Doctor Column
Tumor Biomarkers and Angellina Jolie
April 25, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
“I choose not to keep my story private, because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they have strong options,” said Jolie.
Biomarkers Are Essential Medical Tools
April 15, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
A biomarker, in medicine, is anything that can be used to measure the health status of a person. A wide range of biomarkers is available to determine whether a person is healthy or sick. For instance, some are as simple as taking your pulse, body temperature, or measuring your blood pressure. Other biomarkers can be more complex, such as biological molecules used to identify genetic changes in cancer cells.
“Snapshot” — Medicare’s $35 Out-Of-Pocket Insulin
April 5, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Over 3.3 million Americans on Medicare use insulin. In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, which included caps on out-of-pocket insulin costs to $35 per month for each insulin product covered by a person’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, or Medicare Advantage plan.
Norovirus The Viral Invader of the Gut
March 25, 2025
Dana is a 29 y/o marketing executive who woke up one winter morning “feeling sick.” She told her husband, “I feel tired, nauseated, and have mild stomach cramps.” It wasn’t long afterwards, she suddenly experienced the onset of vomiting, and diarrhea. Her husband encouraged her to drink liquids, but it only caused her to vomit more. The miserable morning led to dehydration, and by early afternoon she was receiving intravenous fluids in the Emergency Department of her local hospital.
Diabetes Insipidus—DI Eric’s Story and the Need to Change DI’s Name
March 5, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
“Several weeks before we took Eric to the doctor, we noticed that he was thirsty, I mean he was drinking a lot more water than usual” Mom said. “Also, I would wake up in the morning at my usual time, open the refrigerator door to get milk for my coffee, and realized that he drank almost a full carton of orange juice in the middle of the night.
FDA Puts on Hold All Infant RSV Trials Due to Safety Concerns
February 25, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
On December 12, 2024, the FDA in a briefing document “put on hold” all clinical trials of vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants. The FDA said it was notified by Moderna, in July 2024 that their findings from a clinical trial signaled safety concerns in infants. The two vaccine candidates were being evaluated during Phase 1 trial which primarily evaluates the drug’s, or vaccine’s safety and dose range.
Bird Flu H5N1, Asian Influenza: Wings of Worry — The Pandemic Threat of Bird Flu
February 5, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Does Bird Flu have the potential to mutate into a more contagious and deadly version of itself just as SARS mutated into COVID19? Back in 2007, Gary Wong, and T Leung wrote, “Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Avian influenza (bird flu) are the two newly emerged infections with pandemic potential that have arisen from Asia in the new millennium.” In 2020, COVID-19 fulfilled its pandemic potential, became a household word, and a deadly virus causing millions of deaths.
Untangling the “4 A’s” of Alzheimer’s Disease: What Are They?
January 25, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the neurons, the nerve cells in the brain. It’s a chronic, progressive disease that causes the loss of function, and structure of the nerve cells in the brain, resulting in the shrinkage of brain tissue with adverse emotional, mental, and physical effects. After the age of 60 years, the incidence of AD approximately doubles every five years.
BE FAST! Save a Life!! Recognize the Signs of Stroke and Call 911
January 15, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
More people are using the acronym “Be Fast” to recognize, and understand what to do about the signs of the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, Stroke. Once you suspect the person is having a stroke, Call 911 immediately. The sooner medical help is on the way, and treatment initiated, the greater the likelihood of survival. Minutes count!
Vaccinations .. “Stupendous Success” in Saving Lives: A Bedrock of Disease Prevention
January 5, 2025
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Vaccinations have remarkably improved the survival, and health of individuals worldwide. A landmark study published in The Lancet in May 2024 analyzed 50 years of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), and concluded that vaccinations have prevented an estimated 154 million deaths globally since 1974, with the majority occurring in children under five years old. They’ve cut infant mortality by 40 percent globally!
