DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I love the fall, but I dread the shorter days and how I feel. I've read about seasonal affective disorder, but could you please tell me more about it?

ANSWER: Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that's related to the changes in seasons. Symptoms typically appear in the fall, worsen through the winter months and eventually go away in the spring or summer. The answers to these questions should help you better understand SAD and determine if you should seek care.

What are the possible causes of SAD?

While the exact cause is unknown, it may be linked to reduced sunlight, which reacts with the natural chemicals in your body, like serotonin and melatonin, that determine mood and energy levels and regulate sleep.

SAD isn't just a case of the winter blues, a condition that is milder and more common. SAD symptoms can make it difficult to function at home, work and in social settings.

Who is most at risk for experiencing symptoms of SAD?

People who live in the northern half of the U.S., where daylight hours are shorter and there's less sunlight, are at more risk. It's estimated that about 20% of people in this region could have symptoms of SAD. It's believed that SAD runs in families, and it's more common in women.

What are the symptoms of SAD?

Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder to watch for include:

• Difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling persistently tired and fatigued, including feeling a loss of energy nearly every day of the affected months.
• Feelings of worthlessness.
• Losing interest in things you would typically enjoy, such as hobbies and social activities.
• Persistently feeling down or sad.
• Sleep disturbances, which could include hypersomnia (sleeping too much) or insomnia (difficulty falling asleep).
• Thoughts of suicide.
• Weight changes, including weight gain or weight loss.

What are the treatments for SAD?

Light therapy
Bright light therapy is considered an effective treatment for SAD. Research suggests that around half of people who use a bright light therapy box have good results in reducing symptoms.

It's essential to meet with a healthcare professional familiar with light therapy to determine the type of device needed to be effective, how to correctly set it up and the length of time required in front of a light box. They'll also help you if your skin or eyes are sensitive to light due to a medical condition or medication.

Generally, the light box should provide an exposure of 10,000 lux of light and emit as little UV light as possible. The typical recommendation is to use the light box within the first hour of waking up in the morning for 20–30 minutes. Light boxes emit either white or blue light, but the color doesn't make a difference.

Medications
Your healthcare professional may prescribe an antidepressant.

Physical activity
Research has shown that exercising for 20 minutes at least three days a week is similar to taking an antidepressant. Being active can help with serotonin production and boost your mood. Exercising outdoors during daylight hours increases its effectiveness in reducing symptoms.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT helps people learn how to manage their symptoms of depression or reduce their severity. Talk with your healthcare professional about CBT and how to find someone skilled in it for depression or anxiety.

What can I start doing before the onset of symptoms?

If you have SAD, there are preventive measures that you can put in place, including: 

• Be physically active.
  Exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety. It's essential to stay active during winter, even if you're tempted to "hibernate."
• Get outside.
  Spend 15 to 20 minutes outside when the sun is out. If the weather allows, take a walk outside when the sun is at its peak. Sunlight helps adjust your body's internal clock.
• Make your environment bright.
  Open the window blinds and allow sunlight into your home. Sit near a window while at home or work.
• Prioritize sleep.
  Go to bed and wake at the same time every day, with the goal of getting seven to nine hours of restful sleep. Excessive napping and oversleeping beyond your typical schedule can disrupt your circadian rhythm.
• Stay connected to friends and family.
  SAD can lead to staying home and isolating. Engaging with friends, staying in a routine, and getting active at home and outside of the home are essential.
• Take care of your body and mind.
  Eat regular, healthy meals. Avoid drugs and alcohol, which can make depression worse. Manage stress with practices like deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation.

If you have a history of SAD, talk with your healthcare team about a plan to better manage your mood during the winter months.

Janice Schreier, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Psychiatry & Psychology, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin

The post Mayo Clinic Q&A: Seasonal affective disorder is more than feeling sad appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — HealthLocator, a new, free digital tool, launches today to help patients and families find hospitals that consistently provide high-quality care.

