February 2, 2012

Dr. Michael Neuss: “How much progress has been made in the fight against cancer?”

Watch video of Dr. Michael Neuss speaking about the fight against cancer.

Neuss spoke Feb. 1 as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning class, “Medical Advances.” The course is presented by faculty of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and focuses on what the future of medicine holds. Physicians are now able to use a patient’s DNA to select the right drug for treatment. Oncologists can ‘read’ the DNA of a patient’s tumor and tailor treatment for their particular version of cancer. New medical devices have provided new heart valves, ‘pace-makers’ for the brain, and the tools needed to rebuild a spine. This series of lectures introduces medical and surgical treatments that are changing lives today and a preview of the discoveries that are still “works in progress” at Vanderbilt.

The class is part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt. The non-credit classes are intended for older adults who want to pursue lifelong learning with the stimulus of lectures and discussions in an informal and relaxed environment.