Best Practices 4th Quarter 2014

Medical Community News and Information

Fourth Quarter 2014

www.BestPracticesMD.com

Dispelling Food Myths Setting the record straight on 8 common misconceptions

CADD Offers Hope to Parents of Autistic Children Developing Treatments Against Ebola

Understanding & Fighting Breast Cancer

CONTENTS

Fourth Quarter 2014

PUBLISHER/CHAIRMAN Rick Clapp President Santiago Mendoza Jr.

EDITORIAL Editor Mary Alys Cherry

12 15

Medical Director Victor Kumar-Misir, M.D. Contributing Writers Mary Alys Cherry Kelly Groce Victor Kumar-Misir, M.D. Jarred Roberts

ART Creative Director Brandon A. Rowan Graphic Designer Kelly Groce Photography/Editing Mary Alys Cherry Patty Kane Brian Stewart

8

Letter From the Medical Director 7 The world’s most expensive coffee Features 9 Kelsey-Seybold opens new care center in Clear Lake 10 How weight affects cancer risks 12 Dispelling food myths: 8 truths to help lower risk 14 UHCL Center offers hope to parents of children with autism 16 Understanding and fighting breast cancer 17 UTMB researchers develop treatment for Ebola, Marburg viruses 18 Restoring natural beauty - Dr. Swet Chaudhari 20 Rockin’ Resilence Luncheon helps Houston women 6 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

ADVERTISING Director of Advertising Patty Kane Account Executives Shannon Alexander Santiago Mendoza Jr. Debbie Salisbury

PHONE: 281.474.5875 FAX: 281.474.1443 www.BestPracticesMD.com Best Practices Quarterly is trademarked and produced by Medical Best Practices Group, LLC. Best Practices Quarterly is not responsible for facts as presented by authors and advertisers. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced in part or whole by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher. Advertising rates are available upon request.

Best Practices Quarterly P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586 R.Clapp@Baygroupmedia.com

By Victor Kumar-Misir, M.D. | imeddrs.vm@gmail.com

I

N 1995, AN IG NOBEL PRIZE was

awarded to John Martinez of Atlanta, Ga., for “Luak Coffee,” the world’s most expensive coffee.

This Arabica coffee was brought from Yemen in the 18th Century by the Dutch to establish large coffee plantations in the Dutch East Indies islands of Java and Sumatra.

Every night, small cat-like animals, the civet cat, emerge by the hundreds and selectively gorge on the ripest, most flavorful, best berries of the coffee crops.

The berries then spend a day in the civet cats’ digestive tracts, where research by Massimo Marcone at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, has shown that in addition to dissolving the flesh off the beans, secretions do seep into the beans breaking down proteins to yield shorter peptides and free amino acids, which reduce bitterness and enhance the eventual quality of the beans.

The beans are then defecated in clumps which are then collected, washed, roasted and packaged as coffee beans or ground coffee for export worldwide, to be exclusively savored by coffee connoisseurs, tourists and adventurers – for a price. Kopi luwak is sold at $600 per pound and Vietnamese Weasel coffee, at $3,000 per kilogram, compliments of the selectively discerning taste buds of the civet cat.

On November 16, 2002, in the Foshan region of South China, a man exposed to civet cats developed a severe respiratory illness that quickly spread to his wife, daughter, and her husband. In December, in nearby Zhonghshan province, 28 similar cases appeared.

On January 30, 2003, Zhou Zuofeng, who had visited Zhongshan, checked in at a Guangzhou hospital, and within 2 days,

From the Medical Director

infected more than 30 healthcare workers.

On February 21, 2003, one such infected healthcare worker, a 64-year-old nephrology professor, Liu Jianlun, went to Hong Kong to attend his nephew’s wedding. He checked into the Kowloon Metropole Hotel, Room #911, and infected 16 hotel guests within 1 day. He died on March 04, 2003.

One of the infected guests was a 78-year-old grandmother from Canada, staying in Room #904, across the corridor from him, for only 1 night – February 21, 2003. She then flew home to Toronto, where she became ill, and infected her son. Very quickly, several hundred residents of Toronto contracted the disease, of which 31 died, including her son. The city of over 2 million was plunged into a public health and socioeconomic crisis.

One such Toronto resident, a Pilipino nurse attendant, flew home for an Easter visit, checked into a Luzon hospital, causing a major outbreak across the Philippines.

