Penn radiation oncologist Alexander Lin, MD, reviews the groundbreaking clinical study that established the equivalency of proton therapy to photon radiation (IMRT) as an adjunct for patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer—finding in so doing that proton therapy can be used for deintensification of radiation treatment in this population. The study determined that proton therapy matched photon therapy in controlling cancer, and did so with fewer long-term side effects and better long-term outcomes, including survival.

Learn more about Alexander Lin, MD 

Hematologist-oncologist Colin Thomas, MD, and dermopathologist Jina Chung, MD, review the diagnosis and treatment of the T cell lymphomas, including  the nodal and extra nodal (cutaneous) variants, describe the journey from diagnosis to treatment for T cell lymphoma patients, clinical research ongoing and the coordinated effort at Penn Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center to control these rare, complex, and resilient malignancies. 

Learn more about Colin Thomas, MD

Learn more about Jina Chung, MD

Dr. Kimberly Stevenson offers an orthopaedic surgeon’s perspective on the muscle-sparing direct anterior approach (DAA) to total hip arthroscopy. DAA brings about a faster recovery than the classic posterior and lateral approaches and has the potential for a lower risk of dislocation. 

Learn more about Kimberly Stevenson, MD 

In an illuminating discussion, gynecologic oncologist Noah Goldman, MD, discusses the comprehensive scope of his practice at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, including the types of cancers he treats, and expands upon the known benefit of the HPV vaccine, the mysteries of screening for endometrial and ovarian cancers, and the promise of being attentive to one’s own body when things seem awry. 

Learn more about Noah Goldman, MD, MBA  

Drs Sunil Singhal, Janos Tanyi, and James Delikatny discuss the 10 year anniversary of the Penn Center for Precision Surgery. A collaborative effort, the Center has the goal of advancing the practice and invention of intraoperative molecular imaging modalities. Together, the panel review the development and application of fluorescent contrast agents in surgery, relevant FDA-approvals originating at Penn (ie., Cytalux®), and the future of intraoperative imaging.

Drs Nadia Dawn Ali and Scott Peslak examine the pathology of sickle cell disease, its variable effects, and recent advances in treatment, including stem cell therapies and other new FDA-approved regimens for the disease.

Melanie Freas, DNP, CRNP, and cardiac surgery MSN, CRNP Katelyn Rosemann offer a comprehensive overview of the management of acute and chronic types A & B aortic dissection, with a consideration of long-term follow-up, the current status of genetic testing for aortic dissection risk, and the psychological effects of dissection survivorship.

Learn more about Melanie Freas, DNP, CRNP 
Learn more about Katelyn Rosemann, MSN, CRNP 

Dr. Melina Marmarelis offers an overview of biomarker testing—and particularly liquid biopsy—as a fulcrum of precision medicine at Penn Medicine in the determination of tailored treatments for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

Surgeons Christina Jackson, César Briceño, and Jennifer Douglas of Penn Neurosurgery, Oculoplastics, and ENT discuss their combined roles in the transorbital approach (TOA) to tumors of the skull base. The TOA reaches meningiomas and other deep-seated tumors through the orbit of the eye to avoid craniotomy and its after-effects.

Penn Orthopaedics surgeon Charles Nelson, MD, reflects on his role as recently elected President of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, as well as the organization’s history, its role in the development of orthopaedic surgeons, and the looming challenges of AI. 

Learn more about Charles L. Nelson, MD 

Lisa Dobruskin., MD, reviews the management of obesity at Penn Princeton Bariatrics with a focus on continuity of patient-oriented care and the pathophysiology of weight gain and loss. Dr. Dobruskin reviews current minimally invasive surgical offerings, offers guidance on weight-loss medications, and discusses the timing of intervention and other concerns for those considering bariatric surgery.

Abdominal wall hernias appear at points of congenital or acquired weakness in the abdominal muscle wall, and their correction involves an understanding of both the nature of the precipitating flaw and the character of the abdominal wall. In this podcast, Lancaster-based surgeon Kelly Janke, DO, discusses these elements in the context of advanced hernia surgery. and reviews the factors that predispose individuals to either good or less-than-optimal outcomes following intervention.

For more than two decades, advanced practice providers at the Penn Surveillance Clinic have monitored and counseled patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease. A congenital disorder, BAV is associated with the connective tissue syndromes and in these and other affected populations is a leading cause of irreversible aortic root dilation, aneurysm, rupture, and dissection. Affiliated with the Center for Bicuspid Aortic Valve Diseases at Penn Medicine, the APP-led Surveillance Clinic follows patients as they progress from dilation to aneurysm to monitor the size of their aortic diameter via imaging, adjust treatment plans, and, when needed, prepare patients for surgery and recovery.

Obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Sarita Sonalkar provides an insightful review of the Penn Pregnancy Early Access Center, or PEACE Program, an integrated family planning and urgent pregnancy care center. In her engaging discussion, Dr. Sonalkar highlights the various benefits and services of the Program, including shared decision-making, timely appointments, contraception, counseling, ultrasound and surgical services, and much more.

