Health Notes Health Notes (April 14, 2004)

A SHARPER KNIFE . . . Stanford cancer specialists have a new weapon for fighting prostate cancer: the CyberKnife. Developed at Stanford University Medical Center, the CyberKnife uses a compact linear accelerator to beam high-energy x-rays at cancer cells in the prostate. Stanford researchers are hailing the new technique, which reduces treatment time from 7.5 weeks to one week and promises to be more effective at curing the cancer. The CyberKnife cross-fires about 150 beams of radiation at the target from multiple directions, yet spares more of the normal tissue surrounding the cancer cells than other methods, Stanford officials say. Prostate cancer affects one out of six men in the United States. The CyberKnife was originally designed at Stanford and used to treat brain tumors.

ON THE MOVE . . . Three programs of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation are getting new digs this month. The cardiology, cosmetic surgery and Encina Practice divisions will be located at 87 Encina Avenue, around the corner from the main clinic and next to Town & Country Village and the train tracks. The move is designed to provide the practices with more room. Visit www.pamf.org for information.
FOR A GOOD CAUSE . . . Opportunities abound for supporting health causes this spring, including the "Spotlight on SMA" fundraiser for spinal muscular atrophy. On Saturday, April 24, Families of SMA will be hosting a $50 per person theater party and silent auction at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. A showing of TheatreWorks' "My Antonia" at 2 p.m. will be followed by the party and silent auction in the city hall rotunda. SMA is the leading genetic cause of death of infants and toddlers and one for which there is not yet a cure. It causes muscle atrophy and weakness, affecting activities such as crawling, walking, head and neck control and swallowing. However, researchers expect an effective therapy to be developed within the next five years. Contact Marge Shively at (650) 948-3192 or visit www.CureSMA.com.
Health Notes runs every second Wednesday of the month. To be considered for Health Notes, please submit news items at least one week prior to publication. Items may be e-mailed to jdong@paweekly.com or sent to the Palo Alto Weekly, P.O. Box 1610, Palo Alto, CA 94302.

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