On February 21, 2003, Esther Mok, a Singapore resident, who had flown to Hong Kong on a shopping vacation, checked into the Metropole Hotel, Room #938. She returned to Singapore where she was hospitalized with pneumonia.

Very quickly, there were 200 cases, of which 33 died, including Ms. Mok’s father, mother, uncle and her pastor.

She herself survived. The condition was termed “severe acute, respiratory syndrome of unknown origin.” The WHO adopted the acronym “SARS,” and issued a global travel advisory alert.

On March 15, 2003, China Airlines Flight #112 was flying from Hong Kong to Beijing, China, with a feverish male

LETTER

passenger. By touchdown in Beijing, 22 passengers and 2 crew members were infected and spread to 70 hospitals, involving 400 healthcare workers, patients and their visitors.

A Chinese-American businessman traveled from Hong Kong to Hanoi, resulting in 150 cases in Vietnam. While in Hanoi, he was examined by Dr. Carlos Urbani, an Italian parasitologist, the local WHO communicable diseases expert.

He traveled to Bangkok, where he died 12 days later, but had brought SARS to Thailand.

The SARS-CoV, RNA virus reservoir in South China Horseshoe bats, had thus undergone a mutant spillover from bitten civet cats to humans, and had circled the earth by plane, going global in just a few months, infecting 8098 individuals, 774 of whom died, with devastating costs to national economies.

The takeaway message from this incident illustrates the vulnerability of high-density populations worldwide, in the age of international travel, and how quickly a zoonotic spillover can spiral out of control. It is expected that microbes mutating within animals will continue to present potential pandemic plagues to humanity, as they have recently (e.g., SMALLPOX, AIDS, SARS, MERS, AVIAN FLU, EBOLA, WMD). Yet we are woefully unprepared for the big one.

In the 2008 movie The Bucket List, Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman), greatly amused at Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) savoring a cup of Kopi Luwak coffee, informed Edward that he had just drunk coffee that had been produced from a jungle cat eating and defecating coffee beans, to which Cole responded “You’re shitting me!” Carter laughingly replied “No, the cats beat me to it.”

The question to the United States is “What’s on your bucket list?”

Kopi luwak, or practical, proactive pandemic preparation? ©Victor Kumar-Misir, MD 2014. All rights reserved.

Email:imeddrs.vm@gmail. com Dr. Kumar-Misir is an international physician, who has spent the past 40 years integrating trans-lingual, cross-cultural healthcare delivery with emerging information-management technologies, with input from physician executives of national academies of medicine in over 30 countries. He has been a media spokesman and keynote speaker in several countries, including the Society for intercultural Education Training and Research (SIETAR).

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

7

MEDICAL TRIVIA 1 How many muscles does it take to smile?

A. 4 B. 17 C. 1 D. 43

3 The fibula, tibia, and femur are all bones in which part of the human body?

A. Leg B. Arm C. Back D. Head

5 Which of the following medical occupations is the most popular?

A. Physician Assistant B. Optician C. Dentist D. Paramedic

2 What day of the week are you most likely to have a heart attack?

A. Friday B. Saturday C. Monday D. None of the above

4 Name the doctor who removed Albert Einstein’s brain after his death?

A. Dr. Jack Stapleton B. Dr. Robin Van Dorn C. Dr. Susan Wheeler D. Dr. Thomas Harvey

6 What is the side effect of the drug taken for restless leg syndrome?

A. Sneezing B. Gambling C. Laughing D. Crying Answers: 1. B, 2. C, 3. A, 4. D, 5. C, 6. B

Methodist St. John Hospital Adds Sculpture (Right) The magnificent Sculpture, Jesus of Nazareth, by the renown Houston artist and sculptor, Willy Wang, is now on display in the main lobby of Methodist St. John Hospital in Nassau Bay. (Far Right) Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr., Houston Methodist Chairman of the Board, welcomes guests to the unveiling of the Statue of Jesus now on display in the Mehodist St. John Hospital main lobby.

8 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

Photo: Mary Alys Cherry

DOCTORAL

DIGITS New Kelsey-Seybold medical facility in Clear Lake opens.

Kelsey-Seybold opens new care center in Clear Lake

By Mary Alys Cherry

K

ELSEY-SEYBOLD has opened

a new, custom-designed 55,000-square-foot medical facility in Clear Lake – replacing its two existing Clear Lake clinics at 17448 Highway 3 and 830 Gemini Ave. while offering both primary care and specialty care under one roof.

