Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi, a Mayo Clinic hematologist and oncologist, explains how new therapies and ongoing research are changing the outlook for people with the disease.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:10) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of blood cell called a plasma cell that builds up in bone marrow.

"When plasma cells multiply and crowd up the bone marrow, they can produce certain abnormal proteins," says Dr. Ailawadhi.

Damage caused by multiple myeloma can lead to anemia, weakened bones, frequent infections and kidney failure.

"Treatment for multiple myeloma has come a long way," Dr. Ailawadhi says. "While historically, there were traditional chemotherapies, now, the focus of treatment is targeted therapies, which are frequently engaging the body's own immune system to try and target the cancer in a way that is safer and has a more sustained effect on the disease."

This includes bone marrow transplantation, novel immunotherapy agents and chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy, also known as CAR-T cell therapy.

Dr. Ailawadhi says research is ongoing to better predict who may be at risk for multiple myeloma and to develop new treatments.

"We are able to see the field advancing rapidly and how major treatment advances are progressing to benefit patients," says Dr. Ailawadhi. "We expect that over the next five, seven, 10 years, we will see many, many more drugs, novel combinations and agents with newer mechanisms will be available to patients with this disease."

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've heard that many symptoms of gynecologic cancers can mimic menstrual or menopausal changes, such as bleeding and pelvic pain. What symptoms should never be ignored, and when do I know it's time to see a healthcare professional? 

ANSWER: Pay attention to changes that are new, persistent, worsening or simply different from what is typical for your body. Many gynecologic cancer symptoms also can have noncancerous causes, but certain changes deserve medical evaluation rather than automatically considering them a natural part of menstruation, menopause or another common condition. 

There are five types of gynecologic cancers: ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vulvar and vaginal. Their warning signs can overlap with expected changes across a woman's life, which is why the pattern of a symptom — whether it's new, persistent or progressing — matters. 

Symptoms that should prompt a conversation with a healthcare professional include: 

• Postmenopausal bleeding. Menopause means going 12 months without a menstrual period. Any bleeding after that point should be evaluated.  

• Bleeding after intercourse. Cancer isn't the only possible cause, but bleeding after intercourse should be checked. 

• Pelvic pain that's new or getting worse. If you usually have discomfort with menstrual periods but notice that the pain is becoming progressively worse, that change deserves attention. 

• Persistent bloating or feeling full quickly. Feeling full soon after starting to eat is called early satiety. Bloating and early satiety can occur with ovarian cancer, particularly when symptoms are new or worsening. 

• Changes in bowel or bladder habits. When changes develop or get worse, they should be looked into rather than considered only as a gastrointestinal or urinary condition. 

• New or persistent vulvar changes. A new lump or lesion, bleeding, itching, burning or irritation on your vulva should be examined. A biopsy may be recommended, particularly if symptoms persist or don't improve with treatment. 

The key is to know your own baseline. A symptom doesn't have to be severe, but if it's unusual for you or continues, it should be evaluated. 

One common misconception is that a Pap test means a woman has been screened for all gynecologic cancers. A Pap test only screens for cervical cancer and cervical precancer. It doesn't screen for ovarian, endometrial, vulvar or vaginal cancers. 

For cancers without routine screening tests, recognizing symptoms and seeking diagnostic evaluation if you become concerned is especially important. 

Screening and diagnostic evaluation are different. Screening is performed in people who don't have symptoms. Diagnostic evaluation, such as imaging or a biopsy, is prompted by a symptom or other concern, and it may involve additional testing depending on each person's situation. 

Risk of gynecological cancers differs by cancer type, but several factors may be important: 

• Aging puts people at greater risk of these cancers.  

• Obesity is a risk factor for a common type of endometrial cancer. 

• Inherited conditions, including BRCA1 and 2 and Lynch syndrome, can increase the risk of certain ovarian or endometrial cancers. 

• Family history of cancers, such as breast, ovarian or colon cancer, can be important when assessing inherited risk. 

• Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is associated with cervical and vulvar cancer risk. Smoking can make it more difficult to clear up an HPV infection, increasing the chance that it will persist. 

Knowing your family history and discussing relevant risk factors with a healthcare professional can help guide appropriate care. 

