Open Mics with Dr. Stites: Treating Brain Tumors Without Six Weeks of Radiation скачать в хорошем качестве

Open Mics with Dr. Stites: Treating Brain Tumors Without Six Weeks of Radiation

The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 68 COVID patients today, 70 Monday. Other significant numbers: 37 with the active virus today, 44 Monday 5 in ICU, 10 Monday 4 on a ventilator, 6 Monday Key points from today’s guests: Dr. Steven Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System Brain surgery is one of the most complex procedures you can undergo, especially if cancer is involved. There is a new way to treat brain cancer by placing a one-inch tile into a patient's brain. It works by giving a full dose of radiation to the patient, so they don't have to keep coming back every day like they would for weeks for traditional radiation therapy. Especially impressed by the story and the power of science, because when previous patients received radiation to the brain, they just didn't fare well. This is such a remarkable achievement to have Tracy sitting here less than four weeks after brain surgery and doing so well. Faith, hope and science is a powerful combination. Dr. Brian Milligan, neurosurgeon, The University of Kansas Health System The gamma tiles are a really neat advance in radiation therapy for treatment after we've removed a brain tumor. One of the advantages it seems is that when you implant the tiles at the time of surgery, the radiation is delivered immediately while the patient is in the operating room. The gamma tiles are about the size of a postage stamp and each tile contains four tiny radioactive titanium “seeds” called cesium. Those tiles deliver targeted radiation to the area for about 30 days since the tiles are made of collagen, they're simply reabsorbed by the body and dissolve over time. The seeds decay over a period of about 100 days and deliver about the equivalent dose of radiation that patients would get from some external source given after surgery. The radiation only penetrates about five millimeters which is about a fifth of an inch into the brain itself. Tracy Mason Solis, brain surgery patient One of the first to undergo this new targeted radiation treatment using what's called gamma tile. She is part of a new clinical trial to determine its effectiveness. Was very excited and confident to be part of the trial because she wanted to tackle the brain tumor “from the inside out.” She had the brain surgery less than a month ago and is able to function normally. Before the surgery, she had trouble speaking, walking and with memory function. Was fully confident in herself and her medical team because she asked the right questions and understood what they were doing. Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection control and prevention, The University of Kansas Health System The large surge that we had with that original Delta, both in cases and hospitalizations, we never really saw these past few months with Omicron, which is good. A recent study showed a nearly 90 percent reduction in severe COVID in high-risk for people who took Paxlovid, but the drug has not been used to the extent expected. Paxlovid was a gamechanger and we can still use this drug. Some may want to avoid Paxlovid due to a concern about “the rebound effect”, but the rebound effect happens with other viral infections as well. It also happens even if you don't get Paxlovid, but what we have seen is that if you do have a rebound in symptoms, you do not have those severe outcomes. Friday, January 13, is the next live Morning Medical Update. We’ll check in on a patient who made national headlines several years ago when he was shot trying to help a stranger in a bar.Visit our website, www.kansashealthsystem.com or findadoctor.kansashealthsystem.com.