The multispecialty care center is located at 1010 South Ponds Drive, directly across I-45 from Baybrook Mall and overlooking the freeway, built to help accommodate the increased demand for medical care in the area while offering patients added convenience and new amenities including free WiFi, flat screen televisions, Saturday ill-care appointments and online scheduling for certain specialties.

Patients now have access to more physicians and additional medical services, with the added convenience of an onsite Kelsey Pharmacy, where they can fill prescriptions, laboratory and radiology services, including MRI and CT – all under one roof.

Plus, the new clinic is more spacious, more family friendly and loaded with extras to make a patient’s visit more enjoyable.

“Our Kelsey-Seybold Clear Lake staff is so excited to be in this beautiful new building, working side-by-side to help keep our patients well,” said, Dr. Alecia Davis Townsend, one of three managing physicians at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Clear Lake.

“Our patients will be pleased with all the services and amenities the new Clear Lake Clinic has to offer and the fact they can now get care for their entire

family at one location. We look forward to welcoming our existing patients, as well as new patients, to our new home in Clear Lake.”

The new location offers physicians in 18 medical specialties including: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Allergy, OB/GYN, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Spine (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), Pulmonary, Optometry, Neurology, Dermatology, General Surgery, Cardiology, Rheumatology and Urology.

Patients also will have the added convenience of having clinical services under one roof such as laboratory services and expanded medical and diagnostic testing, including general radiology, mobile CT, mobile MRI, ultrasound, mammography, bone densitometry, cardiac stress testing, EKG and echocardiograms. The threestory Clear Lake Clinic will increase the combined square footage from 41,000 to 55,000 square feet accommodating 27 physicians. Future expansion could take the facility to 39 physicians.

“Convenience for our patients was our top priority when planning the new Kelsey-Seybold Clear Lake Clinic and the reason we consolidated our two locations to bring all of our physicians and medical experts under one roof,” said Cynthia Medwedeff Blake, clinic administrator for Kelsey-Seybold Clinic - Clear Lake.

The phone number is 713-442-4300 and clinic hours are Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. 5 p.m. and Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The new location was designed

by Kirksey Architecture. Gamma Construction was the general contractor for this project.

10-23 watts The human brain produces 10-23 watts of power when awake. That’s enough to light a bulb.

600,000 particles Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour. That works out to about 1.5 pounds each year.

90% That high stress job you have could be doing more than just wearing you down each day. Over 90% of diseases are caused or complicated by stress.

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

9

How weight affects cancer risks Carrying too much extra weight can also put stress on the back and joints. This added pressure could result in aches and pains, causing one to be less active and gain more weight. Luckily, actions can be taken to manage weight and reduce body fat. Maxson offers the following advice.

MD Anderson expert shares tips for maintaining a healthy weight

M

AINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT

is one of the best things someone can do to improve overall health and lower cancer risk. However, finding a healthy weight on a chart and obsessing over numbers on a scale is not the ideal solution. When it comes to weight, what matters is the amount of body fat being stored and where it is carried.

“We used to think fat cells were just for storing energy,” said Stephanie Maxson, senior clinical dietician in MD Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Center. “But fat cells are actually metabolically active. That means they produce hormones and other chemicals that affect your body’s immune system and its ability to fight off disease.”

A higher weight on the scale may indicate more body fat than recommended, and a higher percentage of body fat presents a greater risk for cancer, heart disease and diabetes. “In particular, the fat around your waist can disrupt your hormones,” Maxson said. This increases the chances of developing breast and uterine cancers.

10 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

Know what causes high body fat Maxson says a handful of factors can contribute to weight: • Diet: In general, taking in more calories than the body burns will lead to weight gain.

• Activity levels: The more physical activity completed, the more the body burns, and the more likely it is to maintain a healthy weight.

• Genes: Genetics plays a big role in body shape as well as metabolism, which is the body’s ability to burn calories.

• Age: The metabolism tends to slow down during aging, meaning it can be harder to stay trim when growing older. Hormonal changes and lack of exercise also contribute to age-related weight gain.

• Health: Some illnesses sap energy, which can decrease physical activity. Certain diseases and their accompanying medications also can lead to an increased appetite and greater body fat storage.

2.

3.

4.

Measuring body fat “Unfortunately, there’s no simple way to find out your exact body-fat percentage without expensive tools or your doctor’s help,” Maxson said. Age and gender are also important factors for determining the target body fat range.

