Give Prayer a Chance?
(Published 5-31-06, Jewish Exponent) For as long as people have recognized a universal presence greater than themselves, the
thought has existed that there is a direct connection between prayer and healing, a strong link between caring for the soul
and curing the body, between the spiritual domain and physical world, between faith and science. Physicians and scientists,
hard pressed at times to offer sound medical explanations for the sudden and dramatic recovery of some patients, including
ones declared terminal, cede ground (haltingly, perhaps) to proponents of prayer and healing, who claim God's hand was evident
in the process. The debate about the possibility vs. probability, and general validity of this phenomenon continues.
"Healing through prayer is highly regarded on a spiritual and religious level by people who have deep faith," said Adeline
"Addy" Schultz, a Thomas Jefferson University Hospital speech therapist, Outpatient Rehabilitation Medicine, Philadelphia,
who is in Jefferson's pastoral care training program also.
Pastoral Care Program
Patient & Visitor Info
Media Coverage:
Jewish Exponent
Nano materials aid early cancer detection
(Published 5-30-06, Earth and Sky: Radio Shows) Eric Wickstrom, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at
Jefferson Medical College and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson and his team have created a new material to help detect
just a few cancer cells in a water solution used for testing.
The material contains carbon nanotubes, fibers of carbon only a few atoms wide, plus substances called antibodies which stick
only to cancer cells. When the new material touches a cancer cell, electricity flows. The cancer cell acts like a light bulb,
and the new material acts like a light socket.
“If you don't have a light bulb in a light socket, you aren't going to see any light and there's no electricity flowing through
that system. If you put a light bulb in the socket, suddenly there's something that the electricity can go through like the
filament in the light bulb and you see this bright light come on,” explains Dr. Wickstrom.
Dr. Wickstrom and his team now plan on testing the system with human blood.
Media Coverage:
Earth and Sky: Radio Shows
Cancer Support Group
(Published 5-23-06, WDEL 1150AM) Kathryn Kash, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Thomas Jefferson
University, recently discussed the two types of support programs being offered at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for
all women over the age of 21 who have experienced any type of cancer.
"One is a very traditional support group for women, and the other is a non-traditional program. There will be about 10 women
in each group," explained Dr. Kash.
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Center for Integrative Medicine
Media Coverage:
WDEL 1150AM
Doctors Perform Brain Surgery Through Nose
(5-23-06, NBC10) Physicians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital performed brain surgery Tuesday using some of the newest
technology around.
The doctors removed a tumor from a patient without making an external incision in his head or face. They removed a pituitary
tumor through the patient's nose.
Department of Neurosurgery
Department of Otolaryngology
CancerCARE at Jefferson
Media Coverage:
NBC10
High Blood Pressure and Your Teen
(Published 5-19-06, Health Day) A new study presented at the American Society of Hypertension, shows that teens with prehypertension
or high blood pressure are more likely to have high blood pressure and its related complications when they grow up unless
they make some changes now.
Prehypertension means that one does not have high blood pressure now but is likely to develop it in the future.
Bonita Falkner, M.D., professor of medicine and pediatrics at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University says,
“Knowing which youngsters are most likely to progress to hypertension would provide the ability to target preventive interventions.”
Department of Medicine
Media Coverage:
Health Day
Excite.com
Forbes.com
United Press International
WebMD.com
Reuters Health
Health Scout
Program helps disable elderly stay independent
(Published 5-18-06, Reuters Health) Laura N. Gitlin, Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health
at Thomas Jefferson University led a study on older people who were having difficulties with everyday living activities such
as bathing and getting dressed. Dr. Gitlin and her colleagues tested a six-month intervention in which elderly people received
four 90-minute visits with an occupational therapist, one 20-minute telephone contact, and one 90-minute physical therapy
visit.
The study consisted of 319 men and women over the age of 70. Half of the participants received the intervention, and the other
half received no training. After the six month intervention, those who received the training from the program reported fewer
difficulties with everyday living activities.
Unfortunately, "People who are living with functional difficulties that are not a consequence of some type of an acute incident
or event, have no access to programs," Dr. Gitlin said. "What we would like to see is that primary care physicians make a
referral for their older patients who begin to demonstrate difficulties in even bathing or any area.”
Media Coverage:
Reuters Health
Balancing Painful Swelling With a Desire to Exercise
(Published 5-18-06, New York Times) For almost 20 years, the prevailing wisdom among most doctors has been that breast cancer
survivors at risk of contracting lymphedema — a debilitating, irreversible swelling of one or both arms — should avoid most
upper-body exercise or lifting anything heavier than five pounds. For many women, the stern warnings meant they could not
shop for groceries or even carry their children. Running and walking were safe, but anything that taxed the arms was considered
dangerous.
