Health Newsfeed – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts

PFAS are chemicals that were used in things like nonstick cookware or stain resistant fabrics, and they've been implicated in a number of deleterious health outcomes, including autism. A new study looks at PFAS exposures in mothers and changes in … Do the environmental pollutants PFAS have any impact on development of autism? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Covid vaccines boosted the immune response in people being treated for cancer and improved their survival, a recent study concludes. mRNA expert Jeff Coller at Johns Hopkins says as more evidence mounts establishing the benefits of mRNA vaccines, we need … Many vaccines are intended to reduce disease severity, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

mRNA vaccines can help the body fight cancer, a new study found, yet when we look at what has been called ‘vaccine hesitancy' we see many people are suspicious of vaccines in general, let alone mRNA vaccines. Johns Hopkins mRNA … Why were so many people hesitant to take mRNA vaccines? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People with lung cancer and melanoma who were receiving immunotherapies and got a Covid vaccine saw dramatically improved survival compared with folks who did not get the vaccine, a recent study shows. mRNA expert Jeff Coller at Johns Hopkins muses … What is it about mRNA vaccines that helps us fight cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People undergoing immunotherapy treatment for cancer and who got a Covid vaccine survived longer than those who did not get the vaccine, a new study finds. Jeff Coller, an mRNA expert at Johns Hopkins, examines why this hasn't been seen … Why haven't we seen cancer fighting effects with vaccines other than the Covid vaccines? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If you were being treated for lung cancer or melanoma with immunotherapy and you received a Covid vaccine, you got a surprising benefit: you were twice as likely to survive your cancer as those who did not get a vaccine, … mRNA could comprise a generic vaccine to be used for cancer, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People with lung cancer or melanoma who were receiving immunotherapy and got a Covid vaccine within 100 days of initiating treatment saw dramatically improved survival compared to those folks who did not receive a vaccine, a new study shows. mRNA … The benefit of mRNA vaccines in cancer treatment is ongoing, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Combating cancer may soon include immunization with an mRNA vaccine, as studies accumulate demonstrating their benefit in revving up the immune system against the disease. mRNA expert Jeff Coller at Johns Hopkins says this is one way to engage your … mRNA vaccines take advantage of the body's own systems, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Receipt of an mRNA vaccine for Covid within 100 days of beginning immunotherapy for lung cancer or melanoma increased a person's survival likelihood by a factor of two or greater, a new study shows. Johns Hopkins mRNA expert Jeff Coller … Might mRNA vaccines replace chemotherapy for cancer treatment? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

mRNA vaccines saved millions of lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now a new study points to their effectiveness in helping people survive cancer. The study looked at people who received a Covid vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy for … Can mRNA vaccines treat cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Testing a fluid known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, found surrounding the brain and spinal cord, reveals a lot about brain tumors and the immune response to them. Johns Hopkins neurosurgery department director Chetan Bettegowda and test developer says this … Can a new test of cerebrospinal fluid be used for many diseases of the brain and spinal cord? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Tumor components and immune response indicators can be found in cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, when someone has a brain tumor, in a new test developed by Chetan Bettagowda, director of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins and one of the test's developers.  … Cerebrospinal fluid may hold the keys to brain cancer identification and treatment, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Your immune system has everything to do with how your body responds to cancer, and brain tumors are no exception. A new test aims to assess that along with characterizing the tumor itself. Chetan Bettegowda, director of neurosurgery at Johns … What does your immune response have to do with brain tumors? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Your brain and spinal cord are floating in something called cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, and when brain tumors develop they shed cells and cellular components into this fluid. A new test developed by director of neurosurgery Chetan Bettegowda at Johns … Cerebrospinal fluid can tell lots about brain tumors, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

When someone is thought to have a brain tumor procedures to make the diagnosis may be risky or invasive, so a new test developed by Chetan Bettegowda, director of the department of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins and colleagues is a … Can assessments of brain cancers be done with cerebrospinal fluid? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

AI assisted colonoscopy, where a computer helped interpret images seen during the procedure, resulted in endoscopists being less adept at recognizing precancerous lesions known as polyps, a recent study finds. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins comments. … When you have screening colonoscopy should you worry about the endoscopist's skills? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If you've been treated for early breast cancer your overall risk for recurrence is small, a new large, long term study finds. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, says these risks can be pinned to … Small risks of recurrent breast cancer may exist after treatment, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Women who've had early breast cancer and been treated can likely lay their worries about recurrence to rest, a new study concludes. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says that's the conclusion of this very large, long term … Most women who've had early breast cancer are not at high risk for recurrence, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People who've had colorectal cancer and have a known mutation should likely take aspirin to help prevent disease recurrence, according to a new study. The benefit of aspirin in preventing cancers has been shown before in the skin cancer melanoma, … Aspirin may be of benefit in a number of cancers, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People who've had colorectal cancer and who have a mutation known as  PI3 kinase benefit from taking asprin to prevent recurrence, a new study shows. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, describes the findings. Nelson:  There were … What is the benefit of asprin in reducing colorectal cancer recurrence? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Transcript Using CT scanning in children should be limited, a recent study concludes, finding that about one in ten cancers in kids were likely related to imaging studies using ionizing radiation. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins … Care should be taken when using CT in kids, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

CT scans in children, especially those that image bones where bone marrow is found, increase the risk for certain cancers, a new study finds. And the more scans the kids have the greater the risk. William Nelson, director of the … What is the cancer risk posed by CT scans in kids? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

