TO YOUR HEALTH
▸
Robert Hastings’ journey with hepatitis C began 11 years ago, and
his brother James’ began six years later. They both turned to The
Liver Institute at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and are now
cured of hepatitis C.
“We both got the best care,” Robert Hastings says.
The brothers benefited from a new class of direct-acting
antiviral therapies that has been a game changer in treating the
virus. Today cure rates are at 80 to 90 percent, and progress
continues to be made through clinical research being conducted
by hepatobiliary centers of excellence like The Liver Institute.
“These new drugs target the hepatitis C virus specifically, as
opposed to older therapies that enhanced your immune response
against the virus,” says Jeffrey Weinstein, MD, medical director
of liver transplantation and hepatobiliary services at The Institute.
“Patients not only have fewer severe side effects but also benefit
from a shorter treatment time — as little as 12 weeks.”
Game-changing
therapies cure hepatitis C
MORE TO KNOW
To learn more about innovative
treatments for hepatitis C, visit
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Methodist Dallas Medical Center
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Summer 2014
THE INSIDE STORY
Read more of Kenneth Haynes’ experience with colorectal cancer at
. And to find a physician
to refer you for a potentially lifesaving colonoscopy at Methodist Dallas, visit
.
not to
screen?
To
screen
or
For Kenneth Haynes (pictured at left), that
choice was easy: screen.
It was time for his first colonoscopy, so he
scheduled the test. And it’s a good thing he
did. This pain-free outpatient procedure found
multiple polyps, including one that turned out to
be cancerous.
Anand Lodha, MD, colorectal surgeon on the
medical staff at Methodist Dallas Medical Center,
says colonoscopies are invaluable in saving lives.
“Colorectal cancer doesn’t usually produce
symptoms, especially in its early stages when
it’s most easily treatable,” he says. “So screening
is essential for us to not only find polyps early,
but also remove them before they can become
advanced cancers.”
If you’re at average risk for colorectal cancer,
you’ll want to schedule your first colonoscopy at
age 50. Your doctor can advise if you should start
screening sooner or more frequently.
