Mayo Clinic Health Matters

Pituitary tumors are abnormal growths that develop in your pituitary gland. Pituitary tumors can cause too much or too little of the hormones that regulate important functions of your body to be produced. Most pituitary tumors are noncancerous growths called adenomas, which remain in your pituitary gland or surrounding tissues and don't spread to other parts of your body."It's very uncommon for any pituitary tumor to be a malignancy or what one would commonly think about as a cancer or something that would travel elsewhere," says Dr. Jamie Van Gompel, a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon. "Almost all of these are benign tumors." Pituitary tumors are categorized as functioning or nonfunctioning, depending on if they are producing hormones.The signs and symptoms of nonfunctioning pituitary tumors, those that don't make hormones, nonfunctioning are related to their growth and the pressure they put on other structures."Out of all pituitary tumors, about half of them aren't making any kind of a substance," explains Dr. Van Gompel. "And those are called nonfunctioning adenomas or tumors. And they cause problems by putting pressure on things nearby. So they'll either take up enough room where the pituitary gland is so that it doesn't function well, and you have to get medications to replace some of that function. Or you may start to lose vision. That's another very common presenting symptom with these. "Pituitary tumors that make hormones, called functioning, can cause a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the hormone they produce."Functioning tumors cause distinct syndromes," says Dr. Van Gompel. "The three most common are prolactin-secreting tumors, Cushing's and acromegaly." Dr. Van Gompel explains overproduction of prolactin from a pituitary tumor can cause breast milk to develop in women, even when they aren't postpartum. In men, it often affects sexual function. In Cushing syndrome, the body creates too much cortisol. The hallmark signs of Cushing syndrome are a fatty hump between the shoulders, a rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on your skin. Cushing syndrome also can result in high blood pressure, bone loss and, sometimes, Type 2 diabetes. Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that develops when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood, causing bones to increase in size. In childhood, this leads to increased height and is called gigantism. But in adulthood, a change in height doesn't occur. Instead, the increase in bone size is limited to the bones of the hands, feet and face.There are various options for treating pituitary tumors, including removing the tumor, controlling its growth and managing your hormone levels with medications. Surgery often is needed if a pituitary tumor is pressing on the optic nerves or if the tumor is overproducing certain hormones. Most often, surgery is done endoscopically through the nasal cavity. The neurosurgeon removes the tumor through the nose and sinuses without an external incision. No other part of the brain is affected, and there's no visible scar.Mayo Clinic is one of the largest pituitary centers in the U.S., evaluating and treating more than 1,600 people with pituitary tumors every year. Dr. Van Gompel explains that being treated at a referral center that sees a high volume of pituitary tumors is important."Here at Mayo, we have huge expertise, and a group of people that know how to manage these adenomas," explains Dr. Van Gompel. "We're fortunate to have excellent colleagues in neuroradiology because the imaging matters to help locate the tumors. We also have a team of endocrinologists who focus specifically on treatment and management of pituitary tumors. And we have surgeons, like me, who focus on adenomas. We're constantly working together studying our outcomes to make sure they're as good, if not better, than they were last year, to improve care for our patients." On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Van Gompel discusses options for treating pituitary tumors. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Recently, new treatment options have become available to those living with severe peanut allergies.  We will be exploring what's new in this area and who could potentially benefit.On this Ask the Mayo Mom edition of the Q&A podcast, host Dr. Angela Mattke is joined by Dr. Martha Hartz.  Dr. Hartz is a Pediatric Allergist-Immunologist at Mayo Clinic Children's Center and is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics who will also discuss what is on the horizon in the world of allergy treatment. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One of the potentially painful side effects of cancer treatment is lymphedema. Lymphedema is tissue swelling caused by the buildup of fluid that's usually drained through the body's lymphatic system. Because lymph nodes are an important part of the lymphatic system, lymphedema can be caused by cancer treatments that remove or damage the lymph nodes."During cancer treatment, sometimes lymph nodes need to be removed, and the lymphatic system that travels around and through these lymph nodes, gets damaged as well," explains Dr. Antonio Forte, a Mayo Clinic plastic surgeon. "It's impossible to remove the lymph nodes without damaging the system."Lymphedema most commonly affects the arms or legs, but can also occur in the chest wall, abdomen, neck and genitals. Severe cases of lymphedema can affect the ability to move the affected limb, increase the risks of skin infections and sepsis, and can lead to skin changes and breakdown. An estimated 20% to 40% of patients undergoing an axillary lymph node dissection — removal of lymph nodes from the armpit, which is a common part of surgery for breast cancer — will develop lymphedema.Nonsurgical treatment options include