Earlier detection can reduce the challenges of treatment and may improve outcomes. In some cases, cancer found earlier may be treated with surgery without the need for additional treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. For some younger patients, earlier diagnosis also may allow them to consider fertility-preserving treatment options. 

The goal isn't to assume that every episode of bleeding, pelvic pain or bloating means cancer. It's to recognize when a change deserves an explanation. 

If something is new, persistent, worsening or simply doesn't feel right for your body, have it evaluated. You know your body best, and speaking up when something feels different is an important part of protecting your health. 

Shariska Harrington, M.D., Obstetrics & Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I recently read that Mayo Clinic researchers discovered DNA changes linked to Alzheimer's disease. Does this mean scientists are getting closer to preventing or curing Alzheimer's disease? 

ANSWER: Research advances are helping scientists better understand Alzheimer's disease, but no single study has found a cure or identified a single cause. Instead, studies like the one discovering DNA changes linked to Alzheimer’s provide important clues that may help guide future treatments.  

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. It affects memory, thinking, behavior and the ability to carry out everyday activities. More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and that number is expected to grow as the population ages. 

Scientists know that age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, but aging alone doesn't explain why some people develop the condition while others do not. Genetics, lifestyle factors and environmental influences also appear to play a role. Researchers are working to understand how these factors interact in the brain. 

For many years, Alzheimer's research has focused on two proteins found in the brain: amyloid and tau. The buildup of these proteins is one of the best-known features of the disease. While these proteins remain important, researchers now recognize that Alzheimer's is a complex disease involving many biological processes beyond amyloid and tau. 

A recent Mayo Clinic study explored another piece of the puzzle: changes in how the brain turns genes on and off. 

Genes are sections of DNA that provide instructions for how cells work. Cells can control which genes are active and which remain inactive, allowing them to carry out different functions without changing the underlying DNA sequence.  

Scientists call this process epigenetics. These chemical changes can influence how cells behave and respond to aging, disease and environmental factors. 

In the study, researchers examined brain tissue from hundreds of people with Alzheimer's disease and looked for patterns in these gene-regulating changes. They identified several changes strongly linked to the tau protein.  

The research also highlighted the possible importance of oligodendrocytes — brain cells that support nerve cells by producing myelin, a protective layer that helps signals move efficiently. When myelin is damaged, communication in the brain may be disrupted. 

The findings suggest that Alzheimer's disease may involve not only damage to nerve cells but also changes in the systems that support how those cells communicate with one another. This growing understanding is encouraging researchers to look beyond traditional explanations of the disease. 

So, what does this mean for patients today? 

These findings are not expected to change how Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed or treated right now. Scientists must confirm the findings, better understand how these changes affect the brain and determine whether the discoveries can lead to safe and effective treatments. 

One reason researchers are excited about epigenetics is that, unlike inherited DNA changes, some gene-control changes may be reversible. While much more research is needed, the findings so far suggest that future therapies could target these biological processes. 

Studies like this also help identify new areas for investigation and may reveal why Alzheimer's disease affects people differently. As researchers learn more, they move closer to developing more personalized approaches to prevention and treatment. 

The Mayo Clinic team that did research on the DNA changes associated with the disease also created a free online tool that allows researchers worldwide to explore the study's data. Called the Multiomic Atlas of AD Brain Endophenotypes, the searchable resource lets scientists look up specific genes and view results in interactive tables and graphs. By making these findings widely available, researchers hope to accelerate discoveries and support the development of improved treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions.  

There's still no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but researchers continue to make progress. Each discovery helps them better understand the disease and brings them closer to finding ways to prevent, slow or treat it. 

Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner, M.D., Ph.D., chair, Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida 

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic Platform today announced that its Accelerate program for healthcare technology companies is now available through a multiyear engagement pathway. The inaugural participants of the multiyear track include 12 companies developing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions to enhance care delivery and healthcare operations.

"The Accelerate program was intentionally designed to support digital health companies ready to transform healthcare," says Jamie Sundsbak, director of the Mayo Clinic Platform Accelerate program." As participation continues to grow, the program has evolved to support solutions developers through multiple pathways tailored to their different stages of development."

The multiyear pathway is designed for select companies seeking sustained access to Mayo Clinic Platform's discovery environment, data, technology and expertise. Through an extended engagement, participants can work alongside Mayo Clinic Platform's experts and leverage its de-identified clinical data ecosystem to advance the development and validation of their digital health solutions.

