Health Newsfeed – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts

Neuropathy, or painful nerves, are seen in more than 40% of people who’ve been treated for cancer, a recent study reports. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins says the magnitude of the problem is huge, although there … Can painful nerve pain following cancer therapy be avoided? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Nerve pain, or neuropathy, can be a big problem for some people who’ve been treated for cancer, with a new study showing just how big a problem it is. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, … How often does someone who’s been treated for cancer experience nerve pain? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

A greater sense of control, feeling in partnership with their care team, and not finding reporting symptoms burdensome are just a few of the outcomes reported by people with advanced cancer in a study of an electronic intervention where they … How does reporting symptoms impact cancer care for patients? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Imagine you have advanced cancer and your doctor asks you to report your symptoms electronically, so that intervention is possible before things like pain or breathing difficulties become especially troublesome. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins describes … Is it helpful for people with advanced cancer to report their symptoms regularly? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Helping people with advanced cancer is facilitated by having them fill out symptom questionnaires for their medical team, who can then intervene promptly, a new study demonstrates. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, applauds the … Patients with advanced cancer can help in their own care, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If you’ve just learned that you have Parkinson’s disease and you’re not already a physically active person, you might want to take up a few forms of exercise to slow down disease progression. Johns Hopkins neurologist Liana Rosenthal says the … Physical activity is beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Once someone receives a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, there are things they can do themselves that are likely to be beneficial. Johns Hopkins neurologist Liana Rosenthal explains. Rosenthal: The other things you can do that help now if you already … Diet can help in those who already have Parkinson’s disease, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

The majority of cases of Parkinson’s disease aren’t related to genetics, research shows, while some environmental exposures increase your risk to develop the condition. Liana Rosenthal, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, names a few factors that are under your control … You can lower your risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Specific pesticides as well as other chemicals increase one’s risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, research shows. Liana Rosenthal, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, describes which ones are known to be problematic. Rosenthal: Paraquat increased the risk of PD by 150%. … Environmental exposures are linked to Parkinson’s disease, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

More and more people around the world are being affected by Parkinson’s disease, a common condition often showing up first as a movement disorder. Liana Rosenthal, a Johns Hopkins neurologist, says North Americans are especially hard hit. Rosenthal: The overall … Where in the world are Parkinson’s disease cases most common? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

The aberrant protein alpha synuclein is known to be involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease, but how and why this abnormal form develops remains an area of active investigation. Liana Rosenthal, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, examines the role … How big a role does genetics play in the development of Parkinson’s disease? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Abundant evidence points to a protein called alpha synuclein in causing the range of symptoms seen in Parkinson’s disease, with the condition progressing as it travels up to the brain. Johns Hopkins neurologist Liana Rosenthal describes the process. Rosenthal: Alpha … How do abnormal proteins get into the brain in Parkinson’s disease? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

By the time someone with Parkinson’s disease, or PD, has hand tremors, the process of developing the condition is well underway in parts of their brain, with deposition of an abnormal protein called alpha synuclein, Johns Hopkins neurologist Liana Rosenthal … What exactly is happening in the brain of someone with Parkinson’s disease? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Just a few decades ago data from the Global Burden of Disease study reported about half a million people with Parkinson’s disease, with its characteristic tremor at rest and other movement abnormalities. Johns Hopkins neurologist Liana Rosenthal says now more … More and more people worldwide are developing Parkinson’s disease, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Parkinson’s disease is common, and becoming even more so, recent data indicate. Liana Rosenthal, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, says most people recognize it as a movement disorder. Rosenthal: You probably know someone with Parkinson's disease. It is chronic, it … Parkinson’s disease is a very common movement disorder, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Weight loss, NSAIDs, physical therapy, you’ve done it all and your knees are even more painful. Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, says when surgery seems to be the best option, so called knee replacement should be understood. … What does ‘knee replacement’ really mean? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Injections of steroids into the knee has been a mainstay of management for knee osteoarthritis, and there’s a new kid on the block with hyaluronic acid or HA. Should you consider them? Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, … What is the role of knee injections in managing knee osteoarthritis? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Knee replacement is the last stop when it comes to managing knee osteoarthritis, says Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins. Physical therapy is a modality that may enable people to avoid surgery altogether, he says. Coombs: Physical therapy … Physical therapy is a cornerstone of management for knee osteoarthritis, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Let’s say you’ve been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee. Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, says management should always begin with conservative measures first. Coombs: It should take the course of lifestyle changes such as weight loss, … If you have knee osteoarthritis, where should management begin? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Knee osteoarthritis is the most common cause of disability in adults in the US, recent data indicate, and the problem is growing. Yet Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, says not all knee pain is caused by osteoarthritis. … If you have pain in your knees, is it always arthritis? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Are you at risk to develop knee osteoarthritis? Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, says the answer may be yes if you are older, overweight, female, or have a family history of the condition. And there are also … Known risk factors that are under your control can help you avoid knee osteoarthritis, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

