Cedars-Sinai Medical tip sheet

Cancer Research: study of dendritic cell “vaccine” shows early promise in helping the immune system combat anextremely aggressive type of brain cancer

Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have found that a dendritic cell “vaccine” was able to elicit a systemic immune response while directing tumor-fighting T-cells to the site of a brain tumor. The treatment resulted in extended lengths of survival for patients suffering from highly aggressive, malignant brain tumors called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM or glioma). Results of the Phase I study are published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research, and a larger Phase II study is currently underway.

Renowed orthopedic surgeon, John Regan, M.D., joins Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announces the appointment of John J. Regan, M.D., an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon, to Director of Research and Education at the new Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders. As a leading spine surgeon, Dr. Regan joins a world-class team of specialists at the largest multidisciplinary spinal center in the Western United States. Dr. Regan has been a major pioneer in the field of minimally invasive surgery, developing a number of new approaches that reduce patient recovery time and improve surgical success. These include: Video-Assisted Thorascopic Surgery (VATS); Laporoscopic Lumbar Fusion; the use of voice-activated robotics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Kyphoplasty and more.

High blood levels of Hepatitis C in patients co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) May increase the risk of developing AIDS

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center report that high amounts of Hepatitis C (HCV) in the blood and simultaneous co-infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be linked to a greater risk of developing AIDS and AIDS related death. Their findings are reported in the February 15 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. “Our study shows that higher blood levels of HCV may have a detrimental effect on HIV progression to full-blown AIDS,” said Eric Daar, M.D., Director of Infectious Diseases and AIDS at the Cedars-Sinai Center for Immune Disorders. “Our findings may have implications for how best to treat HCV in patients co-infected with HIV.”

Cedars-Sinai offers daily Mincha service to patients, patient families, hospital staff, and local community

A Daily Mincha prayer service is being offered at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in response to the needs of patients, their families, the hospital’s staff, and the local surrounding community. “This is a new kind of service, never before offered by Cedars-Sinai,” said Rabbi Levi Meier, Ph.D., chairman of the Cedars-Sinai Department of Jewish Chaplaincy. “The Daily Mincha—or gift offering to God—gives families a chance to recite a prayer for the recovery of a loved one, as well as gives mourners a chance to recite kaddish.”

After brain surgery to repair a blood vessel malformation, 9-year-old charges into 2001 without looking back

Seven years after being diagnosed with, and treated for, abdominal cancer, 9-year-old Trent Herrera began experiencing sudden, unbearable headaches early last November. On Thanksgiving Day, an emergency CT scan at Cedars-Sinai showed a mass in Trent’s brain. The mass turned out to be a clump of malformed blood vessels called a cavernoma, which had ruptured, leaking blood into the brain. On the Wednesday after Thanksgiving, Trent underwent surgery to successfully repair the vascular abnormalities. He returned to school after the New Year’s break, is doing very well and is available for interviews.

Study at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center investigates effectiveness of two popular dietary supplements to improve symptoms of osteoarthritis

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center are now enrolling patients in a large multi-center clinical trial to determine whether two popular nutrition supplements -- glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate -- reduce the knee pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA). The study is open to men and women 40 years of age and older who have been medically diagnosed with of the knee; have had OA symptoms for at least six months prior to participating in the study; and who have no concurrent medical diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Individuals must not be pregnant, diabetic, or have allergies to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and/or shellfish. Those interested may call 310-423-2693 or 310-358-5757.

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