April - June 2004 Media Coverage
Asthma Bus Live on NBC10
(Aired 4-1-2004, Ch. 10) Jefferson Medical College's Asthma Bus traveling education exhibit visits Ch.10's "10!" live talk show this morning, April
1. Jefferson Asthma expert Dr. Sal Mangione who directs the bus program, also appears on the show to discuss his research
on how asthma impacts on student absenteeism in inner-city public school.
Town Meeting: Alzheimer's disease
An Evening for Caregivers
Watch Sam Gandy III M.D. Ph.D, Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, at a live
WHYY town meeting on the Internet at 6:30 p.m., Monday, April 19, to discuss the medical and emotional issues surrounding
Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Gandy will be joined by Laura Gitlin, Ph.D, Director of the Community and Homecare Research Division,
Thomas Jefferson University, as well as, other experts and caregivers.
The town meeting has been organized by the WHYY Wider Horizons and the Caring Community Coalition, the Alzheimer's Association,
Delaware Valley Chapter, and funding for the webcast has been provided by the Farber Institute for Neurosciences.
To register and view the webcast, click here.
Virtual Technique Available For Colorectal Cancer Screening
(Aired 4-2-02, NBC10) Many people, for a variety of reasons, are unable to have a traditional colonoscopy. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
gastroenterologist Dr. Anthony Infantolino says for someone with a twisting colon, or certain medical conditions a traditional
colonoscopy is difficult, or even impossible.
"The technique that was most recently reported is like a fly-through image . the radiologist is flying-through the colon as
a gastroenterologist would during a colonoscopy," he says.
His work speaks volumes
(Published 4-4-04, Philadelphia Inquirer) Joseph R. Spiegel, M.D., associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, spoke with the Philadelphia Inquirer
about the benefits of having a subspecialty in treating voice problems. Although his children have elected him "dad of the
year" for his work with celebrity patients, Dr. Spiegel says his greatest reward is when someone says hello after treatment:
"In that moment, you know you've done what you wanted to do."
Speaking Out on World Voice Day
(Airing 4-16-2004, CN8) Jefferson otolaryngologist and voice medicine specialist, Joseph R. Spiegel, M.D., will be a guest on the live talk show
"Your Morning on CN8." Friday, April 16, with local singer Nicki Jaine, one of his patients, to recognize World Voice Day
and discuss how to best care for your voice.
A Matter of Math
(Published 4-15-2004, KYW 1060) Thomas Jefferson University dietician Cheryl Marco says weight loss is a simple matter of math: "There are 3,500 calories
in a pound. In order to lose one pound, you have to create a 3,500-calorie deficit."
The end: Telling their own life stories
(Published 4-28-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) The Rev. Joseph Leggieri, director of pastoral care at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, talks to the Philadelphia Inquirer
about reasons why people write their own obituaries and how it comforts them. "Hospice philosophy encourages patients to give
expression to their legacy," said Rev.Leggieri. "Having a say in their obituary can take some of the morbidness out of the
final notice."
The Poetry of Organ Donation
(Airs 5-7-2004, Ch. 29) Tomorrow night, May 7, at 10:30 p.m., Ch. 29, will air a special report on organ donation featuring an interview with kidney
transplant recipient Megan Miller and her mom, who donated an organ to her 21 yr.-daughter during transplantation surgery
at Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hospital in February. Megan will also talk about a book of poetry she published that focuses on
her health problems and the transplant. Megan and her mom also appeared Thursday, April 29, Your Morning on CN8, Comcast's
live talk show. The segment marked National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week and the Living Organ Donor Appreciation
Ceremony held recently at Jefferson to recognize donors.
Alzheimer's disease and Dementia
(Published 5-10-2004, CBS) Dr. Samuel Gandy, director of the Farber Institute of Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University, explains to CBS3 how
Alzheimer's disease not only ruins memory but it eventually destroys a patient's life.
Diabetes May Increase Alzheimer's Risk
(Published 5-17-2004, WebMD) Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, discusses with WebMD
a new study that may link diabetes to Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Gandy said this is link is not a new finding, "but there's
an evolving body of thought over the last three to five years linking Alzheimer's disease to a variety of diseases that have
some things in common: high levels of lipids, atherosclerosis risk, and high cholesterol."
Diabetes- A Risk Factor for Alzheimer's disease?
(Aired 5-20-2004, CN8) Barry W. Rovner, M.D., director of Clinical Alzheimer's Research at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson
University, appears on Your Morning on CN8, the live morning talk show on Comcast, 9 a.m., Thursday, May 20, to discuss a
new study that shows that those with diabetes may be at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Can Aspirin Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer?