The number one cause of adult disability in the US is knee osteoarthritis, recent data indicate. According to Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins, there are several factors to consider when trying to determine who’s at risk. Coombs: … What makes someone more susceptible to knee osteoarthritis? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If you think everyone you know is considering a knee replacement because of painful knees, you’re not wrong. Johns Hopkins orthopedic surgeon Stefan Coombs says knee osteoarthritis is the number one cause of adult disability nationally, and the number of … Why are there so many people complaining of knee pain? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Seems like everyone complains of arthritis in their knees, especially as they age. And that’s no surprise, says Stefan Coombs, an orthopedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins. It’s well known what happens to knees over time. Coombs: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative … What is happening in the body with knee osteoarthritis? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

A precancerous condition of the bone marrow called myelofibrosis is usually treated with bone marrow transplantation. Now a new study shows that looking at the mutations that people with the condition have in their own bone marrow and then assessing … What can a precancerous condition teach us about clearing mutations? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Prostate specific membrane antigen or PSMA PET scanning is very accurate at detecting and visualizing prostate cancer throughout the body. Now a study using this type of scan on men whose disease recurred shows its efficacy in this case also. … When prostate cancer returns a nuclear medicine scan can help, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

For many people with cancer drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors have proven to be lifesavers. Yet as with all drugs they come with side effects, and if you aren’t a person who will benefit from them, it would be good … Can a new tool help determine which cancer treatments might help you? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

In spite of the outgoing Surgeon General’s assertions, some people aren’t buying a relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins says there are lines of research that would definitely help. Nelson: It's … Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Outgoing Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says alcohol packaged for consumption should bear a warning label about increased risk for cancer. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says that recommendation is based on an assumption. Nelson:  There is not a … What does the science tell us about alcohol consumption and cancer risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Alcohol for consumption should come with a warning label about cancer risk, outgoing Surgeon General Vivek Murthy asserts. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, says this is an issue that’s surrounded by complexity. Nelson: The … Should you give up alcohol to reduce your cancer risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Free DNA in   the blood portends increasing frailty and possibly an increased risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease, two long term studies of older adults by Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues have shown. Abadir says as we … How might AI improve interpretation of free DNA levels in the blood? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

DNA fragments found circulating in an older person’s blood are associated with frailty and Alzheimer’s disease, studies by Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues have shown. These long term studies of several hundred older adults also … Higher levels of your own DNA circulating in your blood may be a problem, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Increased cell death, increased levels of DNA in the blood, increased inflammation, and increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. That appears to be one scenario to explain findings by Johns Hopkins geriatrics expert Peter Abadir on the relationship between circulating cell … How much does increased levels of DNA in the blood increase dementia risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Cell death in your body happens all the time, every day, and when it does DNA is released into your blood. It may be your genetic DNA or it may be from your mitochondria, and it is giving clues to … Why does increased cell death in the body increase inflammation? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Walking speed is a commonly used measure for health, as it’s easy to do and doesn’t cost much. Now a study by Peter Abadir, a Johns Hopkins geriatrics expert, links walking speed to cell death, as measured by release of … Is walking speed linked to cell death? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

