March 17, 2017

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

By Karl Oestreich

Mayo Clinic in the News is a weekly highlights summary of major media coverage. If you would like to be added to the weekly distribution list, send a note to Emily Blahnik with this subject line: SUBSCRIBE to Mayo Clinic in the News.

Editor, Karl Oestreich;  Assistant Editor: Emily Blahnik

 

KTTC
Mayo Clinic researchers pinpoint experimental drug that may shrink tumors in multiple myeloma patients
by Jason Pope

The Mayo Clinic says this experimental drug is leading to tumor shrinkage in patients affected by multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that affects the blood cells that fight infection. Rather than fighting infection, the cancer causes kidney problems and infections. AccordingKTTC TV logo to Dr. Marta Chesi, the drug was developed to support tumor death but instead of killing the tumor cells, it made them more visible. This visibility helps the immune system spot the tumor cells and eliminate them.

Reach: KTTC is an NBC affiliate that serves the Rochester, Minn. area including the towns of Austin, Mason City, Albert Lea and Winona. Its website receives more than 73,300 unique visitors each month.

Additional coverage: Life Science Daily

Context: Mayo Clinic researchers have found that an experimental drug, LCL161, stimulates the immune system, leading to tumor shrinkage in patients affected by multiple myeloma. The findings are published in Nature Medicine. Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that affects plasma cells – white blood cells that normally produce antibodies to fight infection. Rather than produce helpful antibodies, the cancer cells, as they grow, secrete large amounts of a single antibody that accumulate in the body, causing kidney problems and infections. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Julie Janovsky-Mason

 

Huffington Post
Finding treatments to fight fibroids

Fibroid embolization and focused ultrasound are minimally invasive options that reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Ebbie Stewart says warrant Huffington Post Logomore research to help guide women and health care providers on a treatment plan. She co-authored a recent study that looked at the two treatments, compared recovery time, and noted adverse events in the first six weeks after treatment, Dr. Stewart says.

Reach: The Huffington Post attracts over 38.7 million monthly unique viewers.

Context:  Elizabeth "Ebbie Stewart, M.D. is a Mayo Clinic ObGyn. Dr. Stewart studies uterine fibroids, also called uterine leiomyomas or myomas. Fibroids are noncancerous tumors of the uterus that commonly cause heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain and pressure, bowel and bladder problems, and sometimes infertility and miscarriage. Fibroids are also the leading cause of hysterectomy.

Contact: Kelley Luckstein

 

Men’s Health
This Exact Workout Routine May Actually Reverse Aging
by Elizabeth Millard

Research has shown physical activity can reduce inflammation in your body and improve heart health—both important for staying young beyond your years. But not all exercise is the same in keeping age-related decline at bay, researchers from the Mayo Clinic say…“Decline is mitochondria isMens Health Logo the key factor responsible for age-related physical declines,” says the study’s senior author, Sreekumaran Nair, M.D., Ph.D. That includes osteoporosis, arthritis, gastrointestinal issues, decreased flexibility, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues. “Higher intensity of exercise seems to elicit a rejuvenation of mitochondrial [processes] in everybody, including older people.”

Reach: Men's Health has an audience of more than 13.5 million readers.

Additional coverage: Healthline, The Hans India, Canindia.com, AARP

Context: Everyone knows that exercise is good for you, but what type of training helps most, especially when you’re older - say over 65? A Mayo Clinic study says it’s high-intensity aerobic exercise, which can reverse some cellular aspects of aging. The findings appear in Cell MetabolismMayo researchers compared high-intensity interval training, resistance training and combined training. All training types improved lean body mass and insulin sensitivity, but only high-intensity and combined training improved aerobic capacity and mitochondrial function for skeletal muscle. Decline in mitochondrial content and function are common in older adults. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact:  Bob Nellis

 

Washington Post
It’s not just being stuck inside; cold weather sets us up for getting sick
by Emily Sohn

It's not clear why winter brings so many health woes, says Pritish Tosh, an infectious-disease physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Washington Post newspaper logoRochester, Minnesota. "The reason one virus is a wintertime virus may not be the same reason another virus is a wintertime virus," Tosh says. "We're finding more and more that it's not one size fits all."

Reach: Weekday circulation of The Washington Post is more than 356,000. The Post's website receives more than 32.7 million unique visitors each month.

