News Archive
2013-2014 News Archive - Urology at UCLA
Life Expectancy Still Not Used to Determine Aggressiveness of Prostate Cancer Treatment
Dec 31, 2014
Dr. Timothy Daskivich -- More than half of prostate cancer patients age 66 years and older have life expectancies of less than f10 years, yet half of them were over-treated for their prostate cancer with surgery, radiation, or brachytherapy. This is according to the first study to rigorously address prostate cancer treatment trends by life expectancy in a large, nationally representative sample.
Story on oncologynurseadvisor.com >
Kidney Recipient Meets Her Donor
Dec 23, 2014
Los Angeles (KABC) -- LA County Probation Officer's Kidney Transplant Saves Mom, Stranger
A Los Angeles County probation officer saved his own mother and a stranger through a kidney transplant chain. Michael Valdez, 37, and Danielle Jones, a Las Vegas teacher, met for the first time Tuesday at the UCLA Medical Plaza. Valdez wanted to donate a kidney to his mother, Nora Cruz, but the two were not a match, so he agreed to take part in a kidney transplant chain. After Cruz received a kidney from someone else, he donated one of his to Jones, who did not have a donor of her own. The two share a rare blood type. Jones had been undergoing dialysis for 11 hours a day. "It's been very rewarding all the way around. It's just a good feeling on the inside to know that you have helped someone else much less a whole chain of people, taking people off the transplant list and just countless lives affected in a positive way," said Valdez. Story on abc7.com
Study: Doctors Paid More for Multiple Procedures Than for Multiple Patients
Dec 08, 2014
Dr. Jonathan Bergman -- The nation's highest-paid medical professionals may have financial incentive to conduct unnecessary procedures, says a new UCLA report. Highly-paid doctors make more money ordering multiple procedures for individual patients than they earn seeing multiple patients, according to a study released Monday by the UCLA Department of Urology and the Veterans' Health Administration. The findings, described as “very surprising” by UCLA researchers, suggest the payment reform many expected under the Affordable Care Act has yet to be realized. “Our findings suggest a weakness in fee-for-service medicine,” said Dr. Jonathan Bergman, assistant professor of urology and family medicine at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine and an urologist and bioethicist at the Veterans' Health Administration in Los Angeles. “Perhaps it would make more sense to reimburse clinicians for providing high-quality care, or for treating more patients.”
George Christy Talks About “Movember”, UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology and More!
Nov 26, 2014
Drs. Holden, Belldegrun & Litwin on bhcourier.com -- Movember! The month when men are encouraged, and justifiably with their wives' support, to grow that “upper lip topiary.” So called by a smart ass UCLA professor as a synonym for the mustache to draw awareness to men's health in the month of November. Lately established as a global Movember signature, the “topiary” is deemed to be fun, spark conversation with explanations that it's high time for men's health to be acknowledged with a symbol. Notably about the prostate, informs the renowned urologist/oncologist Dr. Stuart “Skip” Holden, whose patient is Michael Milken. One of the evening's hosts, Dr. Holden is a restaurant devotee who hits the road in our town to check out any new eatery the minute the doors are unlocked (a Doctor Foodie, if you will). As the associate director during the formal opening of the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology, he welcomed guests along with Doctors Arie Belldegrun, the director, and Mark Litwin, the department chair. All sporting the “upper lip topiary.” Story on Beverly Hills Courier.
