What ideas are shaping tomorrow’s medicine? What are the coming innovations in treating heart disease and cancer? What is the latest thinking in genetics and regenerative medicine? From the minds of our scientists and clinicians, we bring you 10 noteworthy, thought-provoking ideas that have the potential to transform medicine. Read On
Cancer
Q+A with Michael Lill, MD
Medical director, Blood and Marrow Transplant Program; martial arts fighter Michael Lill, MD, leads Cedars-Sinai’s Blood and Marrow Transplant Program. Today, blood and marrow transplant is one of the most aggressive procedures used in the battle against cancer. This technique Read On
Brain Cancer Vaccine Extends Life
New results indicate that an experimental vaccine developed at Cedars-Sinai’s Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute improves length of survival in newly diagnosed brain cancer patients. Even when a tumor is successfully removed, a few cells are almost invariably left behind. These Read On
His 2nd Chance
At age 39, nonsmoker Kyle Madden was diagnosed with the unthinkable—stage IV lung cancer. Eighteen months later, after participating in a pilot study, he shows no signs of the disease, thanks to a tiny pill.
Clincal Trials 101
Before they can be approved and marketed, experimental therapies must complete the clinical trial journey, during which it is determined if a therapy is safe and effective. Clinical trials are conducted in phases during which key questions are addressed. The clinical trial process usually entails considerable hurdles. Clinical trials take an average of eight years to complete, cost thousands of dollars for each participant, and often struggle to recruit enough participants. The majority of studies will not reach their ultimate destination. But those that do represent true advances in medicine.
Q+A with Angela Lopez, MD
Hematologist/oncologist, Blood and Marrow Transplant Program; Opera singer Biomathematician and hematologist/oncologist by day, opera singer by night—whether Angela Lopez, MD, is computing a complex drug regimen or singing an aria, patients are her inspiration. Q. How can the healing power Read On