Maxson also cautions against using only body mass index (BMI) as a health assessment. BMI is calculated using only two pieces of information: height and weight. “This is overly simplistic and tends to overestimate body fat among athletes or muscular people, while underestimating body fat among the elderly or those with disease,” Maxson said. “Your best measure is your doctor.”

Devote another quarter of the plate to lean proteins like beans, lentils, baked fish, and skinless chicken or turkey. These foods provide important nutrients.

Limit starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and green peas, which can increase blood sugar levels and trigger the storage of fat cells. When eating these foods, choose colorful starches like sweet potatoes or yellow corn.

Avoid processed grains like crackers, chips, cookies and breakfast cereals. They tend to be stripped of fiber. Instead, choose fiber-packed whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat.

“In particular, the fat around your waist can disrupt your hormones.”

Don’t be discouraged if results are not shown on the bathroom scale. “Even if your weight stays roughly the same, your body should feel healthier as your weight shifts away from your danger zones,” Maxson said. “Plus, you’ll lower your disease risk, and raise your energy and mood levels.”

For additional tips on health and exercise, visit www.mdanderson.org/focused. To learn more about the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Bay Area, visit www.mdanderson.org/bayarea.

Take steps to slim down Ready to get lean? “Focus on diet and exercise. Those are the two most important factors,” Maxson said.

Exercise. Whether it’s running or gardening, lifting weights or walking around the neighborhood, physical activity burns calories and fat to stay lean.

Aim for at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate exercise or one hour and 15 minutes of more vigorous exercise each week to reduce the chances for cancer.

Eat right. Maxson recommends following these healthy diet rules: 1.

At mealtimes, fill half a plate with fruits and non-starchy vegetables to get the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help prevent diseases like cancer. The fiber will help to avoid weight issues.

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

11

Food and cancer: 8 truths to help lower risk MD Anderson experts share truths for healthy eating habits

W

oil, nuts and seeds most often.

“Just remember,” Maxson warns, “calories, whether from carbohydrates, proteins or fats, that are not burned will be stored as body fat.”

HEN IT COMES TO FOOD

and eating habits that help prevent cancer, there’s a lot of misinformation floating

around.

“Unfortunately, these rumors have led to many common myths about the foods you should and shouldn’t eat to promote good health,” said Mary Ellen Phipps, wellness dietitian at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Phipps and other MD Anderson nutrition experts have addressed the most common food and diet myths for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing diseases like cancer.

Below are the top eight food myths, deconstructed.

12 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

Food myth No. 1: Eating fat makes you fat.

Truth: While fat contains about twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein, it helps to make one feel full for longer, which can reduce snacking.

“Fat is also required for absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, which help keep you healthy,” said Stephanie Maxson, senior clinical dietitian in MD Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Center.

Maxson recommends eating fats from plant foods like avocados, olive

Food myth No. 2: Frozen produce isn’t as healthy as fresh produce.

Truth: “In some cases, frozen

produce may actually be more nutritious than fresh produce,” Phipps said.

Frozen produce is chilled within a few hours of being picked, which locks in nutrients at the height of ripeness.

“Produce begins to lose nutrients soon after it’s picked, making frozen produce a great option at certain times of the year,” Phipps explained.

Another nutrient-rich option is local, in-season produce.

Food myth No. 3: Juice cleanses or detoxes are good for you.

Truth: “Your body naturally cleanses or removes harmful toxins that could put your health at risk,” Phipps said.

“Drinking only fruit and vegetable juices can cause headaches, low energy, and nausea, and it can be dangerous if continued for too long.”

Plus, removing just the juice from whole fruits and vegetables strips out valuable nutrients, like fiber. And fiber is what makes a plant-based diet good for lowering the risk of several types of cancer.

Food myth No. 4: Eating only “superfoods” prevents cancer.

Truth: While eating a healthful diet may help to reduce cancer risk, loading up on just one or two “superfoods” isn’t going to prevent cancer.

“These foods are great additions to your diet,” Phipps said. “But a balanced diet that includes vegetables,

fruits, whole grains, and legumes (like beans or lentils) is what supports good health.”

Food myth No. 5: Eggs are an unhealthy choice.

Truth: Eggs have gotten a bad rap for far too long.

“While they’re relatively high in cholesterol, cholesterol in food has little influence on the cholesterol in your blood,” Maxon said.

And, cholesterol in the blood is what leads to health problems. On the flip side, eggs actually have health benefits.

“They’re a great source of choline, which can be good for memory and brain function, and omega-3 fats, which can help to reduce chronic inflammation,” Maxson said.

