Category Archives: Preventative Medicine

Preventative medicine in Rochester Hills MI

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Rest assured! At Longevity Health Institute we are taking every precaution possible regarding the Coronavirus. Our highest priority is the safety and health of you, your family, our staff, and our doctors.Our office has been practicing the highest level of cleanliness, sanitation, and sterilization since...

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Founder of the Longevity Health Institute and Lewerenz Medical Center, Dr. James Lewerenz has been named one of Detroits Top Docs of 2019 by Hour Detroit Media, publisher of Hour Detroit magazine. This honor is exclusive to the area, and top docs are nominated by...

3 yearsago

The male hormone, Testosterone (considering only men) typically lowers with aging. Typical declines are about 1-3 percent a year starting at age 35 to 40. Sometimes even greater. It is not uncommon for me to see a man age 45 with a Testosterone level of...

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Dr. Lewerenz named Top Doc by Hour Detroit Magazine

3 yearsago

A study from a European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2017 showed that Vitamin C supplementation can improve glycemic (sugar) and insulin regulation. This was a high-quality randomized control trial of the effects of Vitamin C on Glucose, HGBA1C and Insulin.Not only did Vitamin C...

3 yearsago

Consider this: The average American eats 295mg of Cholesterol and 3-4 eggs per week.A new Observational study in JAMA by Dr. Zhongs from the American Medical Association, examined Cholesterol consumed and eggs consumed, both respectively for 17.5 years from a group of 29,615 adults for...

3 yearsago

Who wouldnt want improved sleep, reduced stress, less pain and cramps, improved mood, improved heart, bone and muscle health?Well, that can be achieved by obtaining optimal levels of Magnesium in your body. Magnesium is a critical mineral that the body uses in more than 300...

3 yearsago

CBD or therapeutic hemp oil (cannabidiol) is experiencing a huge growth in the medical world.There is medicinal value and massive public demand in the wellness, holistic and alternative therapy world. There are vast medicinal benefits but what is hype, what is harm and what has...

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Preventative medicine in Rochester Hills MI

Family Practice Center, PC, is a comprehensive medical practice where we provide healthcare the way you hoped it could be. Our attentive, patient-focused approach to medicine is the main reason we have become one of the highest-rated primary care practices in the Georgia. We pride ourselves on providing a wide variety of healthcare needs for our patients including top-level care and in-house-diagnostic testing. Led by practice Founder and CEO Dr. James Wheeler, along with a team of doctors. These physicians, as well as a full team of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, and other healthcare professionals, pride themselves on providing the best possible experience for each and every patient we see.

We strive to offer a wide variety of medical treatments and services, including staying up-to-date with the latest health news and trends, in order to best serve our patients and their loved ones. In addition to general family medicine, our physicians specialize in providing dermatological care, sports medicine, womens health service, and preventative medicine (including immunizations). Our selection of in-house diagnostic testing includes x-rays, bloodwork, ultrasounds, echocardiograms, and more. We are able to perform minor surgical procedures in our office at the convenience of our patients.

Our healthcare providers consider it an honor to take care of our patients and their families. Contact Family Practice Center today for more information or to schedule an appointment. Ask us about Medicare eligibility. And keep an eye out for news about our new locations in the metro Atlanta area.

Excerpt from:
Family Health Care Atlanta | Primary & Preventative Medicine

We all know that heart-sinking feeling when our dog gets ill or injured or has a sudden emergency. But lets step backward in time before that illness or accident, and take a look at ways it might have been prevented.

Too many of us dont think a lot about preventive care; instead, we only take action when our dog is clearly sick, badly injured, or due for a vaccination. But thats backward-looking care, when we should be looking forward.

One of the most important preventative steps is to take your dog for annual veterinary checkups. (If your pup is a senior, you should be looking at vet visits twice a year, since older dogs are more likely to suffer from life-threatening health issues like cancer, heart problems, or kidney disease. Theyll also help you catch age-related problems such as hearing or vision loss, cognitive issues, arthritis, and obesity before they become acute.)

Comprehensive veterinary exams can also give you an opportunity to have a frank discussion with your vet about your dogs lifestyle, activity level, mental health, life stage, and behavioral questions. Talk too about what vaccinations and preventative medications are essential for our specific area, and which ones you can skip. For instance, because Lyme disease is endemic in Nevada County, many vets recommend annual Lyme boosters. Another example is heartworm: because this disease can be fatal, its crucial that your dog begins and stays on heartworm preventative for her entire life. Your vet can also help you decide when to spay and neuter your dog, and can do routine procedures like checking to make sure his microchip is scanning properly. (Your dog IS microchipped, isnt he?)

Another prevention suggestion that you may not have thought about is keeping your dogs toenails trimmed. A too-long toenail can easily get snagged, resulting in a painful, torn nail.

Remember that many potential problems can be alleviated if your dog understands basic commands like sit, come, stay, and leave it. These commands arent just a matter of good manners: they can literally save your dogs life if he gets away from you and starts to dart into the road, or puts something dangerous in his mouth.

In the car, always secure your dog with a harness and dog seatbelt, or in a crate or carrier thats strongly fastened in the car. Never let your dog be untethered or uncrated in the open bed of a pickup truck. (In fact, its illegal in California to have an untethered dog in the back of a pickup.) And speaking of cars, remember to NEVER leave your dog alone in a parked car during warm weather unless youve taken strong precautions to keep him cool. Ill talk about some of these ideas in a future column.

Make sure your yard is secure: check your fencing regularly for things like holes, downed sections, and areas where your dog could scoot underneath and get out. Make sure any gates cant be opened by a curious or rowdy dog. Reliable fencing also prevents other animals from getting in and initiating a fight, or in the case of wild animals, badly injuring your dog. And dont rely on so-called invisible or electronic fencing: while it may keep your dog contained (or it may not: many a dog has broken through the electronic barrier and either disappeared or been hit by a car), it wont keep other dogs or animals from coming into your yard and potentially attacking your dog.

Keep all medications out of reach of your dog. Particularly deadly are meds like beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, and ADD/ADHD medications. Even common over-the-counter meds like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen can cause serious and even fatal effects if your pup ingests them. And something you think of as harmless like a multivitamin or nasal decongestant can also cause serious health problems for your dog.

The same is true for dog treats, or any type of food your dog might find tasty. Dont assume that your dog probably cant reach a counter or table, or get into a bag of chocolate chips. Most of the time, gorging on a half-full bag of dog cookies will only result in a bout of vomiting or diarrhea, but theres a chance it could trigger a potentially deadly condition like pancreatitis or bloat.

Try to brush your dogs teeth. Dogs can suffer from dental problems just as humans can, and the problems it can cause arent restricted to only their teeth: the bacteria created by periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream and travel to areas like the heart, the liver, and the kidneys. If your dog absolutely refuses to let you get anywhere near him with a toothbrush, try a dog chew specifically made to address plaque and tartar buildup. There are several on the market, but some are more effective than others, so talk with your veterinarian about what she recommends.

So remember: prevention really IS the best medicine!

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada County with her Golden Retriever Joey, her Maine Coon cat Indy, and the abiding spirit of her beloved Golden Retriever Casey in whose memory this column is named. You can reach Joan at joan@joanmerriam.com. And if youre looking for a Golden, be sure to check out Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue

Originally posted here:
Joan Merriam: Prevention is the best medicine - The Union

If you do not already have a primary care provider, summer is a great time to establish a relationship with a professional to guide you on your health care journey.

RiverView Health has various primary care providers specializing in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine. A primary care provider (PCP) should be the first person in the healthcare system that you contact when you are sick or have a question about your health. They can provide care and answers to your questions or recommend a specialist to meet your needs.

If a specialist is needed, your PCP will work to coordinate information between all of your healthcare providers. That provider will also ensure there is no duplication of care and testing and that nothing is left out. Your provider can also help you find other resources, such as support groups and classes.

Preventative Care

One of the primary responsibilities of a PCP is to provide preventative care. A PCP can help you catch problems before they arise. Your provider will get to know you, your history, and your family history. They will ensure you get necessary screenings and identify and treat any minor problems before they become major ones.

It is important that you build an honest relationship with your PCP. While it can be intimidating and embarrassing to openly discuss your health concerns, discussing even the most personal health problems is important. Remember that your provider will not be embarrassed, shocked, or offended by even your most embarrassing symptoms.

Play an active role in your health. Make sure you speak up with any questions or concerns about your health, regardless of how minor they may seem. Take your providers warnings seriously, and do not hesitate to ask for more informational resources.

