Health Newsfeed – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts

Older people with undiagnosed dementia who get hospitalized experience worse outcomes than other groups of older adults who require hospitalization, a study by Halima Amjad, a dementia and geriatrics expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues has shown. Amjad: Focusing on … People with dementia but no diagnosis can have more problematic hospitalizations, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People who have dementia frequently aren't diagnosed, and when such a person is hospitalized they are at much higher risk for poorer outcomes. That's the focus of research by Halima Amjad, a geriatrics and dementia expert at Johns Hopkins. Amjad: … Undiagnosed dementia can be risky, especially when someone is hospitalized, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Cancers continue to change, or mutate, as time goes on, often acquiring the ability to outmaneuver treatments. Valsamo Anagnostou, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, has used repeated blood sampling for cancer cells with treatment strategies like radiation to stay … Can peripheral blood sampling be combined with radiation therapy for cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Genetics are foundational to much of cancer treatment, and now both the environment surrounding the tumor as well as analysis of cancer cells shed into the blood may also be used to inform treatment as well. That's according to studies … A combination of strategies help determine best cancer treatment strategies, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Radiation of a primary tumor can activate immune cells around distant metastases, a study by Valsamo Anagnostou, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues has shown. Anagnostou says the mechanism is clear.  Anangostou: Radiation induces cell death. The cells … How does radiation benefit the body's response to cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

When cancer develops resistance to immunotherapy, radiation may help. That's according to a study by cancer researcher Valsamo Anagnostou at Johns Hopkins. Anagnostou: We're administering radiation as a sensitizer for immunotherapy and as the way to circumvent primary resistance to … Radiation is emerging as an important tool in helping improve immune response in cancer, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If someone with cancer has initially responded to immunotherapy but then develops metastasis, radiation of the primary tumor may help treat those distant sites, research by Valsamo Anagnostou, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, has shown. Anagnostou: Radiation can activate … Can radiation affect distant metastasis? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Immunotherapies have proven very successful in the treatment of different types of cancer, but over time it is common for resistance to develop. Valsamo Anagnostou, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, has found that radiation may help activate someone's own … Can radiation improve the success of immunotherapies to treat cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

How tumors respond to treatment has to do with both their internal and external environments, research by Valsamo Anagnostou, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues has shown. Anagnostou: The way we do this is by looking very deeply … What does the area around a tumor tell us about response to treatment? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Immunotherapies hold enormous promise for treating cancers of various types, but the bad news is that while many patients may initially respond many will also become resistant. Valsamo Anagnostou, a cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, is looking at tumor specific … Assessing individual cancer characteristics is needed to determine resistance to new types of therapies, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Studies looking at lung cancer in people who smoked showed that those who did experienced a lot more lung cancer than those who didn't. That's a correlation study, says Otis Brawley, a cancer epidemiology expert at Johns Hopkins. Then came … Laboratory studies demonstrate causation when it comes to cancer, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

When people are diagnosed with a cancer many questions come up, among them what might have led to the development of cancer, especially with regard to behaviors the person adopted that increased their risk for the disease. Otis Brawley, a … Do you understand what ‘risk' means when it comes to cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Respiratory syncytial virus or RSV can result in serious illness or death for infants, people with compromised immunity or older adults. The vaccine is safe and effective, and Panagis Galiatsatos, a critical care medicine expert and community health advocate at … What should you do about getting the RSV vaccine? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

It's vaccination season, with many considering getting a Covid vaccine in light of ongoing infections nationwide. Critical care medicine expert Panagis Galiatsatos at Johns Hopkins, who's also a community medicine advocate, says if you're already under the weather now is … With cold and flu season about to begin and Covid continuing, should you get a vaccine if you're already under the weather? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People often express concerns about routine immunizations causing adverse reactions. Panagis Galiatsatos, a critical care expert at Johns Hopkins and community medicine advocate, says it's always a good idea to manage your own expectations by becoming educated on what common … Monitoring your own symptoms after vaccination helps identify adverse reactions, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Do you know about the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System, or VAERS? This organization tracks and investigates bad reactions people have after receiving a vaccine. Pharmacist Victoria DeJaco at Johns Hopkins says both you and the provider who administered the … Reporting adverse events after receiving a vaccine helps you and others, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If you're an older adult or someone with chronic disease, now is a good time to consider getting vaccinated for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. That's according to Johns Hopkins pharmacist Victoria DeJaco. Dejaco: It used to be that people … Respiratory infection season is almost upon us, and older people in particular should pay attention to their vaccine status, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Being up to date on vaccines should be on the college prep list, says pharmacist Victoria DeJaco at Johns Hopkins. Dejaco: Definitely gonna want COVID or flu because those generally are going to be more prevalent. The season is going … If you're sending a child off to college what vaccines should they get? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Do you take vitamins? While the evidence is conflicting on whether they are beneficial for health the majority of US adults do take them, and frequently are confused over which ones are best. Pharmacist Victoria DeJaco at Johns Hopkins says … Which type of vitamin is best? Your pharmacist knows, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Pharmacists are increasingly being called upon to take on additional healthcare tasks, from administering immunizations to reconciling medications to dispensing advice along with prescription and over the counter drugs. Victoria DeJaco, a pharmacist at Johns Hopkins, says there's even more … The breadth of expertise of your pharmacist is available to you, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Only one-quarter of people who could benefit from a cholesterol lowering drug were taking one, a recent study by Caleb Alexander, a drug efficacy expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues has shown. Alexander says that number is likely to go … What will loss of insurance do to people who already can't afford their medicines? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

