“Osteoarthritis Under the Microscope,” an inside look into the latest advances in prevention and treatment of 
the most common form of arthritis, will be presented Wednesday, March 4, 6-7:15 p.m., at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson (formerly University of Arizona Medical Center-University Campus), DuVal Auditorium (Room 2600), 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson.
The pain and physical limitations caused by osteoarthritis affect nearly 27 million men, women and children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making it a significant disease. In this special presentation, University of Arizona Arthritis Center Director C. Kent Kwoh, MD, an internationally recognized expert in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other joint diseases, will discuss new information on the causes of osteoarthritis and how to prevent the disorder.
Dr. Kwoh 
will share how this complex condition involves not only the breakdown of cartilage in joints but also changes in the adjacent soft tissue and bone beneath the cartilage. He will offer a preview of new treatments in the pipeline, as well as findings from his recent international studies on the association of imaging biomarkers seen on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) with the development and progression of the disease.
He also will delve into the details of the most recent advances in early detection of osteoarthritis and how this—coupled with behavioral factors—can significantly impact disease progression. He will identify key risk factors for the development of osteoarthritis and its advancement, and how the identification of potential targets for prevention and therapeutic intervention will factor into treatment strategies.
Dr. Kwoh also is chief of the Division of Rheumatology, UA Department of Medicine; professor of medicine and medical imaging; and The Charles A. L. and Suzanne M. Stephens Chair of Rheumatology at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson.
Open to the public, the free 75-minute presentation will include time for questions and answers. Light refreshments will be provided. Parking is available in the Banner – University Medical Center Tucson visitor/patient parking garage just south of the hospital’s main entrance; please bring your parking ticket to the lecture to be validated.
Seating is limited and prior registration is requested. For more information or to register, please visit the UA Arthritis Center website www.arthritis.arizona.edu or call 520-626-5040 or email livinghealthy@arthritis.arizona.edu
The lecture is part of the “Living Healthy with Arthritis” series of free monthly talks presented by the University of Arizona Arthritis Center at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson and supported through the Susan and Saul Tobin Endowment for Research and Education in Rheumatology.
Upcoming lectures in the spring 2015 series include:
- Wednesday, April 1, 6-7:15 p.m., “Re-thinking Your Health: An Integrative Approach,” Randy Horwitz, MD, PhD, medical director, University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, and associate professor of medicine, UA College of Medicine – Tucson
- Wednesday, May 6, 6-8:30 p.m., special screening of “The Connection: Mind Your Body,” moderated by C. Kent Kwoh, MD, director, UA Arthritis Center, and Esther M. Sternberg, MD, research director and professor, UA Center for Integrative Medicine.
(Both lectures will be held in DuVal Auditorium.)
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The University of Arizona Arthritis Center, a Center of Excellence at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson, is a research leader with a focus on identifying the causes of arthritis and developing improved diagnosis, measurement and treatment of the disease. For more information, please visit www.arthritis.arizona.edu