Around the Medical Center   

Learn more about the intervention program.

De-Stress, Live Longer

A recent study at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC) found that women with breast cancer who participate in an intervention program may actually increase their chances of surviving the disease. Barbara Andersen, PhD, lead researcher on the study, wanted to look specifically at recurrence and survival rates among women who were surgically treated for Stage II or Stage III breast cancer.

Participants in Andersen’s study learned progressive muscle relaxation for stress reduction, problem-solving for common difficulties (such as fatigue), how to find support from family and friends, exercise and diet tips and how to deal with treatment side effects while keeping up with medical treatment and follow-up. Patients who regularly practiced these relaxation techniques reduced their risk of dying of breast cancer by 56 percent after a median of 11 years and the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 45 percent. Researchers found that patients who had the greatest reductions in distress and physical symptoms were those who practiced progressive muscle relaxation most frequently. They also understood and remembered that continued stress could hurt their health. “We already knew a psychological intervention program could help breast cancer patients to handle their stress, function more effectively and improve their health. Now we know it does even more,” reports Andersen. This study is part of a long-running Stress and Immunity Breast Cancer Project at Ohio State.

Education Matters

Ohio State is not only a terrific place for training physicians, but an excellent choice for those interested in the profession of nursing. The College of Nursing now offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice program, providing doctoral preparation to nurses who want their career emphasis to be on patient care, the mentorship of others in nursing, nursing administration or the crafting of health policy. This higher education translates into quality care for patients provided by nurses who are strong leaders.

Get connected with the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program.

Get more information on VBAC.

Read more about Ohio State’s Maternal Fetal Medicine services.

Once a Cesarean, Always a Cesarean?

Mark Landon, MD, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at OSU Medical Center, was the lead investigator of the National Institutes of Health’s largest prospective study on a birthing delivery method known as vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC. Many hospitals will not allow a woman to deliver vaginally after having a cesarean birth—more than nine out of 10 births following a cesarean are repeat cesareans. However, the study revealed that the majority of women with a prior cesarean delivery can expect to achieve a successful vaginal birth. According to OSU Maternal Fetal Medicine, most women who have had a cesarean birth can have a VBAC with their next pregnancy. The benefits of VBAC include a faster recovery time and avoidance of the operative risks of cesarean birth, a major operation. To read more about the option of VBAC for childbirth, visit www.medicalcenter.osu.edu/health1.

Islets of Hope

Ohio State is giving people who live with pancreatitis more hope after conducting its first auto-islet cell transplant last November. Amer Rajab, MD, PhD, director of Pancreas and Islet Transplantation, and his team performed the islet autotransplantation surgery that involved removing a woman’s pancreas and rushing it to a lab where cells that produce insulin (known as islet cells) were removed. After little more than an hour, the cells were implanted into the patient’s liver, grafting and mimicking the function of the removed pancreas. Using the patient’s own islet cells lowers the threat of rejection. This procedure also prevents the patient from becoming permanently insulin-dependent.

During auto-islet cell transplantation, pancreas tissue is reduced to a semi-liquid state in a Ricordi chamber (shown here). Islet cells are then separated from other tissues prior to transplant.

Read more about auto-islet cell transplantation.

Learn more about pancreatitis.

Get the latest news on the construction project.

Expansion Continues with Outpatient Facility

OSU Medical Center is relocating its growing women’s health, plastic surgery, otolaryngology and ophthalmology outpatient services this fall. The newly constructed clinic is located north of Goodale Boulevard at 915 Olentangy River Road (below) just off state Route 315. Patients will find the location easy to get to from any direction, with free, adjacent parking. This five-story building will also have a suite of six state-of-the-art operating rooms for outpatient surgical procedures.

Caring Starts Here

OSU Medical Center’s Clinical Pastoral Education program gives chaplains-in-training the opportunity to use their theological relationships and skills to assist patients, caregivers, families and Medical Center staff in meeting spiritual and emotional needs. Each student is supervised by a chaplain mentor to further personalize the learning experience and better equip him or her for a career in professional ministry.

Request an application packet for the program by contacting OSUMC’s Department of Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education office at 1-800-293-5123.

Learn more about the Clinical Pastoral Education Program.

Visit Ohio State’s Department of Chaplaincy and Clinical Pastoral Education.