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Health

Thyroid Cancer: Minimally Invasive Surgery Means Good News for Patients
By Gerry Furth-Sides

Thyroid cancer is one of the few cancers on the rise in recent years.

This still reads as positive news, according to surgeon, Dr. Alen Cohen of C/V ENT Surgical Group, a physician who has "dedicated my career to the treatment of thyroid cancer." The outlook is brighter than with most other forms of cancer, he reports, because "this type of cancer is still considered one of the least deadly and most survivable cancers."

"The increase in the number of new cases is due in great part to earlier detection with more sophisticated methods of detection," explains Dr. Cohen, "such as a greater use of advanced imaging techniques such as CT, MRI and ultrasound. These techniques often will identify asymptomatic thyroid nodules earlier that could be deemed cancerous, so we're catching these cancers at a very early stage."

Early detection affords "the best chance is to do the initial surgery, a complete surgery up front," he adds. "Most often after surgery radioactive iodine is necessary to treat any microscopic cancer cells but the success of this is directly dependent on the extent of initial surgery."

The excellent survival rate is also in great part due the work of thyroid surgeons, and Dr. Cohen is one of those surgeons. Dr. Cohen is Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who graduated from the school with the highest honors. After deciding to pursue Head and Neck surgery, a specialty at the school, Dr. Cohen "became fascinated with thyroid and parathyroid surgery, and then minimally invasive surgery. I came to learn how to do smaller and smaller incisions until I was doing 1 and ½ incisions."

Recently, Dr. Cohen was named Director of the Minimally Invasive Thyroid & Parathy-roid Surgery program at West Hills Medical Center, the only program in the San Fernando Valley.

Dr. Cohen is one of a select number of surgeons in the country, and one of only three in the L.A. area that specializes in minimally invasive thyroid and parathyroid surgery. His expertise in facial plastics training provides a special awareness and sensitivity about the cosmetic after effects of surgical incisions.

In addition to a much smaller incision scar, ("the larger incision as done formerly was cosmetically unacceptable," says Dr. Cohen) minimally invasive surgery results in much less pain and shorter recovery time. Patients can return to work in three to five days as compared to up to two weeks, and their energy levels are up after 7 days.

Patients come to Dr. Cohen through referrals from endocrinologists and internists with more and more reaching him through the internet. Dr. Cohen is quick to add that not everyone is a candidate for minimally invasive surgery. Large goiter, auto-immune thyroid conditions or a difficult anatomy (such as a large neck) are a few examples. "In those instances I use a 3-inch incision," in those patients reports Dr. Cohen," which is still smaller than most surgeons."

In all cases for Dr. Cohen, "I treat my patients like family."

For even earlier self- detection, Dr. Cohen recommends that everyone consider a self exam or "thyroid check" every six months. This means simply standing in front of the mirror and feeling for any lumps or bumps along the central lower neck that present with swallowing. If anything abnormal is felt, a doctor should be consulted for a full and complete examination.

Self-exams are especially important because, unlike other cancers, there are no consistent risk factors with thyroid cancer other than exposure to a major amount of radiation (medical or otherwise) or thyroid cancer in one's immediate family, though the disease is not considered genetic or heredity.

September, designated as Thyroid Cancer Awareness month, is a good time to start regular exams. To commemorate the month Dr. Cohen will lead various discussions and community programs to educate the public. For more information, please see:

www.cvsurgicalgroup.com

Beware of Mercury Levels in Fish
By Christina Pembleton

Aside from exercise, daily intake of proteins and other nutrients is most important in maintaining a healthy diet. Eating certain seafood, which contains essential omega-3 acids and high levels of vitamin B, is a great, low-calorie way to stay fit. Studies show, however, that fish and shellfish ranking high on the food chain contain large amounts of a toxic mercury compound that impact neurological development if consumed too often.

Methyl mercury is common in fish due to water pollution, and bacteria from decomposing plants and animals, which breed in bodies of water, transform mercury into methyl mercury. Since it is fat-soluble, methyl mercury will not dissolve in water and accumulates over time, so innards and muscle tissue, the most commonly eaten parts, store the majority of harmful toxins.

