Category Archives: liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas

Helping a patient navigate through cancer’s challenges

Posted on May 25, 2018 by

Palliative care team helps Sandra Floyd reach the treatment goals she set for herself BY JIM HOWE “There are a lot of ups and downs when you’ve got cancer, a lot of wind in your sails, then the wind stops,” … Continue reading →

Posted in blood/blood-related conditions/hematology, cancer, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, palliative care, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts | Tagged , , , , , ,

Their team of doctors offered expertise — and hope

Posted on November 27, 2017 by

BY AMBER SMITH Orlando Barrera worked his whole life in construction. He was strong and relatively healthy – until May 2015, when stomach pains forced him to seek medical care. The Syracuse man underwent emergency surgery to remove his gallbladder. … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal, health care, infectious disease, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, organ donation/transplant, surgery | Tagged , , , , ,

Lessons from Upstate: Stroke risks, medication reactions, ADHD and teen parenthood

Posted on November 20, 2017 by

New medications can cause reactions Umair Masood, MD, and colleagues from Upstate’s  department of internal medicine shared the story of a 57-year-old man with a history of alcoholism in the Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy. The man came to the … Continue reading →

Posted in adolescents, arthritis, drugs/medications/pharmacy, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, heart/cardiovascular, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, research, sexuality

Are you age 52 to 72? Three health conditions to check

Posted on August 7, 2017 by

  BY JIM HOWE  Baby boomers can save their health, their lives and lots of money and trouble by getting themselves checked for three major but often neglected health problems, says New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, MD. The … Continue reading →

Posted in aging/geriatrics, diabetes/endocrine/metabolism, health care, HealthLink on Air, heart/cardiovascular, infectious disease, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, prevention/preventive medicine, public health, stroke | Tagged , , , , ,

Navigating through a cancer diagnosis

Posted on December 13, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH While each person’s cancer journey is unique, patients are likely to encounter similar  services and treatment options along the way. Holly Briere, a nurse navigator specializing in cancers of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, guides us through what the experience … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal, drugs/medications/pharmacy, health care, illness, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, medical imaging/radiology, palliative care, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, surgery, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Personal plan: Her team crafted the best way to fight her pancreatic cancer

Posted on December 12, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH A tumor quietly growing in Gail Brehm’s pancreas invaded her stomach and surrounding soft tissues. Eventually the mass began pressing on a nerve. Brehm, 63, a retired postal worker in Auburn, felt that pain in her lower … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, genetics, health care, HealthLink on Air, illness, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, medical imaging/radiology, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, patient story, surgery | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Renewed lives: Pancreas transplants mean patients with diabetes can skip insulin injections

Posted on October 20, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH Patrick Nolan, 52, remembers spending his 11th birthday at Upstate University Hospital with a new diagnosis of diabetes. The Syracuse native lived with the disease for 41 years, routinely checking his blood sugar and injecting insulin up … Continue reading →

Posted in diabetes/endocrine/metabolism, health care, HealthLink on Air, illness, kidney/renal/nephrology, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, organ donation/transplant, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, patient story, surgery | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

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

Can a pancreas transplant help someone with severe diabetes?

Posted on July 8, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH Upstate doctors are now offering a pancreas transplant option for some patients with diabetes mellitus, the most common cause of kidney failure. “Rather than waiting until the kidney fails, you may want to be proactive and go … Continue reading →

Posted in diabetes/endocrine/metabolism, health care, HealthLink on Air, illness, kidney/renal/nephrology, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, organ donation/transplant, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, surgery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘Secondary’ cancer: See a surgeon before starting chemotherapy for ‘liver mets’

Posted on June 8, 2016 by

BY AMBER SMITH Medical progress in the last decade or so has improved the survival chances for people whose colorectal cancer has spread to the liver. Today, surgery may provide a cure – depending on the steps a patient takes … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, digestive/gastrointestinal, health care, HealthLink on Air, illness, liver/ gallbladder/ pancreas, pancreas/liver/gallbladder/bile ducts, surgery | Tagged , , , , , , ,