The 12 companies selected as the first participants in the multiyear pathway are developing AI-enabled solutions that leverage clinical data and advanced analytics to transform healthcare.

• Cappsule is an AI-enabled ambient monitoring platform designed to support clinical decision-making through continuous, real-world data capture.
• CerebraAI develops AI-powered software as a medical device that aims to upgrade the diagnostic capability of noncontrast computed tomography imaging, bringing it closer to MRI standards.
• Clair Health is building a women's health intelligence platform grounded in continuous, direct hormone data.
• Durotimi AI is a pioneering healthcare technology company dedicated to transforming cancer care through advanced, localized AI.
• Electrokare is building AI infrastructure for continuous biological intelligence — turning today's snapshot healthcare system into continuous measurement.
• Floe Health is a clinical reasoning engine for hospital case management.
• Koroid is an AI-native operating system for healthcare operations.
• MedLink Global is pioneering AI-powered solutions to transform psychiatric care.
• OPTT Health is a clinically led AI platform for scalable mental healthcare.
• PONS aims to make ultrasound accessible to the mass market by addressing the limitations of high-resolution images in the early stages of disease.
• Radical Health offers a patient-facing second opinion service that allows patients to receive personalized treatment recommendations.
• Respiree is an AI/machine learning health tech company building state-of-the-art, clinically-validated AI for managing disease progression across healthcare's care continuum.

Since its launch in 2022, Accelerate has supported more than 130 companies from around the world. To learn more about the program or to apply for an upcoming cohort, visit Mayo Clinic Platform Accelerate.

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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.

About Mayo Clinic Platform
Mayo Clinic Platform is a strategic initiative of Mayo Clinic that enables collaboration, data-driven innovation and responsible AI development to transform healthcare globally. Mayo Clinic Platform is reimagining healthcare as an ecosystem — one where data, digital solutions and expertise flow seamlessly between innovators and care teams to improve care for patients everywhere.

Media contact:

• Caroline Auger, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers tested an approach that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help people without previous ultrasound experience capture heart images and identify patients who may have a common and serious heart valve condition. In a study published in JAMA Cardiology and presented at the 2026 ESC Congress, after four hours of training, novice users were able to collect focused heart ultrasound images while using  AI models to guide their image collection and help to analyze the images for signs of moderate or greater aortic stenosis.

Aortic stenosis happens when the heart's aortic valve narrows, making it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. It affects approximately 7% of people age 75 and older and is the most common reason for heart valve intervention worldwide. People with aortic stenosis may not experience symptoms until the condition is more advanced. Finding the disease earlier can help ensure patients receive appropriate monitoring and care.

"A comprehensive echocardiogram is the standard diagnostic test for aortic stenosis. However, its use is resource-intensive, requiring specialized equipment as well as trained personnel with expertise in both image acquisition and interpretation. These requirements can limit access, particularly in resource-constrained settings, and make comprehensive echocardiography neither feasible nor cost-effective as a broad screening tool," says Gal Tsaban, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and senior author of the study.

"We wanted to see whether combining AI guidance with focused cardiac ultrasound could help people with no previous ultrasound experience capture usable heart images and identify patients who may need further evaluation," adds Jared Bird, M.D., a Mayo Clinic cardiologist who co-led the study.

First, the researchers developed and validated the deep learning algorithm using echocardiograms from patients at Mayo Clinic sites in Arizona, Florida, the Mayo Clinic Health System and Rochester. They evaluated the model's performance on hand-held ultrasound images collected by experienced sonographers.

In the prospective study, nine research staff members with no previous clinical or ultrasound experience used AI guidance to perform focused heart ultrasounds after four hours of training. The staff members were able to use the AI model to analyze nearly 97% of the exams. It helped the researchers correctly identify 93% of patients with moderate or more severe aortic stenosis and correctly rule out 96% of patients who did not have the condition.

About 10% of exams were flagged for review by a heart imaging specialist. The combined approach of AI plus human review reduced false-positive results, but it also meant that some patients with aortic stenosis were not identified.   

Dr. Tsaban and Dr. Bird note that the approach is intended to help people screen for aortic stenosis and determine who may benefit from additional testing. It is not intended to replace a comprehensive echocardiogram or a physician's evaluation. Patients identified as potentially having moderate or more severe aortic stenosis still need comprehensive echocardiography to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of the condition.

