Monthly Archives: August 2016

Why a kidney biopsy may be unnecessary

Posted on August 31, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH For decades, kidney experts believed that biopsies of the organ were not helpful in determining how to treat a small kidney tumor. Today, more doctors believe a biopsy helps guide treatment. It can – sometimes, says Gennady … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, health care, illness, kidney/renal/nephrology, prevention/preventive medicine, research, urology

Surviving cancer, celebrating life

Posted on August 30, 2016 by

Thanks to early detection, treatment and follow-up care, more people than ever before are living with a history of cancer. They are survivors with a shared experience. In addition to physical side effects that may linger, survivors often struggle emotionally … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, community, health care

Instead of a biopsy: Scientists seek better, noninvasive diagnostic tool to detect liver cancer early

Posted on August 29, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH One of the reasons liver cancer is so deadly is that people rarely discover the disease at an early stage, when it’s treatable. What might help would be a screening test, similar to the one that exists … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, health care, illness, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, medical imaging/radiology, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, research

Up-close look at a precision surgical tool

Posted on August 26, 2016 by

Surgery on the lungs was done as an open operation as early as 1911. Starting in the 1950s, lung surgery became more commonplace because of the increase in lung cancer. Open surgery remains an option today, and the best option … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, health care, history, lung/pulmonary, medical imaging/radiology, surgery, technology

‘In good hands’: Patient appreciates Cancer Center’s energized staff, warm, vibrant surroundings

Posted on August 25, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH When Carl Pesko is at the Upstate Cancer Center for treatment, he receives chemotherapy for eight to 10 hours the first day, and then two to three hours the next. He has had plenty of opportunity to … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, community, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, illness, patient story

She’s resilient: 11-year-old faces Ewing sarcoma

Posted on August 24, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH Maddie Shaw is covered with a plush purple blanket. She grasps an iPad Mini, on which she quietly battles digital zombies, while the last of her chemotherapy flows into her arm. It’s a Friday at the end … Continue reading →

Posted in adolescents, bones/joints/orthopedics, cancer, community, health care, illness, patient story, surgery, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics

Quality or quantity? Serious illness prompts serious discussion

Posted on August 23, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH Some doctors are reluctant to recommend palliative care, particularly for patients who are younger than 65 and dealing with a serious illness. The shift from lifesaving treatment to comfort care may seem like admitting the futility of … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, community, death/dying, grief/loss, health care, HealthLink on Air, illness, research

A 50-year anniversary: Meet one of Upstate’s oldest living pediatric brain tumor survivors

Posted on August 22, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH Some of the details are fuzzy, but 50 years after her treatment for a brain tumor at Upstate University Hospital, Michelle “Shelly” Kikta-Kiner, 62, still considers her survival a miracle. The Verona woman is one of Upstate’s … Continue reading →

Posted in adolescents, brain/spine/neurosurgery, cancer, depression, health care, history, illness, medical imaging/radiology, patient story, surgery, technology

Early detection of cancer appears to improve survival odds

Posted on August 19, 2016 by

While the incidence of cancer is rising, death rates are dropping, presumably because of improvements in screening that allow for earlier detection and improvements in cancer treatment options. This chart shows the rate, per 100,000 people living in Onondaga County, … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, community, death/dying, health care, illness, public health, research

Marking milestones: Patients invited to ring bell in celebration

Posted on August 18, 2016 by

When a bell rings in the Upstate Cancer Center, everyone within earshot cheers. The sound of a ringing bell means that a patient has finished treatment or reached a milestone. “Staff members gather around to watch the patient ringing the … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, community, health care, illness