HealthLocator gathers national quality data into a single, easy-to-navigate tool that allows users to search by city, specialty, or hospital. With just a few clicks, people can compare hospitals based on performance and make more informed choices about their care.

"HealthLocator brings together existing external national quality data into one clear, trusted source to help people select a high-quality hospital for themselves or a loved one," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic.

For more than a decade, Mayo Clinic has used a combination of publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on clinical quality, hospital patient safety and associated infection metrics, and patient experience to inform and advance its own improvement initiatives. These same evidence-based measures are used to rate more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals featured in HealthLocator.

"HealthLocator offers a clear, evidence-based view of hospital quality that aligns with Mayo Clinic's primary value: the needs of the patient come first," says Sean Dowdy, M.D., Mayo Clinic's chief value officer. "By helping people make informed healthcare decisions, we're improving lives."

More information about HealthLocator’s methodology is available in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst.

Created for patients by those who serve them, HealthLocator is offered as a free public service. Users do not need to create an account, and there are no subscriptions.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Andrea Kalmanovitz, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Find trusted, high-quality hospitals nationwide with HealthLocator  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a specific immune cell that can be targeted to give a boost to standard immunotherapies for cancer. Two research teams, working collaboratively but using distinct approaches, found that "first-responder" immune cells known as myeloid cells can be manipulated to enhance the activity of tumor-killing T cells.

The finding suggests that enhanced myeloid cells may boost certain immune checkpoint therapies, which are the standard of care for some cancers but may not have lasting effects. A clinical trial is now being developed at Mayo Clinic to test the enhanced cells in patients.

In a study in Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, Mayo Clinic researchers detailed how they found a way to boost cancer-killing T cells. The goal was to improve treatments that interfere with immunosuppressive proteins, PD-1 and PD-L1, which together suppress T cells' ability to fight cancer. Even though PD-L1 immunotherapies aim to block PD-L1, the researchers found that the molecule can persist through a natural recycling process that puts it back in play.

"Our study found the importance of the recycling process, and we present a way to address it," says Haidong Dong, M.D., Ph.D., a cancer immunology researcher at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and principal investigator of the study.

The research team developed an antibody, H1A, which they found can reduce PD-L1 in human myeloid cells and keep it from recycling. The protein PD-L1 is present in abundance on the surface of myeloid cells. When the protein was prevented from recycling on myeloid cells, the cells then boosted the action of cancer-killing T cells.

"We now have a tool that can completely remove PD-L1 and in doing so we have more myeloid cell activation," says lead author of the study, Michelle Hsu, who conducted the research as her graduate thesis at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. "Identifying the myeloid cell was an unexpected discovery," she says.

Another Mayo Clinic team took a different approach and arrived at a similar conclusion about the importance of myeloid cells. A research team led by immunology researcher Jessica Lancaster, Ph.D., at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, reported in iScience that macrophages, a type of myeloid cell, play a role in activating the cancer-killing T cells.

Watch animation

Animation available in the downloads: Live cell microscopy shows a cancer-killing T cell (magenta) as it migrates and interacts with macrophages (blue) in the tumor microenvironment. Black spaces are packed with non-fluorescent tumor cells. Image captured by Tina Kwok, Mayo Clinic.

Using the complex approach of live-cell microscopy, the team found that in mice, T cells interact closely with the macrophages and create a molecular environment that has greater capacity to kill a tumor.

"This is a paradigm shift for PD-L1 immunotherapy, which has traditionally focused on the interaction of the tumor and the T cells," says Dr. Lancaster. "We found that it’s important to co-opt the macrophage, which acts as another immune cell partner."

Further, says lead author Tina Kwok, who completed the studies during her Ph.D. research at Mayo Clinic, "We can directly reprogram tumor macrophages to be more pro-inflammatory. They can become better T-cell activators and drive better tumor control. Reprogramming of the macrophage may be key to being able to prevent therapy resistance and change outcomes for patients."

Based on the findings from both labs, a phase 1 clinical trial of H1A is being planned. The research could ultimately better address resistance to immunotherapy and expand treatment options for people with cancer.

Review the studies in Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer and iScience for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.

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About Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center 
Designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is defining the cancer center of the future, focused on delivering the world's most exceptional patient-centered cancer care for everyone. At Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, a culture of innovation and collaboration is driving research breakthroughs in cancer detection, prevention and treatment to change lives.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Julie Ferris-Tillman, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic researchers find enhancing the body’s ‘first responder’ cells may boost immune therapy for cancer appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new study from Mayo Clinic underscores the widespread impact of menopause symptoms on midlife women — and raises concern that most are navigating this stage of life without medical care to help manage those challenges.

The study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, was based on responses from nearly 5,000 women ages 45-60 who were surveyed across four Mayo Clinic primary care locations. More than 3 out of 4 respondents experienced menopause symptoms, with many reporting substantial effects on daily life, work productivity and overall well-being.

Despite the availability of safe and effective treatment options, Mayo Clinic researchers found that menopause symptoms remain underrecognized, undertreated and inadequately addressed in the health care system.

Severe symptoms affect daily life, yet few women seek care or receive treatment

More than one-third (34%) of women who were surveyed reported moderate to very severe symptoms. Sleep disturbances and weight gain were among the most common issues reported by more than half of participants.

The most striking finding was that more than 80% of the women who responded to the survey did not seek medical care for their menopause symptoms. While many women said they preferred to manage symptoms on their own, others said that they were too busy or unaware that effective treatments exist. Only about 1 in 4 women were receiving any treatment for menopause symptoms at the time of the survey.

"Menopause is universal for women at midlife, the symptoms are common and disruptive, and yet, few women are receiving care that could help them," says lead author Ekta Kapoor, M.B.B.S., an endocrinologist and menopause specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "This gap has real consequences for women's health and quality of life, and it's time we address it more proactively."

Without proper treatment, menopause symptoms can negatively affect sleep, mood, cognition, and productivity at work and at home. The findings underscore the importance of healthcare professionals proactively identifying and managing menopause symptoms in patients who may be struggling with them, the authors said.

Researchers call for proactive care strategies and new tools to close the treatment gap

The study noted that women often do not voluntarily mention concerns about menopause symptoms to their healthcare professional. Mayo Clinic researchers emphasize the need for strategies that destigmatize menopause care and make it more visible and accessible. Efforts are underway to develop questionnaires, digital tools and smartphone apps that help women identify symptoms, learn about treatment options and have more productive discussions with their primary care professionals.

"Our goal is to educate women and healthcare professionals about menopause," Dr. Kapoor says. "By making it easier to recognize and understand symptoms, we can close the gap between need and care — and help midlife women live healthier, more fulfilling lives."

Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.  A video of Dr. Kapoor discussing the findings is available.

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About Mayo Clinic Proceedings
One of the premier peer-reviewed clinical journals in general and internal medicine, Mayo Clinic Proceedings is among the most widely read and highly cited scientific publications for physicians. Continuously published since 1926 and celebrating its centennial next year, Mayo Clinic Proceedings is sponsored by Mayo Clinic, guided by its Bold. Forward. vision to transform medicine as the global authority in the care of serious or complex disease. The journal publishes original research, articles and commentary from authors worldwide and has an Impact Factor of 6.7, placing it in the top 10% among general and internal medicine journals.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.  

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic study finds majority of midlife women with menopause symptoms do not seek care appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Lainey Bukowiec, M.D., an orthopedic surgery resident at Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, is helping shape the future of surgical care through groundbreaking research and mentorship. Her mentor is Peter Rhee, D.O., a global leader in hyperselective neurectomy, a highly targeted nerve surgery that reduces muscle spasticity while preserving strength. Under his guidance, Dr. Bukowiec has contributed to two major studies exploring this advanced technique.