DNA fragments found in your blood, so called circulating cell free DNA, come from your cells as they die. Both genetic material and DNA from your energy plants, known as mitochondria, can be found, and both are implicated in increased … How does circulating DNA contribute to accelerated aging? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Circulating cell free DNA fragments are found in your bloodstream when cells die and release what’s inside. Some of that DNA is your genetic material and some comes from mitochondria, the power plants of your cells. Johns Hopkins geriatrics expert … Are circulating DNA and inflammation related? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

You may have heard the term ‘liquid biopsy.’ Most often referring to cancer detection, such technology aims to find materials circulating in the blood that give clues to a tumor’s presence. Now such a strategy is being used to look … Can a blood test for DNA predict Alzheimer’s disease and frailty? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Some cancer tests and prenatal assessments already use DNA found circulating in someone’s blood to look for certain cancers or assure the health of a fetus. Now Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues are using such … A blood test looking for your DNA is proving increasingly useful, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

You have quite a lot of the genetic material DNA circulating in your bloodstream. Peter Abadir, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, is looking at DNA from two different sources to provide information on aging. Abadir: The genomic DNA is … Your own genetic material from two cellular locations can be found in your blood, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Immunotherapies for cancer can be lifesavers, but they can also provoke an overwhelming immune response that can be life threatening. Now a Johns Hopkins study may help pinpoint who is at risk for this type of reaction. Kimmel Cancer Center … It may now be possible to tell who is going to react badly to some forms of cancer therapy, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People with a type of advanced colorectal cancer who were treated with two different immunotherapy drugs did much better than a group treated with a standard type of chemotherapy, a new study reports. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at … Using two immunotherapies in colon cancer helps, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

As cancer cells grow, a study looking at their three dimensional architecture reveals that they become more like cells normally seen in fetal life. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says that may be the key to enabling … Studying cancers in three dimensions has revealed a kind of regression, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

An effort is underway to characterize cancerous tumors in three dimensions, with an eye toward a more complete understanding of their behavior. A series of papers have recently come out describing what’s been seen so far. William Nelson, director of … What are we learning from studying cancers in three dimensions? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

When cancer exists in the body it has a three dimensional structure, an architecture, that only now is being looked at in detail to understand better how cancers behave. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins explains. Nelson: … What can a 3D atlas of cancer teach us? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Childhood obesity is a worldwide problem with long term health implications, especially cardiovascular disease. Now a study co-led by Johns Hopkins pediatrics expert Eliana Perrin has shown a personalized program of text messages to parents of very young infants staved … Text messages meeting people where they are allow children to avoid becoming obese, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

While childhood obesity is a widespread problem, the children who are most at risk to develop this disabling condition are already those with fewer educational opportunities and lower income. Now an intervention using text messages helps to close this gap … Childhood obesity rates keep rising, but a text based intervention can help. Read More »

Childhood obesity is a worldwide problem that keeps accelerating, with the kids most at risk from already disadvantaged groups. Now a study co-led by Johns Hopkins pediatrics expert Eliana Perrin shows that a comprehensive texting intervention helps, with kids whose … Helping kids most at risk for obesity is possible, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

New parents are motivated people. That’s one observation from a new study co-led by Johns Hopkins pediatrics expert Eliana Perrin using a text-based intervention to prevent early childhood obesity. Perrin says parents both helped design the intervention and were participants. … Parents were pivotal in the success of a study to prevent childhood obesity, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Can a texting intervention to parents of very young children prevent the development of obesity in their offspring? A study co-led by Johns Hopkins pediatrics expert Eliana Perrin shows the answer is yes. Perrin: We enrolled 900 kids. We did … Getting to kids and parents very early in life may be key to preventing obesity, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »