June 7, 2019

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for June 7, 2019

By Emily Blahnik

Associated Press, Companies report progress on blood tests to detect cancer by Marilynn Marchione — …It’s not clear what evidence the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would require to consider for approval. Sometimes tests can be sold through looser lab accreditation pathways rather than by seeking FDA approval. Grail and Thrive already have larger studies underway. “We’re not going to diagnose every cancer,” but may not need to because so many are not found now until it’s too late for effective treatment, said Dr. Minetta Liu, a Mayo Clinic cancer specialist who is presenting Grail’s results at the cancer conference. Additional coverage: USA Today, Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, ABC News, Florida Times-Union, NBC New York, WFTV, The Herald

Associated Press, Union: LA officer gets typhoid fever, 5 others show symptoms by Stefanie Dazio — A Los Angeles police detective has been diagnosed with typhoid fever, a rare illness typically spread through contaminated food or water, and at least five other officers who work in the same station are showing symptoms, union officials said Thursday...Dr. Abinash Virk, an infectious disease specialist with the Mayo Clinic, said it's likely the officers were infected through contaminated food or drinks from the same cafeteria or restaurant. She said homeless people could have a slightly higher risk of typhoid fever than others because of limited access to clean bathrooms or being immigrants from countries where the illness is more prevalent, but she doubted that the officers got sick from their work on Skid Row. "You're not just going to get it from shaking hands," she said. Additional coverage: Star Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Reuters, ADHD may be more common among elite athletes by Carolyn Crist — “ADHD might actually have positive effects on sports performance, and we need to study that more,” said Dr. George Pujalte, a sports medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, who wasn’t involved in the review.

Washington Post, What you don’t know can’t keep you healthy by Christopher Elliott — Getting reliable health information when you travel isn’t easy. And it’s not just the safety of your cruise ship that’s of concern…If you’re wondering why there isn’t an app for this — well, actually, there is. It’s called My Travel Health, and it includes information from three sources: Mayo Clinic, the State Department’s travel safety system and the CDC.

NPR, What's Doctor Burnout Costing America? by Pien Huang — Doctor burnout is costing the U.S. health care system a lot — roughly $4.6 billion a year, according to a study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.  "Everybody who goes into medicine knows that it's a stressful career and that it's a lot of hard work," says Lotte Dyrbye, a physician and professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who co-authored the study.  She says the medical profession now carries an increasing load of paperwork and bureaucracy, adding stress to doctor's lives. "We want to be able to deliver good quality care to our patients, and our systems get in the way," Dyrbye says. The study defines burnout as substantial symptoms of "emotional exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment from work, and a low sense of personal accomplishment." This description tracks closely with the World Health Organization's newly updated definition for burnout.

Quartz, These are the organs transplant patients need the most by Katherine Ellen Foley — A person only needs one kidney to live, and livers have incredible regenerative capabilities. These donations can usually come from a friend or relative who is a biological match, but sometimes they can come from an altruistic stranger (which is more common in the case of kidneys). Even so, kidney failure, which is associated with diabetes, is so rampant that there are still not enough donated organs to meet demand, says C. Burcin Taner, a transplant surgeon at the Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville, Florida location. Although patients with kidney failure can live with the help of dialysis, the process itself is damaging to the body and most patients who have dialysis fare worse than those who receive a new kidney.

Medium, The Future of Alzheimer’s Treatment May Be Enlisting the Immune System by Ron Winslow — The mood among the more than 3,000 researchers who gathered in Lisbon, Portugal, at the end of March for the 14th International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases was downbeat. Just a few days earlier, Biogen, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech company, and Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai Co had jointly announced the shuttering of two major trials of their Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab. The announcement marked yet another failure in the decades-long effort to find a drug to halt the devastating course of the terminal, memory-robbing disease. “There was a sort of pall over the meeting,” says Ron Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Rochester, Minnesota. Many speakers prefaced their remarks with a reference to the news. But, Petersen adds, “It’s going to encourage the field to broaden the potential therapeutic targets we have for the disease.”

USA Today, Lynx star Augustus out indefinitely after knee scope — Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus will be out indefinitely following arthroscopic knee surgery. The Lynx announced Augustus had the procedure Thursday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The 35-year-old Augustus is the franchise leader in games played, points scored and field goals made after being selected with the first pick in the 2006 draft. The eight-time All-Star has been held out of the first two games for a new-look Lynx team following the retirement of guard Lindsay Whalen and a leave of absence for forward Maya Moore. Additional coverage: Star Tribune, KTTC, KMSP, KARE 11

TIME, Work-Life Balance Is a Myth. Do This Instead by Marcus Buckingham — Think of your life’s many different activities as threads. Some are black, some are grey and some are white. But some of these activities appear to be made of a different substance. These activities contain all the tell-tale signs of love: before you do them, you find yourself looking forward to them; while you’re doing them, time speeds up and you find yourself in flow; and after you’ve done them, you feel invigorated. These are your red threads, and research by the Mayo Clinic suggests that doctors who weave the fabric of their life with at least 20% red threads are significantly less likely to experience burnout.

TIME, No, You Probably Shouldn't Drink 25 Cups of Coffee a Day by Jamie Ducharme — Research making the rounds in Monday’s headlines could make you jittery just thinking about it. Drinking up to 25 cups of coffee per day, the headlines say, is still safe for the heart. The research, which was presented at the British Cardiovascular Society’s conference on Monday and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, was based on an analysis of about 8,500 people in the U.K…Most health groups advise adults not to consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (about the amount in four cups of coffee), according to the Mayo Clinic, especially if they’re experiencing side effects like jitteriness, headaches, stomach problems and mood disruptions.

Reader’s Digest, The Best Cancer Hospital in Every State by Amanda Tarlton — From cutting-edge cancer research to quality patient care to world-renowned oncologists, these are the top cancer hospitals in each state based on U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals Rankings… Arizona: Mayo Clinic-Phoenix, Phoenix: A satellite location of the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, the Phoenix campus houses one of Mayo’s National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers. Patients and their families have access to an array of cancer education services taught by oncologists, nurses and other specialists to help guide them through the difficult process from start to finish.

Woman’s Day, There's a Reason You Get Really Bad Diarrhea During Your Period by Jo Yurcaba — Diarrhea during your period isn’t something to worry about, according to certified nurse practitioner Lois McGuire from Mayo Clinic. She told Woman’s Day that many of the women she has treated experience constipation before or during their periods, so the diarrhea can be a relief. For others, however, it can be incredibly inconvenient. And, unfortunately, medical experts aren’t sure exactly what causes it, but they have a few theories.

Arizona ABC 15, Fast walkers have a longer life expectancy than slow walkers, according to a new study by Pete Zervakis — Being a brisk walker could help you live longer, according to a new study published in the Journal of Mayo Clinic Proceedings . Almost 475,000 participants self-reported whether they consider themselves slow walkers or fast walkers. Doctors also looked at their respective body mass indexes (BMI). The median age of those studied was 58.2 years old, and researchers followed up with them for an average of seven years.

Arizona Daily Star, Whole-body donors in Tucson say they want to help future generations by Carmen Duarte — Dr. Nabil Wasif, associate professor of surgery at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, which works with SWIBA, said: “Donating one’s body, tissue or organs to medical education and research is an act of great generosity that contributes to the overall advancement of medicine and research. We are all so grateful to those who gave unselfishly so others may learn.”

KTAR-Radio, There’s a snake in my yard! What should I do? by Rosie Romero — …If you’re bitten: The Mayo Clinic advises that you call 911 or an emergency room number as soon as you can whether a child or an adult is bitten. Many ERs stock antivenom drugs. Before help arrives, stay calm and remove jewelry and tight clothing. Position yourself so the bite is at or below the level of your heart. Clean the wound but don’t flush it with water. Don’t suck out the venom and don’t use a tourniquet or apply ice. Don’t drink caffeine or alcohol, and don’t try to capture the snake. Dogs or cats bitten by a snake need emergency treatment by a veterinarian.