The easiest way to prolong life and keep healthcare costs affordable for everyone is to take measures to prevent illness whenever possible. Annual exams and a healthy lifestyle are two great preventative measures you can control. At the same time, a competent PCP offers the continuity of care that health maintenance over a lifetime requires.

RiverView Health has primary care providers in Crookston, Fertile, and Red Lake Falls. Choose the provider who best suits your needs and knows that you are not alone in your lifetime journey of good health for you and your family.

Family Medicine

RiverView Clinics offer a wide variety of Family Medicine providers including medical doctors (MD), a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), certified nurse practitioners (CNP), family nurse practitioners certified (FNP-C), and physician assistant (PA). Family Medicine providers care for people of all ages from infants through end-of-life. These providers often care for the same patients throughout their lives, and in many cases, they care for multiple generations of family members simultaneously.

Family Medicine providers at RiverView Health and their practice locations include:

Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine providers, also called internists, care primarily for adults. Internal medicine doctors specialize in diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease in their adult patients. They offer care for a wide variety of health conditions and counsel their patients on prevention and overall wellness.

The following Internal Medicine doctors offer primary care at RiverView:

If seeing a PCP during regular office hours does not fit into your schedule, RiverViews certified nurse practitioners and family nurse practitioners offer early and late appointments at Crookstons extended hours clinic, which is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

All RiverView Health providers are taking new patients. To schedule an appointment with any of the providers listed above, call 281-9595 and ask for an appointment to establish care with the provider of your choice or ask the patient access representative for options.

Originally posted here:
RIVERVIEW PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS AVAILABLE TO OVERSEE YOUR HEALTH NEEDS - kroxam.com

We all know that heart-sinking feeling when our dog gets ill or has a sudden emergency. But lets step backward in time before that illness or accident, and take a look at ways it might have been prevented.

Too many of us dont think a lot about preventive care; instead, we only take action when our dog is clearly sick, badly injured or due for a vaccination. Thats backward-looking care, when we should be looking forward.

One of the most important preventative steps is to take your dog for annual or semi-annual, if your pup is a senior veterinary checkups. These comprehensive exams can catch little problems before they become big ones. They also give you an opportunity to have a frank discussion with your vet about your dogs lifestyle, activity level, mental health, life stage and behavioral issues. Talk too about what vaccinations and preventative medications are essential for your specific area, and which ones you can skip. Your vet can also help you decide when to spay and neuter your dog and can do routine procedures like checking to make sure his microchip is scanning properly. (Your dog is microchipped, isnt he?)

Another prevention suggestion that you may not have thought about is keeping your dogs toenails trimmed. A too-long toenail can easily get snagged, resulting in a painful, torn nail.

In the car, always secure your dog with a harness and dog seatbelt, or in a crate or carrier thats strongly fastened in the car. Never let your dog be untethered or uncrated in the open bed of a pickup (In fact, its illegal in California to have an untethered dog in the back of a pickup).

Make sure your yard is secure: check your fencing regularly for things like holes, downed sections and areas where your dog could scoot underneath and get out. Make sure any gates cant be opened by a curious or rowdy dog. Reliable fencing also prevents other animals from getting in and initiating a fight, or in the case of wild animals, badly injuring your dog. And dont rely on so-called invisible or electronic fencing: While it may keep your dog contained (or it may not: many a dog has broken through the electronic barrier and either disappeared or been hit by a car), it wont keep other dogs or animals from coming into your yard and potentially attacking your dog.

Keep all medications out of reach of your dog. Even common over-the-counter meds like ibuprofen and naproxen can cause serious and even fatal effects if your pup ingests them. The same is true for dog treats, or any type of food that your dog might find tasty. Dont assume that your dog probably cant reach a counter or table or cant get into a bag of chocolate chips. Most of the time, gorging on a half-full bag of dog cookies will only result in a bout of vomiting or diarrhea, but theres a chance it could trigger a potentially deadly condition like pancreatitis or bloat.

Try to brush your dogs teeth. Dogs can suffer from dental problems just as humans can, and the problems it can cause arent restricted to only their teeth: the bacteria created by periodontal disease can enter the bloodstream and travel to areas like the heart, the liver and the kidneys. If your dog absolutely refuses to let you get anywhere near him with a toothbrush, try a dog chew specifically made to address plaque and tartar buildup. There are several on the market, but some are more effective than others, so talk with your veterinarian.