A Thanksgiving to Remember
Nov 21, 2014
Dr. Jeremy M. Blumberg -- It was the morning of a Thanksgiving past. I woke to the high-pitched beeps of my pager, and my boss, Dr. Jeffrey Veale, asked if I could go on an organ recovery. Recovery is what we call it now, though it has been termed “harvest” and “procurement” in the past. But there is no one word that can distill the meaning of removing organs from someone who has died. What I remember about Thanksgivings as a child was awakening to the smells of food and my mom asking, “What are you thankful for?” My brother and sister seemed to come up with heartfelt answers, but I just gave the impression of being annoyed. On this Thanksgiving Day, I threw on some scrubs, kissed my wife and promised to be at my in-laws in time for dinner. Jeff picked me up, and we headed south. “Where are we going?” Story on newsroom.ucla.edu >
6 Reasons Your ED Drug Isn't Working
Nov 20, 2014
Dr. Jacob Rajfer -- Before assuming the pills are bunk, check to see if you're making these common mistakes. If your erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs don't have you rising to the occasion, it doesn't necessarily mean you're out of luck. Many men who fail to respond to ED meds are taking them incorrectly, finds new research from Spain. In the study, 69 percent of guys who reported that their penis problems persisted even after taking PDE5 inhibitors—first-line ED drugs such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra—were making some errors when downing the pills. The researchers offered these patients a “re-education” program to help them better understand how they should use the meds. Of the guys that accepted, 77 percent then responded favorably to the ED drugs.
Story on menshealth.com.
New Therapy for Trauma Survivors
Nov 11, 2014
Dr. Hans Gritsch, (co-author) -- A newly developed transdiagnostic psychotherapy, called the Common Elements Treatment Approach (CETA), is effective for reducing mental health symptoms among Burmese trauma survivors living in Thailand, according to a study published by Paul Bolton and colleagues from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and University of Washington, USA in this week's PLOS Medicine. Story on eurekalert.org.
Researcher Makes Case for MRI Use in Prostate Biopsies
Nov 03, 2014
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- Leonard S. Marks, a professor of urology at UCLA School of Medicine, routinely uses MRI on prostate-cancer patients. Since 2009, he and colleagues have conducted about 1,400 MRI-fusion biopsies in 1,100 men. In a study published last year in the Journal of Urology, the researchers found that MRI-guided biopsies were three times as likely to identify cancer compared with a conventional biopsy. Another finding: 38% of the men with high-grade cancer had disease detected only when MRI was used. “Over and over again we see cancers that have been missed by conventional biopsy that are detected by targeted fusion biopsies,” said Dr. Marks.
Story on The Wall Street Journal >
New Prostate Biopsy Procedure Aids Diagnosis
Nov 02, 2014
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- Dr. Leonard Marks, a UCLA urologist and researcher who has used fusion technology since 2009, says it's important for urologists to work exclusively with radiologists who use multiparametric technology.“My nemesis is someone who comes in with an MRI done at an outside clinic. ‘Here it is, fuse it,' they'll say,” Marks says. “It's not that simple.” At UCLA, Marks also initiated a program he refers to as “active surveillance,” in which patients whose tumors are not clinically significant are monitored and followed.
Story on reviewjournal.com >
Quality of Biopsy Directly Linked to Survival in Patients with Bladder Cancer
Oct 28, 2014
Dr. Karim Chamie -- For about half of those with the disease, doctors don't get a sufficient sample to correctly stage the cancer. UCLA researchers have shown for the first time that the quality of diagnostic staging when performing biopsies on patients with bladder cancer is directly linked with survival, meaning those who don't get optimal biopsies are more likely to die from their disease. The two-year study found that about half of bladder cancer patients who were biopsied had insufficient material — meaning that no bladder wall muscle was retrieved — to accurately stage the cancer.
Article on healthcanal.com > Additional Coverage: Oncology Update, Doctors Lounge, Monthly Prescribing Reference, PriMed, Urology Times, Medical Device Online, HCP Live, Oncologynurseadvisor.com, Healio.com, Brief Penn Live
KFI Radio - Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sep 24, 2014
Dr. Mark Litwin on KFI Radio -- KFI's Bill Carroll interviewed Dr. Litwin regarding Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. This interview focused on understanding prostate cancer and why screening is key for certain high risk groups.
KFI Radio - Prostate Cancer and Baldness
Sep 16, 2014
Dr. Mark Litwin on KFI Radio -- KFI featured Dr. Litwin on links between prostate cancer and baldness. Dr. Litwin spoke about the findings from the National Cancer Institute's Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, a large study started in the early 1990s, that showed that men with a certain pattern of baldness at age 45 had a 39% increased risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer versus men with no baldness.