The findings suggest that putting AI tools in the hands of people with limited ultrasound experience could help more patients access screening for aortic stenosis, particularly in communities where comprehensive echocardiography and trained imaging professionals are less readily available.

A full list of authors, appropriate disclosures and funding sources for this research can be found within the paper: "Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Acquisition and Interpretation for Screening Aortic Stenosis." Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in the technology referenced in this news release and will use any revenue it receives to support its nonprofit mission in patient care, education and research.

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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:

• Terri Malloy, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — A liver disease affecting nearly 30% of adults worldwide is not a single illness but five biologically distinct subtypes, Mayo Clinic researchers have found. Each carries different risks for heart disease, liver failure, cancer and the need for liver transplantation.

The study, published in Nature Communications and conducted in collaboration with scientists at Virginia Tech, shows that metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease has multiple pathways — some tied to obesity and diabetes, others driven by inherited genetic factors.

Notably, genetic subtypes are associated with a higher risk of progression to advanced liver disease, including in patients without typical metabolic risk factors.

The findings could help identify high-risk patients earlier and guide more precise screening and personalized treatment.

"When clinical and genomic data are analyzed together at this scale, you begin to see patterns of disease progression that would otherwise remain hidden," says Shulan Tian, Ph.D., co-senior author and a bioinformatician at Mayo Clinic. "Once you separate these subtypes, you can start to match treatments to the biology that's actually driving the disease."

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, formerly called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, occurs when fat builds up in the liver. It often develops without symptoms but can progress to inflammation, scarring and irreversible damage. It is a leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer and transplantation worldwide.

Decoding liver disease at scale

To uncover these subtypes, researchers integrated genetic sequencing with detailed clinical data from more than 4,600 patients with the disease. The dataset spanned a wide range of measures — from liver enzymes, body mass index and lipid levels to coexisting conditions such as diabetes, depression and sleep apnea.

Using advanced computational modeling, the team identified groups of patients who shared underlying biological signals, defining distinct subtypes of the disease.

"What's emerging here is a way to systematically identify meaningful subgroups within complex disease," says Eric Klee, Ph.D., co-senior author and the Everett J. and Jane M. Hauck Midwest Associate Director of Research and Innovation. "It helps us map complex disease with such precision that we can begin to anticipate its course and intervene before the most serious damage occurs."

The discovery was powered by Mayo Clinic's Research Data Atlas, a platform that connects genetic data with patient records to reveal patterns across large populations — a system Dr. Klee helped build. A key component of the Atlas is the Tapestry Study, which has generated Mayo Clinic's largest collection of exome data from more than 100,000 participants. The dataset captures key genetic information that shapes how diseases develop and progress.

"This is exactly the kind of insight large-scale genomic research was built to deliver," says Konstantinos Lazaridis, M.D., the Carlson and Nelson Endowed Executive Director for the Center for Individualized Medicine who led the Tapestry Study and is a co-author of the research. "When you connect genetic data with detailed clinical information across large populations, you can start to redefine diseases in ways that directly impact patient care."

Liver disease's hidden effects across the body

The study also revealed links beyond the liver. For the first time, researchers found that specific subtypes are associated with conditions such as depression, sleep apnea and migraine, underscoring the disease's broad systemic impact across multiple organ systems.

Next, the team plans to test the approach in broader patient populations and explore how these subtypes respond to different treatments, including therapies such as GLP-1 receptor agonists.

First author Tahmina Sultana Priya, now a Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech, contributed to the research while at Mayo Clinic. For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.

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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:  

• Kelley Luckstein, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post 5 subtypes of common liver disease discovered — including rapidly progressing genetic forms appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — BioLabs Rochester, MN is building momentum toward its September opening, with leadership in place and recruitment underway for early-stage biotechnology and health technology companies seeking to grow alongside Mayo Clinic and Minnesota's expanding life science ecosystem.

Announced in 2025 and developed through a collaboration among stakeholders Mayo Clinic, BioLabs, Destination Medical Center (DMC) and Mortenson Properties, BioLabs Rochester, MN reflects a shared vision to strengthen the region's innovation ecosystem and support the growth of life science companies in Minnesota. With construction nearing completion and leadership in place, recruitment is now underway for the incubator's inaugural resident companies.