Additional coverage:
Chicago TribuneWhy do we get sick in winter?
Health, How to Get Rid of the Flu Faster

Context: Pritish Tosh, M.D. is a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist. Dr. Tosh is interested in emerging infections and preparedness activities related to them, ranging from collaborating with the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group in basic science vaccine development to hospital systems research related to pandemic preparedness. Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs. Influenza, commonly called the flu, is not the same as stomach "flu" viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Contact: Bob Nellis

Wall Street Journal, Zika Linked to Heart Problems by Betsy McKay — In a study conducted at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Caracas, Venezuela, researchers identified nine patients who developed heart rhythm disorders and other serious cardiovascular complications while they had Zika. “While we anticipated that we would see cardiovascular effects from Zika, we were surprised at the severity of the findings,” said Karina Gonzalez Carta, a cardiologist and research fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who led the study. She provided details of the findings to reporters ahead of the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in Washington where the findings will be presented. Additional coverage: New York Times, HealthDay, ABC News, Associated Press, Star Tribune, KTTC, TIME, FOX News, Twin Cities Business, WebMD, Medical XpressNews Talk FloridaMedPage TodayGulf Times, KIMT, Forbes

Star Tribune, Mayo spending $217 million on construction in Rochester by Christopher Snowbeck — Mayo Clinic plans to spend $217 million on construction projects at its St. Marys hospital campus in Rochester. The project, announced Thursday, would help the clinic grow its patient volume and provide those patients better service in more efficient facilities, said Dr. Robert Cima, medical director for the Rochester hospital operations at the Mayo Clinic. “We anticipate continued growth in our patient visits,” Cima said in an interview. “We’ve been seeing that steadily year after year. This is really a commitment to providing access to as many patients as possible.” Additional coverage: KAAL, KTTC, KIMT, KAALPioneer Press, Crookston Times

Twin Cities Business, Mayo Clinic Spending $458M To Renovate, Expand Its MN, FL Campuses — In its largest infrastructure investment in more than a decade, the Mayo Clinic will spend about $458 million to renovate and expand its Mankato and Florida campuses, as well as its Saint Marys Campus in Rochester. More than half, approximately $217 million, will be spent on various projects at the health care provider’s Rochester facility. Dr. Robert Cima, the medical director of Mayo Clinic Hospital Operations at Saint Marys, told TCB the investment is complementary to Mayo’s 20-year, $6 billion plan to transform downtown Rochester into America’s health care capital — otherwise known as the Destination Medical Center (DMC) project. “All of this is part of a strategic plan,” Cima said. “Saint Marys has been in continuous use for over a century now. There are times when we need to renovate as well as expand, and we’re taking this opportunity to do both.”

Becker’s Hospital Review, Mayo Clinic to spend $217M on Saint Marys construction by Morgan Haefner — Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic will spend $217 million on renovations to its Rochester-based Saint Marys campus to address growing patient numbers and enhance productivity, according to a Star Tribune report. The projects include construction of more private patient rooms and additional space for cardiovascular disease patients, as well as expanded space for rehabilitation services and a renovated newborn intensive care unit, the report states. Robert Cima, MD, medical director for Saint Marys, told the publication the campus "anticipate[s] continued growth in patient visits." Additional coverage: San Francisco Chronicle, Healthcare Dive, Cardiovascular Business, KEYC Mankato, Healthcare Design, SCTimes, Star Tribune, Wichita Eagle

New York Times, Ed Whitlock, Oldest Marathoner to Break Four Hours, Dies at 86 by Jere Longman — Ed Whitlock, a retired mining engineer and masters running champion who broke three hours in the marathon in his 70s and last fall became the oldest person ever to run 26.2 miles in under four hours, died on Monday in Toronto. He was 86. “He’s about as close as you can get to minimal aging in a human individual,” Dr. Michael Joyner, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic who has studied performance and aging, told The Times in December.

New York Times, Glenn Close and Patrick Kennedy on the Weight of Mental Illness by Philip GalanesPatrick Kennedy: I only came out about my addiction to opiates and that I’d been to the Mayo Clinic a few months before. But I refused to go to the mental health ward there. I thought: “That’s where the crazy people go. I can’t afford to have people find out that I’m suffering from the same illnesses that I’m advocating for in Congress.” That’s how deranged my thinking was.