Fish with longer life spans such as shark, tuna, king mackerel, and swordfish contain the highest levels of mercury. Because sharks and the like are predators, they eat smaller fish with lower levels, gradually increasing their own mercury concentration. This causes the toxins to amplify up to 10 times, making the fish or shellfish even more poisonous if eaten.

Once considered a healthier option than fresh tuna, six percent of canned light tuna has been shown to potentially harbor high mercury levels. Shrimp, catfish, and salmon are tasty alternatives and contain much lower levels of methyl mercury. The United States Food and Drug Administration's mercury limit in fish products is one part per million (ppm). Any level above one ppm can lawfully be removed from stores and halted from importation.

Species of fish selected for sushi commonly have higher levels of methyl mercury as well. Sushi bars, popular hangout spots for fish lovers, select the biggest and oldest fish for serving, essentially the fish with the highest levels of mercury. Local restaurants and supermarkets have taken heed to the danger of serving such fish. After an intense protest conducted by the Sea Turtle Restoration Project in 2002, Red Lobster decided to remove swordfish from their menu due to the species naturally high mercury concentration. In previous tests, Swordfish contained 1.1 ppm of mercury.

While eliminating fish intake altogether is dangerous because it removes important nutrients from the daily diet, limiting fish intake to a twice-a-week ration is a manageable start to avoiding high doses of mercury entering the body. Because mercury accumulates over time, one week of excessive fish consumption is not overly harmful, but eliminating fish from the next week's diet is a smart choice to prevent poisoning.

According to the National Recourses Defense Council, about 30 percent of the total waterways in America have been affected by mercury pollution from factories and power plants that burn coal; however, many lakes, rivers, oceans, and estuaries have never been tested for levels of pollution. Since so many bodies of water have some amount of mercury contamination, eating fish from a river could be equally dangerous as eating sea fish. A typical way to tell if a fish has naturally high mercury levels is to consider size, eating habits, and age.

Pregnant women, those who are nursing, and young children are especially advised to stay away from fish and shellfish with high levels of mercury because of the developing brain and nervous system. If fish must remain a constant part of the diet, the FDA recommends completely avoiding shark, tuna, swordfish, and king mackerel. Only six ounces, an average meal size, of albacore tuna should be eaten per week. Approximately two average meals per week, or 12 ounces, of fish that have minimal mercury in their muscle tissue can be eaten, such as salmon, shrimp, and catfish. Lastly, those who fish for their own food in coastal regions or lakes should check local advisories before enjoying their catch. If an advisory cannot be consulted, no more than six ounces per week should be eaten.

Healthy Happenings

Free Health Screenings
Noon – 4 p.m. Free health screenings offered by Northridge Hospital Medical Center at the Northridge Fashion Center. August 14: Breastfeeding 101. August 15: Advance Directives. , September 11: Prostate Cancer. Northridge Fashion Center, 9301 Tampa Ave., Northridge.
(818) 885-9700
www.northridgefashion.com

Carbohydrate Counting
Ongoing. Class for individuals who want to improve blood sugar control through carbohydrate intake. Providence Tarzana Medical Center's Tarzana Campus, 18321 Clark St., Tarzana.
(818) 345-8955

Young Onset Parkinson's Disease Support Group
2nd Sat. each month, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. A free "Young Onset Parkinson's Support Group. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(866) 499-2732

Brain Injury Support Group
2nd Wed. each month. Free. Provides encouragement and education. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500 ext. 2833

Mental Health Support Group
1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Free. Support group for family members of those with mental illness. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 994-6747

Brain Tumor Support Group
Second Wednesday each month, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Support for those suffering with brain cancer. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500, ext. 2833

Breast Cancer Support Group
Second and Fourth Tuesday each month, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Meet with other breast cancer patients to discuss treatment options and mental comraderie.
Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500, ext. 2833

Breastfeeding Support Group
Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Meet with other new mothers. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500, Ext. 2298

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