Food myth No. 6: Eating late at night causes weight gain.

Truth: Time of day has little to do with weight.

“Whether you eat your largest meal at midday or late in the evening, what you eat, the calories you consume, and your activity level are more important than the time of day you’re eating,” said Katie Bispeck, research dietitian in Behavioral Science at MD Anderson.

Food myth No. 7: If you exercise, you can eat whatever you want.

Truth: Exercise alone won’t fend off weight gain that could increase the chances for developing cancer.

“Exercise can help you maintain a balance between the calories you eat and the calories you burn, so you still need to eat a balanced diet,” Phipps said. “The combination helps you maintain a healthy weight so you can reduce your chances for certain cancers.”

Food myth No. 8: Steer clear of carbs.

Truth: To stay healthy, the body needs foods that provide energy.

“This includes carbohydrates,” Maxson said.

But carbs must be chosen wisely – some types are healthier than others.

“Eat carbs from whole grain sources, like brown rice, oats or whole wheat bread, or starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes, fresh corn or peas,” Maxson advised.

Limit foods with refined carbohydrates like white bread or sweets.

“Just remember: It is recommended that carbohydrate food sources take up no more than one-quarter of your plate,” Maxson said.

For additional tips on food and exercise, visit www.mdanderson.org/focused.

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

13

UHCL center offers hope to parents of autistic children

C (Top) University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities has been helping families affected by autism spectrum disorder since it opened its doors in 2008. Pictured is CADD Director and UH-Clear Lake Professor of Psychology Dorothea Lerman (seated middle) with center staff, which includes graduate students from the Applied Behavior Analysis program.

(Bottom Left) University of Houston-Clear Lake Applied Behavior Analysis graduate student Kally Luck works with four-year-old Aven every day at the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

14 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

ARING FOR FAMILY members with autism spectrum disorders often requires a lot of patience and special care. Just ask Tracey Benson Hall whose six-year-old son Jeren was diagnosed with autism at the early age of three when he could not speak.

Since then, Hall has been trying to find as much information as she can about autism as well as what assistance might be available to help her son.

Her research brought her to University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

Housed within the Psychological Services Clinic in the university’s Arbor Building South, the center has grown to include

specialized services through its Severe Behavior Disorders Research Clinic, Verbal Behavior Clinic and the Applied Behavior Analysis-Skills Intervention Program (ABA-SkIP) and more.

After being on the waiting list for almost three years, Hall finally received the call for which she had been hoping.

“Many parents may feel overwhelmed when they start looking at possible services to help their child,” says CADD Director Dorothea Lerman, a professor of psychology at the university. “It is important that they research their options carefully and choose interventions that are backed by attend the events that are held each science.” month during the academic year.

In the sample collected by Supporters of the series include the Center for Disease Control Hegwood and Associates P.C., JSC and Prevention’s Autism and Federal Credit Union, Spectrum of Developmental Disabilities Hope/Basis, Susie Bean Gives and Monitoring Network in 2014 from Including Kids Inc. 11 states, one in 68 children were Other financial support in identified with autism spectrum 2014 has been received from disorder, which is approximately 30 such organizations as the George percent higher than the estimate in and Mary Josephine Hamman 2008.

Foundation who provided $10,000 Six-year-old Jeren joined University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Research collected and published earlier this year to CADD for Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities this in the Journal of the American a graduate student trainer and summer. Applied Behavior Analysis graduate student Stephanie Medical Association Pediatrics supporting materials to support Smothermon works with Jeren every weekday morning to estimates that the cost of supporting the center’s “Vocational Training strengthen his speech skills and more. someone with an autism spectrum Program for Adults with Highdisorder across a lifespan is Functioning Autism.” The center approximately $1.4 million. If the also received $10,000 from the Fred resident is pleased that her son seems person has intellectual disabilities, and Mabel R. Parks Foundation to assist to be improving.

Her advice to parents the cost is closer to $2.4 million. in CADD’s Verbal Behavior Clinic. Finally, of children with an autism spectrum “Most treatments can be very more recently, the Organization for disorder is similar to Hall’s. expensive, so parents should determine if Autism Research awarded Lerman and “Do research and find a place that offers their insurance will cover the costs,” says Assistant Professor of Behavior Analysis the help your child needs,” Ruiz states.

Lerman.

Jennifer Fritz $29,996 so that CADD can Like Ruiz, Hall is very pleased even Funding from the Texas Department evaluate a parent-to-parent mentoring though it has only been a short while. of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services model.