So remember: prevention really IS the best medicine!

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada County with her golden retriever Joey, her Maine coon cat Indy and the abiding spirit of her beloved golden retriever Casey in whose memory this column is named. You can reach Joan at joan@joanmerriam.com. And if youre looking for a golden, be sure to check out Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

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Prevention is the best medicine | Caseys Corner - Oroville Mercury-Register

(WQOW) - With Father's Day in mind, Mayo Clinic wants men to be mindful of their health.

Men are sometimes uncomfortable seeing a doctor for their medical issues, but health officials with Mayo say that some of the best medicine is preventative medicine.

Dr. Tobias Kohler said that sometimes problems with erections are early indicators of other cardiovascular issues, and could predate a heart attack or stroke.

"It's one of the many examples of how some problems can tell us more information than just that individual structure. That's why it's so important to go in and be checked as we age," he said.

Health officials also talked about the importance of prostate cancer screenings. Dr. Jeff Karnes said early detection can potentially save men from severe symptoms, and ultimately increase their chances of survival. Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer cause of death in men in the U.S.

Karnes said while some men don't have symptoms with prostate cancer, there are symptoms to look out for.

"Some things that I think men should seek immediate attention for is a sudden change in urination, and symptoms that could be attributed to an urinary tract infection," he said.

Both doctors say that even though some men are uncomfortable going to the doctor unless absolutely necessary, getting screened for these illnesses can save a life.

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With Father's Day in mind, Mayo Clinic doctors remind men to be mindful of their health - WQOW TV News 18

New York City, via Newswire.com -- The Vilcek Foundation and The Arnold P. Gold Foundation announced in early June that the 2022 Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare would be presented toDr. Mona Fouad, MD, MPH.

The Vilcek-Gold Awardis a shared initiative of the Vilcek Foundation and the Gold Foundation that embodies the missions of both organizations. The award is given annually to outstanding immigrant healthcare professionals in the United States and honors the positive impact that accessible, humanistic, and compassionate care has on public health.

Dr. Fouad has been selected for the 2022 Vilcek-Gold Award for her leadership in health disparities research and for her career-long commitment to equity in healthcare. Dr. Fouad is the founding director of the University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) Minority Health and Health Disparity Research Center; senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion in the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine; and professor and director of the UAB Division of Preventive Medicine. Her work has been foundational to the development of rigorous research and interventions to make healthcare more accessible and equitable to historically underserved populations in the United States.

Dr. Fouad was born in Cairo, Egypt. She studied medicine at Alexandria University Medical School and subsequently completed an internship with the university hospital before practicing medicine in rural communities in Egypt for a year. Her experiences at the university hospital and in caring for underserved communities brought new insight into how socioeconomic factors influence access to healthcare and health outcomes.

In 1980, Dr. Fouad and her husband moved to the United States, first settling in College Station, Texas. In 1984, the couple moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where Dr. Fouad completed her Master of Public Health degree at the UAB. She then took a research assistant position in the Division of Preventive Medicine at UAB, assessing heart disease risk factors among city employees.

Similar to her experiences in rural Egypt, Dr. Fouad saw in Birmingham how deeply socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity were tied to healthcare access and outcomes.

Dr. Fouad recognized that concrete scientific evidence of social determinants of health would be an essential foundation for the future development of interventions to support equitable health outcomes. With this goal in mind, she founded the Minority Health and Health Disparity Research Center at the UAB in 2002. Since its establishment, the center has grown from a few researchers to more than 200 members across a range of disciplines and specialties.

"Throughout her career, Dr. Mona Fouad has been so attuned to the importance of accessible health education and preventative care, and she has built groundbreaking systems to expand such care and galvanize more partners in her work," said Dr.Jan Vilcek, chairman and CEO of the Vilcek Foundation. "As a public health advocate in the southern United States, she has mobilized both her medical training and understanding of the human condition to improve the lives of the patients and communities she serves."

Said Dr.Richard I. Levin, president and CEO of the Gold Foundation, "For humanism in healthcare to thrive, it must be nurtured on both the individual level of compassionate connection and the far-reaching, system level. Dr. Mona Fouad has made exceptional contributions to both. Her creation of the UAB Minority Health and Health Disparity Research Center is just one example of how her vision, steeped in experiences from both Egypt and America, is transforming U.S. healthcare. We congratulate Dr. Fouad on her 2022 Vilcek-Gold Award, and we thank her for her great leadership in humanism in healthcare."

