Medical

, otherwise known as carfilzomib, is a proteasome inhibitor. It can be used in combination with low-dose or with Revlimid and low-dose for multiple myeloma patients that have received one to three prior treatments. It can also be used alone for multiple myeloma patients who have relapsed and have received...

As the seasons change, people experience different kinds of allergic reactions. The type of seasonal allergy one gets primarily depends on biological factors that trigger the reaction and the area where you live. Pollinating plants contribute significantly towards seasonal allergies. This piece takes a closer look at these types of...

Non-small cell lung cancer—or NSCLC—is a type of lung cancer. There are several treatment options available to patients who have non-small cell lung cancer. One of these options is going on  or Gilotrif. What treatment option a doctor recommends to patients with NSCLC will depend on the characteristics of...

Relapsed multiple myeloma (otherwise known as recurrent myeloma) is the name given to a returning multiple myeloma cancer after treatment has been completed and/or a period of remission has been experienced. There is no cure for multiple myeloma and so a relapse is a possibility for many patients diagnosed...

Eosinophilic asthma (EA) is a subtype of asthma that is usually common in adults between the age of 25 and 35 years. It is caused by high counts of a white blood cell known as eosinophil. These white blood cells are found in the lungs, blood and the respiratory...

, or , is one of the drugs used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. is a checkpoint inhibitor. Checkpoint inhibitors are immunotherapy drugs designed to target the PD-1 protein receptor, which is what can sometimes be used to trick T-cells into thinking a cancer...

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the blood that is caused by the uncontrolled production of abnormal plasma cells. Currently, there is no cure for multiple myeloma, however, there are many treatment options available to patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Most treatments take a two-step approach: the first step...

Overview Eosinophilic asthma is a severe type of asthma that occurs when the number of eosinophils increases beyond the normal level. Eosinophils are special type of white blood cells. Unlike other type of asthmas, eosinophilic asthma is not caused by allergens like pollen and animal fur. The increased number...

The treatment course for non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, depends on several factors, including the stage of the cancer. Keeping in mind the various factors, below are several different NSCLC treatments. The most common treatment options for NSCLC include: surgery chemotherapy radiation therapy radiofrequency ablation (RFA) immunotherapy targeted therapies...

, or , is an immunomodulatory agent. It is used in patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies that include ( or another proteasome inhibitor) and also Revlimid (). The patients must also have demonstrated disease progression on or within 60 days of completing...

Advanced breast cancer—also known as metastatic breast cancer and stage 4 breast cancer—means that a patient’s tumor has spread to other tissues and organs in the body. In a majority of cases, breast cancer spreads to the bones, liver, lungs, or even brain. The spread of a breast tumor...

Most cancer treatments are a cocktail of various strong medication that aim at fighting cancer cells and inhibiting further growth and spread to other healthy cells. With the advancement in cancer treatments, there is still a huge challenge when it comes to treatment of colorectal or colon cancer. Abnormal...

The military needs medical and health professionals in order to provide services to soldiers and to offer medical services in countries where the U.S. military is posted. So, many physician assistants work in the military. Whether you choose to join the military after you’ve gone through your PA education...

Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS (with constipation; IBS-C), comes in a variety of forms as there is no single approach that will work for everybody. Patients with IBS-C will want to try changes in diet, exercise, stress management, as well as medication. Talk to your doctor to find...

It is more than expected to be riddled with questions upon learning that you have advanced breast cancer—also known as metastatic breast cancer or stage IV cancer. The purpose of any advanced breast cancer treatment is to lengthen patients’ survival time, as well as improve their quality of life....

Cancer has become one of the deadliest diseases in the world. It has become a nightmare for most family members who are experiencing financial difficulties trying to treat their family members who are suffering from the disease. The effects of cancer in most families have surpassed the one caused...

Many things can lead to a heart attack or myocardial infarction, but the primary cause has always been clear: the narrowing of the arteries in the heart. There are numerous risk factors associated with myocardial infarction, including high LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) levels, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, a...