“Since starting at ABA-SkIP, Jeren (DARS), private foundations, and Established in 2008, CADD was created individual donors provides some financial has more eye-to-eye contact and his to support research on autism and communication has already increased 50 relief for parents who bring their children developmental disabilities, train current to the center. But more financial assistance percent,” adds Hall and future professionals and provide She cannot emphasize enough how is always welcome. services to children and their families important early intervention is.

Like The center, known generally as CADD, through partnerships with community other parents at the center, she receives serves about 60 families each year, and organizations. assignments also from the graduate if school districts that receive assistance Because diagnoses are coming earlier, students of the university’s Master of from CADD are also counted, they serve Lerman believes that those seeking Arts in Behavior Analysis.

In Hall’s case, about another 60 children. assistance will continue to grow in she receives her suggestions from grad Ariana Ruiz’s four-year-old son Aven number and that CADD and other centers student Stephanie Smothermon, who started getting much-needed help for face keeping up with the needs. But, has been assisting Jeren with his potty her son this March when a spot opened CADD is doing what it can. training. at CADD. Diagnosed through the Early For those waiting to get their children Childhood Intervention services by the For more information about CADD, in the center or just wanting assistance Pasadena Independent School District visit http://hsh.uhcl.edu/CADD, email for their own home care, CADD presents when Aven was just 2 ½, Ruiz feels lucky AutismCenter@uhcl.edu or call a popular speaker series. Lerman to have found out early. The Pearland 281-283-3437. says that approximately 60-80 people

“The cost of supporting someone with an autism spectrum disorder across a lifespan is approximately $1.4 million.”

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

15

Understanding and fighting breast cancer What is breast cancer?

BREAST CANCER DEVELOPS in the breast tissue,

primarily in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) or glands (lobular carcinoma). The cancer is still called and treated as breast cancer even if it is first discovered after the cells have travelled to other areas of the body. In those cases, the cancer is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer.

Breast cancer usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor (lump), or as calcium deposits (microcalcifications) and then spreads through channels within the breast to the lymph nodes or through the blood stream to other organs. The tumor may grow and invade tissue around the breast, such as the skin or chest wall. Different types of breast cancer grow and spread at different rates -- some take years to spread beyond the breast while others grow and spread quickly.

Some lumps are benign (not cancerous), however these can be premalignant. The only safe way to distinguish between a benign lump and cancer is to have the tissue examined by a doctor through a biopsy.

Fortunately, breast cancer is very treatable if detected early. Localized tumors can usually be treated successfully before the cancer spreads; and in nine out of 10 cases, the woman will live at least another five years. However, late recurrences of breast cancer are common.

Once the cancer begins to spread, treatment becomes difficult, although treatment can often control the disease for years. Improved screening procedures and treatment options mean that at least seven out of 10 women with breast cancer will survive more than five years after initial diagnosis and half will survive more than 10 years.

16 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

Breast cancer facts •

Two-thirds of women with breast cancer are over 50, and most of the rest are between 39 and 49.

•

A woman whose mother, sister, or daughter has had breast cancer is two to three times more likely to develop breast cancer.

•

According to the National Cancer Institute, white, non-Hispanic women have the highest overall incidence rate for breast cancer among U.S. racial/ ethnic groups, while native Americans and native Alaskans have the lowest rate.

•

Women who drink a glass or two of wine a day face a 21% increased risk of breast cancer.

•

Men can get breast cancer, too, but they account for just one percent of all breast cancer cases.

•

Among women, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths after lung cancer.

Donate to research

Research is the only way to to get real results for the cure of breast cancer. Here is a list of research foundations you can donate to.

•

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

•

Edith Sanford Breast Foundation

•

Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund, Inc.

•

The Avon Foundation for Women

•

Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation

•

The Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation

UTMB researchers receive over $6 million to develop treatment for deadly Ebola and Marburg viruses

R

ESEARCHERS at

the University of Texas Medical Branch continue to lead the way in infectious disease research. Virologist Alex Bukreyev, professor of pathology at UTMB, has been awarded two National Institutes of Health grants and a U.S. Department of Defense grant totaling more than $6 million to develop experimental drugs against both Ebola and Marburg viruses. Each funded study involves collaborations among teams with different areas of expertise led by Christopher Basler, professor of microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The filoviruses Ebola and Marburg cause the most severe hemorrhagic fever known, with a mortality rate of up to 90 percent.

