Statin Study Reveals Several Important Findings for Reducing Prostate Cancer and Disease
Statins, drugs widely prescribed to lower cholesterol, may have protective effects on prostate health. This large Mayo Clinic cohort study looked at three different aspects of urological health — prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction and prostate enlargement. Initial research results were presented April 25–30, 2009, [...]

Improved Detection of Bladder Tumors Reduces Cancer Recurrence

Making tumors inside the bladder fluoresce red under blue light allows physicians to more easily find and remove them, substantially reducing the rate at which these cancers come back, says Lance Mynderse, M.D., Mayo Clinic urologist who is presenting results of a large, multicenter international clinical trial.
The findings, which are being reported at the annual [...]