A Landmark Study on Palliation of Bone Mets PainWhen a primary cancer such as cancer of the breast, prostate or lung spreads to the bone (bone mets), treatment strategies become complex. In today’s world of oncology, better systemic chemotherapies can add months and even years to a patient’s life; in addition, local cancer control of […] KEEP READING
What You Should Know About CartilageOne of the most fascinating components of the human body is cartilage, an incredibly versatile material. Trying to describe cartilage is like the six blind men who try to figure out what an elephant is: “The elephant is like a pillar,” said the man who touched his leg. “Oh no! […] KEEP READING
How Stress Makes Essential Tremor WorseEssential tremor (ET) is the most common form of uncontrollable rhythmic shaking, though it is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. The involuntary trembling results from abnormal communication between certain areas of the brain (cerebellum, thalamus, and brain stem). It is estimated that 10 million Americans suffer from ET, though many […] KEEP READING
There are over 20 known lines of prostate cancer (PCa) and some are more able to metastasize (spread) beyond the gland. The majority of PCa cell lines rarely pose a threat to life, especially when diagnosed early. However, the aggressive minority is dangerous. Thanks to today’s ability to map an entire DNA sequence within a […] CONTINUE
How frequently do you hear about kidney cancer? Chances are, not very often. Yet kidney cancer (also called renal cancer) is one of the 10 most common cancers. While more men than women are diagnosed with kidney cancer, nearly 64,000 new cases occur in the U.S. annually. When kidney cancer is diagnosed early, 5-year survival […] CONTINUE
Beginning 20 years ago, numerous studies were published on how consuming animal or vegetable protein affects bone composition. Many studies found that animal-based protein made bones less sturdy than plant-based protein. Some studies found that there was more osteoporosis (thin bone tissue) and fractures in people who ate a lot of meat. Healthy bones maintain […] CONTINUE
If you suffer from acute or chronic low back pain, do you lie awake and wonder if anyone is updating your doctor on the latest treatment guidelines? You probably don’t. You’ve got enough going on just trying to turn the volume down on discomfort and have a normal life. The American College of Physicians The […] CONTINUE
Over half of patients with advanced prostate cancer ignore or underreport symptoms that their disease has spread to the bone (bone metastases or bone mets). This can create a dilemma for the physician. Is it better to… a) Not ask about symptoms if the patient doesn’t volunteer the information? b) Ask questions at the risk […] CONTINUE
“Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone?” – Joni Mitchell Do you have family heirlooms or works of art that you treasure? If so, you probably take special care to protect and preserve them for the future. They make us aware that we are custodians of […] CONTINUE
Strong, healthy bones are good for everyone. Bones support us, protect our organs, and store minerals like calcium that not only nurture bone but can also be released when levels are low in the body. Peak bone wellness is even more important when disease, such as primary or metastatic bone cancer, strikes. When the patient […] CONTINUE
Lower back pain is a widespread problem. Almost everyone has it at one time or another, and it’s a frequent cause of missing work. Some estimates suggest that 85% of people have experienced temporary pain, with at least 5% suffering chronic pain. There are many causes for low back pain, most of them involving soft […] CONTINUE
The spine is a stack or column of individual bones held together in a way that permits flexible movement. Each individual bone, or vertebra, connects with the one above and below at small at small bony projection points. Where the projections meet, they form joints called facet (fuh-SET) joints. The facet joints serve some important […] CONTINUE
“How much time do I have?” is one of the hardest questions a doctor must address when a patient is diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the bone (bone mets). It is emotionally painful for the physician to witness the fear underlying the question, and to recognize how much courage it takes for the patient to […] CONTINUE