New York Times, Keys Comes Back With Confidence, and a Voice on Social Media by Ben Rothenberg — For Madison Keys, a long-awaited return paid quick dividends. Playing her first tournament in five months after having surgery on her left wrist, Keys reached the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open before falling, 6-4, 6-4, to 13th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki on Tuesday night. … Richard Berger, an orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., performed Keys’s operation in November after she returned from Singapore. Berger previously operated on the wrists of other tennis stars, including Juan Martín del Potro and Laura Robson.

New York Times, Gamer’s Death Pushes Risks of Live Streaming Into View by Daniel E. Slotnik — The streaming lifestyle, like that of some other stationary professions, “intuitively and medically seems such an unwise way to spend one’s years,” said Dr. James A. Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic who studies obesity and is the author of “Get Up! Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It.” The upshot may be health problems including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, he said.

Huffington Post, Finding Medicine To Fit Your Genes — What Karen Daggett didn’t know almost killed her. The medicine she relied on to control an irregular heartbeat wasn’t working and hadn’t for years. Then, all of a sudden, it came to a head…Testing at Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine showed some medications were incompatible with Daggett’s genetic makeup. As a result, her body wasn’t properly processing some drugs. She even had a hard time with some commonly used over-the-counter medications. Silently, these drugs were building up in her system, causing harmful side effects that could have taken her life.

Buzzfeed, 14 Surprising Things That Can Cause Hair Loss by Shannon Rosenberg — BuzzFeed Health spoke with Dr. Lindsey Bordone, dermatologist at ColumbiaDoctors Midtown, Dr. Arielle R. Nagler, assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, and Dr. Dawn Marie Davis, dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic, to find out why hair loss happens and what you can do about it… Each individual strand of hair goes through the anagen stage, which is essentially when it’s growing out of the hair follicle, Davis tells BuzzFeed Health. This is the longest stage, which can last several years for each strand of hair. Then it goes through the catagen phase, which is the resting stage, where the hair is just chilling for about 10 days, waiting to transition to the telogen phase, or the “shedding phase,” which is when the hair begins to fall out, she explains. Then the whole process starts all over again.

Voice of America, New Blood Test Could Help Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke by Carol Pearson — Scientists can tell by your blood whether you have cancer cells, how well your organs are functioning, and if they've been affected by cancer. Now there’s a new blood test that could help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Jeff Meeusen, Ph.D., developed the test at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Meeusen told VOA in a Skype interview that the test will determine who’s at risk for a heart attack or stroke, "and it seems to have a chance to determine who’s at risk, evn accounting for current gold standard tests like LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol." LDL cholesterol is considered the "bad" cholesterol because it becomes part of plaque, the waxy stuff that can clog arteries. Additional coverage: KTTC, TCTMD

UPI.com, Bullying in childhood linked to chronic disease risk in adults by Amy Wallace — Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have found bullying during childhood may increase a person's chance of developing lifelong health problems from exposure to chronic stress. The study suggests adults who were exposed to bullying as a child had in increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. "Bullying, as a form of chronic social stress, may have significant health consequences if not addressed early," Susannah J. Tye, researcher at the Mayo Clinic, said in a press release. "We encourage child health professionals to assess both the mental and physical health effects of bullying."

US News & Health Report, At a Glance: Insurance Coverage for Hearing Loss Is Spotty — Researchers are trying to better understand how problems develop, how they can be prevented and how best to help people who are suffering from hearing loss. A major obstacle for many, however, is that insurance often doesn't cover treatments or devices that improve hearing. What’s Not Covered: Hearing aids for adults are not covered by the "vast majority" of insurance plans, according to Mayo Clinic expert Dr. Colin Driscoll. This coverage is more common for children. Hearing aids can cost anywhere from $500 to about $2,000. Additional coverage: ABC News, New York Times, Associated Press, Star Tribune, KTTC, WTOPWashington Post

New York Magazine, This Workout Might Help Reverse the Aging Process, According to a New Study by Lisa Ryan — Many of us have tried high-intensity interval training (HIIT) at some point, even if it was just a boot-camp class our friend dragged us to. But a new study suggests that we may want to incorporate those workouts — which include short bursts of intense exercise, followed by stretches of more moderate activities — into our regular fitness routines, since they’ve been shown to reverse the aging process. Published in the journal Cell Metabolism, scientists from the Mayo Clinic recruited an equal number of women and men to participate in the study, and split them up into two groups: young (18–30 years) and older (65–80 years). The researchers then divvied the participants up another time, into three groups partaking in different exercise routines for a 12-week period.