compression bandages or garments, massage, and careful skin care. If compression treatment isn't successful, a microsurgery technique, known as lymphovenous bypass, may be an option.Microsurgery refers to the fact that the surgery is done using powerful microscopes that are magnified 20 to 25 times. Using special dye injected under the skin to identify the lymphatic pathways, surgeons then use small incisions to reroute the lymphatic system by connecting tiny lymphatic vessels to tiny veins, creating a detour around the damaged lymph nodes. The new connection restores the body's ability to drain lymphatic fluids. Dr. Forte specializes in lymphovenous bypass surgery and has seen great benefits for patients. He points out that it's a minimally invasive procedure that can be done in an outpatient setting. The incisions are small, scarring is minimal, and patients can see significant reduction of their swelling."A very good study that was published almost a decade ago looked at patients that had lymphovenous bypass, and on average, 42% of the swelling improved over one year," says Dr. Forte. "Now there are patients that will have much more improvement than that. And some other patients will have very little improvement. But, on average, patients that have lymphovenous bypass surgery improve by 42%."On this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Forte explains the lymphovenous bypass procedure, who is a candidate for the surgery, and the risks and benefits of this lymphedema treatment.Related Articles: "A regenerative detour for lymphedema." "Video: Lymphovenous Bypass Surgery for Lymphedema." Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Three respiratory viruses — COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV — are currently circulating in the U.S., and experts worry that holiday travel and gatherings could fuel their spread and further increase the number of cases.Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert about the fall season increase in cases of influenza and RSV infection, primarily affecting young children.To help protect against severe disease and hospitalization, the CDC recommends vaccinations against influenza and COVID-19 for all eligible people 6 months or older. While not yet available, there is good news on the vaccine front for fighting RSV, too."A number of vaccine manufacturers have developed vaccines, including a couple of them through phase three trials," says Dr. Gregory Poland, head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "Very likely, certainly before this time next year, I think we'll have a licensed RSV vaccine for adults, and then they'll move clinical trials down to kids. So we're definitely making progress there."In addition to available vaccines, the toolkit for stopping the spread of viruses is familiar now after two years of battling COVID-19. The most basic protection measure, masking, is still effective, but many have grown tired of using it."Most people now are not wearing a mask, they're embarrassed to wear a mask, they're fatigued of it," explains Dr. Poland. "Over these holiday wintertime periods, it's very likely we'll have a surge of influenza and COVID-19 related to this kind of behavior. Don't let fatigue and letting your guard down be the reason that you get infected and suffer a complication."On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland discusses the latest news on RSV, COVID-19 and this year's flu season.Related articles: "Early increase of flu, RSV viruses affecting children — when to seek help" "Care tips for upper respiratory infections in children" "RSV season: What parents need to know" Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

At Mayo Clinic, the Department of Business Development is the front door to business. From technology commercialization to strategic partnerships, the ultimate goal of innovation at Mayo Clinic is to improve health outcomes and benefit patients.Business Development has two divisions: Mayo Clinic Ventures, which is Mayo’s technology development and commercialization group, responsible for assisting Mayo innovators in advancing their invention ideas into actual products.  Corporate Development, which is focused on creating opportunities such as partnerships, joint ventures, and new company formation. "Mayo has about 7,000 active inventors across its campuses, which is quite incredible," says Dr. Clark Otley, medical director for the Department of Business Development at Mayo Clinic. "Every week, I receive a list of the new invention ideas and technologies that they think up, and I am frankly in awe of their creativity and drive to help our patients."  Mayo Clinic Ventures works hand in hand with all three shields at Mayo Clinic — Research, Practice and Education — to advance the best ideas to the marketplace.  "In many parts of health care, a 10% success rate is considered standard," explains Dr. Otley. "Mayo’s success rate in achieving at least some degree of commercial success is closer to 30%, thanks to our amazing inventors and the hard work of our Mayo Clinic Ventures staff."  