Aortic aneurysms contribute to thousands of aortic dissections and ruptures every year in the United States, and are virtually undetectable in the general population. In this podcast, cardiac surgeon Jeremy McGarvey, MD, describes the effort to detect aortic aneurysms and their multidisciplinary management at PennMedicine. 

Learn more about Jeremy McGarvey, MD

Drs Timothy Markman and Keith Cengel review the devices, medications and surgical approaches to ventricular tachycardia (VT), an arrhythmia linked to sudden death, our current understanding of the origins of VT, and clinical research into new approaches at Penn, including RADIATE VT, which compares radioablation to radiofrequency for VT ablation.

Is there a surgical answer to intractable hypertension? Drs. Taisei Kobayashi and Debra Cohen offer their clinical insights (surgery and nephrology, respectively) on catheter-based renal denervation and its indications for patients with refractory hypertension, as well as supporting evidence for efficacy and precautions for eligibility.

The second most common hematologic malignancy, multiple myeloma has an incidence of ~35,000 new cases a year in the United States. In this episode, Drs. Adam Cohen and Shivani Kapur convene to lay out a roadmap for the treatment journey for patients with the disease, from early treatment options, particularly autologous transplant, to recent advances in immunotherapy, combination maintenance therapies, and clinical trials.

Dr. Leonid Emerel reviews the management of non-small cell and small cell lung cancer at the multidisciplinary cancer clinic in the Medical Arts Pavilion at Penn Medicine Princeton Thoracic Surgery. Dr Emeril reviews diagnostics, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery, and the value of rapid access to the surgeons on staff.

Alexander W. R. Bridges, MD, offers the insight of a cardiothoracic surgeon to an engaging discussion of atrial fibrillation, its causes, risk factors, pathophysiology, populations affected, and treatments. The object of therapy, Dr. Bridges attests, is to stabilize the heart rhythm and reduce the lifetime risk of stroke and heart failure. Dr Bridges reviews the Cox-Maze 3 procedure, left atrial appendage removal, percutaneous ablation, and other advances for atrial fibrillation at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.

Heritability has long been known to play a role in aortic aneurysm and dissection for individuals with the Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndromes. Recent research at Penn Medicine and elsewhere has revealed the presence of genetic variants linked to these syndromes in non-syndromic disease. In this podcast, clinical genetics specialist Staci Kallish, DO, discusses this phenomenon, reviews ongoing studies to determine the risk for aortic aneurysm and dissection in the general population, and the protocols for candidates for genetic evaluation and testing in at- risk populations.

Electrocardiologist Matthew A. Bernabei, MD, examines the history of ablation for atrial fibrillation and its latest iteration, pulsed field ablation, or PFA. Now available at Penn Medicine, PFA uses an electrical field rather than radiofrequency or cryotherapy to treat the aberrant signals that are the source of Afib. Unlike other ablation modalities, PFA is cardio-selective, and thus poses little risk to structures near the heart, including the esophagus.

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Cancer and surgery specialists Drs. Kara Maxwell, Daniel Lee, Jennifer Zhang, and Bryson Katona delve into the nuances of BRCA-positive breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers in men. This wide-ranging discussion encompasses BRCA heritability, diagnostics, screening, risks, and treatment options.

Dr. Jonathan Nahas offers a concise overview of alcohol-related liver diseases, addressing their causes, consequences, and effects on the liver, and examines the importance of thorough assessment and management strategies, including liver transplantation.

Kendall Lawrence, MD, a specialist in aorta surgery, examines the physiology, symptomatology, types, and causes of acute aortic dissection and describes the management of these events at the Penn Aorta Center—including Center’s direct-to-OR program for patients presenting with acute aortic emergencies.

Dr. Nawar Latif offers a nuanced overview of heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, or HIPEC, as an adjunct to surgery in women with ovarian cancer. The introduction of heated chemotherapy at the peritoneum greatly increases its absorption and minimizes the toxicity of therapy.

Dr. E. John Wherry, Director of the Colton Center for Autoimmunity at Penn Medicine, offers his insight on the Center’s therapeutic and novel research missions to revolutionize awareness, diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune diseases through collaborative, transformative, and translational science.

Penn radiation oncologist Karishima Khullar, MD, offers an overview of low-dose radiation therapy for patients who have not responded to medications, steroid injections, and other standard treatments for osteoarthritis.

Clinician-researcher Daniel Lefler, MD, reviews Afami-cel, the first FDA-approved immunotherapy designed to treat synovial cancer, a rare, aggressive soft-tissue malignancy.

Rare, heritable Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, imposes an approximate 90% risk of breast cancer and the sarcomas, among other cancers, over the lifetime of affected individuals. Drs. Suzanne MacFarland, and Kara Maxwell, discuss the urgent need for early diagnosis and intensive life-long monitoring, family dynamics, communication, advocacy and the avenues for care in Li-Fraumeni.