The first study she co-authored, published in the Journal of Hand Surgery, examined the radial nerve's motor branching pattern in the triceps. The second focuses on pediatric patients with equinovarus deformity, a condition often caused by cerebral palsy in which the patient's foot twists downward and inward, making it difficult to walk normally. These studies reflect Dr. Bukowiec's dual passion for pediatric orthopedics and hand surgery, the specialties she plans to pursue through consecutive fellowships.

Recently, Dr. Bukowiec assisted Dr. Rhee in performing the very procedure she had researched. "It was incredible to see the full arc from academic study to clinical application," she says. "That kind of experience is rare and deeply rewarding."

Dr. Rhee's mentorship has been pivotal, she says. "He explains complex surgical concepts in a way that resonates. He's not only a brilliant surgeon but also a compassionate teacher."

Mentorship reaching beyond Mayo Clinic

Dr. Rhee's development of hyperselective neurectomy took on new meaning when he used the technique to help his own father regain mobility after a stroke. The success of that procedure inspired him to expand its use and train others in its application. Through mentorship and collaborative research, he equips residents like Dr. Bukowiec with the skills to bring this innovative approach to more patients and advance its impact through education. 

"Being a surgeon, researcher and teacher at Mayo Clinic is very fulfilling," says Dr. Rhee. "The ability to train the world's best and brightest to eventually deliver Mayo Clinic quality of care around the world is an incredible obligation and legacy."

His impact reaches far beyond Mayo Clinic. Through an international visiting surgeon program, Dr. Rhee and his colleagues train surgeons from around the world in advanced hand surgery procedures. These surgeons return home equipped to treat patients and teach others. 

He also co-founded a global working group of surgical experts to advance nerve surgery techniques through international collaboration. Last year, the group partnered with Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development to host the first U.S.-based international symposium on hand surgery in Rochester.

Dr. Bukowiec's experience under Dr. Rhee's tutelage demonstrates Mayo Clinic's commitment to training the next generation of surgical innovators. Through mentorship, research and hands-on experience, residents like her are preparing to deliver cutting-edge, compassionate care to patients worldwide.

Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education has more than 2,000 learners enrolled in programs across the country. Of those more than 300 programs, 197 are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and 95 percent of Mayo's GME training programs are above the national average in board passage rates. 

Related post: 

• (VIDEO) A family’s journey inspires breakthrough surgery

The post Mayo Clinic trainee Lainey Bukowiec, M.D., pursues surgical passion with Dr. Rhee’s mentorship appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a key reason why certain breast cancers might not respond to an important new class of therapeutics called antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). These treatments pair an antibody that targets cancer cells with a strong chemotherapy drug. For many patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancers, ADCs such as trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) have dramatically improved outcomes.

"While T-DXd has shown remarkable results for many patients, it hasn't worked for everyone with advanced HER2+ breast cancer," says Peter Lucas, M.D., Ph.D., vice chair for research in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic and co-senior author of the study, published in Nature Cancer. "This indicates that some tumors have built-in resistant mechanisms that prevent the drug from doing its job."

In the study, researchers in the Oncoimmune Signaling and Therapeutics Laboratory at Mayo Clinic discovered that a shortened version of the HER2 protein, called p95HER2, that is produced by a subset of HER2+ breast cancers can alter treatment response. The protein p95HER2 "signals differently" from the full HER2 oncoprotein — which proved to be the key to how it drives therapy resistance.

"Our discovery that p95HER2 has the unique ability to induce signals that produce an immune-protected microenvironment strongly suggested that p95HER2 could function within cancer cells to actively resist T-DXd," says Dr. Lucas.

The study also revealed that a drug called neratinib is highly effective at blocking the action of p95HER2, even causing the protein to be degraded.

"In fact, treatment with neratinib results in complete p95HER2 degradation, abolishing the protein from the cancer cells in our preclinical models," says Dong Hu, Ph.D., a research scientist in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic and lead author of the manuscript.

Based on these findings, the research team believes the next step is a clinical trial to evaluate the combination of neratinib with T-DXd in patients with HER2+ early breast cancer. The goal is to determine if this combination therapy can improve the response in cancers that co-express p95HER2 along with full HER2.