A large number of people who could benefit from medicines to reduce cholesterol and consequent cardiovascular risk aren't taking them, a study by Caleb Alexander, a drug efficacy expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues has shown. Alexander says this has … Many people who could benefit from medicines to reduce their cardiovascular risk aren't getting them, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Hepatitis C is a worldwide problem, with millions of people infected who don't even know it. We do have effective treatment and untreated infection can result in liver failure and death, so a new study attempted to implement free testing … What are the barriers to testing for hepatitis C in emergency departments? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

A new blood test used to screen people for colorectal cancer just isn't ready to replace colonoscopy or fecal immunochemical tests, since these are capable of detecting early lesions that respond best to treatment. That's according to Kimmel Cancer Center … Could more targeted screening be helpful in colorectal cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

A new blood test for colorectal cancer finds advanced cancers well, but William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, says when compared to the gold standard colonoscopy, or even stool tests used for screening, it falls … Are there aspects to blood testing for colorectal cancer that undermine screening? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

A blood test can identify the majority of colorectal cancers, a new study finds, when compared with the gold standard, colonoscopy, for screening. Yet whether this test can be trusted when it says cancer is NOT present is another matter, … Is there a role for a new blood test for colorectal cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Blood tests for cancer are much in the news lately, including one to test for colorectal cancer. Such a test, if it works as well as methods like colonoscopy or fecal immunochemical testing, would allow people to give tedious aspects … How helpful is a new blood test for colorectal cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Regular, supervised exercise helped people who'd been treated for colorectal cancer avoid recurrence of the disease, a new study shows, adding to the burgeoning body of evidence demonstrating the clear health benefits of exercise in many settings, including avoiding cancer … Supervised exercise helped reduce recurrence of colorectal cancer, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Some drugs used to treat breast cancer might also be used to prevent it, but the hot flashes and other troublesome side effects make that an unlikely choice for many women. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson says … Can a new drug that helps hot flashes herald a way to prevent many breast cancers? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Among people who've had a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event and need a cholesterol lowering medicine, about 2/3 will take one. Among those who have not had such an event but do have high cholesterol only about a … Engaging both patients and physicians in the use of cholesterol lowering medicines is needed, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Only about 25 percent of people who need cholesterol lowering medicines based on blood tests take them,  with about 2/3 of those who've had a cardiovascular event doing so, a study by Caleb Alexander, a drug safety and efficacy expert at … Why don't people who are eligible for cholesterol lowering medicines take them? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Not taking medicines to lower cholesterol when you clearly need them increases your risk for heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events. Yet a study by Caleb Alexander, a drug safety and efficacy expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues, shows … Just how much does it cost our healthcare system when people don't take needed medicines to reduce cardiovascular risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, remains the number one cause of death in the United States, yet many people who should be taking medicines to lower their risk by lowering cholesterol aren't. That's according to a study by … The gap between recommendations and who is actually taking medicines to lower cardiovascular disease risk is huge, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Most people have heard of statins, drugs that lower cholesterol and consequent cardiovascular disease risk. Caleb Alexander, a drug safety and efficacy expert at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues, have looked at just how many people who should be taking such … How many people aren't taking needed medicines to reduce cardiovascular risk? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Hot flashes and night sweats are called vasomotor symptoms, and they're experienced by many women approaching menopause and those being treated for certain breast cancers. Now a new class of drugs has been developed to help. William Nelson, director of … Can hot flashes and night sweats be controlled in women having treatment for breast cancer? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Women whose breast cancer has estrogen receptors are usually treated with estrogen depleting medicines, with the consequence that they have hot flashes and night sweats, so called ‘vasomotor symptoms,' that many describe as worse than menopause. Now a new medicine … There's hope for women with breast cancer who are experiencing menopausal symptoms, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

CAR-T cells, a highly activated immune cell, have been used to treat a solid tumor, stomach cancer, for the first time. Yet the fact remains that CAR-Ts are expensive and time consuming to produce. Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center director … CAR-T cells are an expensive form of cancer treatment, but other techniques may soon supplant them, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

For the first time CAR-T cells, a highly activated type of immune cell, have been used with some success to treat stomach cancer, a so-called solid tumor. William Nelson, director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, says solid … Why has it been so hard to use CAR-T cells to treat solid tumors? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

You've probably heard of CAR-T cells, a type of immune cells taken from someone's body, grown up in a lab and trained to attack their cancer. CAR-Ts are known to be good for treating blood cancers like leukemia, and for … Will solid tumors now be treated with CAR-T cells? Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

When it comes to managing with the dog days of summer, air conditioning is very helpful, especially for people with chronic lung problems. Johns Hopkins lung health expert William Checkley says clean systems with filters that are regularly changed are … Humidity may be as important as temperature when it comes to air conditioning, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

People with lung conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, abbreviated COPD, rely on air conditioning in the summer to help keep their symptoms from getting much worse. William Checkley, a lung health expert at Johns Hopkins, says it's … If you don't use AC properly you may make lung problems worse, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

If you have any respiratory issues you likely benefit from air conditioning when the weather is hot. Lung health expert William Checkley at Johns Hopkins says you must be aware of the system's maintenance requirements to reap its benefits. Checkley: … Proper AC maintenance is key to healthful use, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

For many people air conditioning is important for alleviating symptoms of chronic respiratory disease, but Johns Hopkins lung health expert William Checkley says it's still necessary to be aware of how AC can impact on the function of your respiratory … Sometimes air conditioning can compromise your respiratory health, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

As the northern hemisphere enters full summer, many people shut their windows and turn on the air conditioning, or AC. William Checkley, a lung health expert at Johns Hopkins, says as with many things in life, it's important to have … While AC is great at making us feel comfortable it's also important for health, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »

Mismatch repair is just what it sounds like: when a cell divides and makes new DNA strands when a mistake is made it repairs them. Some types of cancers with a mismatch repair mutation may now be treated with an … Different types of tumors with a specific mutation may not need surgery, Elizabeth Tracey reports Read More »