With no approved vaccines or treatments, they are highly infectious. Both viruses potentially could be manipulated and used as weapons in acts of bioterrorism. The current deadly Ebola outbreak in Western Africa has resulted in more than 1,000 infections and more than 600 deaths, making it the largest outbreak ever of the deadly virus.

The first NIH-funded study will take an interdisciplinary approach that centers on the 1E7-03 experimental compound previously developed by the team. Although not toxic itself, this compound suppresses the replication of the Ebola virus. Further, there is a remarkable similarity between all species of Ebola and Marburg viruses, suggesting that the compound can be used for developing a universal filovirus drug.

“The team is attacking these viruses from several directions, including biochemistry and cell biology approaches to determine which compounds block replication of filoviruses best. The most promising compounds will be tested with animal models,” said Bukreyev, the lead UTMB researcher. “The current outbreak of Ebola virus in Western Africa shows how helpless we are. I hope our studies will result in the development of therapeutics to effectively treat patients infected with filoviruses.”

Bukreyev is the lead researcher in two of the award components. He is in charge of testing the drugs developed by all teams included in the consortium that require the

Galveston National Laboratory, the only fully operational Biosafety Level 4 laboratory on an academic campus in the United States. This unique high-containment facility allows for the safe study of deadly diseases.

Bukreyev is also the lead researcher on the component aimed at optimizing the 1E7-03 compound as a drug against both Ebola and Marburg. This part of the research program will be conducted with Sergei Nekhai, professor of biochemistry at Howard University College of Medicine.

Bukreyev recently received federal funding for two other projects related to Ebola and Marburg viruses.

Another grant from the NIH will fund a project to investigate the mechanisms leading to immune system failure following filovirus infection. Bukreyev and UTMB professor Thomas Geisbert each will lead components of the project. They will both collaborate with consortium director Basler, who will also lead another component of the project.

“We are very excited,” Bukreyev said.

“One of the reasons that filovirus infections are so severe is because they disable various components of the immune system, leaving the infected person defenseless. All three components will complement one other to provide a broad picture of events that occur in the immune system following Ebola infections and will help us understand how Ebola disables it.”

Bukreyev and Geisbert also will collaborate with Thomas Moran at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Gaya Amarasinghe, Michael Gross and Daisy Leung at the Washington University School of Medicine, Ilhem Messaoudi at the University of California, Riverside and Tian Wang at UTMB. A related study newly funded by the U.S. Department of Defense will be undertaken by a consortium led by Basler. Bukreyev is the lead investigator of the funded studies conducted at UTMB. This project will be focused on the innate immunity of bats.

“This is a very important project that we hope will help us understand why bats maintain filoviruses as well as multiple other emerging viruses without getting ill,” Bukreyev said.

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

17

Restoring Your Natural Beauty Dr. Swet Chaudhari of SunCoast Plastic Surgery

D

R. SWET CHAUDHARI

understands that a quick fix isn’t often the best fix when it comes to his patients. A board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Chaudhari runs his own practice, SunCoast Plastic Surgery, and an adjacent med spa, Divinity Med Spa, in Friendswood.

But why create a med spa when you already have a plastic surgery practice?

Many people want their beauty to look natural, and Dr. Chaudhari has the know-how to not just make it look natural, but to use actual natural procedures that are cheaper, quicker and

better for his patients at his med spa. These two related services allow him to find the perfect procedure no matter what patient walks in.

“I noticed a huge interest in non-surgical procedures, so I created the med spa to give patients options,” Dr. Chaudhari says, “It seemed like a natural addition to my practice.”

“If a 45-year-old woman comes in and wants a facelift, I will often suggest a better non-invasive solution,” Dr. Chaudhari says.

This may seem odd at first, a plastic surgeon advising against plastic surgery, but Dr. Chaudhari understands that non-surgical treatments are better suited for these

18 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

younger patients. A facelift gives only seven or eight years of benefit, but the med spa reinvigorates the skin. This works better for younger and middle- aged individuals, giving them more time before they will actually need a facelift and is far less invasive.

In addition to outstanding plastic surgery, Dr. Chaudhari offers numerous non-surgical ways too look amazing, including Coolsculpting non-surgical fat reduction, Ultherapy non-surgical facelifting, the BBL photo facial for rejuvenation of the facial skin and the remarkable Contour TRL by Sciton.