Dr.Selwyn Vickers, senior vice president and dean of the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine commented, "From her first work as an MD in Egypt to her latest work, she has modeled the attributes of compassion, collaboration, and scientific excellence and created lasting change in the lived experiences of countless residents of Alabama and beyond. Her respect and empathy toward people living in underserved communities, and her dedication to creating lasting change to benefit is a defining feature of her professional career."

In addition to her work with UAB, Dr. Fouad served as a member of the National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities Advisory Council and as principal investigator for several NIH and CDC health disparities projects such as the CDC-funded Racial and Ethnic Approaches across the U.S. (REACH US) Center and the Mid-South Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities (CEED), which implemented, evaluated, and disseminated evidence-based interventions to reduce breast and cervical cancer disparities between African American and white patients. In recognition of her outstanding work in medicine and public health, Dr. Fouad was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2017.

The original press release concerning this award can be read here:

The Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare includes an unrestricted cash prize of $10,000 and a commemorative heart-shaped trophy. The 2022 award will be presented to Dr. Fouad at theAssociation of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)annual meeting in November 2022.

The Arnold P. Gold Foundationwas founded in 1988 with the vision that healthcare will be dramatically improved by placing the interests, values, and dignity of all people at the core of teaching and practice. The Gold Foundation champions humanism in healthcare, which the foundation defines as compassionate, collaborative, and scientifically excellent care; the foundation embraces all, and targets any barriers that prevent individuals or groups from accessing this standard of care. The Gold Foundation empowers experts, learners, and leaders to create systems and cultures that support humanistic care for all. The Arnold P. Gold Foundation is a public not-for-profit organization, a federally tax-exempt organization under IRS Section 501(c)(3).

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Vilcek-Gold Award for Humanism in Healthcare will be presented this fall to Health Equity Leader Dr. Mona Fouad - City-sentinel

Dr. David Margolius will become the city of Clevelands new director of public health, Mayor Justin M. Bibb announced June 8. He will start his new position Aug. 1.

We are pleased to welcome such an accomplished clinician and researcher to lead our public health work at this critical time when Cuyahoga County is once again seeing high transmission of COVID-19, Bibb said in a news release. In addition to his medical expertise, Dr. Margolius also has a strong record of leadership and community service, and he cares deeply about addressing health disparities in our communities.

Margolius is the division director of internal medicine at MetroHealth in Cleveland, an associate professor in the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and faculty co-lead for the medical director leadership Institute at Harvard Medical Schools Center for Primary Care, according to the release.

He has been published in peer-reviewed journals on many public health topics from COVID-19 response in underserved communities and the opioid crisis, to hypertension in low-income populations and best practices in primary care, preventative medicine and family medicine, the release stated.

Margolius holds an M.D. from Alpert Medical School at Brown University in Providence, R.I., and a B.A. in biology from Brown. He completed his residency in internal medicine at University of California, San Francisco, where he spent his last year as chief resident of quality improvement and patient safety before returning to Cleveland and joining the MetroHealth system.

He lives with his wife and two children in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland.

Originally posted here:
Margolius named Cleveland director of public health - Cleveland Jewish News

Guest columnist Dr. Robert A. Salata is a professor of medicine, international health and epidemiology/biostatistics at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University. As the STERIS Chair of Excellence in Medicine and the John H. Hord Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, he studies the epidemiology of infectious diseases, clinical trials of new therapeutic agents and vaccines for emerging infections such as COVID-19.

As much as we all want the pandemic to end, COVID-19 unfortunately has not gone away -- and wont for some time.

As an infectious disease specialist and chairman of the Department of Medicine at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, I have seen surges in COVID cases firsthand and know how important it is to stay vigilant.

A two-month plateau in numbers this spring caused some to tuck away their masks, but we are now seeing another spike, propelled by an Omicron BA.2 subvariant that is more transmissible than the last.

Cases were up 0.7 percent in the first week of June, to 283,000 overall in Cuyahoga County.

As we head into the summer months, here are three things to keep in mind about COVID-19:

An Omicron sub variant -- known as BA.2.12.1 -- is now the dominant strain among new United States virus cases.

Viruses are constantly changing, and sometimes these mutations result in a new variant. Omicron BA.2.12.1 is more contagious than any other variant and often presents with upper respiratory symptoms that appear like a bad cold.