Dr. Anuja Dokras reviews the Women's Health Center for Clinical Innovation, a leader in clinical advances, research, and interactive programs for women throughout the reproductive cycle, from inspiring fertility (Fast Track to Fertility) to postpartum care (HeartSafe Motherhood) and beyond.

Dr. Elizabeth Anne Genovese offers an overview of peripheral artery disease, or PAD and its end-stage form, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, and discusses the treatments available at the Penn Advanced Limb Preservation (PALP) program, including investigational therapies for the “no-option” patient.

In this episode, Dr. Lisa Levine leads a discussion focusing on what burden does pregnancy place on the heart, and why some women and birthing people develop heart disease for the first time during pregnancy.

Rebecca Hamm, MD, provides an engaging overview of standardization and implementation science at Penn Medicine, a new field that seeks to inform health care change, particularly with regard to disparities in maternal outcomes and women’s health.

Dr. Stephen Bagley provides an overview of two enrolling clinical trials at Penn Medicine. The first explores targeted CAR T therapy in recurrent IDH wild-type glioblastoma; the second pairs two investigational drugs in the treatment-of recurrent IDH-mutant glioma.

Drs. Neilanjan Nandi and Anish Sheth of Penn Gastroenterology discuss the current set of colonoscopy and elucidate the advantages of GI Genius, a program that incorporates AI into practice to improve upon colonoscopy outcomes.

Fertility specialist Christine Skiadas, MD, offers her insight on the causes of the worldwide decline in male fertility, and how Penn Penn Fertility Care is approaching this mystery through genetic testing and assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization.

Dr. Michael Ibrahim offers an overview of the history and application of the Ross procedure, a method of aortic valve replacement that offers an alternative to the complexities of mechanical and bioprosthetic valves for younger adults.

Drs. Christian Bermudez and Asad Ali Usman furnish a comprehensive overview of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) Program at Penn Medicine and its affiliates, which now averages 200 to 250 cases of ECMO support every year, and reflect on recent advances in technique, the novel introduction of ECMO for COVID-associated ARDS, and patient survival on ECMO for up to six months as bridge to transplantation.

Lorraine Boakye, MD, discusses the application and research behind wearable motion sensing accelerometers that measure changes in velocity throughout the day for patients recovering from Achilles tendon injuries.

Parsing a topic of great concern in the wake of acute brain injury, David Fischer, MD, reviews the RECOVER Program for Disorders of Consciousness at Penn Medicine. RECOVER (REcovery of COnsciousness Via Evidence-based medicine and Research) is an effort to establish a clinical infrastructure for decisions involving neuroprognostication, and to provide comprehensive, specialized, and longitudinal care to patients with disorders of consciousness resulting from acute brain injury.

In this episode, Drs. Charles Vollmer and Nuzhat Ahmad lead a discussion focusing on pancreatitis, and how the Penn Pancreatic Center of Excellence specializes in treatment.

In this episode, Drs. Samir Mehta and Derek Donegan review a new approach to pelvic fragility fracture repair at Penn Trauma and Fracture Services—a fixation device that curves to accommodate the unique structure of the pelvis.

In this episode Dr. Lawrence discusses TAVR vs. SAVR. Who is a candidate for TAVR or SAVR? Who is a candidate for TAVR or SAVR and what makes one the best choice for your patient.

Dr. Chase Brown discusses his personalized approach to CABG.

The first installment of the podcast series from the specialists at Penn Medicine. This podcast will feature Dr. Scott Kasner, Vice-Chair for Clinical Affairs in Neurology at Penn Medicine. He will highlight the SELECT2 thrombectomy study.

In this episode, neurosurgeons Neil Malhotra, MD,. and James Schuster, MD, PhD, discuss the nuances and intricacies of spinal cancer, and the innovations, early diagnosis, research, and expertise in surgery, radiology, and medicine that motivate spinal oncology care at the Penn Spine Center.

In this panel, Drs. Malhotra, Weber, Mahmoud, and Shuster highlight chordoma.

In this episode, Host Melanie Cole joins Dr. Samir Mehta, Chief of the division of Orthopaedic Trauma and Fracture Care at Penn Medicine to review the treatment of clavicle fractures.

In this episode, we're highlighting commonly missed orthopedic trauma injuries with Dr. Samir Mehta. 

In this episode, Dr. Benjamin D'Souza will lead a discussion focusing on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or HFPEF, and the AIM HIRE study, which concerns a related therapy.

In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Cannon and Dr. Daniel Hashimoto lead an interactive discussion focusing on diaphragm pacing, a device system that offers an alternative to mechanical ventilation for individuals with ventilator-dependent spinal cord injury and central hypoventilation syndrome.

Host Melanie Cole, MS is joined by John M. Vasudevan, MD, CAQSM to discuss the Running Program and Endurance Sports Programs at Penn Medicine.

In this episode, Dr. Scott Kasner leads a discussion on SELECT2 Thrombectomy Study, and Penn's role in this study.

In this episode, Dr. Ty B. Dunn and transplant manager K. Louise Berry lead an interactive discussion highlighting total pancreatectomy islet auto
transplant.