Reader’s Digest, 6 Bone Health Issues You Don’t Know Enough About—But Should by Claire Nowak — Osteoporosis, a disease that causes the bones to lose tissue and become brittle. is preventable and treatable, mainly through lifestyle changes. However, some conditions that affect the bones are more difficult to prevent. “These are things that usually other health issues bring on,” says Kurt Kennel, MD, an endocrinologist with a focus in metabolic bone disease at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. As such, they are typically found incidentally when a person visits the doctor for another reason.

SELF, Breaking Her Back Inspired This Woman to Be a Personal Trainer by Amy Marturana — A broken back doesn’t typically inspire most people to get up and start being more active. But for Beth Jordan, 54, fracturing her spine ended up being the best, albeit unexpected, motivation to become a personal trainer. "What I started to do was look into other options, as far as exercise, mobility, and nutrition," Jordan says. She turned to the Mayo Clinic, Journal of the American Medical Association, and the American Council on Exercise (where she later got her training certification) to research what she could do to get better (and stronger) faster.

HealthLeaders Media, Telemedicine OK for ICU Coma Assessment, Researchers Say by Alexandra Wilson Pecci — The study's senior author, Bart Demaerschalk, MD, a professor of neurology and medical director of telemedicine at the Center for Connected Care at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, told HealthLeaders Media that a physician on a different floor could remotely drive and control the robotic telemedicine unit that was at the foot of the bed. The physicians each used two scoring systems, the Glasgow Coma Scale and the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness Score (FOUR) scale, to independently and simultaneously assess the patients. They did not share with each other their determinations.

Healthline, What You Should Do If You Faint — The guidelines, issued Thursday by the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and Heart Rhythm Society, are the first such guidelines on the topic. “This is very important because fainting impacts thousands of people every day,” said Dr. Win-Kuang Shen, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and chair of the group that developed the guidelines. “Having these guidelines is not only good for the clinicians using them, but for everyone.”

Refinery29, This Is Why You Sweat So Much — & What To Do About It by Sarah Jacoby — If you're consistently sweating bullets when you're not working out, in a warm environment, under a lot of stress, or scarfing down a spicy tuna roll, you might want to check in with your doctor. You could have a condition called "hyperhidrosis." According to the Mayo Clinic, people with hyperhidrosis sweat so much that it interferes with their normal routine, and they often sweat in somewhat unusual places (e.g. the head, palms, or soles of the feet) without sweating elsewhere.

Live Science, Author's Heartbreaking Story: What Are the Signs of Ovarian Cancer? by Sara G. Miller — One of the reasons that ovarian cancer is so deadly is that it often goes undetected while it is still in its early stages, before it has spread beyond the ovaries, according to the Mayo Clinic. In the early stages, in fact, the disease rarely causes any symptoms, the Mayo Clinic says. And although ovarian cancer does cause symptoms in later stages of the disease, those symptoms can often be mistaken for other problems, such as constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic. The symptoms include abdominal bloating or swelling, quickly feeling full when eating, weight loss, pelvic discomfort, changes in bowel habits and a frequent need to urinate, the Mayo Clinic says.

Anesthesiology News, Novel Anesthetic Combination Shows Promise for Medialization Thyroplasty — “Thyroplasty surgery is intricate and requires near-perfect coordination of anesthesia and surgery for optimal conditions,” said Denise Wedel, MD, professor of anesthesiology at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn. “The ideal approach allows for a delicate surgical approach in an awake, breathing patient, while sharing the airway.”

Star Tribune, Dayton makes first public appearance since surgery — Gov. Mark Dayton on Friday made his first public appearance since his prostatectomy last week, signing legislation that will provide aid to the town of Madelia after a devastating fire last year and also fund wetlands replacement. Dayton has been recovering at his Summit Avenue residence from his March 2 prostate surgery. He's had one follow-up visit at Mayo Clinic since then and said he would travel to Rochester again Friday for another visit.