(Aired 5-25-2004, Ch. 3) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital breast surgeon Kristin Brill, M.D talks to CBS3 (Ch.3) about a newly published study,
indicating that women who use aspirin may be able to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Dr. Brill said the study
results are promising, but that there needs to be further investigation of aspirin's possible benefit as a chemoprevention.
The report airs during the 6 p.m. newscast tonight, Tuesday, May 25.
Hypertension at an Early Age
(Published 5-25-04, The New York Times) Bonita Falkner, M.D., professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, chaired
a National Institutes of Health panel which produced guidelines that suggest high blood pressure in children is more similar
to high blood pressure in adults and should be treated as aggressively. Children should be routinely screened beginning at
age 3. “Once we recognize hypertension in a child, we need to do the things we can do to modify it,” Dr. Falkner said. “Because
if we don’t, it will continue to stay high.”
New Treatment for Uveal Melanoma (of the eye)
(Aired 5-25-04, Channel 10) Many patients who have a cancerous tumor in their eye find that it has spread or metastasized into the liver. At Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital, medical oncologist Dr. Takami Sato has developed a treatment that is prolonging the lives of
some patients who suffer from uveal melanoma. Known as immunoembolization, it involves the infusion of a drug that boosts
the patient's immune system and kills the cancer cells in the liver.
"Once the patient develops metastasis, usually they develop it in the liver. That is fatal. Usually a patient lives only six
months," Dr. Sato told NBC 10 in explaining why the treatment is so important.
Prostate Cancer Test May Be Flawed
Leonard Gomella, M.D., chair of urology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, talks to the Associated Press, CBS News and
other news media about a new study that shows that a test widely used to screen for prostate cancer misses 15 percent of the
tumors - including some aggressive ones - in older men.
Dr. Gomella says that could lead to more unnecessary operations in the many men whose tumors are so slow-growing that something
else will kill them before the cancer ever does.
- CBSNews.com (Published 5-27-2004)
- Mercury News (Published 5-27-2004)
- PhillyBurbs.com (Published 5-27-2004)
- Miami Herald (Published 5-27-2004)
- TwinCities.com (Published 5-27-2004)
The Race Against Alzheimer's
(Published 6-7-2004) With the passing of former Pres. Ronald Reagan, the public is focused on Alzheimer's disease and its
causes. Samuel Gandy, M.D., Ph.D, director of Thomas Jefferson University's Farber Institute for Neurosciences, discusses
the stages of dementia for patients with Alzheimer's disease with USA TODAY and CBS News' The Early Show.
Alzheimer's can be broken down into three stages, beginning with stage 1, known as mild. "The symptoms of mild Alzheimer's
disease include the loss of ability to form and retrieve new memories, confusion and often changes in personality, disorientation
as well," Dr. Gandy explained.
Undetected Sleep Problems
(Published 6-11-2004, KYW 1060) Karl Doghramji, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, tells KWY Newsradio(1060AM)
that up to a third of Americans suffer from or are affected by sleep disorders. But that the vast majority go undiagnosed
or untreated.
Fighting Alzheimer's
(Airs 6-15-2004, WGTW) Samuel Gandy, M.D., Ph.D, director of Thomas Jefferson University's Farber Institute for Neurosciences, is the guest on
tonight's (June 15) 48Update, the WGTW(Ch. 48) public affairs show. The show airs at 7 p.m. Dr. Gandy will discuss how Alzheimer's
disease affects patients and new research being conducted to combat the disease.
Stem-Cell Research Flourishes
(Published 6-13-04, The Philadelphia Inquirer) Bruce Boman, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and of immunology and microbiology and director of the Division of Genetic
and Preventive Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, spoke with The Philadelphia Inquirer
bout the topic of stem cell research. Although stem cell research is in the spotlight for its potential for aiding with Alzheimer's
disease, research Dr. Boman presented at last year's first meeting of the new International Society for Stem Cell Research
suggests that errant stem cells may also be the culprit in breast, brain and certain other cancers. "I think the field of
cancer research is just starting to catch on to this concept," Dr. Boman said.
Self Tanners are Not Sunscreen
(Published 6-21-2004, U.S.News & World Report) Self tanners can be the answer to a sun worshipper's prayers. But, says Thomas Jefferson University dermatologist Tanya
Humphreys, "the most important thing about the new self tanners is that although the stain makes you look tan, it won't stop
you from burning." Dr. Humphreys comments on a variety of new tanning methods.
British Study Sees Scant Value in Alzheimer's Drug Aricept
(Published 6-25-2004, The New York Times) In an interview with The New York Times, Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas
Jefferson University, spoke about the apparent shortcomings of Aricept, a drug used to combat Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Gandy
said he generally told patients and their families that Alzheimer's drugs were "of modest benefit in some patients.
