Category Archives: genetics

Tackling a disease: SU offensive lineman keeps rare disorder in check with infusions at Upstate

Posted on November 1, 2019 by

BY JIM HOWE He’s 6 foot 4, weighs nearly 300 pounds and plays football for Syracuse University. And, about every three weeks, Sam Heckel settles in for 12 to 16 hours of infusion treatment at Upstate to deal with a … Continue reading →

Posted in blood/blood-related conditions/hematology, genetics, health care, patient story, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Things to think about before you buy a home genetic test kit

Posted on December 5, 2018 by

    BY AMBER SMITH If you’re intrigued by offers of direct-to-consumer medical genetic testing, Robert Roger Lebel, MD, director of medical genetics at Upstate, offers something to consider. Let’s say you come from a family with many members who have had … Continue reading →

Posted in genetics, health care, HealthLink on Air | Tagged , , ,

 Complete and complex: More cancer patients benefit from molecular diagnostics

Posted on June 6, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH We are used to differentiating cancers by where they were discovered: breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer. Cancer doctors and scientists today are starting to label cancers based on their genetic makeup — and that’s only the beginning … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, drugs/medications/pharmacy, genetics, health care, health careers, research, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Catching it early: Breast cancer high-risk program follows patients at increased risk  

Posted on May 16, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Both her grandmother and mother had breast cancer, so Jordan Bruna of Skaneateles began breast cancer screening at the age of 30. She joined Upstate’s Breast Cancer High Risk Program and followed a schedule of mammograms, ultrasounds, … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, genetics, health care, surgery, women's health/gynecology | Tagged , ,

Concept of ‘designer’ babies raises thorny questions, few answers

Posted on April 27, 2018 by

BY JIM HOWE If parents could create a “better” baby, should they? Would “better” mean a healthier child than the average baby? Cuter? Smarter? Taller? Should scientists and doctors help parents to genetically customize an embryo that would become that better … Continue reading →

Posted in genetics, health care, maternity/obstetrics, research, technology

Meet the cancer care team at Upstate

Posted on December 8, 2017 by

A team approach to cancer treatment means a patient has more than one doctor taking care of him or her, plus additional medical experts focusing on specialized aspects of care. Here are some of the typical team members at the … Continue reading →

Posted in alternative/integrative medicine, cancer, diet/nutrition, genetics, health care, surgery | Tagged , , ,

Could a spit test identify autism in children? Researchers seek early diagnosis

Posted on November 6, 2017 by

BY JIM HOWE A research study at Upstate is employing a novel method as it seeks to develop a quick, painless tool to help diagnose autism in children. Using a simple swab — like a one-headed Q-tip with a spongy … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, genetics, health care, HealthLink on Air, psychology/psychiatry, research, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged

What you need to know about hereditary cancers

Posted on September 27, 2017 by

Up to 10 percent of cancers result from a genetic mutation that is inherited from a parent. Since half of our genes come from our mother and half from our father, the cancer history from each side of our families … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, genetics, health care, HealthLink on Air, technology | Tagged , , , ,

No bread, no dairy, no meat: Living with PKU means eating lots of vegetables, fruits

Posted on September 11, 2017 by

BY SUSAN KEETER Ezekiel Sanford was 2 days old when his Binghamton pediatrician told his parents: “You have to take him to Upstate.” A routine blood test showed that Ezekiel had a rare inherited disorder called phenylketonuria, or PKU, which … Continue reading →

Posted in diabetes/endocrine/metabolism, diet/nutrition, genetics, health care, patient story | Tagged , ,

Brains against brain tumors

Posted on July 12, 2017 by

Experts from several scientific fields join forces to accelerate fight against brain cancer BY JIM HOWE To better meet the challenges of treating brain cancer, Upstate’s Precision Neuro-Oncology Program pools the expertise of the best minds in a variety of … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, brain/spine/neurosurgery, cancer, genetics, health care, pathology, research, surgery, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,