Breakthroughs in gene therapy are starting to bring new reason for hope to patients with sickle cell anemia. The inherited blood disease can cause severe pain, strokes, organ damage and sometimes premature death. The disease is more common in people of African descent. One in 12 African Americans carry a sickle cell gene, according to…
David Elder considers himself lucky. Had things gone differently, the 66-year-old retired accounting professional might have become another lung cancer death statistic. In 2017, David developed what he thought was a minor hernia. He had bouts of stomach pain and over a two-month period lost about 40 pounds. David was familiar with lung cancer’s symptoms…
Steven Michael Kane will never forget June 23, 2018. It was a Saturday. Mike, as family and friends know him, was getting a screening colonoscopy. He felt great and had no reason to worry, or so he thought. “That test saved my life,” he said. “My doctor told me later if I had waited another…
When a woman comes to Abby Parrish, she’s ready to reclaim her life. Abby is a certified mastectomy fitter. She works with women who’ve had mastectomies and are ready for prosthetics called mastectomy bras. While many women choose reconstruction after their initial breast cancer surgery, others find the thought of additional surgery too much to…
Julie Musick is a fan of the “Outlander” novels, whose author Diana Gabaldon incorporates themes of medicine, spirituality, relationships and hope. The author views her fantasy fiction stories as journeys of both body and soul. In certain ways, Julie, age 41, has found these same themes reflected in her life since being diagnosed with meningioma,…
Aaron C. Spalding, M.D., is a radiation oncologist with a straightforward approach to medicine. “I was raised in a way to try to use the blessings in my life to help others. For me, that means serving patients in our region who are unfairly afflicted by cancer,” Dr. Spalding said. A Louisville native, Dr. Spalding…
Louisville researchers are turning their success with immunotherapy toward a new foe — the deadly glioblastoma brain cancer. Renato V. LaRocca, M.D., a neuro-oncologist and cancer medicine specialist with Norton Cancer Institute, is working on new treatments that use immunotherapy to turn the body’s immune system against the cancer. Norton Healthcare is among several institutions…
A new study shows cancer is on its way to becoming the leading cause of death in more counties nationwide. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed records for 32 million people in the U.S. who died between 2003 and 2015. It found that while overall deaths due to heart disease and…
Adam D. Lye, M.D., is a proud Kentuckian. The medical oncologist/hematologist grew up in Covington and attended medical school at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington. For fun, Dr. Lye and his family like to go for hikes around the commonwealth. He also follows Kentucky country musicians Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and…
As an oncology-certified nurse, Gina Morrison, R.N., has learned there are two sides to cancer care — the side fighting cancer cells in the body and the side taking care of a person’s heart and spirit. Cancer patients can get lost navigating the path between the two. That’s where Gina comes in. After three years…
One field that lets you see the dramatic improvements in medical technology is radiation therapy for cancer. With improvements in visualizing cancer and other diseases without surgery, health care providers can target the disease while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue, according to Daniel J. Lococo, director of radiation oncology for Norton Cancer Institute. “For example,…
For many people, three of life’s scariest words are, “You have cancer.” According to Adam D. Lye, M.D., the good news is that advances in research, technology and treatment are taking away some of that fear and providing real hope. “Immunotherapy and targeted treatments have the potential to revolutionize the way we care for oncology patients,”…