Pancreatic Cancer May Have Met Its Match

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat, but researchers’ latest immunotherapy tactics may give them the upper hand. Most people don’t even know they have a pancreas, let alone what it does. One of my patients, Richard, was no exception. He came to see me after experiencing several months of weight loss and fatigue. A CT scan revealed a concerning spot on his pancreas as well as other spots on his liver, and a biopsy confirmed our worst fears: He had pancreatic cancer ...read more

Extinction for Easter Island’s Last Endemics

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

The full text of this article is available to Discover Magazine subscribers only. Subscribe and get 10 issues packed with: The latest news, theories and developments in the world of science Compelling stories and breakthroughs in health, medicine and the mind Environmental issues and their relevance to daily life Cutting-edge technology and its impact on our future ...read more

Athlete, Interrupted

Posted on Categories Discover Magazine

A marathoner completes a race through the Borneo rainforest, then pays the price with a deadly ailment. The Borneo wetlands teem with darting birds, slithering snakes and dangling orangutans. Blood-sucking leeches and slim, coiled microbes also abound. Some folks find out about these guys the hard way. Mary, 46, was a longtime marathon runner from Southern California. She was in my office at UCLA Medical Center for a checkup because she was training for a competition in Borneo, a rugged rai ...read more