In late March, the FDA approved a new therapy for advanced prostate cancer that is metastasizing, or spreading, in the body. Called Pluvicto (and also lutetium-177-PSMA-617), and delivered by intravenous infusion, the treatment can seek out and destroy tumors that are still too small to see with conventional types of medical imaging. Pluvicto is approved …
New treatment approved for late-stage prostate cancer Read More »
When you think about progressive brain disorders that cause dementia, you usually think of memory problems. But sometimes language problems — also known as aphasia — are the first symptom. What’s aphasia? Aphasia is a disorder of language because of injury to the brain. Strokes (when a blood clot blocks off an artery and a …
Primary progressive aphasia involves many losses: Here’s what you need to know Read More »
Dr. Freeman: “Mr. Vargas, great news on the biopsy results: all negative. It means the workup we have done, including imaging, blood work, and endoscopies, is all normal. You’re all set.” Mr. Vargas: “How can that be? I feel miserable!” What are disorders of gut-brain interaction? The clinical scenario above (names altered for privacy) is …
Recognizing and treating disorders of gut-brain interaction Read More »
Alopecia has been in the news recently. But what does it mean to have alopecia? Alopecia is a catch-all term that encompasses all types of hair loss. Hair loss is a common problem for many men and women, and most people will experience some type of hair loss during their lifetimes. Alopecia areata (AA) occurs …
Hospitals across the country are still scrambling to recover from the toll of an ever-shifting pandemic. What does that mean if you wind up in an emergency department (ED) due to an illness or accident? What should you know and what can you expect? As an emergency medicine doctor at a large teaching hospital, here …
Repeating the story: What to expect in the emergency department Read More »
Robbed of ancestral lands, American Indian and Alaska Native tribal communities face an unparalleled housing crisis that pleads for national housing reforms. As victims of centuries of intentional government policies to remove and reallocate lands and resources, many live in third-world conditions that have led to sky-high rates of health problems, ranging from diabetes and …
Poor housing harms health in American Indian and Alaska Native communities Read More »
We all have habits we’d like to get rid of, and every night we give ourselves the same pep talk: I’ll go to bed earlier. I will resist that cookie. I will stop biting my nails. And then tomorrow comes, we cave, and feel worse than bad. We feel defeated and guilty because we know …
Although inflammation serves a vital role in the body’s defense and repair systems, chronic inflammation can cause more harm than good. And that may make you wonder: what can I do about it? In fact, there’s a lot you can do. And you may already be doing it. That’s because some of the most important …
I’ve been a physician for 20 years now, and a strong proponent of lifestyle medicine for much of it. I know that it’s hard to make lasting, healthy lifestyle changes, even when people know what to do and have the means to do it. Yet many studies and my own clinical experience as a Lifestyle …
Long-lasting healthy changes: Doable and worthwhile Read More »
Ahem! Ahem! Ever feel the need to move the mucus that annoyingly sits all the way at the back of your mouth? Most of us do at one time or another. The sensation usually lasts for just a few days when dealing with symptoms of a common cold. But what happens if throat clearing lingers …
Constantly clearing your throat? Here’s what to try Read More »