UCLA Health Santa Clarita Primary & Specialty Care

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) accounts for only 1-5% of all breast cancer diagnoses, but 10% of breast cancer deaths. Learn more about IBC risk factors, symptoms and treatments. https://ucla.in/2TniwVf

Congratulations to UCLA Health physician-scientist Dr. Antoni Ribas for being named to the National Academy of Medicine for his contributions to cancer research! A pioneer in cancer immunology, Dr. Ribas has devoted his career to developing and refining new therapies for malignant melanoma. He currently works as a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and directs the tumor immunology program at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Read more. https://ucla.in/37mAdMY

I’ve been suffering from chronic coughing for almost 10 years now, says Icelandic resident Petur Leosson, who first sought care for the ailment in 2017. Fast forward to this year, in January. I started to notice a growth on my right tonsil. At that point, Petur went to a head and neck physician from his hometown, who thought the growth was an infection. But after an ineffective course of antibiotics, his doctor ordered X-rays and the diagnosis was as he feared: cancer. I...n Iceland, the only treatment is radiation and chemotherapy, with a 50% reoccurrence rate, he says. The Icelandic experts I interviewed predicted that after the treatment I would suffer from severe swallowing dysfunction, long-lasting soreness, tooth and gum decay, hearing impairment, and other side effects . . . Basically, your chance of having any quality of life is down the toilet. Petur decided that this would not do. After a thorough research process, he discovered the UCLA Health Head and Neck Cancer Program and started his 4,000-mile journey to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. I booked my flight as soon as they told me I had my visa, says Petur. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, he was greeted by Dela Cruz and the International Services team who helped Petur navigate his care schedule every step of the way. The biggest surprise was that they managed to remove the tumor without leaving any cancer behind, he says. It’s been incredible. Everything went exactly as planned, the care team was beyond my wildest expectations, and I’m blown away. I feel incredibly blessed to have undergone treatment here at UCLA Health. Read more. https://ucla.in/2IWz7xb

Kids and schools aren’t the main vectors for COVID-19, according to Dr. Nava Yeganeh, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. Learn more. https://lat.ms/2HhDQZH

We knew it all along, but now it's official: the Los Angeles Dodgers are the best in baseball! Congratulations to all of the players, coaches and staff, from all of us at UCLA Health.

Medicine is not a one-size-fits-all, and that’s especially true for preventative screenings. If you’re confused about when, or how often, you should be going for breast cancer screenings, you’re not alone; mixed messaging and conflicting guidelines make a hard-and-fast rule hard to come by. That’s why UCLA is participating in a new study to understand how a personalized approach to breast cancer screenings could not only reduce confusion, but save lives. We need to look at the whole person to determine when an individual can maximally benefit from targeted screening, says Clara Lajonchere, PhD, Deputy Director for the UCLA Institute for Precision Health, as the answer will be influenced by individual and other lifestyle factors. Learn more about the WISDOM study here: https://ucla.in/35IJPzb

Yes, vaccine trial pauses can be a good thing. Learn more about developing safe vaccines from UCLA Health infectious disease expert, Dr. Otto Yang. https://bit.ly/3m64O5i

Historically, people of non-European ancestry have been underrepresented in genetics studies. Two UCLA Health researchers are embarking on a journey to change that. Drs. Valerie Arboleda and Noah Zaitlen explain why diversity is important in medical research and how their study will help to expand personalized medicine to multiethnic populations. https://ucla.in/37qdzTI

UCLA Health lung transplant recipient Kylie Andrisa basked in the sunshine on her first day ‘home’ after discharge from the hospital. Kylie and her mom, who live in Portland, Oregon, were fortunate to connect with Ava's Heart, a non-profit that provides no-cost housing to out-of-town transplant recipients during their post-transplant care. Kylie recently sat down with ABC7’s Phillip Palmer to share her story. Watch now. https://bit.ly/2G0Y9Km

The power of human compassion is truly remarkable, even in the face of loss. Just five months after receiving her diagnosis, Barbara Brown lost her battle with cancer. Though devastated by the loss, Barbara’s son George was immediately compelled to celebrate and memorialize his mother’s legacy in a way that was bigger than himself. Moved by the compassion and dedication of his mother’s care in her final months at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, George created a UCLA Health Person...al Fundraiser and raised over $5,000 to support patient care programs. I wanted to figure out a way where I could honor her, and all of the service she was given at UCLA, George said. I also wanted to find a way, in some small fashion, to have an impact on other patients that may have a similar circumstance or situation. George’s actions and words are proof of the incredible impact one person can make when they inspire others to come together. Want to share your own story and give back to UCLA Health? Visit uclahealth.org/giving/P2P to learn more and get started.

We’re coming up on cold and flu season, which means we’re also coming up on is it a cold, or is it COVID-19? season. If you find yourself sniffling, it’s very normal to wonder what your symptoms could mean. This week, UCLA Health’s clinical chief of infectious diseases, Daniel Uslan, MD, MBA, is sharing his tips on what clues to look for to help you stay safe and put your worries to rest. Share this post to spread the word, and learn more here: https://ucla.in/3mgJ9Iq

What’s brain fog and how is it related to COVID-19? UCLA neurologist Dr. Andrew Levine explains what it is and what you need to know. https://bit.ly/3kd1BjP

The road to reopening Disneyland starts with science. UCLA Health’s Dr. Timothy Brewer explains how other park reopenings are models for COVID-19 do’s and don’ts. https://lat.ms/37led4R

Turns out, warriors come in all sizes even super tiny-sized. Need proof? Meet Skye: a four-year-old cancer warrior who fought Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML) and won. It took three bone marrow transplants, four rounds of chemo, experimental immunotherapy treatment and 299 days as a UCLA Health in-patient, but Skye did it! Learn more about Skye’s warrior-triumphs, and remember: a hero’s a hero, no matter how small --> https://ucla.in/2YHYxT4

In collaboration with the Allen Institute, UCLA Health neuroscientist Baljit Khakh, Ph.D., explores a cell type showing promise as a therapeutic target for Huntington's disease. Read more here. https://bit.ly/2TkRXQu