Pioneer Press, UMN Medical School’s research ranking slips by Josh Verges — The University of Minnesota Medical School’s stature as a research institution tumbled in the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report. The school now ranks 44th in the country for research, down from 35th a year ago. The rankings are based on grant funding, peer surveys, student-to-faculty ratios, and student admission test scores and acceptance rates…The Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, which has about one-fifth as many students as the university’s medical school, moved up four spots to 20th on the research list and up one spot to 31st for primary care.

News4Jax, Lung cancer screenings can save lives — The National Lung Screening Trial results showed screening people at high risk of lung cancer with CT scans lives “This was a study with the CT scanners to see if early detection of lung cancer can save lives,” said Stephen Swensen, M.D., a radiologist at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Stephen Swensen and Dr. David Midthun were investigators in the study, which compared screening for lung cancer in high risk patients with x-rays versus CT scans. “It showed actual lives were saved, mortality reduction. Fewer people died of lung cancer who got CT screening than who got chest x-ray screening,” Midthun said. Additional coverage: WKBT La Crosse

News4Jax, Mayo Clinic: Women need more calcium — Calcium is necessary for strong bones and it provides a variety of other health benefits. It's not just milk that provides a calcium boost, several foods contain the calcium you need to stay healthy. It also allows the heart, muscles, and nerves to function properly. Doctors said calcium recommendations are different for women. According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended amount of calcium for women ages 19 to 50 is 1,000 milligrams a day. For women over 50, that number is 1,200 milligrams daily.

Post-Bulletin, Meet the Mayo doctor Dayton calls his 'savior' by Heather J. Carlson — Igor Frank has performed surgery on plenty of high-profile patients during his Mayo Clinic career. What he is not used to is being hailed as a "savior" by the governor of Minnesota. Gov. Mark Dayton recently praised the surgeon at a Minnesota Capitol press conference. "He is my savior," Dayton told reporters.

Post-Bulletin, Start-up eyes growth with new retinal cells by Jeff Kiger — Alan Marmorstein has his eyes on the prize for his young Rochester startup. It all started when Marmorstein, a Mayo Clinic consultant and researcher, led his lab team in the development of a new process to grow retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). The iPSC-spawned retinal cells are of a better quality than the stand  With the support of Mayo Clinic and local entrepreneurial advocates, Marmorstein launched LAgen Laboratories LLC in July 2015. The small company, privately owned by investors, licenses the RPE process from Mayo Clinic to grow the eye-specific cells.ard RPE cells previously used in eye-related research, but the process for making them "is not trivial" and is more expensive.

Post-Bulletin, Agerter appointed director of Mayo's Academic Strategy and Development — David Agerter has been named to the newly created role of director of Academic Strategy and Development for Mayo Clinic Health System. In his new role, Dr. Agerter will work to strengthen medical education and residency opportunities at Mayo clinics and hospitals across the Midwest. He will also lead efforts to increase and diversify the medical research taking place in the health system. "Dr. Dave Agerter's name is familiar to many in the Mayo Clinic Health System communities, particularly in Southeastern Minnesota," said Mark Koch, chairman of health system administration. "He is a well-respected family medicine physician who cares for patients in the Albert Lea/Austin area, and he oversees the growing family medicine residency program in the region."

KTTC, Physician Assistant program hopes to draw in healthcare to rural areas, Cascade Meadow to expand for learning space by Alanna Martella — Rural America continues to face a serious shortage of doctors and accessible health care. But a new multi-million dollar expansion project in Rochester might help through the training of more physician assistants. The collaboration is between Mayo Clinic, Saint Mary's University and University of Minnesota Rochester…Dr. Michael Silber, the Dean of Students at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences, and also a neurologist, said there's a shortage of about 150 physician assistants at Mayo Clinic at this very time. And P-A's can do just as good a job as an actual physician. "There are many things, that for instance, a primary care physician does and does well, but we don't need a primary care physician for that.” Additional coverage: Winona Daily NewsWKBT La Crosse, KTTC

KAAL, Potential Changes Could Extend Doctor Shifts — Doctors work long hours each day to save lives and it can take a toll. For new doctors, that can be an even bigger burden. Right now, first-year doctors in training can only work up to 16 hours at a time, but that may soon change. "At the end of the day, that 24-hour shift always ended up being 26, 28, even sometimes 30 hours of just unfinished work,” says Mayo Clinic Doctor, Ryan Greene. Greene participated in a residency program that took part in a 24-hour trial. He says you can get by performing that type of schedule. "But at the end of the day, if you are honest and truthful with yourself, many mistakes are made,” says Greene.