Love And Sex In The Time Of Viagra — 16 Years On
Sep 09, 2014
Dr. Jacob Rajfer -- NPR, All Things Considered —The lives of older men have changed in a significant way since 1998, or at least their sex lives have changed. That's the year Viagra was introduced. Cialis and Levitra followed a few years later. Dr. Jacob Rajfer, a urologist at UCLA Medical School, says there's another reason the drugs are so profitable: Erectile dysfunction "happens to all men." Not all at once, but gradually over time, "such that men in their 40s have a 40 percent chance of having this problem," Rajfer says. "For every decade after 40, there's a 10 percent increase." That means that a man in his 70s would have a 70 percent chance of having a problem, at least once in a while. Story on npr.org.
Prostate Cancer Is 1 Of The Most Survivable Cancers, Says One Doctor
Sep 07, 2014
Dr. Robert Reiter -- STUDIO CITY (KCAL9) — September marks National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and one local doctor appeared on KCAL9 News on Sunday morning to discuss the cancer, which impacts an estimated one in seven men during their lifetime. Dr. Robert Reiter is the Director of the Prostate Cancer Program at UCLA. Story on cbslocal.com.
Men Who Are Uneducated About Their Prostate Cancer Have Difficulty Making Good
Treatment Choices
Aug 27, 2014
Dr. Alan Kaplan -- They say knowledge is power, and a new UCLA study has shown this is definitely the case when it comes to men making the best decisions about how to treat their prostate cancer. UCLA researchers found that men who aren't well educated about their disease have a much more difficult time making treatment decisions, called decisional conflict, a challenge that could negatively impact the quality of their care and their long-term outcomes.
Article on newsroom.ucla.edu > Additional Coverage: Medicalxpress.com, Examiner.com, News-Medical, Oncology Nursing Advisor
New Technology Detects Prostate Cancer
Jul 28, 2014
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- (KABC) A new targeted biopsy technology detects prostate cancer in cases it was previously missed or overlooked. Michael Lewis, 70, of Ventura and his wife love to cook and entertain. To continue his active lifestyle, he stays on top of his health and gets regular screenings for prostate cancer. At one of his screenings, his doctor assured him he didn't have cancer, even though he had elevated levels of PSA. Normally, the higher the PSA levels the more likely a man has cancer. But an elevated PSA doesn't guarantee that someone has cancer. Lewis decided to get a biopsy to locate a tumor. If doctors find a tumor, men can forgo treatment and keep an eye on what happens. But ultrasound alone is not fool proof. "For perhaps the past 30 years, prostate biopsy has been performed in a blind fashion," said Leonard Marks, a doctor at UCLA. Story on abc7.com.
Paying It Forward: Woman's Donated Kidney Will Not Only Save Sister's Life, But Dozens More
Jul 14, 2014
Dr. Jeffrey Veale -- Woman's donated kidney will not only save sister's life, but dozens more. Sister's kidney donation helps save dozens of other lives as well. Lisa Sigell reports. Story on transplants.ucla.edu | Story on losangeles.cbslocal.com.
UCLA Urology Ranked #4 Nationally
Jul 14, 2014
"Best Hospitals 2014-15" -- UCLA's hospitals in Westwood and Santa Monica have again earned a place on the Honor Roll of U.S.News & World Report's "Best Hospitals 2014-15." UCLA Urology was ranked #4 nationally. Story on uclahealth.
Natural Sex Boosters: Can You Rev Up Your Libido?
Jun 05, 2014
Dr. Christopher Saigal -- Got bedroom troubles? Waning sexual desire or erection problems are very common. Maybe you've been tempted to try ginseng, ginkgo, and similar supplements. There's no lack of products out there. What are these supplements? Do they live up to their promises? Are there any studies showing they work? Do they have bad side effects? Are they worth the cash? Is a romantic bath for two a better solution? We spoke with Christopher Saigal, MD, assistant professor of urology at UCLA School of Medicine, about men's supplements -- mostly for erectile dysfunction (ED). He's got an open mind about supplements that mimic Viagra, but he's also got definite opinions. If you're buying an off-the-shelf supplement, the quality is worth questioning, Saigal says.
When Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Isn't Low Risk
May 18, 2014
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- A UCLA study finding that the selection of men for active prostate cancer surveillance should be based not on the widely used conventional biopsy method but on a new image-guided, targeted prostate biopsy. The UCLA team found that conventional "blind" biopsy failed to reveal the true extent of presumed low-risk prostate cancers; when targeted biopsy was used, more than a third of these men had more aggressive cancers than originally thought. The new method, pioneered by a multidisciplinary team on the Westwood campus, is now a routine part of UCLA's surveillance program. Study senior author Dr. Leonard Marks, a professor of urology and director of the UCLA Active Surveillance Program, was quoted.
Story on Examiner.com > Additional Coverage: Dot Med, Med India, Innovations Report, Today Topics, Bio-Medicine, Science Daily, Medical Xpress, Medical News Today, Science Codex, Senior Journal WWSB-TV, My Sun Coast, Health Canal, ASCO Post, Nature News, Argentina Star, Alaska Oncology, Tower Oncology, Radiation Oncology Associates, Domain-B, Doctor's Lounge, HCP Live, Oncology Nurse Advisor, Health Imaging Hub
Renowned Urologic Oncologist, Dr. Stuart Holden, Joins UCLA Urology
May 17, 2014
Dr. Stuart Holden -- Dr. Stuart Holden has joined the UCLA faculty as a health sciences clinical professor in the Department of Urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and associate director of the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology. The internationally respected urologic oncologist and surgeon has worked on the frontlines of prostate cancer for more than 36 years while pioneering new treatments for urologic cancers.
Story on urologytimes.modernmedicine.com. Additional Coverage: newswise.com
"The Doctors" Spotlights Kidney Swap
May 15, 2014
Jeffrey Veale -- The syndicated television program "The Doctors" May 15 aired a segment on a kidney transplant swap involving one incompatible donor/recipient pair in Los Angeles and another in New York. Dr. Jeffrey Veale, director of the UCLA Kidney Exchange Program, was featured.
Older Men with Early-Stage Prostate Cancer and Other Health Problems Don't Benefit from Surgery or Radiation Therapy
May 12, 2014
Dr. Timothy Daskivich on newswise.com -- Treatments May Result in Additional Health Issues While Offering No Survival Benefit. Treating older men with early-stage prostate cancer who also have other serious underlying health problems with aggressive therapies such as surgery or radiation therapy does not help them live longer and, in fact, can be detrimental, according to a study by UCLA researchers.
Story on newswise.com.
Additional Coverage: Medical News Today, Examiner.com, Headlines and Global News, Medical Xpress, News-Medical.net, Utah Post, Westside Today, Med India, News Max Health, Daily Rx, Medscape, Tech Times, Dot Med, Health Canal , Gary Crusader, Science Codex, Oncology Nurse Advisor, Natural News , KPCC 89.3 FM, Health News Digest, KCAL 9 News, News-Medical.net, Philippine Urological Association, Examiner.com, Renal & Urology News
Prostate Cancer Breakthrough: Technique Offers Hope to Prostate Cancer Patients
May 05, 2014
Dr. Leonard S. Marks on nbclosangeles.com -- 4 the First Time: A new technique pioneered at UCLA is changing how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated. Dr. Bruce Hensel explains why this new technique means less pain and suffering for men and more lives saved for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 5, 2014. Story on nbclosangeles.com.
KFI Radio Interviews Testicular Cancer Expert
Apr 15, 2014
Dr. Mark Litwin on kfiam640.com -- Dr. Mark Litwin, chairman of the UCLA Department of Urology, appeared April 15 on the Bill Carroll show on KFI AM640 to talk about testicular cancer awareness.