They note that this is just one of many therapeutic combinations being considered.

"No single, one-size-fits-all approach to treatment will work for every patient with HER2+ breast cancer," says Linda McAllister, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Mayo Clinic and co-senior author of the study.

However, with the discovery of p95HER2's role, a clear roadmap for future treatment is in sight.

"Having this new understanding of why T-DXd does not always work helps us to envision next steps toward customized therapies and more cures," says Dr. Lucas. "It's all about staying one step ahead of cancer."

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and findings, review the study. The work was supported by the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer SPORE.

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About Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center 
Designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is defining the cancer center of the future, focused on delivering the world's most exceptional patient-centered cancer care for everyone. At Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, a culture of innovation and collaboration is driving research breakthroughs in cancer detection, prevention and treatment to change lives.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact: 

• Julie Ferris-Tillman, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

The post Mayo Clinic discovery of breast cancer treatment resistance can lead to new hope for some appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

First-year students at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona and Rochester participated in stethoscope ceremonies this fall. 

The stethoscope ceremony marks more than the beginning of medical training; it recognizes each student's commitment to the heart of medicine. The simple device of the stethoscope, unchanged for more than a century, has been used across generations to listen to patients and understand their stories. It is both a tool of the profession and a symbol of a physician's responsibility.

Many medical schools in the U.S. celebrate a "White Coat Ceremony," where students put on white laboratory coats for the first time. Mayo Clinic holds a Stethoscope Ceremony instead since Mayo physicians do not wear white coats. The custom stems from the Mayo brothers' belief that white coats create barriers between medical professionals and patients. Instead, Mayo physicians dress in business attire to help them form better connections with their patients and create mutual respect.

During the ceremony, as each student receives a stethoscope, they also accept the responsibility and the privilege of caring for others. 

Medical school leaders shared their thoughts on what the stethoscope means to them:

Compassion is the pulse that sustains the medical profession and is a primary Mayo Clinic value. Jewel M. Kling, M.D., M.P.H., Suzanne Hanson Poole Dean, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine – Arizona Campus shared, "To me, my stethoscope isn't just for hearing the heart or lungs. It's a symbol of how I show up with the intention to listen fully to my patient. It serves as a bridge. To help me hear what they're saying — and what they're not." Healing begins when physicians attend to their patients' stories with empathy and humility. 

Service is a cornerstone of medicine, which is an act of service to humanity. Jesse Bracamonte, D.O., George M. and Kristen L. Lund Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the medical school's Arizona Campus, told students at the ceremony that the stethoscope embodies the core values of Mayo Clinic. "I've learned to understand the true meaning of the stethoscope along my journey from several profound moments of service. Remember that the stethoscope isn't just a tool; it's a symbol of your commitment to care for others, to listen closely and to be present in the most profound moments of human life." Whether in a high-tech operating room or a rural clinic, our efforts extend beyond the individual, rippling into families, communities and generations. 

Lifelong learning is the thread that connects compassion and service. Fredric Meyer, M.D., dean of Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and Waugh Executive Dean of Education, said, "Our responsibility is to prepare you with a keen sense of curiosity, adaptability and a desire for lifelong learning. These qualities will empower you to address the evolving needs of healthcare, to lead with innovation and to find solutions to the most complex problems our patients and health systems face." Lifelong learning means more than keeping up with textbooks or journal articles. It means remaining open to lessons taught by patients, colleagues and experience itself. The best physicians are perpetual students, guided by both science and humanity.

The Stethoscope Ceremony is sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association, which helps students forge valuable relationships and mentorships with Mayo alumni. More than 34,000 alumni are located in 50 U.S. states and 83 countries worldwide. Every medical student is now a full member of the Alumni Association.  

About Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine is a national medical school with four-year medical degree programs in Rochester and Arizona. The school also offers a Florida program, enabling students to complete their first two years of medical studies in Arizona or Minnesota, and their final two years of learning in Florida. For more information, visit Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.

