The number of COVID-19 patients at The University of Kansas Health System is holding steady today. Seven people with the active virus are being treated, the same as yesterday. Of those patients, three are in the ICU, same as yesterday. One of those patients is on a ventilator, down from two yesterday. 15 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID-19 but are out of the acute infection phase, up from 13 yesterday. That’s a total of 22 patients, up from 20 yesterday. HaysMed reports one active COVID-19 patient today, the same as yesterday.
On today’s Morning Media Update, an historic day for The University of Kansas Health System.155 tons of equipment, the combined weight of a 747, is arriving on the biggest flatbed you've likely ever seen with police and other motorcades escorting the way. The entourage is bringing the long-awaited proton therapy gantry and cyclotron that will bring the center one step closer to fruition. You can watch a livestream of the installation on this page. Dr. Ronny Rotondo, medical director of the Proton Therapy Center and Dr. Terry Tsue, Physician in Chief and VP of Clinical Services at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, talked about this technology and the rise of cancer diagnosis linked to the pandemic.
Doctors started the program with word from the CDC that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are 80 percent effective after one shot and 95 percent effective after both. The CDC also reports that the vaccines are “incredibly effective” at preventing disease transmission and appear to be effective against the virus variants. The agency also advises that surface transmission looks less and less important and is pulling back on some of the recommendations for disinfection.
The discussion of proton beam therapy began with the story of George Langston, a 7-year-old Olathe boy, who developed a rare cancer near his left eye. Doctors felt this treatment was best for him because of the way it spares tissues around the tumor from excessive radiation. But since the treatment was not yet available in Kansas City, it meant the whole family had to relocate to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for almost two months while George underwent his treatment. It was successful, and with chemotherapy, George was able to go back to school last fall and has a bright outlook.
Dr. Rotondo is medical director of Proton Therapy, and George’s doctor. He says George is “doing great,” and explained why he was a good candidate and why children are particularly suited for this treatment, though it works just as well for adults. He described how the treatment works, and said unlike conventional radiation, the beam can be targeted to control the depth and focus, minimizing, or eliminating damage to healthy vital tissues and organs. That’s especially important for a growing boy like George. He says proton beam therapy has greatly improved over the years and is no longer considered a “failure,” as some called it in its early days. While it helped George tremendously, he explained why it’s not for everyone. He says it’s right for 20 to 30 percent of cancer patients. Those with brain tumors or prostate cancer, for example, are usually good candidates. He says the KU Cancer Center will begin treating its first patients with proton beam therapy early next year.
Dr. Tsue says it’s been a long journey and today is a great milestone in cancer treatment for residents in our area. He described the Kansas City region as a “proton therapy desert,” and explained how patients do a lot better when they get the best treatment close to home. He said many head and neck cancer patients will benefit and explained why the single gantry machine being installed is better than some of the older multi gantry units. He says the KU Cancer Center will be one of only 38 in the country with this unit when it opens next year. He also addressed the worry among many cancer doctors that the pandemic has kept a lot of people from their routine screenings, and he says that will have a big effect for years to come as patients come with more advanced cancers that weren’t caught early.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at The University of Kansas Health System, said the pandemic has also kept many from routine vaccines, such as for hepatitis and HPV. He advises everyone to get caught up on those and to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which he stressed is safe, especially for pregnant women. He said even though the CDC is backing away from disinfecting surfaces as much, which is good news for some businesses, it’s vital we still observe good hand hygiene and continue to wear masks.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, agreed we still need to wear masks, especially with the virus variants still out there. He stresses early screening and getting the right treatment is vital during the pandemic and don’t let fear of COVID-19 keep you from hospitals or doctors’ offices, which are incredibly safe. He says, “We’re down to the goal line in the pandemic. Don’t fumble on the vaccine and don’t fumble on your own health, because those two things really go together.”
Wednesday, April 7 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Media Update. Dr. Nancy Stewart, pulmonologist, critical care, and sleep specialist is back with an update on her research around sleep during a pandemic.
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