Healthcare IT News, Mayo Clinic CEO gives tips on physician engagement by Neil Versel — Struggling to get clinicians interested in new processes and technologies? "Show them value and they will come running to you," said Mayo Clinic President and CEO John Noseworthy, MD, during a conversation with James Madara, MD, CEO and executive vice president of the American Medical Association. The two spoke Thursday at healthcare startup incubator Matter here. "Physicians are slow to change," Noseworthy acknowledged. "Just yelling at them will not get them to change," he told a packed room of entrepreneurs and innovators. "They're slow to change —until they see the data.”

Becker’s Hospital Review, Brandix i3 licenses and upgrades Mayo Clinic’s Mortality Review System by Asanga Nugawela — Following the licensing of Mortality Review System from Mayo Clinic, Brandix i3 now announces the upgraded version of the MRS- a web based application that aggregates hospital process of care and system failures identified during a review process and analyzes the causes of death among hospital patients. By developing and using this tool, Mayo Clinic could identify process and system failures which contribute to hospital mortalities. Mayo Clinic's research on more than 7500 consecutive deaths served as a basis to improve hospital policies and procedures to mitigate these failures and decrease their mortality rate. The findings were published as an article 'Learning from Every Death' in the Journal of Patient Safety 2014

Health Imaging, Mayo Clinic: What's the role of tumor sequencing in women with breast cancer? by Jodelle Maglaya — There is great interest to use tumor sequencing data to guide therapy,” said Matthew Goetz, MD, medical oncologist and co-chair of the Breast Cancer Genome-Guided Therapy (BEAUTY) study. “However, there are limited data as to whether this approach is useful in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer who are recommended chemotherapy prior to breast surgery.” The BEAUTY study showed that targeted alterations were not enriched in chemotherapy-resistant tumors, however, prioritization of drug testing based on sequence data may accelerate drug development.

Sun Sailor, Running strong: Wayzata High student discusses volunteerism award, beating cancer — The last 15 months have been busy for Miranda Mead. The Wayzata High School student spent a week in Hawaii with her family. She hosted an event on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and took a trip to New York City that included a midnight photoshoot in Times Square. Miranda also went through 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 41 days of radiation therapy to battle Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that affects about 225 children and adolescents in the U.S. each year… Miranda’s treatment included being one of the first few dozen youth patients to go through Mayo Clinic’s new proton beam therapy program, which uses a precise beam of protons that doesn’t harm surrounding tissue. Because Miranda’s tumor was located at the base of her spine, surgery was too risky.

Faribault Daily News, Mayo Clinic Health System purchases AEDs for two schools by Brad Phenow — Mayo Clinic Health System and a small group of providers recently banded together to purchase automated external defibrillators (AED) for Bethlehem Academy and Divine Mercy Catholic schools in Faribault. I believe strongly that we need to promote good health in our schools,” said Brian Bunkers, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Health System in Faribault and Owatonna. “By personally donating to this worthwhile cause, I hope to demonstrate that point through my own example.”

WEAU Eau Claire, Mayo Clinic Health System, Gundersen Health System to move into Belle Square by Erin O’Brien — The new Belle Square development in downtown La Crosse is starting to fill up, and on Friday two major healthcare organizations announced they'll be moving in. Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare says it's opening a new clinic there, with services including family medicine and treatment for illness and injuries.  "We want people who are down here living in downtown La Crosse, working in downtown La Crosse, to have a convenient access point," said Eric Erickson, Vice President for Primary Care. "Currently they have to leave downtown to get care anywhere and this will make something that's pretty exciting for them." Additional coverage: La Crosse Tribune, WXOW La Crosse

Mankato Free Press, Area clinics receive high marks in annual report by Brian Arola — Mankato Clinic and Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato are considered state leaders among their peers in breast and cervical cancer screenings and childhood immunizations. These distinctions and more were highlighted in a report released this month by MN Community Measurement — a health-tracking nonprofit. The report compiled data from 885 clinics, 250 medical groups and 135 hospitals in measures including clinical quality, cost and patient experience. Jennifer Johnson, Mayo’s Southwest Minnesota region physician lead for clinical outcomes, said the report is used to find and address differences between clinics within the same medical groups. The good performers can be held up as a benchmark, she said.