Located in Two Discovery Square at Discovery Square Innovation District, the newly constructed 17,000-square-foot shared laboratory and office facility will support emerging biotechnology and health technology companies developing new diagnostics, therapeutics, medical devices and digital health technologies while advancing the partners' shared vision to grow Rochester as a destination for life science innovation.

As BioLabs Rochester, MN prepares to welcome its first resident companies, BioLabs announces that Carmen Schicklberger, Ph.D., M.B.A., will serve as BioLabs site director, leading facility operations, startup scaling support and innovation network development. Schicklberger joins BioLabs Rochester, MN from the University of Minnesota, where she served as chief operations officer and founder of the Minnesota Bioinnovation Accelerator. She previously held business development and operations roles at startups in biotech, automation and SaaS/diagnostics. 

Geof Hannigan, Ph.D., will serve as Mayo Clinic's director of startup engagement, helping connect BioLabs Rochester, MN resident companies with Mayo Clinic physicians, scientists and business development teams to explore research, clinical and commercialization opportunities. Hannigan brings experience in pharmaceutical research and startup acceleration, including leading the Merck Digital Sciences Studio in Boston before joining Mayo Clinic.

"Rochester offers a unique combination of world-class clinical expertise, a growing innovation ecosystem and a strong commitment to advancing healthcare," says Johannes Fruehauf, CEO of BioLabs. "As we prepare to open our doors, we're excited to establish BioLabs' first Midwest location in a community where entrepreneurs can work alongside leading researchers, clinicians and industry partners. We invite innovative biotech and health tech startups to apply and become part of our inaugural cohort, helping shape a new hub for healthcare innovation in Minnesota."

Application process open

Applications are now being accepted for early-stage biotechnology and health technology companies interested in joining the inaugural BioLabs Rochester, MN community. Companies selected for the incubator will have access to flexible, turnkey laboratory and office space, entrepreneurial programming, and opportunities to collaborate with Mayo Clinic while becoming part of the growing community of innovators and companies at Discovery Square Innovation District.

"BioLabs Rochester represents a significant investment in the people and companies that will shape the future of health," says Patrick Seeb, DMC executive director. "We are grateful to BioLabs, Mayo Clinic and Mortenson for the partnership and confidence required to bring the first BioLabs location in the Midwest to Discovery Square Innovation District. To entrepreneurs developing the next breakthrough in health, our message is simple: This place was built for you. We invite you to apply, join the inaugural BioLabs Rochester community and build your company alongside one of the world's leading medical institutions."

Resident companies will also have access to BioLabs' national network of investors, industry partners and entrepreneurial resources, along with pathways to engage Mayo Clinic expertise through scientific, clinical and commercial collaborations and ecosystem support through Destination Medical Center.

"Innovation happens when great ideas have the opportunity to be tested, refined and translated into solutions that improve patient care," says Andrew Danielsen, chief business development officer, Mayo Clinic. "BioLabs Rochester creates a new opportunity for entrepreneurs to engage with Mayo Clinic's clinical, research and business development expertise, helping accelerate promising technologies from concept toward impact."

Learn more about BioLabs Rochester, MN and the application process here.

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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.

About BioLabs  
BioLabs is a global innovation infrastructure company creating the physical and community backbone that powers life science discovery worldwide. Through a growing network of premium shared laboratories and coworking spaces, BioLabs provides turnkey access to state-of-the-art research facilities, entrepreneurial programming, and deep industry and capital connections. These integrated ecosystems enable innovators from early-stage founders to established R&D teams to rapidly translate ideas into impact without the constraints of traditional lab ownership. The BioLabs network now spans major innovation hubs across the United States, Europe, and Asia, serving as a catalyst for collaboration and a launchpad for breakthroughs that advance human health and sustainability.

About Destination Medical Center  
Destination Medical Center (DMC) is the largest public-private economic initiative in Minnesota's history. The 20-year plan to transform Rochester into a global destination for health and wellness will attract developers, investors, startups and entrepreneurs to live, work and play in America's City for Health. For more information, visit dmc.mn.

