Doctor
- Dr. Jeffrey A. Sternberg
- Dr. Shelley Gordon
- Dr. David King-Stephens
- Dr. Robert Rodvien
- Dr. Catherine A. Madison
- Dr. Robert G. Miller
- Dr. Mark I. Singer
- Dr. Stephen Andrew Lasher Jr.
- Weight Management
Head & Neck Melanoma
Head and neck melanomas can start as pigmented skin lesions, in the sinuses of the head or in the mouth. Biopsies need to be done by someone experienced with melanoma and that the slides need to be seen by an experienced pathologist.
Surgery and Weight Management
Weight management requires exercise and decreased caloric intake. Surgery can decrease stomach size or decrease absorbed calories. Success still requires changes in behavior.
Weight Management
Sustained significant weight loss requires medical, exercise, behavioral, and nutritional care. Chronic commitment is essential to change foods consumed, increase exercise and understand how obesity occurred in you.
Loss of Appetite
The most common cause of loss of appetite in cancer patients is chemotherapy. There is also liver disease and sores in your mouth referred to as ulcers from chemotherapy. Medicines are available to increase the appetite.
Nausea
Nausea in people with cancer occurs but not in everyone, even when they get chemotherapy. Causes include chemotherapy, pain and cancers, especially in the liver, GI tract or brain. Treatments are usually very effective.
What is Cancer?
Dr. Rodvien describes the causes of cancer, discussing interactions of our genetic material that we inherit with the environment that surrounds us. Amongst these exposures, tobacco is the single most important cause of cancers. Asbestos is another. Viruses that cause one illness in most of us such as mono are related to cancers such as lymphoma in a minority of us.
Diarrhea in the Cancer Patient
Diarrhea in the setting of cancer may not be self-limited and can be dangerous to the patient. The cause of diarrhea in the setting of cancer needs to be identified, especially those caused by these unusual infections.
Epilepsy in Women
Women with epilepsy can be safely taken through pregnancy with a very high probability of a normal fetus, and no increase in problems to the Mother as well. The newer drugs are safer for Mom and baby.
Epilepsy Medicines
Women with epilepsy may need to change medicines to stop seizures, to enhance the quality of the life for the woman or to protect the baby of a pregnant woman. There are numerous drugs available at this time.
Anemia
Anemia is a diminished number of red cells in the blood. Red cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit also measure anemia. Anemia implies you can’t deliver oxygen as well to the tissues of your body.
Leaving the Hospital on Coumadin
The total change when you leave the hospital on Coumadin can modify Coumadin doses significantly. Get a blood test, an INR, very soon after you leave so you can anticipate these changes in Coumadin dose.
Pulmonary Emboli
Clots in the veins of the legs or pelvis can migrate to the lungs. High risk times for anyone to get these pulmonary emboli exist when there have been prior clots, cancer, prior surgeries or hospitalization in general.
Genetics of Coumadin
We can measure two liver proteins that affect how long Coumadin stays in the blood. Measuring these two proteins may allow us to use Coumadin more safely. That research is ongoing.
Vitamin K and Coumadin
Vitamin K are chemicals that allow your body to change inactive proteins made in the liver into proteins that can protect you from bleeding excessively. Vitamin K is in food, made in your colon or stored in your liver.
Stopping Coumadin
Coumadin can be stopped electively, or transiently, because of bleeding. Talk with your physician about what to do if a high INR or bleeding occurs. The goal is to decrease your risks temporarily for use of Coumadin later.