Women living with lymphedema received the same advice because of the concern that stressing their upper bodies would exacerbate
their swelling, pain and stiffness.
But a study at the University of Minnesota that was released this week contradicts decades of restrictions. It found that
slow, progressive weight training did not increase the onset of lymphedema in breast cancer survivors who had had lymph nodes
removed, nor did it worsen the symptoms of longtime sufferers.
The study also validates what a handful of experts have practiced for years. Dr. Anne Rosenberg, a breast surgeon at Jefferson
Medical College in Philadelphia, said that she has found that patients who vigorously exercise their upper bodies do not necessarily
have adverse effects.
Department of Surgery
CancerCARE at Jefferson
Media Coverage:
New York Times
Wrapping Radiation Around Tumors
(Published 5-8-06, ABC 7 Chicago) Walter J. Curran, M.D., professor and chair of Radiation Oncology at Jefferson Medical College
of Thomas Jefferson University and clincical director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, discusses Shaped Beam Surgery,
a new type of targeted radiation for hard-to-treat brain tumores.
“We have the ability to define a target, and give a dose to that target with relatively little dose to the surronding structures.
Because this new technology is so precise, people can be treated with radiation a second time. The system not only treats
brain and spinal tumors; it is also being used to treat liver, lung, head and neck and prostate cancers,” said Dr. Curran.
Department of Neurosurgery
Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience
Department of Radiation Oncology
Media Coverage:
ABC 7 Chicago
Colleges Make Own Medicine to Ease Research
(Published 5-5-06, The Philadelphia Inquirer) Across the country, universities are beginning to manufacture drugs in their
own facilities. These universities offer lower-cost drugs and placebos, hoping to spark more “off-label” studies.
Conducting more studies allows researchers to investigate claims about alternative medicines and encourages independently
created products. Funding for these studies is an issue for some researchers. However, Scott Waldman, M.D., Ph.D., chair of
the department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Jefferson Medical College says that his studies have always
been funded from outside sources. For individual investigators, Dr. Waldman feels, “Having the availability to go to a place
like this and say, ‘Here’s the study I’m trying to do,’ it would be available resource.”
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Media Coverage:
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Times Leader
Philadelphia Daily News
The Kansas City Star
Contra Costa Times
Charlotte Observer
The State
Government Bird Flu Plan To Be Released
(Published 5-2-06, CBS3.com) Kathleen Squires, M.D., Director of Infectious Diseases at Thomas Jefferson University tells
Channel 3 that there is no evidence of a bird flu pandemic yet. However, “What would happen in a pandemic is that anybody
who became ill who had signs and symptoms of influenza would be asked to stay home,” she said.
Department of Infectious Diseases
Media Coverage:
CBS3.com
Dynasty Divas
(Published 5-2-06, CBS3) After Dynasty diva's, Linda Evans and Joan Collins, were reunited Tuesday night, Medical Reporter
Stephanie Stahl talked with the experts to see how they stood the test of time and whether or not they have had plastic surgery.
Linda Evans, who's now 64, admitted to Entertainment Tonight she has had more plastic surgery.
“I love it, I love plastic surgery,” she said.
But without giving specifics, Evans says there were mistakes that had to be corrected.
“She looks different, some of which is probably a natural aging process, some of it surgery,” said Dr. Steven Copit, a plastic
surgeon at Jefferson University Hospital.
Dr. Copit says Evans has probably had a full face lift and lip augmentation.
Department of Surgery
Media Coverage:
CBS3
Alzheimer's Cause Tied to Diabetes?
(Published 5-1-06, Associated Press) A provocative new theory suggests that one root cause of Alzheimer's disease is linked
to diabetes - a theory about to be tested in thousands of Alzheimer's patients given the diabetes drug Avandia in hopes of
slowing brain decay.
The Avandia research suggests a more insidious connection: that Alzheimer's can be silently triggered when brain cells cannot
properly use their main fuel, sugar. Just as Type 2 diabetes is triggered when insulin gradually loses its ability to process
sugar body-wide.
The research is generating interest. "I don't think this is hype for rosiglitazone" says Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., Director
of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University. "This does dovetail with some existing knowledge."
Department of Neurology
Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience
Farber Institute for Neurosciences
Media Coverage:
Associated Press
The Boston Globe
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Philly.com
Seattle Times
USA Today
New York Times
Forbes.com
Los Angeles Times