Ultherapy uses microfocused ultrasound to lift the soft-tissue of the face and reverse the effects of gravity and aging. The Contour TRL is a patented laser skin resurfacing treatment that creates unbelievable results with minimal downtime (pictured on advertisement to the right). The combination of Ultherapy and Contour TRL can lift, firm, and tighten the face to turn back the clock by up to 10 years without any surgery.

“It’s the 21st century, and we now have the technology to brighten the skin, tighten the skin, and lift the face to make you look much younger without any surgery and with minimal downtime,” Dr. Chaudhari says.

Dr. Chaudhari was voted Best Plastic Surgeon in Friendswood and Pearland in 2012 by the community and his Divinity Med Spa has been voted Best Med Spa in Friendswood and Pearland for the past two years, along with several other notable awards.

Dr. Chaudhari has been performing surgery for more than 12 years now.

He started his medical education with an interest

in neurosurgery, but once he found plastic surgery, he fell in love and never looked back. “Plastic surgery appeals to the artist in me.

I love using my hands to create works of art in my patients,” Dr. Chaudhari says. He did his plastic surgery fellowship at UTMB in Galveston.

Great cosmetic surgery isn’t the only thing Dr. Chaudhari is known for though. The surgeon participates in health fairs, fundraisers, school functions and even created his own non-profit, Friendswood Medical Outreach. Dr. Chaudhari, some of his staff and other volunteers travel to Mexico a few times a year to perform reconstructive surgeries on children with cleft palates, burn victims and more. Local businesses and community members have contributed over $8,000 towards the cause. Though they recently returned from a trip in August, another trip is already planned for the end of this year.

Dr. Chaudhari’s accomplishments don’t stop there. He was awarded an honorable mention by the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award for his success in business and community service, he sponsors the Miss Houston Rodeo competition, and is the official plastic surgeon to Swimsuit USA International Model Search. In fact, he was recently featured in Oprah’s “O Magazine” as one of the top plastic surgeons in Texas.

“It’s never a dull moment,” the busy doctor says.

For more information on Dr. Chaudhari and his innovative practices, check out SunCoastPlasticSugery. net and DivinityMedSpa. com and then set up an appointment to bring back your natural beauty with a day at the med spa.

Rockin’ Resilience Luncheon helps Houston women in tough times

By Jarred Roberts “To provide Houston area women and girls with the tools they need to be advocates for their health,” is The Women’s Fund’s mission statement and one of those tools is resilience, the ability to persevere through difficult times.

Almost 20 years ago local friend Tamara Vogt gave birth to conjoined twins Katherine Elaine Hope and Kathleen Elizabeth Faith, who sadly passed away shortly after birth.

Inspired by her daughters, she cofounded the Wee Care Infant Loss Support group with Tami Prangle in 2000, to help women with similar hardships and is the co-chair with Stephanie Tamburello of the The Women’s Fund 4th Annual Rockin’ Resilience Luncheon on Sunday, Oct.26 at the Hilton Houston Post Oak. Owner of Mario’s Flying Pizza, Heaven on Earth Historical Event Venue and Grand Finale Catering, Tamara knows the meaning of resilience.

She will share her experience during the education panel with her good friends,

20 |www.BestPracticesMD.com |Fourth Quarter 2014

Abby Hensel from left, Brittany Hensel and Victoria Vogt.

conjoined sisters Abby and Brittany Hensel, who show her how her daughters would have lived.

Tamara met the sisters years ago after seeing their story on television and writing a 10 page letter to the Hensel family, “more than anything in life I just want your daughters to know that God made other daughters just like them,” she passionately wrote. In a crazy coincidence, Tamara had family only 20 miles away from them and they’ve been friends ever since.

“We have both been a big support group for each other. It’s important to me, not just as a mother of daughters that are similar, but as an advocate of reaching out to others at every level,” Tamara says.

Tamara is generously donating the grand prize drawing of the Rockin’ Resilience Lunchen, an all inclusive wedding or party of dreams at her event venue, which can be seen at www.heavenwedding.com, valued at $50,000. The raffle tickets are one for $100 or three for $250. Go to www.womensfund. org to purchase raffle tickets or seats at the luncheon.

The luncheon will also feature Elizabeth McIngvale as the keynote speaker. Elizabeth founded Peace of Mind, a non-profit to help people with OCD, which she was diagnosed with at age 12.

For more information on The Women’s Fund and the Rockin’ Resilience visit www. womensfund.org

Fourth Quarter 2014 | www.BestPracticesMD.com|

21