Symptoms of the BA.2 subvariant may include sore throat, stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing and headache. The good news, though, is that this variant has a reduced ability to infect the lungs, making it less likely for sufferers to experience shortness of breath, chest pain or pneumonia.

Because the symptoms of Omicron BA.2 resemble a summer cold or allergy, its important, if you are feeling any symptoms or have been exposed to COVID, to get tested.

Vaccinations continue to be an important tool in fighting the severity of COVID-19.

If you havent been vaccinated or boosted, consider scheduling it now. Multiple studies have indicated that if you receive the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and get a booster dose, the rates of serious complications and death related to COVID infection are less.

For those who have been waiting for the roll-out of vaccines for children ages 6 months to 5 years, we have good news: June 21 is the anticipated FDA approval date. Studies have shown that the vaccine is safe and has been well tolerated in children.

Getting the vaccine protects kids from severe sickness and hospitalization and helps protect vulnerable adults they might interact with, like grandparents or people who are immunocompromised.

As the virus has evolved, so have the treatment options.

While the best option for COVID treatment is still to avoid getting it, we are seeing more options for treatment.

There are now two approved oral antiviral medications -- Paxlovid and Molnupiravir -- for early treatment of COVID infection in individuals at risk for complications, hospitalizations and death.

And Remdesivir, which was the first drug approved by the FDA for treatment of hospitalized COVID patients, can now be given as a three-day outpatient course. (Originally, it had to be given intravenously for five days).

We also have a preventative option showing promising results. Evusheld -- an antibody drug from AstraZeneca -- is the first antibody therapy authorized in the U.S. to prevent COVID-19 in immunocompromised persons.

In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic is still going on, but we are hopeful that with control measures, newer vaccines and early treatments that we can make this infection endemic -- meaning the virus may be more seasonal and manageable.

We continue to move at the speed of science in our approach to this significant worldwide problem.

To learn more, sign up for NCJWS webinar: COVID 19: WILL THIS EVER END? - Cleveland (ncjwcleveland.org) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 21.

Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting todays topics are also welcome.

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Three things to know about COVID-19 at this time: Dr. Robert A. Salata - cleveland.com

A new drug called dostarlimab saw astonishing results in a 12-person rectal cancer trial: Every one of the dozen patients went into remission.

All the patients were still in remission in a six-month follow-up of the trial as well. Additionally, none of the patients had received chemoradiotherapy or undergone any preventative surgery, and no cases of progression or recurrence were reported during the volunteers follow-up appointments, according to the study.

The drug, sold under GlaxoSmithKlines brand name of Jemperli, has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the treatment of certain endometrial cancers.

The study was published to The New England Journal of Medicine, and even though it featured so few patients, such a success rate is unheard of, according to Alan Venook, a colorectal cancer specialist at the University of California, San Francisco who spoke to The New York Times.

The authors of the trial caution that while their study is promising, it was quite small, and further research featuring more diverse ethnic backgrounds will need to be conducted to see the true efficacy of dostarlimab.

By the end of the trial, it is expected that there will be 30 total participants, which could give a better idea of how safe and effective the cancer-fighting drug truly is, according to CBS.

But most experts and rectal cancer specialists are celebrating the news as great cause of optimism.

Dostarlimab costs about $11,000 per dose for a standard course of treatment, according to the Times, and is administered every three weeks for six months time.

The drug also had what experts are calling a surprisingly low rate of side effects, which were generally well-tolerated, especially when compared to conventional cancer treatments.

Typically, treatments can leave patients with a lower quality of life due to permanent effects on fertility, sexual health, bowel and bladder function, Andrea Cercek, a medical oncologist and principal investigator in the study stated in a news release.

This drug is one of a class of drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors. These are immunotherapy medicines that work not by directly attacking the cancer itself, but actually getting a persons immune system to essentially do the work, Hanna Sanoff of the University of North Carolinas Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center told NPR.

These are drugs that have been around in melanoma and other cancers for quite a while, but really have not been part of the routine care of colorectal cancers until fairly recently, Sanoff added.

The first participant in the trial told the Times that she recalled crying happy tears at the news her cancer had gone into remission. Sascha Roth said that when she told her family, they didnt believe [her], but that two years later, she is still cancer free.

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Remission seen in every rectal cancer patient in small study of drug - The Hill