Florida Times-Union, Northeast Florida community health assessment spotlights lack of access to care by Beth Reese Cravey — The assessment was the third conducted since the partnership was formed in July 2011 by Ascension St. Vincent’s, Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation, the Clay County Health Department, the Duval County Health Department, Mayo Clinic, the Nassau County Health Department, the Putnam County Health Department and UF Health Jacksonville…Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville will place a “special focus” on seniors, disabled people and veterans, said CEO Kent Thielen. “Social and economic determinants of health, such as income, poverty and education, help us understand the needs of the community and what we need to do to improve it,” he said. “We are individually and collaboratively dedicated to addressing these factors.” Additional coverage:WJCT, News4Jax

Post-Bulletin, MPR, panel discuss mental health by John Molseed — Sometimes words can’t express mental illness and trauma. That’s where art can help. The Rochester Art Center is hosting the Science Museum of Minnesota’s “Mental Health: Mind Matters” mental health exhibit, along with art on the topic of mental health. Minnesota Public Radio on Wednesday hosted a panel at the RAC to discuss childhood trauma. The panel was recorded as part of MPR’s “Call to Mind” initiative that will air June 13 on an episode of “MPR News Presents.”…Mayo Clinic, the Rochester Area Foundation, Olmsted Medical Center and Rochester Art Center collaborated to bring the panel together along with the exhibit.

Post-Bulletin, Cancer survivors share stories, strength by John Molseed — …Jay Masters now works with survivors through Mayo Clinic. He lost his voice to throat cancer after a three-decade career as a broadcaster and voice-over talent. He gained a new voice speaking to people dealing with cancer, he told the crowd Sunday. Despite helping pilot a program to help cancer survivors navigate treatment, diagnosis or the city, Masters said he was humble to speak before a crowd of people with similar stories. “It seems a little bit odd to give a cancer story because everybody here has a story,” Masters said… The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society also hosted the event. Additional coverage: KIMT

Post-Bulletin, Answer Man: What's with the Mayo Clinic of Phoenix commercials airing in Arizona? — Dear Answer Man: My husband and I winter in Arizona. We noticed this year, in TV ads, the Mayo Clinic location was referred to as Phoenix. It was our understanding it was located in Scottsdale and always was called that. When we returned to Minnesota and saw TV ads, we see it is referred to as Phoenix also. Has something changed? We drove by the building many times and it has not moved. — Lantha Stevens, Harmony...While I am sure you did drive by a Mayo Clinic building or two in Scottsdale, there are Mayo Clinic buildings in Phoenix as well. However, even Answer Man understands your confusion, so to get a straight answer, I pitched the question to Jim McVeigh of Mayo Clinic Public Affairs in Arizona, and he knocked this one out of the park. …“We see it all as one campus,” McVeigh said. “It’s definitely confusing to people from the outside. But the building in the commercial is the Phoenix location.”

Post-Bulletin, Mayo will soon have new firm at wheel of its shuttles by Jeff Kiger — On July 1, Mayo Clinic employees in Rochester will have a different firm at the wheel of their city shuttles. Virginia-based Groome Transportation will take over the contract as Mayo Clinic’s intracampus shuttle provider from First Student Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio. “The change to a new shuttle provider was an important choice as we listened to feedback from staff and volunteers about convenient and reliable transportation,” Mayo spokeswoman Kelley Luckstein said in a prepared statement. “The new service will provide low-riding buses on the most heavily used routes, such as between downtown and Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester, Saint Marys Campus, and the East and West lots. These buses will feature a platform closer to the ground to make the boarding process easier for staff and volunteers.”

Post-Bulletin, (Gut) busting myths about hernias by Anne Halliwell — Hernias occur when tissue protrudes through a weak spot or gap in muscles. They’re associated with strain, like lifting something that’s too heavy. But any pressure from inside — obesity, pregnancy, a tumor, or other diseases — can push soft tissue like part of an intestine or fat out through the gap, according to Mayo Clinic GI surgeon Dr. Juliane Bingener. Here are some common questions and answers about hernias…

Post-Bulletin, Heard on the Street: Could the big one that got away be coming back to Rochester? by Jeff Kiger — Could the Med City have another chance at snagging “the Big One” that got away? The Destination Medical Center initiative and its Discovery Square subdistrict aimed at fostering bioscience business development could make Rochester attractive to a booming firm with more than 2,000 employees that chose Madison, Wis., over Rochester back in 2009. Exact Sciences licensed technology from Mayo Clinic in 2009 and 2012 for Cologuard, an FDA-approved DNA test for colorectal cancer. The test is based on research by Mayo Clinic’s Dr. David A. Ahlquist and his laboratory.