The post Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine students participate in Stethoscope Ceremony: A promise of compassion, service and lifelong learning appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — When it comes to treating disease, one promising avenue is addressing the presence of senescent cells. These cells — also known as "zombie cells" — stop dividing but don't die off as cells typically do. They turn up in numerous diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease, and in the process of aging. While potential treatments aim to remove or repair the cells, one hurdle has been finding a way to identify them among healthy cells in living tissue. 

In the journal Aging Cell, Mayo Clinic researchers report finding a new technique to tag senescent cells. The team used molecules known as "aptamers" — small segments of synthetic DNA that fold into three-dimensional shapes. Aptamers have the ability to attach themselves to proteins on the surfaces of cells. In mouse cells, the team found several rare aptamers, identified from among more than 100 trillion random DNA sequences, that can latch onto specific cell surface proteins and flag senescent cells.

"This approach established the principle that aptamers are a technology that can be used to distinguish senescent cells from healthy ones," says biochemist and molecular biologist Jim Maher, III, Ph.D., a principal investigator of the study. "Though this study is a first step, the results suggest the approach could eventually apply to human cells."

From a quirky idea to collaboration  

The project began with the quirky idea of a Mayo Clinic graduate student who had a chance conversation with a classmate.

Keenan Pearson, Ph.D. — who recently received his degree from Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences — was working under the mentorship of Dr. Maher, studying how aptamers might address neurodegenerative diseases or brain cancer.

A few floors away, Sarah Jachim, Ph.D., — who was also then conducting her graduate research — was working in the lab of researcher Nathan LeBrasseur, Ph.D., Director, Mayo Clinic Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, who studies senescent cells and aging.

At a scientific event, the two happened to chat about their graduate thesis projects. Dr. Pearson thought aptamer technology might be able to identify senescent cells. "I thought the idea was a good one, but I didn't know about the process of preparing senescent cells to test them, and that was Sarah's expertise," says Dr. Pearson, who became lead author of the publication.  

They pitched the idea to their mentors and to researcher Darren Baker, Ph.D., who investigates therapies to treat senescent cells. At first, Dr. Maher acknowledges, the students' idea seemed "crazy" but worth pursuing. The three mentors were excited about the plan. "We frankly loved that it was the students' idea and a real synergy of two research areas," says Dr. Maher.

The students obtained compelling results sooner than they expected and quickly recruited other student participants from the labs. Then-graduate students Brandon Wilbanks, Ph.D., Luis Prieto, Ph.D., and M.D.-Ph.D. student Caroline Doherty, each contributed additional approaches, including special microscopy techniques and more varied tissue samples. "It became encouraging to expend more effort," Dr. Jachim says, "because we could tell it was a project that was going to succeed."

Identifying attributes of senescent cells

 The study has provided new information about senescent cells beyond a way to tag them. "To date, there aren't universal markers that characterize senescent cells," says Dr. Maher. "Our study was set up to be open-ended about the target surface molecules on senescent cells. The beauty of this approach is that we let the aptamers choose the molecules to bind to."

The study found several aptamers latched onto a variant of a specific molecule on the surface of mouse cells, a protein called fibronectin. The role of this variant fibronectin in senescence is not yet understood. The finding means that aptamers may be a tool to further define unique characteristics of senescent cells.

Additional studies will be necessary to find aptamers that can identify senescent cells in humans. Aptamers with the ability to latch onto senescent cells could potentially deliver a therapy directly to those cells. Dr. Pearson notes aptamer technology is less expensive and more versatile than conventional antibodies, proteins that are typically used to differentiate cells from one another.

"This project demonstrated a novel concept," says Dr. Maher. "Future studies may extend the approach to applications related to senescent cells in human disease."

See the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Julie Ferris-Tillman, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

The post A new tool to find hidden ‘zombie cells’ appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) causes inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts. This rare liver disease is often accompanied by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Together, these diseases increase the risk of colorectal cancer by more than sixfold compared to the general population.