There are medications that can be prescribed to help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. However, it may not be possible to eliminate your symptoms entirely. A doctor can prescribe these medications to help moderate constipation, diarrhea, and severe pain that hasn’t responded to anything else. Most...

As medical experts gain a more thorough understanding of how variations in cancer cells lead them to replicate uncontrollably, they formulate and design new medications that directly address these cellular variations. The purpose of these new targeted therapies is to inhibit the growth as well as their ability to spread...

Colorectal cancer refers to cancer that develops in the colon and/or rectum. This cancer can spread to other parts of the body like liver, lungs or brain. In that case it is referred to as metastatic colorectal cancer. If that is the case, you will require metastatic colorectal cancer...

One way to treat hepatitis C is with Mavyret, a prescription treatment that combines the two drugs glecaprevir and pibrentasvir. Mavyret has been approved to treat adults with chronic hepatitis C without cirrhosis. Those diagnosed with compensated cirrhosis can also take Mavyret. Mavyret is used to treat all six genotypes, or...

IBS-D is irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. The most common symptoms of IBS-D include: Sudden urges to have bowel movements Gas Abdominal pain or discomfort Frequent stools Loose stools Nausea The feeling of being unable to completely empty your bowels There are medications that can treat many of the...

Up to 80% of all cases of breast cancer are classified as ER-positive. In this type of breast cancer, the tumour forms as a reaction to the production of estrogen. Up to 65% of these types of cancer are also classified as PR-positive. In the case of a PR-positive...

Colorectal cancer is the third and second most common type of cancer in men and women respectively. In 2012, there were 1.4 million new diagnoses with a total of 694,000 deaths resulting from the cancer globally. The number of patients who could be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the USA...

The concept of masculinity has long been championed among men throughout their process of growth and when they finally attain adulthood. ‘Manly’ behavior is often associated with strength and strongly rids itself of any form of weakness such as ill health. As such, the traditional macho man has been...

Chronic hepatitis C is a long-lasting liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus. It starts as acute hepatitis that begins within the first six months of being exposed to the hepatitis C virus. As many as 85% of the people who contract hepatitis C will develop long-lasting chronic Hepatitis...

Xifaxan, or rifaximin, is an antibiotic prescribed to help manage travelers’ diarrhea that is caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli). In this case, it is for patients aged 12 years and older. Xifaxan is also prescribed to adults with liver failure. There are several side effects...

() is a drug found to potentially be effective in the treatment of certain kinds of breast cancer. is an immune checkpoint inhibitor, which is an immunotherapy. Immunotherapy medications use the immune system to attack cancer cells. Most immunotherapies use either a naturally made (in your body) substance or a...

Pulmonary embolism is a blockage of a pulmonary artery, which is a blood vessel in the lung. Pulmonary arteries bring deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs, and this allows oxygen to be absorbed by the blood. Given the role of these arteries, pulmonary...

Going to the doctor for a prostate exam can cause men quite a bit of anxiety and dread. Unfortunately, this may cause men to put off or completely avoid this potentially life-saving procedure. Reasons for shunning a prostate exam may include feelings of embarrassment; fear of physical discomfort; or...

Most hepatitis C treatments involve months of injections. These treatments have up to a 50% cure rate. However, most of these treatments involve some serious side effects. Newer hepatitis C treatments involve combinations of oral medications that are taken over the course of several weeks. The oral treatments are...

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a gastrointestinal disorder that can cause digestive problems. One of the treatment options for IBS is probiotics. A probiotic is a bacteria that we consume specifically for health benefits. The effectiveness of a probiotic will depend on what species of bacteria it is made...

IBRANCE (palbociclib) is an oral formulation that treats metastatic breast cancers that have maintained disease progression post endocrine therapy. Breast cancer is the carcinoma of the breast tissue, either ductal or lobular. In ductal carcinomas, the tubes of the breast that carry milk to the nipple are affected. For...