RNA is easier to detect and points toward cancer activity better than DNA testing, a recent study concludes. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says there's an even more accurate method on the horizon. Nelson: Will RNA sequencing … Will RNA based tests form the basis for cancer screening and monitoring? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Using blood tests to look for cancer and cancer recurrence has been an area of active research for some time now, with a new study pointing to RNA rather than DNA for detection. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer … Can RNA provide a way to look for cancer recurrence? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Most people should start screening for colorectal cancer at age 45, due to increasing rates of the disease in younger people. Now a new study examines the most effective way to get people to be screened. Kimmel Cancer Center director … Mail in screening tests for colorectal cancer seem effective, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Colorectal cancer is occurring more frequently in those in the forty to forty nine year old age group, leading to recommendations for screening earlier. Now there's a rise in cases seen in the last several years, but William Nelson, director … How should we interpret rising cases of colorectal cancer in younger people? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Nicotinamide is one of a group of vitamins known as B vitamins, and it's available over the counter. A new study shows that in people who've had either a basal cell or squamous cell cancer, common types of skin cancer, … Can taking a supplement help you avoid recurrence of some skin cancers? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Your microbiome, the host of organisms that live on and in you, are unique to you, with a new study showing that some types of bacteria and fungi may increase your risk for pancreas cancer. Kimmel Cancer Center director William … Why do certain microorganisms colonize your body? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Certain bacteria resident on people's bodies do confer an increased risk for pancreas cancer, a new study finds. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, says assessing this type of risk requires analysis of bacteria resident … Will you soon be asked to give a specimen to assess your microbiome? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Your microbiome is the collection of microorganisms that live on you and in you, with a new study pointing to certain bacteria as increasing one's risk of pancreas cancer. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says many new … What might your microbiome have to do with your cancer risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

As people age, many will develop problems with walking, cognition, and urination. Yet while some may point to dementia as the cause, a build up of fluid in the brain known as normal pressure hydrocephalus, which can be treated by … A new study shows shunting works for normal pressure hydrocephalus, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Problems walking, urinary issues, cognitive impairment…these are all symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus, where fluid builds up in the brain, and is fairly common with aging. Now a study by neurosurgeon Mark Luciano at Johns Hopkins and colleagues has shown … Fluid buildup in the brain treated with a shunt improves symptoms, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Normal pressure hydrocephalus, where fluid called CSF builds up in the brain, is fairly common with aging, and has been treated with something called a shunt that diverts the excess fluid to the abdomen. Now a study by Mark Luciano, … Shunts do work for a condition where fluid builds up in the brain, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

The singer Billy Joel recently announced he has normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, a condition where fluid builds up in the brain and may cause a host of problems. Mark Luciano, a neurosurgeon and head of the CSF disorders group … Fluid in the brain known as hydrocephalus is fairly common with aging, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Use of electronic devices seems to reduce one's risk for dementia, a recent study showed. Constantine Lyketsos, an Alzheimer's disease expert at Johns Hopkins, says he has lots of patients who are concerned about their risk or would like to … What's the alternative to computer games to stave off dementia? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

An analysis of 57 studies published recently shows that use of digital technologies, including computers and smart phones, helps reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment in older adults. Dementia expert Constantine Lyketsos at Johns Hopkins says while there … Does using digital technology help people avoid dementia? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Lithium may reduce dementia risk. That's the take home from a recent study in mice that garnered a lot of attention. Constantine Lyketsos, a dementia expert at Johns Hopkins, says caveat emptor.  Lyketsos: I don't believe they had any human … Should you consider available formulations of lithium to reduce dementia risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If mouse models prove to be true in humans, the element lithium may help avoid the development of dementia. Dementia expert Constantine Lyketsos at Johns Hopkins says he's disturbed by the tenor of the coverage of this basic science discovery. … Is lithium the key to avoiding the development of dementia? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Are the plethora of healthcare screenings something that's appropriate for you? That's one question Nancy Schoenborn, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, is trying to answer in her research looking at messaging for breast cancer screenings. She says there's one … You're in charge of your healthcare decisions, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Healthcare screenings should be targeted to those who are likely to benefit, and conveying information about that needs to be crafted carefully so people can make informed choices. That's according to research by Nancy Schoenborn, a geriatrics expert at Johns … What's the best way to craft public health messages? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

When given appropriate information about mammogram screenings, including benefits, harms, and who should consider screening cessation, a cohort of older women largely made rational choices for themselves, a study by Nancy Schoenborn, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, has shown. … Information can help people decide to forgo cancer screening, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Even when people know they can discontinue health screenings for things like cancer they often continue the practice. Nancy Schoenborn, a geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins who studies such behaviors, says recent research on older women and breast cancer screenings … What are the factors that keep people who won't benefit from health screenings going? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Just as there's a point in life when cancer screenings should begin, so too is there a point at which they can stop. That's usually because the likelihood that a cancer will kill you in the time you are likely … How might you feel about being told you can stop cancer screening? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Research on when preventive healthcare like cancer screenings should start is abundant, with some guidelines, such as for breast or colorectal cancer, pushing the time to begin screening earlier. But when should such screenings stop? That's the focus of research … How should preventive healthcare change as people age? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

About half of people who have dementia don't know it, and those people are at risk for worse outcomes when they're hospitalized. That's according to research by Halima Amjad, a geriatrics and dementia expert at Johns Hopkins. Amjad says this … How would you feel about being screened for dementia on a regular basis? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »