Mayo Clinic Health Matters

Systemic therapies are drugs that are taken orally or by IV to treat cancer. Types of systemic therapies for breast cancer include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapyand targeted drug therapy. Which therapy is used depends on which type of breast cancer is being treated.  "The goal of systemic therapy is simply to either inhibit the growth of cancer cells or to kill them and to eradicate...

We’ve all experienced our heart rate change. For example, your heart rate increases when you exercise and slows when you sleep. But what if your heart rhythm changes when you aren't expecting it? That condition is known as heart arrhythmia.  Heart arrhythmias, also called heart rhythm problems, occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate your heartbeats don't work properly. This causes your...

"October is going to be a very exciting month in the U.S., regarding COVID-19 vaccines," says Dr. Gregory Poland, head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.  "On Oct. 14 the Federal Drug Administration is going to look at COVID-19 boosters for Moderna. On Oct. 15, (the FDA will review) boosters for Johnson & Johnsons' COVID-19 vaccine. And on Oct. 29, the FDA will look at extending emergency us...

Dr. Cheryl Willman was named executive director of Mayo Clinic Cancer Programs, and director of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in May. In this role, Dr. Willman is leading the expansion and strategic development of Mayo Clinic Cancer Center locations in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, as well as newly developing Mayo Clinic global cancer programs in London and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Mayo...

Breastfeeding has many benefits. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients for your baby. Breast milk is easier than commercial formula for babies to digest, and the antibodies in breast milk boost a baby's immune system. Breastfeeding might even help a new mother lose weight after the baby is born. But breastfeeding can be challenging. New parents may worry about whether their child is...

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S. are reportedly dropping. While the news headlines are encouraging, the country is in its fourth surge heading into flu season and winter holidays. That is why medical experts are keeping their predictions and recommendations fluid. How the virus spreads depends on human behavior. "What happens is that people read the news and say: 'We're done. We're free. It's...

While still relatively rare, the rate of primary liver cancer has been increasing in recent decades, disproportionately affecting minority populations.  "Research has shown that Blacks and Hispanics are less likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer at an earlier stage, compared to whites," says Dr. Sumera Ilyas, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. "And that, in turn, means the odds of being eligible...

With flu season approaching, Mayo Clinic experts remind parents of the importance of vaccinating children for influenza and COVID-19 when possible.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)recommends everyone 6 months and older get vaccinated for flu each year. The CDC also says people who are eligible can be vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 at the same time.  Currently, children ages 1...

The path to approvals for a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has seemed complicated.  "This is a confusing set of recommendations," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "So let's look at the four groups approved for only the Pfizer booster, thus far. If you got a primary series of the Pfizer vaccine, you're 65 and older...

Of the many different types of pediatric brain tumors some are noncancerous, or benign, and some are cancerous, or malignant. Treatment and chance of recovery, or prognosis, depend on the type of tumor, its location within the brain, whether it has spread, and your child's age and general health. Because new treatments and technologies are continually being developed, several options may be availa...

On Friday, Sept. 17, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) advisory panel rejected a proposal to give Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine boosters to the general public. But the panel recommend boosters for people aged 65 and older — and for other high-risk groups — six months after the initial vaccination series. That includes health care workers. The recommendation will go before the FDA for final approv...

Asthma is a condition where your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult, and trigger coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Asthma is one of the most common long-term diseases in children, but adults can have asthma, too. Symptoms of asthma include: Shortness of breath. Chest tightness or pain. Wheezing when exhaling, which is a common sign of...

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's germ-fighting network. The lymphatic system includes the lymph nodes or glands, the spleen, the thymus gland, and bone marrow. While many types of lymphoma exist, the main subtypes are Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Knowing exactly which type of lymphoma you have is key to developing an effective treatment pl...

Each week, the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast shares the latest information on COVID-19. On today's episode, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, answers listeners' coronavirus questions.  Dr. Poland discusses the mu variant, understanding breakthrough infections and the importance of flu vaccinations this fall.  "The symptoms of COVID-19 and...

After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men. One in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly, and may need minimal or even no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly. So if you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Now what? "It's v...

Birth defects affect 1 in every 33 babies born in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before a baby is born, early intervention using fetal surgery can treat life-threatening birth defects and improve outcomes in some cases.  Fetal surgeons at Mayo Clinic Children's Center treat many conditions, including:  Spina bifida (myelomeningocele). Twin anemia-p...

One in every 266 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer by age 20, according to the American Cancer Society. Sarcoma — the term for a group of cancers that begin in the bones and in the soft or connective tissues — is one of the more common types of childhood cancer.  Fortunately, recent treatment advances have increased survival rates. Of children diagnosed with cancer, 84% now su...

Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare form of cancer that has typically been treated using limb salvage surgery combined with radiation therapy. While limb salvage surgery helps patients avoid amputation, patients are often left with substantial functional limitations. Now advancements in microsurgery are making it possible to harness the body's ability to regenerate muscle strength after surgery to remov...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is the third leading cause of death worldwide according to the World Health Organization. COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.  The main cause of COPD in developed countries is tobacco smoking. In the developing world, COPD often occurs in people exposed to fumes from burning fuel for cooking or h...

U.S. hospitalizations for patients with COVID-19 have risen almost 500% over the past two months, according to news reports. Also, the number of ICU beds in the South is dwindling.  "We have over 101,000 Americans in the hospital with COVID-19," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "Many of them fighting for their lives in ICUs an...

Many advances have been made in diabetes treatments over the past decade. Diabetes is a lifelong chronic disease with the potential for significant complications. Despite the advances, many people with diabetes struggle with the disease. "Diabetes is an abnormality in consuming or metabolizing blood glucose," says Dr. Tambi Jarmi, a Mayo Clinic nephrologist. "So diabetic patients have a hard time...

Running is a great way for kids to get active and participate in sports. Cross country and track are two of the most popular sports in middle school and high school.  But injuries in young runners are common, often are caused by improper technique or lack of strength and conditioning training. Another cause of injury is increasing mileage too quickly. Common injuries include patellar tendonitis, O...

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as have booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines. These are welcome developments as the COVID-19 delta variant wave continues to rip through many U.S. communities, exhausting and wearing people down. "I cannot tell you the emotional toll this has taken on us as physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists,...

With a goal of shortening the wait time for a solid organ transplant, Mayo Clinic is leading efforts to expand the donor pool by making more organs suitable for transplantation.  Organs from deceased donors are screened thoroughly, and donated organs that tested positive for hepatitis C were previously discarded. But research at Mayo Clinic has changed that.  A recent Mayo Clinic study found that...

COVID-19 and especially the spread of the delta variant have created a whole new set of challenges this year. And now, children across the US are returning to school during this same time, creating many questions for families. In this "Mayo Clinic Q&A" podcast, Dr. Angela Mattke, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician and host of #AskTheMayoMom, is joined by two experts in pediatric infectious disease to disc...