KAAL, Battle of the Badges Promotes Blood Donation — This weekend the battle has begun between the Rochester Fire Department, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Deputies, Mayo Clinic Ambulance and the Rochester Police Department. It’s a competition between agencies to see who can donate the most blood to the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor program.

KAAL, Avoiding Heat-Related Illnesses — "Young healthy people working outside overexerting themselves can get heatstroke, military recruits, athletes, can all get heatstroke. People who have medical conditions that are on certain medications, like high blood pressure medications, some of those can interfere with the ability to modulate heat. It can happen to anyone from the very healthy to the very unhealthy," said Dr. Matthew Sztajnkrycer, an Emergency Medicine Physician at Mayo Clinic. Staying hydrated is the number one element. Drinking water and making sure you refill your body with all the things that it's losing- like salt and electrolytes.  Dr. Sztajnkrycer says the next step would be recognizing signs and listening to your body.

KTTC, A young boy receives a big surprise from Rochester community by Ubah Ali — A strong and brave young boy from Arkansas is in Minnesota with hopes that Mayo Clinic can help him with his medical journey. Louie Schneider who just turned ten years old Monday has been fighting for his life since December. Kristy Schneider, Louie’s mom, said her son’s body is beginning to shut down on him and his body systems are shutting down. Arkansas hospitals said there is no more they can do for Louie, and Kristy Schneider said Mayo Clinic is their last hope to provide a plan to sustain and improve Louie’s quality of life. Additional coverage: FOX 47, KAAL

KIMT, A Warrior’s Story: Helping Pediatric Cancer Families by Katie Lange — Meet a family giving little red collapsible wagons to families of pediatric cancer patients following their own son's death.

KROC-Radio, Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Will Offer Sports Physicals For Area Students — Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine will offer sports physicals for area students who are entering grades seven to 12 and want to participate in school sports programs. The exams will follow the protocol set by the MSHSL and all athletes from Southeast Minnesota, Western Wisconsin and Northern Iowa will be able to go to Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine for their sports physical. Exams cost $20, cash or check, are available on Saturday, July 27 from 8 am - 11 am at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, which is on the third floor of the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center. Those looking to compete should complete the 2019-2020 Sports Qualifying Physical Examination Medical Eligibility Form before the exam takes place. The form is also available at high school athletic offices, school websites, and on the MSHSL website. Additional coverage: Quick Country 96.5, Becker’s Orthopedic & Spine

Minnesota Monthly, Mayo Clinic Monday Miles — The Minnesota Twins and Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine have teamed up to promote health and wellness during the Twins 2019 regular season. The Mayo Clinic Monday Miles walking program provides the opportunity for downtown working professionals to take advantage of the lunchtime sunshine and walk the warning track at Target Field. Mayo Clinic Monday Miles will take place ten times throughout the summer. Participants should enter through Gate 29 to check in and begin their walk. Following each event, participants are encouraged to walk to Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine (skyway level of Mayo Clinic Square) for some ‘enter to win’ opportunities and to hear more about the services offered at that location.

MPR, Olmsted Co. hopes crisis center will fill 'gaping hole' in mental health safety net by Tom Crann — Olmsted County plans to break ground this fall on a mental health crisis center that would serve all of southeastern Minnesota.  Currently, the region has what Deputy County Administrator Paul Fleissner called "a gaping hole that really isn't a safety net," to help people in need of behavioral health services. Without enough short-term and long-term residential beds for people who need intensive care, Fleissner said individuals in crisis are being held in emergency rooms until a spot opens up, or winding up in jail…Construction is funded with state bonding money; operations will be covered by the 10 counties in the region, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center and patient insurance.

MPR, Appetites: A new generation of 'Mayo spouses' are changing Rochester's food scene by Megan Burks — The Rochester food scene is changing fast. Take Rochester Magazine's list of best restaurants: "Up until, like, five years ago, Texas Roadhouse was still winning the best restaurant. It's a gigantic chain. Green Mill won a few years before that," said Abe Sauer, owner of Old Abe Coffee & Co. "And since then, restaurants like Tonic have won, Porch and Cellar, Bleu Duck — all places that somebody coming into town would expect to be an actual best restaurant in town."  Sauer said the shift is in part because of a new generation of "trailing spouses" whose partners have taken a job at Mayo Clinic and they can't find a job in Rochester's broader job market.