UCLA Urologists Educate the Public About Testicular Cancer During Testicular Cancer Awareness Month
Apr 09, 2014
Dr. Mark Litwin on finance.yahoo.com -- This April, UCLA Urology is educating the public about the most common cancer in young men age 15 to 34 during Testicular Cancer Awareness month. Men, and ladies for the men in your life, get ready to share this important, lifesaving information about testicular cancer. "Testicular cancer is highly treatable and 95% curable when found early, which is why it is so important to know the signs and symptoms of this disease," said Dr. Mark Litwin, Chair of the UCLA Urology Department and the Director of the UCLA Testicular Cancer Program. "Self exams are key to detecting early signs of testicular cancer. Men should be aware of any lumps, pain, or changes in the scrotum or testicles during these monthly exams."
Story on finance.yahoo.com.
Nomination for the National Quality Forum's Surgery Steering Committee
Mar 04, 2014
Dr. Christopher Saigal -- Dr. Saigal has been invited to serve as a member of the National Quality Forum's (NQF's) Surgery Steering Committee for the Surgery Measure Endorsement and Maintenance project. The goal of this project is to identify and endorse new performance measures for accountability and quality improvement that specifically address surgical care processes, including cardiac, thoracic, vascular, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and general surgery.
Nomination Letter (PDF) > | National Quality Forum Surgery Measures >
Kidney Donors, Recipients Featured on "The Doctors"
Feb 26, 2014
Jeffrey Veale -- The syndicated program "The Doctors" featured a UCLA living donor kidney transplant chain that started when an altruistic donor gave his kidney to a stranger. Sixteen of the 20 chain recipients, donors and Dr. Jeffrey Veale, director of the UCLA Kidney Exchange Program, appeared on the show. UCLA's kidney exchange program director Dr. Jeffrey Veale explains how a kidney chain works. Story on thedoctorstv.com.
How a Kidney Transplant Chain "Pays It Forward"
Jan 08, 2014
Jeffrey Veale -- Dr. Jeffrey Veale, Director of the UCLA Kidney Transplantation Exchange Program, is here today to raise awareness for paying it forward through the selfless act of kidney donation. Altruistic kidney donor Harry Damon joins us via Skype to explain his motivation for donating his spare kidney to a mother in need. The ripple-effect of Harry's generous donation has triggered an entire chain of life. Story on hallmarkchannel.com.
New More Accurate Way To Pinpoint Prostate Cancer
Dec 18, 2013
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN)
About 240,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the U.S. One of the biggest challenges for doctors is correctly diagnosing this type of cancer. Now, there's a new way to pinpoint prostate cancer that's more accurate than ever. "The conventional way to biopsy the prostate is not a perfect method," Leonard S. Marks, MD, Professor of Urology, Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said.
UCLA Kidney Exchange Program "Opens Floodgates" to Transplants for Hundreds of Patients
Dec 03, 2013
Dr. Jeffrey Veale -- During this season of giving, a UCLA program that connects patients with matching through an innovative exchange program celebrated on Monday more than 100 transplants. The UCLA Kidney Exchange Program calls itself an “innovative twist on efforts” to increase the organ donor pool. It gives patients who are unable to receive a kidney from a loved one the change to still receive a kidney through an exchange between incompatible donor-recipient pairs.
Story on NBC > | KTLA > | CBS > | The Huffington Post >
More in U.S. Say Doctors Should Try to Save Lives, No Matter What
Nov 21, 2013
Dr. Jonathan Bergman -- A surging share of Americans believe that doctors should do everything possible to save a life despite concerns over the costs and consequences of such intensive care. The new survey, released Thursday by the Pew Research Center, surprised doctors and bioethicists who have advocated for physicians and families to carefully weigh aggressive medical treatments for patients near death. Invasive procedures may not lengthen or improve life for the chronically ill, they warn. Many Americans agree with them: Two out of three people believe there are some situations in which a patient should be allowed to die, the survey found. Article on latimes.com
Low-Fat Diet, Fish Oil Appear to Help Prevent Prostate Cancer
Nov 18, 2013
Dr. William Aronson -- UCLA Researchers Say the Findings are Significant.