Kidney cancer or renal cancer develops in the cells of the kidney; the various types of renal cancers are determined based on the specific cells in which cancerous cells are detected. The detection and prevention of kidney cancer can be challenging as they develop in unlikely ways and have...

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes liver inflammation that can then lead to liver problems, including cancer. Even if the hepatitis C virus isn’t causing symptoms for you, you still need to treat it. Treating the hepatitis C virus helps to lower your chances of complications such as dangerous...

Ixekizumab is an injectable biologic drug that helps to suppress the immune system. The drug is used to treat plaque psoriasis by binding to interleukin 17A (IL-17A), which is a chemical produced by cells in the body that stimulate immune reactions. Ixekizumab is also known as Taltz in the...

Once bladder cancer has reached an advanced stage, the first thing that is done is often a transurethral resection. This is done to determine how much the cancer has advanced or the extent of its spread. Stage III Bladder Cancer After determining how far the cancer has grown, the...

Kidney cancer is a life-threatening condition that can interfere with the kidneys’ ability to remove toxins from the bloodstream. Fortunately, if you are aware of the risk factors that contribute to kidney cancer, you can reduce your likelihood of developing this condition. Understanding Kidney Function You have two bean-shaped...

Total hip replacement, which is also known simply as hip replacement or hip arthroplasty, is a long-term surgical treatment for reducing your hip joint pain and increasing your hip’s range of motion. Hip replacements are performed by orthopedic surgeons, physicians who specialize in treating diseases and conditions relating to the...

Most patients with genotype 1 of hepatitis C will be recommended one of four highly potent DAA (direct-acting antiviral) combination regimens. The difference in recommendation will be based on several factors. These include the hepatitis C virus subtype, the presence or absence of baseline NS5A resistance-associated substitutions (RASs), and...

There are various new treatments for bladder cancer and research is being done to improve existing treatments. Surgery For bladder cancer, surgery consists of doing a cystectomy. Some doctors are now doing what is called a robotic cystectomy, which is where they operate robotic arms to perform the surgery...

There are different treatment options available for bladder cancer. Outside of surgery and radiation therapy, there’s also chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. It works by stopping the cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide. A patient may be given one drug at a...

Kidney cancer is generally found in older people. 2-3% of all cancer cases in older people are kidney cancer. Renal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney tumor which is found mostly in adults. Kidney cancer symptoms are not generally observed in children or young people. Important Facts about...

Treatment guidelines for hepatitis C virus (HCV) are constantly evolving. Clinicians should frequently refer to the most recent recommendations of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (ISDA). Not all patients will be able to receive treatment immediately after the...

Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that has surfaced in at least one deep vein in the body. Most often, these blood clots will occur in the legs. There are drugs that can help to treat existing deep vein thrombosis as well as drugs that can help to...

If a patient has stage IV bladder cancer, they have reached the point where the tumor has spread to other parts of the body. This is also known as metastatic bladder cancer. At this stage, a patient may choose to receive treatment. The treatment may be to improve the patient’s...

Kidney cancer, also referred to as renal cancer, manifests itself through the uncontrollable growth of a tumor on a kidney after the affected cells become malignant. Kidney cancer is normally detected earlier than other forms of cancer before it spreads to neighboring organs. The ability to detect this condition...

If you think you were exposed to hepatitis C, you’ll need to get tested. The first test will consist of checking if your body has been exposed to the hepatitis C virus. The test will check for antibodies, which help to fight off viruses like hepatitis C. There can...

Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is metastatic lung cancer. Metastatic cancer is when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body away from where it started. The cancer may have spread from the lungs to one other part of the body, or to multiple parts of...

C—or -C Kyowa—is a treatment for several different kinds of cancer, including bladder cancer. In the case of early-stage bladder cancer, C is usually administered into a patient’s bladder via a catheter. As will often be the case, a patient will have a blood test first. This is to...