MPR, Five years in, Destination Medical Center plan kicks into high gear by Tom Crann — Rochester, Minn., has seen a large increase in building and renovation due to the Destination Medical Center, a $5.6 billion investment project meant to enhance the area around Mayo Clinic and secure Rochester as a place people travel to for medical care. The project is now in the fifth year of 20, and executive director Lisa Clarke told MPR News host Tom Crann it's moving from mostly planning to implementation. She spoke about its progress and its challenges, including concern from some community groups that they aren't being included in the project, at the Rochester Art Center Wednesday.

Star Tribune, Minnesota medical providers work with patients to balance health with fasting during Ramadan by Maya Rao — At the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Syed Ahsan Rizvi, has been waking up before dawn for the morning prayer — and without a full night’s rest, coming in to work without his usual cup of coffee. He said he dealt with caffeine-withdrawal headaches for the first few days of Ramadan. His energy begins to flag in late afternoon, and sometimes Rizvi tells his team that he is going into his office for a 30-minute nap. He wants to see more conversations about the needs of Muslim doctors, nurses and other health care staff during Ramadan — perhaps allowing them to have heavier workloads in the morning to offset a decline in energy later in the day. Ramadan in health care is as much about patient care as it is about considering the dynamics of the team of health care providers, he said.

KMSP, Former Arlington A's player with cancer takes ceremonial trip around bases — A former Arlington A’s player who was told he has six months to live touched them all Wednesday night, taking a ceremonial trip around the bases during FOX 9’s Town Ball Tour.   The Town Ball Tour spent the day in Arlington Wednesday for the Arlington A’s game against the St. Clair Wood Ducks.  Arlington native and former A’s player Kim Gleiden was told by Mayo Clinic doctors that he has cancer and only six months to live, so his friends and family helped facilitate one more trip around the bases before the game.

KSTP, Local woman is living proof clinical trials keep people alive, more patients needed to participate — 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS followed up with a local woman who is committed to helping herself and others. Katherine Bensen is back at Mayo Clinic. Bensen was diagnosed with non-smoking stage four lung cancer in 2014. "My job for the last four years has been staying alive and having good health, good quality of life, going to doctor's appointments, doing the research, spreading awareness about lung cancer and just being here for my family," said Bensen. In 2016, KSTP reported on a unique targeted therapy she received at Mayo Clinic but her cancer kept growing.

Mankato Free Press, Child advocacy center gets new director, funding for more services by Trey Mewes — The center, which opened last December, acts as a hub for law enforcement, legal teams, human services and medical professionals to help children who have been abused, neglected, a victim of or witness to violent crimes, among other situations. It operates out of Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato's Eastridge clinic.

Mankato Free Press, Doctor’s passion for nutrition recognized by Brian Arola — For Dr. Ryan Brower, food is medicine. Coming to Mankato three years ago, the family medicine resident at Mayo Clinic Health System’s Eastridge clinic brought a passion for nutrition with him. He’s since centered his work both in clinic and the community around building people’s understanding of how healthy eating fits within a patient’s pursuit of overall wellness. The work earned him state recognition this year, with the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians naming him the 2019 family medicine resident of the year.

Owatonna’s People Press, DAVID BERG: I am a stroke survivor by Jeffrey Jackson — …I had been working out a lot and feeling really good about my physical health. I had just completed an important presentation in Rochester. It went well. While discussing the meeting with a colleague, I noticed my voice sounded slurred. I wondered if others could hear it too – the speech remained slurred throughout the drive home. That night, while checking the air pressure on my daughter’s tires, I had difficulty standing up. My daughter and wife confirmed that my voice sounded funny, and they urged me to call the Nurse Line, a medical advice line staffed by registered nurses at Mayo Clinic Health System.

Fairmont Sentinel, Clinic promotes summer activities — Summer vacation barely has begun, but some parents already are searching for ways to keep their children occupied in a way that does not involve an electronic device. Mayo Clinic Health System has come up with an answer — actually, 130 answers — with a new program called “Slim Your Screen Time.” “It’s an 8-week program that runs from June 1 to July 31. Anybody can participate,” said April Poolman, certified nurse practitioner with Fairmont Mayo.