Men with prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet and took fish oil supplements showed changes in their cancer tissue that may help prevent disease growth and recurrence, according to a new study by UCLA researchers. The patients who followed the regimen had lower levels of "pro-inflammatory substances" in their blood and a lower "cell cycle progression score" -- a measure that is used to predict cancer recurrence -- than men who ate a typical Western diet, UCLA researchers found.
Article on newsroom.ucla.edu
Additional Coverage: KCBS/KCAL 9 News, KNX 1070AM, KFWB 980AM, Examiner.com, Health News Digest, Science Codex, Medical Xpress, Science Daily, Cancer Health Center, University Herald, ProHealth.com, Scrubs Report, Bioscience Technology, News-Medical.net, Zee News, Pourquoi Docteur, Science Blog, Health Canal, New Kerala, United Press International, Top News, KFWB 980AM, Asian News International, Medscape, Bruin Nation, Food Exposed
Targeted Prostate Cancer Biopsy Study Highlighted
Nov 08, 2013
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- UCLA Urologist Develops Improved Prostate Biopsy
About a million biopsies for prostate cancer are performed every year. Close to 75 percent come up negative. But some doctors say biopsies aren't always as accurate as they could be. About 240,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the United States. One of the biggest challenges for doctors is diagnosing this type of cancer correctly.
Coverage: Ivanhoe News, KFDX-TV, KLAS-TV, KFQX-TV, WWTV-TV, WJRT-TV, WWSB-TV, WTAJ-TV , WIAT-TV
Confederación Americano de Urologia Names Highest Award for Dr. Shlomo Raz
Oct 09, 2013
Dr. Shlomo Raz on today.ucla.edu -- Latin American Urology Association names annual award after UCLA Urology's Dr. Shlomo Raz
The Confederation Americano de Urologia (CAU), an organization of 8,000 urologists from Central and South American, Mexico and Spain, is honoring Raz for his efforts by naming its highest accolade in his honor and bestowing the first medal on him. The Shlomo Raz Medal, a bronze medallion bearing his likeness, was awarded to him on Oct. 2 at a CAU meeting in Lima, Peru.
Four Prominent UCLA Stem Cell Researchers Receive CIRM Early Translational Grants
Aug 28, 2013
Dr. Robert Reiter -- Four prominent researchers from UCLA's Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research have received Early Translational research awards totaling approximately $13 million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) the state stem cell agency. The UCLA researchers received four of the 12 total awards; no other applicant institution received more than one award.
Additional Coverage: newswise.com > | stemcellroundup.blogspot.com > | phys.org >
Prostate Cancer Tumors' Aggressiveness May Be Inherently Fixed
Aug 14, 2013
Dr. Robert Reiter on latimes.com -- A new study of prostate cancer suggests that a tumor's aggressiveness is inherently fixed at the time of its appearance, although diet, lifestyle and environmental factors may trigger progression of the disease in low-level cases. The findings, published Wednesday in the journal Cancer Research, add to mounting evidence that many small, slow-growing prostate tumors can be left in the body and carefully monitored instead of being treated with surgery, radiation, hormone therapy or drugs. Article on latimes.com
Why Kidney Stones Are on the Rise
Jul 26, 2013
Dr. Charles Scales on nextavenue.org -- Obesity is the primary culprit, but experts say there's plenty we can do to reduce the risk of these painful particles. Few things in life are as unpleasant as kidney stones, the hard, solid particles of mineral and acid salts that form in the urinary tract and sometimes get stuck there and cause extreme pain. There's plenty to go around these days. Americans are developing kidney stones at almost twice the rate as 20 years ago, wreaking particular havoc on middle-age adults. Article on nextavenue.org.
UCLA Prostate SPORE Grant Renewed for Third Cycle
Jul 22, 2013
UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and the David Geffen School of Medicine department of urology have received renewal notification from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) site in prostate cancer under the leadership of principal investigator Dr. Robert Reiter, Bing professor of urologic research and JCCC member. Newsroom.ucla.edu >
Bladder Cancer Recurrence High, Better Follow-Up Care Needed
Jun 17, 2013
Dr. Christopher Saigal and Dr. Karim Chamie cancernetwork.com -- Recent studies suggest patients with bladder cancer are not receiving optimal care or the follow-up surveillance as recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). The question of optimal treatments for subtypes of bladder cancer is difficult to address without understanding the natural history of bladder cancer.