Mayo’s key invention activities and innovations align with the strategic plan to "Cure. Connect. Transform." Business Development supports key activities in each of those areas: In Cures, Business Development is partnering with our Research and Practice innovators to advance technologies aimed at restoring vision, diagnosing cancers bodywide through a blood test, manipulating the proximal small intestine to reverse diabetes, controlling recalcitrant seizures and regenerating organs that have worn out, and many more areas. In Connect, Business Development is partnering with innovators in the practice, Center for Digital Health and Mayo Clinic Platform to advance the care of patients with serious or complex diseases in the comfort of their home, caring for pregnant patients in more effective and less disruptive ways, and even extending cancer care beyond the walls of Mayo Clinic. In Transform, Business Development is partnering with Mayo Clinic Platform to advance new, transformative, data-science-based platform solutions that aim to extend Mayo’s expertise, powered by artificial intelligence, to patients across the world, in conjunction with colleagues from Mayo Clinic International. Past successes help support future endeavors at Mayo Clinic."The big news is that Mayo is about the hit a milestone related to inventing," says Dr. Otley. "Sometime this winter, Mayo will reach the $1 billion milestone of revenue brought back from our inventing activity, supported by Mayo Clinic Ventures. And the beautiful thing is that those proceeds are reinvested back into our three-shield mission of Practice, Education and Research to maintain the virtuous cycle of invention in patient care."On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Otley joins host, Dr. Halena Gazelka, to share an inside look at invention at Mayo Clinic. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Facial paralysis can affect one side or both sides of the face and can affect eye closure, the smile and lower lip movement. Facial paralysis can be caused by a variety of syndromes and can also be the result of a birth defect, a tumor, or trauma.When facial paralysis occurs in children, it impairs a child’s ability to move their facial muscles and show facial expression. Surgery can be done to reanimate the face and give children back the ability to show their smiles and expressions on the outside. The Facial Paralysis and Reanimation Clinic at Mayo Clinic Children's Center brings together a team of experts including neurologists, plastic surgeons, optometrists and physical therapists to develop a treatment plan tailored to each child.On this Ask the Mayo Mom edition of the Q&A podcast, host Dr. Angela Mattke is joined by two experts— Dr. Samir Mardini, a plastic surgeon and chair of the Division of Plastic Surgery and co-director of the cleft and craniofacial clinic at Mayo Clinic Children's Center, and Dr. Waleed Gibreel, a craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgeon at Mayo Clinic — to discuss facial reanimation surgery in children. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. Anyone can develop epilepsy and epilepsy affects both males and females of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and ages.Treatment with medications or sometimes surgery can control seizures for the majority of people with epilepsy. Some people require lifelong treatment to control seizures, but for others, the seizures eventually go away. Some children with epilepsy may outgrow the condition with age.Medications for epilepsy have improved and remain the most common way to treat epilepsy. Open surgery to remove the portion of the brain that's causing the seizures is still an important treatment option for epilepsy that isn't controlled by medication. In recent years, new treatment options for epilepsy, including minimally invasive options, have developed. The latest treatments include: Deep brain stimulation. This is the use of a device that is placed permanently deep inside the brain. The device releases regularly timed electrical signals that disrupt seizure-inducing activity. This procedure is guided by MRI. The generator that sends the electrical pulse is implanted in the chest. Responsive neurostimulation. These implantable, pacemaker-like devices can help significantly reduce how often seizures occur. These responsive stimulation devices analyze brain activity patterns to detect seizures as they start and deliver an electrical charge or drug to stop the seizure before it causes impairment. Research shows that this therapy has few side effects and can provide long-term seizure relief. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT). This is less invasive than resective surgery. It uses a laser to pinpoint and destroy a small portion of brain tissue. An MRI is used to guide the laser. Minimally invasive surgery. New minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as MRI-guided focused ultrasound, show promise at treating seizures with fewer risks than traditional open brain surgery for epilepsy. "The game is much different now," says Dr. Jamie Van Gompel, a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon. "We've really improved the outcomes for patients. I think it's important to explore treatment options because they can have substantial, meaningful impacts in people's lives."Dr. Van Gompel encourages people with epilepsy to check in with their primary care provider or neurologist about their current treatment, and don't hesitate to seek a second opinion at an epilepsy center, especially if you have side effects from your medications or are continuing to have seizure events.“If you haven’t seen a specialist in the last five years, you should see an epileptologist at a specialized care center,” says Dr. Van Gompel. "Epilepsy treatments are changing so rapidly right now with the introduction of robotics and stereotactic techniques that there might be something new that can help you with your seizures or epilepsy management."Research in the field continues to focus on seizure prevention, prediction and treatment. Dr. Van Gompel predicts that the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning will help neurologists and neurosurgeons continue to move toward better treatment options and outcomes."I think we will continue to move more and more toward removing less and less brain," says Dr. Van Gompel. "And in fact, I do believe in decades, we'll understand stimulation enough that maybe we'll never cut out brain again. Maybe we'll be able to treat that misbehaving brain with electricity or something else. Maybe sometimes it's drug delivery, directly into the area, that will rehabilitate that area to make it functional cortex again. That's at least our hope."On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Van Gompel discusses the latest treatment options for epilepsy and what's on the horizon in research. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Commercials and advertisements often target parents, suggesting they should give their kids vitamins and supplements to help them grow strong and stay healthy. But is it true?The short answer is no. "By and large, when kids are generally healthy, when they're growing well, when there is no big concern, there's really no need for any extra vitamins or supplements," says  Dr. Erin Alexander, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. Experts agree that most kids should get their vitamins from food, not supplements. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that healthy children receiving a normal, well-balanced diet do not need vitamin supplementation over and above the recommended dietary allowances that they get from the foods they eat. While many young children may be selective about what they eat, that doesn't necessarily mean that they have nutritional deficiencies. Many common foods — including breakfast cereal, milk and orange juice — are fortified with important nutrients, such as B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium and iron. So your child may be getting more vitamins and minerals than you think.Nutrition for kids is based on the same ideas as nutrition for adults. Everyone needs the same types of things, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. Children need different amounts of specific nutrients at different ages.Food packed with nutrients — with no or limited sugar, saturated fat, or salt added to it — is considered nutrient-dense. Focusing on nutrient-dense foods helps kids get the nutrients they need while limiting overall calories.Nutrient-dense foods include: Protein. Choose seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Fruits. Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried fruits. Look for canned fruit that says it's light or packed in its own juice. This means it's low in added sugar. Keep in mind that 1/4 cup of dried fruit counts as one serving of fruit. Vegetables. Serve a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried vegetables. Choose peas or beans, along with colorful vegetables each week. When selecting canned or frozen vegetables, look for ones that are lower in sodium. Grains. Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread or pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, or brown or wild rice. Dairy. Encourage your child to eat and drink fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Fortified soy beverages also count as dairy. "When we're thinking about a child's nutrition, it's really important that we think very broadly," says Dr. Dana Steien, a gastroenterologist and director of pediatric nutrition at Mayo Clinic Children's Center. "Macronutrients — protiens, carbohydrates and fats — are where we get our calories. Micronutrients are all our minerals and vitamins." Another important part of a healthy diet is limiting a child's calories from added sugars, saturated fats and salt. Check nutrition labels on food products for information on calories and serving sizes.While most kids get what they need from the foods they eat, there are certain medical situations or conditions where children need nutrient supplementation or specialized diets. For instance, babies born prematurely may require nutritional supplements to help them grow. Some children may develop iron, vitamin D or calcium deficiencies that require supplementation. Another common issue is kids who develop allergies or food intolerances that may require them to follow a modified diet such as gluten-free, low fructose or low lactose. These special diets should be supervised by a dietitian or your child's health care team.On this "Ask the Mayo Mom" edition of the Q&A podcast, Drs. Alexander and Steien join host, Dr. Angela Mattke, to talk about nutrition, supplements and special diets for children.Related Articles: "Should I give multivitamins to my preschooler?" "Nutrition for kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet." "Kids and sodium: Serious risks, alarming realities." Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

More than 200,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2022, according to the National Cancer Institute. A new lung cancer diagnosis can be scary and confusing, but having a support system can help."Probably the best advice I give patients with lung cancer is to build your village of support around you," says Dr. Shanda Blackmon, a Mayo Clinic thoracic surgeon. "Always see if you can have somebody come with you for your appointment, just to help you emotionally deal with things, to help you record what's being said, to help you collect that information, and then to also advocate for you."If the cancer is confined to the lungs, surgery may be an option for treatment. Surgery is performed to remove the lung cancer and a margin of healthy tissue around the cancer site. Procedures to remove lung cancer include: Wedge resection to remove a small section of lung that contains the tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue. Segmental resection to remove a larger portion of lung, but not an entire lobe. Lobectomy to remove the entire lobe of one lung. Pneumonectomy to remove an entire lung. The surgeon also may remove lymph nodes from a patient’s chest to check them for signs of cancer. The type of operation used for lung cancer treatment depends on the size and location of the cancer as well as how well a person’s lungs are functioning. Dr. Blackmon recommends that patients explore all their surgical options."When you look at