Le Sueur County News, Tips for reducing screen time by Margaret Bach — With growing evidence showing the negative impacts of screen time on health, Margaret Bach, a nurse practitioner in family medicine with Mayo Clinic Health System, is sharing tips on how families can improve their health by slimming their screen time. Bach says screen time includes television, iPads, computers, phones, and gaming devices. “Today, screens are a part of everyone’s life,” says Bach. “While it’s not realistic for families to be completely screen-free, there are health benefits associated with slimming screen time that families should be aware of.” These include improved physical health, decreased obesity, increased time to try new activities, improved mood and enhanced relationships.

KFRO-Radio, 15th Annual Have a Healthy and Safe Summer Expo by Melissa Hall — If you drove out by the Steele County Fairgrounds on Wednesday evening, you would have seen a very large law enforcement presence, in addition to that, the Fire Department and Mayo Ambulance. It was the 15th Annual Have a Healthy and Safe Summer Expo, sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Couple’s legacy of giving continues by Christena T. O’Brien — In life — and in death — the late BJ and Bea Farmer believed giving back to the community they called home for seven decades. Recently, five organizations — the Eau Claire Community Foundation, Grace Lutheran Communities, Mayo Clinic, Saving Grace Lutheran Church and the University of Arkansas — received financial gifts totaling more than $535,000 from the Farmers.

WKBT La Crosse, Mayo Clinic increasing Urgent Care hours in Onalaska by Alex Fischer — Mayo Clinic Health System made a pair of announcements in a press release Thursday. First, Mayo announced they are increasing the hours their Onalaska Urgent Care facility will be open. Starting July 1, Urgent Care hours are expanding from 36 hours per week to 86 hours per week. Urgent Care is located on the first floor of the clinic at 191 Theatre Rd. and will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends once the new hours start… The second announcement is that the Occupational and Employee Health facility in La Crosse will be moving from its current location at 630 10th St. to Belle Square at 232 3rd St. N. in downtown later this year. Additional coverage: La Crosse Tribune

WIZM-Radio, Mayo assists ambulance company in buying new heart monitors by Drew Kelly — A local hospital is helping an area ambulance association purchase new heart monitors for the back of its rigs. Mayo Health System of La Crosse gave the Caledonia Ambulance Service $10,000 in its effort to replace its two units. The time is running out to replace them. “We’re working to replace both monitors by 2022, when the equipment will be obsolete,” Caledonia ambulance director Mike Tornstrom said. “We want to make sure the equipment is top notch and state of the art at all times.”

Cure, Running in the Family by Kristie Kahl — Ellen Wiss and her daughter, Aria Maslow, whose individual journeys with breast cancer started 19 years apart, participated in the Donna Half Marathon during the Donna Foundation’s annual marathon weekend, held Feb. 8-10. The event raised funds to support genomics research conducted at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as provide patients and their families with financial assistance...As Wiss neared being 10 years cancer-free, she discovered the Donna Foundation and its marathon weekend through Mayo Clinic, where she, her father and her daughter were all treated for malignancies. The most recent event was the pair’s seventh race with the foundation. “It’s been a real bonding experience for my daughter and me,” Wiss says.

Morning Call, Planning to take a DIY genetic test? You may want to read this first to save yourself some worry. by Binghui Huang —  Despite the pitfalls, genetic research has potential to improve and save lives because a person who know their health risks could change their lifestyle or take precautions, said Matthew Ferber, director of the Mayo Clinic's Genome Sequencing Laboratory. For many patients, the conversation starts with their doctors. But doctors aren't always well-versed in the science, which is new and evolving. "The change in knowledge is growing so quickly. Both our scientific capability and our intellectual understanding are outstripping our ability to educate new physicians to be comfortable in this space," Ferber said.