Until recently, it wasn't clear whether that increased colorectal cancer risk extended to people with PSC alone, but Mayo Clinic researchers have helped answer this question. Their findings could help open the door to earlier colorectal cancer screening and better prevention for people with PSC.

"We wanted to answer something that was overlooked in the guidelines because these patients are a smaller group and have been understudied in research," says Dr. Saqr Alsakarneh, a fellow in the Department of Gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic and lead author of the study, published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Searching data for cancer prevention blind spots

In the largest population-based analysis of its kind, Dr. Alsakarneh and his co-authors analyzed data from 115 million de-identified health records from 65 healthcare organizations across the U.S. Their goal was to understand long-term risk of colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers in people with PSC.

The researchers found that people with PSC without IBD have nearly three times the risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to the general population. 

"This is important because it challenges the current assumption that only primary sclerosing cholangitis with IBD causes colorectal cancer," says Dr. Alsakarneh.

While colorectal cancer prevention guidelines recommend annual screening and increased surveillance for people who have PSC and IBD, no specific guidelines exist for people with only PSC. Dr. Alsakarneh says this is a missed opportunity for early detection of colorectal cancer, which is highly preventable with proper screening.

In addition to discovering an increased risk for colorectal cancer, the study confirmed an association between PSC alone and higher rates of bile duct, liver and pancreatic cancers. While previous research has suggested this connection, the study provides large-scale data to support the need for continued vigilance and screening strategies tailored to people with PSC.

Translating discovery to better care

Dr. Alsakarneh says these findings are an important first step toward a better understanding of PSC and cancer risk, although more studies are needed to confirm how this information should be incorporated into healthcare guidelines.

"Before anything is put into guidelines, the first step is always to validate the findings," says Dr. Alsakarneh. "Colleagues from the gastrointestinal community have reached out and are interested, so this is something we are working on."

As researchers investigate further, Dr. Alsakarneh says it's important that clinicians with PSC patients be aware of this association, tune into emerging evidence and keep their patients informed as findings develop.

Continuing a legacy of PSC discovery at Mayo Clinic

Dr. Alsakarneh's research continues a legacy of PSC discovery at Mayo Clinic that dates back to the '70s. That was when Dr. Nicholas LaRusso, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, first began studying the cluster of symptoms that he eventually helped describe and define as PSC in a 1980 study.

"It's important to me that this study comes from Mayo Clinic because Dr. LaRusso, who still has a lab here, made so much progress in this disease. He is the reason I came to Mayo Clinic to do my training," says Dr. Alsakarneh.

Alongside Dr. LaRusso, Dr. Alsakarneh next plans to lead Mayo Clinic research investigating why and how PSC increases cancer risk.

Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding. 

The post Mayo Clinic study sheds light on colorectal cancer risk in overlooked group appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Nurses at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, once again earned Magnet recognition, making this their seventh designation and reaffirming nearly 30 years of excellence in nursing. The American Nurses Credentialing Center's Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes healthcare organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. This credential is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.

"This recognition belongs to every nurse and care team member who lives our values each day," says Sherry Wolf, chief nursing officer, Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "Their compassion, collaboration and dedication make Mayo Clinic a place of hope and healing and reaffirm our place as a Category of One in delivering exceptional patient care." 

The designation process first began in 1994, and Mayo Clinic in Rochester has maintained Magnet status since 1997, placing it among the top 1% of healthcare organizations worldwide to hold this honor for nearly thirty years. This distinction reflects the enduring commitment, skill and compassion of its nursing teams. 

Magnet-designated organizations are distinguished by their collaborative culture, where nurses are essential partners in delivering the highest quality of care and driving continuous innovation in professional practice. These organizations also foster a positive environment for staff and contribute to shaping the future of the nursing profession.

The redesignation process occurs every four years and requires a comprehensive application and an on-site visit to demonstrate nursing excellence. 

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

About ANCC's Magnet Recognition Program
The Magnet Recognition Program — administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world — identifies healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice.

The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit nursingworld.org/magnet.

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