actual surgical options, you have minimally invasive surgery, or open surgery," explains Dr. Blackmon. "And the minimally invasive surgery has a lot of different options as well. Not every lung cancer surgery can be done minimally invasively. But if it can, certainly, the patient benefits."Another important consideration is having your lung cancer surgery performed at a center that does a high volume of cases and is familiar with the type of procedure needed."When you go to have your car worked on — you go to the dealership that deals with your car specifically and someone who does it every day — they're going to be doing a better job than going to someone who's never even seen that type, make or model of car," says Dr. Blackmon. "I think we do that in life all the time. And it makes sense to do it in medicine, and in surgery especially." After surgery for lung cancer, patients are often worried about short-term side effects, like shortness of breath and pain, as well as long-term worries about cancer recurrence. Both should be addressed as part of a cancer survivorship plan."Survivorship is part surveillance and part symptom management," says Dr. Blackmon. "The survivorship program here at Mayo Clinic really focuses on treating the whole patient. We have things like massage therapy. We have acupuncture. We have meditation. We have all kinds of resources that help patients to get their life back, get back in shape, and get all the parts of their body whole again as they start to heal from this really big surgery. But one thing that is so important is to continue to go back for that survivorship care with continued symptom monitoring and continued surveillance. That five-year period after the lung cancer surgery is so critically important."On this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Blackmon discusses what people can expect after surgery for lung cancer, and how to achieve the best quality of life. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Like all patients, military veterans bring their unique experiences and backgrounds with them as they navigate medical and end-of-life care. At Mayo Clinic, programs are in place to honor military service and care for veterans.Mayo Clinic Hospice is a partner of the We Honor Veterans Program run by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. The Hospice team provides the high level of medical, emotional, spiritual and social care that those who have served in the U.S. armed forces deserve. Team members recognize and honor the hospice patient’s military service with a veteran pinning ceremony. Ceremonies are provided after approval by the patient and family and can include anyone whom the military member and family would like to participate, along with the hospice team.“It's just a small, simple way of saying thank you to a veteran,” says Loren Olson, a chaplain with Mayo Clinic Hospice. “We bring a pillowcase that represents their branch of the service and a small pin that they could put on a lapel, or a lot of them put them on their military hats. We bring a coin and a certificate from Mayo Clinic expressing our appreciation and we invite them to share their experiences in the military.”Building on the We Honor Veterans program, Charlie Hall, a Mayo Clinic security operations supervisor, helped develop a "Final Honor Walk" for deceased veterans at his Mayo Clinic Health System location in La Crosse, Wisconsin.Hall served in the Army as an active-duty rifleman with a combat tour to the Balkans and as a paratrooper with close to 100 military parachute jumps. In addition to his role as a security supervisor, Hall and his team in La Crosse meet with families of deceased veterans to arrange a “Final Honor Walk," where family and staff line the hallway to honor veterans while they are moved out of the hospital room in a flagged-draped cart. “The final honor walk is something that I wanted to develop,” explains Hall. “I had worked with the We Honor Veterans program in Rochester, with hospice, and the near-end-of-life things with veterans, all the great things they do there. I had the privilege of doing that, but I saw us being able to do a little bit more in an inpatient setting.” In addition to care at the end of life, it's important to acknowledge the unique needs of veterans every day in the clinical setting. Issues including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders are more common among veterans than the general population, and they often go hand in hand. More than 2 in 10 veterans with PTSD also have a substance use disorder, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “If a veteran is wearing a hat that signifies their veteran’s status if you will, that to me is the OK to come up and thank them for their service,” says Hall. “And I do that routinely here. It's usually a surprise to the veteran. They're usually extremely grateful. Probably the No. 1 thing is to acknowledge them. It's so important to make people feel at ease when care is coming, especially when there are some complex situations with medical care. There are some very sensitive conversations that have to happen. We all know that happens so much easier when we have great rapport with our patients.”“Honoring veterans is part of the culture at Mayo Clinic, at least in my experience,” says Olson. “One of the first things I learned as I came to work the hospice program was that We Honor Veterans partnership with the Veterans Administration is important to us. We want to spend time honoring our veterans. So I do think we have developed a corporate culture that just helps us to think of the specific needs of our veterans.” On this special Veterans Day edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Olson and Hall join host, Dr. Halena Gazelka, for a conversation on caring for veterans. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy