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Sep 08, 2023
Why the rare skin cancer that killed Jimmy Buffett may become more common
Climate change may directly or indirectly contribute to rising skin cancer cases. … In the 1970s, [UCI] scientists started noticing holes in the ozone layer. Further investigation showed that artificial compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons were destroying ozone. … While Merkel cell carcinoma is more aggressive than melanoma, it is curable if caught early and treated successfully, says Ling Gao, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of California, Irvine. “For all skin cancers, early diagnosis greatly improves outcomes.”
Sep 05, 2023
Beating lung cancer at the genetic root
Michelle Helm’s lung cancer journey began as a frustrating, frightening ride through multiple misdiagnoses. Then she found UCI Health specialists who wouldn’t accept the worst-case scenario other doctors had painted for her. Today, the Mission Viejo parenting coach says she is thriving because she was referred to the lung cancer specialists at the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she benefited from their arsenal of advanced therapies and surgical expertise.
Aug 23, 2023
‘TeamNeush’ mobilizes to fight young woman's cancer
In February 2022, Neusha Raffijandi was diagnosed with advanced bile duct cancer. Her family encouraged her to go to the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, which has experts in all types of disease. There, she met UCI Health medical oncologist Dr. Jennifer B. Valerin, who specializes in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary cancers.
Aug 16, 2023
UC Irvine-led study links low-dose radiation to higher cancer risk
“We wanted to strengthen the scientific basis for radiation protection by directly studying settings where low-dose exposures occur,” said corresponding author David Richardson, Ph.D., professor of environmental and occupational health with UCI’s Program in Public Health. “Understanding those associations is essential to inform decisions about medical and commercial uses of ionizing radiation, exposure limits for the public, and workers.”
Aug 01, 2023
$2 million gift from the Nicholas R. Conway, DO, and Betty Sha Family names infusion center terrace at UCI Health ― Irvine
UCI Health has received a $2 million donation from the Nicholas R. Conway, DO, and Betty Sha Family to support the $1.3 billion UCI Health – Irvine campus, with the outdoor infusion center terrace named in their honor.
Associate Professor Claudia Benavente featured on Chilean TV show
Claudia Benavente, UCI associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, was recently featured on the Chilean TV show “Pasaporte Ciencia” (“Science Passport”) as one of the Chilean scientists conducting important research in various countries around the world. The host, Cristian Hernandez, and his team traveled to campus for the interview. “The initial challenge for the production was to prove they could create a show with gender parity, and I immediately saw the value in the opportunity to bring science closer to the average person,” Benavente said. “The show touches on our experiences from training to the work we currently do, which, in my case, is searching for cures for childhood cancer.”
Jul 31, 2023
UC Irvine receives record $653 million in research funding for fiscal 2022-23
The Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center received $106 million for basic, translational and clinical studies in fiscal 2022-23, 28 percent more than last year.
Jul 26, 2023
UCI Health Breast Center earns national accreditation
The UCI Health Breast Center, part of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), recognizing its commitment to advancing cancer care and research.
Jul 25, 2023
Just Published NUTRIENT Trial: Mediterranean Diet Intervention in MPNs
Dr. Fleischman, an MPN specialist at University of California, Irvine, is a leader in connecting the fresh foods Mediterranean diet with symptom improvement in people living with essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), and myelofibrosis (MF). In this latest study, she and her collaborators examined how effective education would be in changing MPN patients’ eating habits to align with the Mediterranean diet. Dr. Fleischman et al reported results of the NUTRIENT trial, based on work funded in part by MPNRF through a 2017-2019 Challenge award. The research established that a Mediterranean diet intervention is in fact feasible in the MPN patient population and can improve symptom burden.
Jul 24, 2023
Bridging the Gap: Latinx Children with Cancer, Culturally Appropriate Support for Families
Fortier’s work has shown that the pain management treatment of Latinx children – and their outcomes – are too often inadequate when compared to non-Latinx white children. Besides the immediate impact of not assisting a child in need, researchers have found that there are long term consequences to poorly managed pain that amplify health inequities for Latinx patients when they are adults including changes in their physiological responses to pain and avoidance of preventive healthcare to support wellness.