OC Dad Celebrates First Father's Day Since Kidney Transplant
Jun 17, 2013
Dr. Jeffrey Veale on KNBC, CNN en Español -- Orange County dad Joe Felix was hooked up to a dialysis machine last Father's Day. He was in desperate need for a new kidney, and finally received one from a complete stranger. The whole exchange was filmed as part of a documentary for TakePart.com.
Story on nbclosangeles.com >
Bladder Cancer Recurrence and Mortality Could Decline with Better Treatment Compliance
Jun 04, 2013
Dr. Karim Chamie on newsroom.ucla.edu -- Researchers at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center led by Dr. Karim Chamie have found that more intense surveillance and treatment of bladder cancer in the first two years after diagnosis could reduce the number of patients whose cancer returns after treatment and lower the disease's death rate. The study was published online ahead of press today in the journal Cancer. Article on newsroom.ucla.edu >
Hold Your Horses, Older Men!
May 20, 2013
Dr. Timothy Daskivich on dailyrx.com -- Prostate cancer less likely to cause death in older men than underlying conditions. One of the challenges of managing prostate cancer is measuring how aggressive it is. Because a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be treated. New research findings may make treatment decisions easier for men over the age of 60. Older men, particularly those with underlying conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, need to think carefully about treating prostate cancer at all. These gentlemen may not want to undergo treatment because their other conditions (co-morbidities) are more likely to cause death than the prostate cancer.
Coverage: examiner.com > | medicalxpress.com > | scpr.org > | healthland.time.com >
UCLA Medical Center's Kidney Transplant Chains Focus Of New Web Documentary
May 17, 2013
Dr. Jeffrey Veale on bhcourier.com -- Imagine undergoing the removal of a kidney to save the life of a complete stranger. For many people, it's a difficult scenario to envision. But a compelling documentary paints the picture of just such a tale. It chronicles a life-saving kidney transplant chain initiated by Karen Willis, who made the decision to donate after giving careful thought to the idea of helping a complete stranger. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has been a significant player in kidney transplant chains, in which donors who want to give to a medically incompatible loved one or friend are matched with another, compatible recipient, whose original donor is also paired with another concordant recipient, and so on.
Dr. Bill J. Releford to Speak at UCLA Symposium on Improving Health of African American Men
May 10, 2013
Dr. Bill J. Releford to Speak at UCLA Symposium -- Joins Other Thought Leaders to Discuss Reducing Health Disparities Through Innovative Community Barbershop Outreach Programs. In spite of significant advances in medicine, African Americans overall experience higher rates of many chronic, and often life-threatening diseases. The UCLA Department of Urology has invited four thought leaders, including Dr. Bill J. Releford, DPM, to speak at a symposium on innovative barbershop-based community outreach programs that seek to reduce health disparities among African American men. The free symposium will be held on May 14 from 8 a.m. until noon at the Tamkin Auditorium, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center at 727 Westwood Plaza in Los Angeles.
Most Men With Erectile Dysfunction Don't Seem to Get Treatment
May 06, 2013
Dr. Jacob Rajfer on consumer.healthday.com -- In a study of 6 million ED patients, 75 percent either didn't receive or fill prescriptions. Never mind the commercials with men talking freely to their doctor about their erectile dysfunction, taking a prescription for treatment to the pharmacy and settling in for a romantic evening. Despite a wide range of treatment options, most men with erectile dysfunction (ED) don't get treated, according to a new study. "To conclude from this study that three-fourths of the men who carry a diagnosis of ED are not treated doesn't fit with what we see in clinical practice," said Dr. Jacob Rajfer, a professor of urology with the David Geffen School of Medicine, at the University of California, Los Angeles.