Jun 27, 2013
Hepatitis C is one of the most dreaded conditions in the United States today, affecting approximately 2 percent of the population. It remains the most common cause for liver transplantation in the United States; 10,000-20,000 patients with hepatitis C die annually.
Osteoporosis-related fractures are associated with costs reaching into the tens of billions of dollars annually in the United States. Many of these fractures may be prevented if at-risk patients received timely diagnosis and treatment. Specific treatment may include starting a pharmaceutical agent; calcium and vitamin D are good for healthy bone metabolism, but are not enough by themselves to stave off age-related and menopause-related bone loss.
Cancer of the pancreas remains one of the greatest clinical challenges in oncology. With no reliable screening tests and a poor prognosis following identification, the need for novel approaches toward this disease remains largely unmet.
Jun 26, 2013
Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism. Andrew Tinsley MD, MS, associate director of clinical research and quality at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center explains, “While thromboembolic events are rare, they can be potentially life-threatening.
For young children, running, climbing, and jumping are a normal part of healthy development. With such activities, however, comes potential for injury.
Jan 24, 2013
Severe lower extremity trauma often results in the loss of bone, muscle, and skin. Reconstruction of these injuries is extremely challenging due to the amount of bone that must be reconstructed and the size of wounds that must be closed.
Jan 23, 2013
Among the nearly 8 million fractures that occur annually in the United States, approximately 10 percent of these, or 800,000 show impaired healing or non-union. According to J. Spence Reid, MD, Penn State Bone and Joint Institute, “Although we know that certain factors like smoking and diabetes, and some medications are associated with impaired bone healing; in some cases it’s unexplained. "
Jan 17, 2013
Most gastroenterologists have encountered patients who complain of chronic constipation. Colonoscopy shows no anatomical abnormalities. Nonetheless, conservative treatment with laxatives and bulking agents brings only temporary, minor relief. After several failed treatment attempts, the patient is distressed, uncomfortable and anxious; the gastroenterologist is frustrated.
Jan 16, 2013
The Penn State Hershey Cancer Genetics Program was developed in 1998 to provide genetic counseling services to individuals concerned about a personal or family history of cancer. New patient appointments typically involve the development of a three- or four-generation family pedigree, education about various risk factors for developing cancer, and discussion regarding risks, benefits, and […]
Jan 15, 2013
Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most complex malignancies to treat; often, patients present with advanced disease and survival rates tend to be low. In 2005, a small group of hepatobiliary surgeons at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center came together and formed the Liver, Pancreas, and Foregut Tumor Program to deliver state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary care for this difficult to treat patient population.