Herald-Tribune, First, choose happiness. Then pursue it by Marilynn Preston — Dr. Amit Sood — professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine — grew up and went to medical school in Bhopal, India. Throughout his medical training, he writes, he experienced “the scourge of poverty, malnutrition and disease” that created tremendous suffering in his country. In 1995, Sood came to America. He did a two-year residency in New York, followed by six years in rural Washington, all the while practicing a different kind of medicine than he had in India. In America, his patients were, on the whole, healthier, wealthier, better nourished, with many more resources. Here’s the shocker. “To my surprise,” he writes, “the suffering was the same. It’s nature, intensity, pervasiveness ... I had naively assumed that everyone (in America) would be happy and having a good time. The extent of stress made no sense to me.”

MD Linx, What’s the real Mayo Clinic Diet, and does it work? by Naveed Saleh, M.D. — For years, this scientifically bogus fad diet was promoted as the “Mayo Clinic Diet,” even though it was not related to the Mayo Clinic at all. In response, the Mayo Clinic developed its own official Mayo Clinic Diet, which is detailed in the Mayo Clinic Diet book. The real Mayo Clinic Diet is a long-term weight-management program developed by weight-loss specialists at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. It is designed to reshape the lifestyle of the adherent by promoting the adoption of healthy new habits and doing away with unhealthy ones. The goal of the diet is to make a smooth, easy, and enjoyable transition to a healthy weight that can be maintained throughout life.

Medical Design & Outsourcing, Mayo team working on AI to speed stroke diagnosis by Nancy Crotti — A team of physicians at Mayo Clinic is developing artificial intelligence designed to improve outcomes for people who suffer from a kind of stroke called an intracerebral hemorrhage, or ICH, according to the health system. Currently, patients with an ICH go to a hospital with symptoms, get a CAT scan, and then have to wait for results and for doctors to figure out how to address it. During all that time, their chances of dying increase every minute. The Mayo team’s AI program might reduce that time and damage to the brain, according to a news release from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo.

MedTech Dive, OIG issues alert on genetic testing scam by Susan Kelly — High-risk hereditary predisposition syndromes have been associated with a markedly increased lifetime risk of cancer, sometimes as high as 100%, according to Niloy Jewel Samadder, a gastroenterologist in clinical genomics at Mayo Clinic's Arizona campus. Samadder, lead author of a study of the topic published in June in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, said genetic testing is critical for early detection of cancer risks and decisions on surveillance and treatments. The study recommends that patients with no personal history of cancer but with a family history of early onset of breast, ovarian, endometrial or colorectal cancer before age 60 should be referred for genetic testing.

Renal & Urology News, Visceral Metastases on the Rise in Metastatic Prostate Cancer — New systemic therapies for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) are changing the natural history of the disease, with patients experiencing more visceral metastases now than in the past, according to study findings presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago. Nellie Nafissi, MD, of Mayo Clinic Arizona in Phoenix, and colleagues at other Mayo Clinic facilities retrospectively analyzed 164 patients with metastatic PCa who had imaging studies performed within 6 months of death. Overall, the mean age at death was 77.4 years.

Refinery 29, How To Run In The Heat Without Suffering From Literal Heatstroke by Molly Longman — The sun’s rays can be draining, so it can be tough to make the most out of your run. It can also be dangerous. The extra stress the hot weather puts on your body can put you at risk for dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heatstroke, which can be life threatening, according to Mayo Clinic.

Massage magazine, Massage Reduces Pain Among Inpatients — The study, “Effect of Integrative Medicine Services on Pain for Hospitalized Patients at an Academic Health Center,” involved inpatients age 18 and older who requested integrative medicine services, such as massage therapy and acupuncture, at two Mayo Clinic hospitals… During the three-month period from October 2017 to January 2018, a total of 1,220 integrative medicine services were provided to 578 inpatients at the two Mayo Clinic hospitals. Massage therapy accounted for nearly 90 percent of these services, with acupuncture rounding out most of the remaining 10 percent.

Healio, Speaker introductions at major meetings may strengthen gender bias — An analysis of speaker introductions at a major international oncology conference revealed patterns that may strengthen gender bias, according to findings presented at ASCO Annual Meeting…“How a speaker is introduced affects the audience’s perception of that speaker,” Narjust Duma, MD, chief hematology/medical oncology fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and a HemOnc Today Next Gen Innovator, told HemOnc Today. “Several studies have suggested the audience is most likely to pay attention and believe the data presented if the speaker is given a proper introduction. If we are not introducing women and men the same way, we are feeding into the existing gender bias in medicine.”