Mankato Free Press, Surgeon brings quality improvement program to Mayo by Amanda Dyslin — The readmission rate of colorectal surgery patients went from 21 percent to 4 percent. The sepsis rate for such surgery patients went from 15 percent to 7 percent. The surgical site infection rate went from 17 percent to 6 percent. “That’s better than 60 percent of other hospitals nationwide,” said Dr. Chad Buhs, chair of the Department of Surgery at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato. These decreases in surgical complications happened in just one year, from Jan. 1, 2016, to Jan. 1, 2017. And such vast improvements in patient care in that short window of time are a testament to the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement Program, which Buhs was largely responsible for implementing at the Mankato hospital several years ago.

WEAU Eau Claire, Project SEARCH prepares area students with disabilities for employment by Abigail Hantke — Project SEARCH is a unique, school-to-work program for students with disabilities. Right now, students come to Mayo Clinic Health System, to learn hands-on skills to prepare them for employment, five days a week. Monday, state Representatives Warren Petryk and Rob Summerfield had the chance to meet these students. his is the first year of the program in Eau Claire; and Project SEARCH instructors say they hope it helps students to become independent.

Quad Cities Online, Tea can calm, provide health benefits — As the second-most-consumed beverage in the world (the average intake per person is about 40 liters per year), everyone from physicians to family members praise tea for its apparent benefits, such as protection against cancer and heart disease, decrease in memory loss and improved bone and joint health. But researchers caution that the actual benefits of drinking tea still remain uncertain. “It’s really hard because you can look at how tea can affect cancer cells in test tubes in the lab, and then you can look at population studies,” says Dr. Donald Hensrud, a physician and nutrition specialist at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. “But both of those types of studies do not necessarily translate into solid evidence on the benefits of tea.”

WEAU Eau Claire, Colon Cancer Awareness — Greg Derfus, M.D., and Lisa Gill of the Wisconsin Sports Show talk with WEAU 13 News 5pm anchor Judy Clark about Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the giant inflatable colon display coming to the sports show this weekend.

WKBT La Crosse, Mayo, WisCorps makes gardening easier in La Crosse by Troy Neumann — A local health provider is partnering with nonprofits to make gardening easier and more accessible in the La Crosse area. Square Foot Gardens are small, less-demanding home gardens to help grow fruits and vegetables in urban areas. Mayo Clinic Health System is partnering with WisCorps and Purple Cow Organics to provide the self-sustainment options in our area.

WQOW Eau Claire, Colorectal Cancer Awareness — Charles Nordstrom, M.D., talks with WQOW Daybreak anchor Aaron Rhody about Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and the giant inflatable colon display coming to the Wisconsin Sports Show in Eau Claire this weekend.

WKBT La Crosse, First year doctors could work 24-hour shifts in La Crosse — New rules are making it possible, but some worry the change is not safe for patients and physicians. Previously, medical school graduates in the U.S. were capped at 16 consecutive hours during their first year as medical residents. "If residency is three years long, and residents are expected to work 8 to 5 Monday through Friday, they're not going to have the experiences they need over those three years to become a safe, knowledgeable, practicing physician,” said Mayo Clinic Health System Director of Medical Education and Research Yom Grau.

Analitica, El zika puede afectar el funcionamiento del corazón, según estudio venezolano — “Se sabe que otras enfermedades derivadas de la picadura de un mosquito, como la fiebre del dengue y el virus del chikungunya, pueden afectar al corazón; por ello, se creyó que lo mismo ocurriría con el zika, pero fue sorprendente la gravedad, incluso en esta pequeña cantidad de pacientes”, comenta la Dra. Karina González Carta (doctora en medicina), cardióloga, fellow investigativa en Mayo Clinic y autora principal del estudio.

El Universal, El zika también causa graves cardiopatías — Un estudio internacional, liderado por Karina González Carta, científica venezolana de la Clínica Mayo en Rochester, Estados Unidos, y con participación protagonista de pacientes y médicos del Instituto de Medicina Tropical de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, detectó la presencia de anomalías cardíacas en personas que habían padecido zika. Se trata del primer estudio de este tipo y fue llamado Miocarditis, insuficiencia cardíaca y arritmias en pacientes con zika. Sus conclusiones fueron presentadas en la 66 reunión científica anual del Colegio Americano de Cardiología.

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