If you’re short of breath, you may have a heart valve problem known as mitral regurgitation. Many patients with heart failure have mitral regurgitation, and it is often severe.

If you’re low on energy, gaining weight and feel extremely cold when other people don’t, you may have an underactive thyroid gland, or hypothyroidism. Fortunately, people diagnosed with this condition can be successfully treated with medication, according to Ann Pia Baby, M.D., an endocrinologist with Highland Medical, P.C., Endocrinology.

“If you are consistent with taking medication and following up with your doctor to monitor your hormone levels, you will be able to manage this condition without much difficulty,” Dr. Baby said.

In recent years, tremendous advances in breast cancer treatment have helped boost survival rates. Many of the greatest advances have been made in adjuvant therapy – treatment that is given after breast cancer surgery, according to Sunny D. Mitchell M.D., F.A.C.S., Medical Director of the Breast Center and Director of Breast Surgery at Montefiore Nyack Hospital.“Gone are the days when all breast cancer patients got surgery, chemo and radiation,” Dr. Mitchell said. “Now everyone’s treatment is tailored to that person’s specific cancer.”

What is Adjuvant Therapy?

Many patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery at Montefiore Nyack Hospital now have the option of being treated with robotic surgery. “We are using the da Vinci Surgical System, which uses robotic arms and instruments that have a wider range of motion than humans do,” said Lee Fleischer, M.D., F.A.C.S., Director of Surgical Services at Montefiore Nyack Hospital. “Because of this, the surgery is even less invasive than regular laparoscopic surgery resulting in less pain for the patient and a shorter time for recuperation.”