Healio, Risk score predicts atrial fibrillation with ibrutinib therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia — The Italian risk score accurately predicted risk for atrial fibrillation among patients treated with ibrutinib for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to data from a retrospective review presented at ASCO Annual Meeting. “Ibrutinib [Imbruvica; Pharmacyclics] causes an increased risk for bleeding and an increased risk for atrial fibrillation; thus, treating clinicians are in a difficult position,” William J. Archibald, MD, resident physician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told HemOnc Today. “On one hand, CLL can be very well-controlled with ibrutinib therapy with minimal side effects, but if a patient develops atrial fibrillation, combining ibrutinib and anticoagulation could cause an unacceptably high risk for bleeding.”

Healio, Study: Kidneys from donors with AKI do not negatively impact eGFR in transplant recipients — For deceased donor transplants, AKI in the donor did not have any negative impact on eGFR in the recipient at 1 year, according to a poster presented at the American Transplant Congress.  “In a separate publication, we showed that acute kidney injury in the donor does not have a negative impact on graft survival,” Raymond L. Heilman, MD, transplant nephrologist at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, told Healio/Nephrology.  “In this analysis, we were looking at the impact on eGFR and observed no negative impact with increasing levels of AKI.”

Medscape, Is Renal Infarction Linked to Cardiac Amyloidosis? by Veronica Hackethal, MD — Renal infarction in cardiac amyloidosis may not be as rare as previously thought, especially in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), according to a French study recently published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings…In a linked editorial, however, Nelson Leung, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, writes that the 20-25% prevalence rate of renal infarction is "unexpected," and he questions the results. "These findings are intriguing, as I have yet to diagnose a case of renal infarction, despite having seen hundreds of patients with amyloidosis," he says. In particular, he queries the method used to screen for renal infarction.

Alzforum, The Mutation You Want: It Protects the Brain, Extends Life — “Collectively, these findings further strengthen the role of the microglial-enriched gene PLCG2 in AD and DLB, whose neuropathologies can co-occur,” wrote co-author Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, to Alzforum. “It also raises the intriguing possibility that innate immunity, protection from several neurodegenerative diseases, and longevity are connected.” Ertekin-Taner is one of 108 named authors and consortia on the paper. Rita Guerreiro, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan, was more cautious. She noted that establishing an association between AD-related variants and other neurodegenerative disease can be confounded by the much lower prevalence of diseases such as FTD and DLB, and by the variable frequencies of rare variants in populations. “Consequently, it is difficult to assess if the nominal associations found for DLB and FTD are real, or if they result from the absence of population stratification corrections, or if they represent residual associations, with possible AD contaminations in these cohorts,” she wrote.

Asia One, Wash your hands after touching these 7 things — Good hygiene along with the habit of washing your hands are essential to reduce the risk of common infections. According to the Mayo Clinic, washing your hands limits the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other germs. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the United States, recommends rubbing your hands together with soap and clean water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, as diseases can be spread simply by not washing your hands.

The National UAE, Burn-out can be a killer but is easily preventable by Justin Thomas — The idea of reduced competence becomes particularly problematic in industries where poor performance could prove dangerous or even catastrophic. In aviation and healthcare, for instance, burn-out can cost lives, significantly increasing the likelihood of human error. A study published in 2018 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that among 6,586 US doctors, those with at least one primary symptom of burn-out were more than twice as likely to have reported a major medical error within the past three months. Similarly, research within the aviation sector has identified airline pilot burn-out as a significant threat to flight safety.

Nueva Mujer, Cosas que está haciendo mal y afectan al corazón — En entrevista con PUBLIMETRO el Doctor. Hector Villarraga, cardiólogo colombiano especialista de Mayo Clinic reconocido internacionalmente por su trabajo de protocolos prospectivos que evalúan los cambios en la función mecánica del miocardio en pacientes que reciben radioterapia con haz de protones o fotones, así como pacientes con cáncer de mama, linfoma y sarcoma que reciben tratamiento quimioterapéutico, nos cuenta sobre los factores menos conocidos que también son perjudiciales. Additional coverage: Metro

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Editors: Emily BlahnikKarl Oestreich

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