Applications contacts:

• Carmen Schicklberger (primary), BioLabs Rochester MN Site Director, cschicklberger@biolabs.io
• Geof Hannigan, Mayo Clinic Director of Startup Engagement, hannigan.geoffrey@mayo.edu

Media contacts:

• BioLabs, BioLabsRochesterMN@biolabs.io
• Geno Palazzari, Destination Medical Center, Communications Manager, 307-696-9088, genopalazzari@dmceda.org
• Tom Millikin, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered that chemical signals produced by gut bacteria work together to control intestinal movement. One bacterial signal helps set the intestines in motion, while another primes gut cells to respond more strongly, amplifying the effect.

The research expands scientists' understanding of how the gut microbiome communicates with the body, moving beyond the traditional focus on individual bacteria or bacterial molecules.

The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, point to a potential new direction for microbiome-based treatments: restoring combinations of microbial signals rather than targeting a single microbe or molecule. The strategy could have implications for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic condition marked by abdominal pain and constipation.

"The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microbes producing a vast array of chemical messages that interact with cells throughout the digestive tract," says Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, director of the Mayo Clinic Microbiomics Program and a senior author of the study. "Deciphering how those signals work in combination gives us a much more precise picture of what is disrupted in disease and what would need to be restored to recover normal function."

How bacterial signals work in combination

Researchers focused on two bacterial molecules: hypoxanthine and butyrate. Earlier Mayo Clinic research found lower levels of both in patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. That finding led researchers to a deeper question: How do these molecules affect intestinal movement?

In the new study, the researchers found that hypoxanthine prompts specialized cells lining the intestine to release serotonin, a chemical messenger that helps move food through the digestive tract. Butyrate works differently. It primes the cells to respond more strongly to hypoxanthine, amplifying the effect.

These specialized cells, called enterochromaffin cells, serve as hubs where different microbial signals come together. They help the gut receive and respond to multiple chemical messages at once.

Researchers followed that chain of events from what happens inside a single gut cell to how contents move through the intestines. They used laboratory-grown intestinal cells, miniature gut models called organoids, intestinal tissue and genetically altered bacteria to piece together each part of the process.

Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic and a co-author of the study, is a gastroenterologist whose research has focused on the mechanisms that control gastrointestinal function.

"We have an opportunity to move beyond managing the consequences of disease and toward restoring function for patients," Dr. Farrugia says. "That starts with answering the unanswered questions we see in our patients and following the biology until we understand the mechanism. With that depth of understanding, we can uncover new possibilities for treatment and ultimately advance new cures."

What's next 

Researchers next want to determine whether identifying combinations of microbial signals that are altered in individual patients could eventually help guide treatment. Future research will explore whether restoring complementary signals can improve intestinal movement, with the longer-term goal of developing more precisely targeted microbiome-based therapies.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic Microbiome Program and other organizations. One or more of the investigators is an inventor of technology related to this research. For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.

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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:   

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

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As the fall and winter months approach, Mayo Clinic is dedicated to providing the latest health guidance for its patients and staff, ensuring everyone has the information needed to make informed decisions about their well-being. 

Mayo Clinic recommends the 2026-27 COVID-19 vaccine for these groups: 

• All individuals 6 months and older. 

• All pregnant individuals. 

Certain age groups require additional doses, as do conditions and treatments that are moderately or severely immunocompromising.

Mayo Clinic's recommendations are carefully developed based on scientific evidence and rooted in its commitment to protecting its patients and staff.

Stay informed about current vaccine recommendations and consult with your healthcare clinician regarding your eligibility and any questions you may have.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Three new articles from The Lancet Hematology published today examine how clinicians and researchers can better identify, track and measure the effects of blood cancer treatments on patients during treatment and over the long term.

Gita Thanarajasingam, M.D., a Mayo Clinic hematologist and oncologist, leads The Lancet Haematology's Adverse Events Reporting Series. The Series focuses on how clinicians care for people after treatment, how they measure treatment side effects and whether digital tools can help detect and manage those effects in real-world practice.

"Blood cancer treatments continue to become more effective and patients are living longer," says Dr. Thanarajasingam. "Just as we continue to evolve our treatments and detection in cancer, however, we need to evolve how we measure the effects on patients and their lives."

First launched in 2018, the Commission explores how newer treatments can be evaluated and whether new questions and tools can improve assessment. Current models for measuring treatment side effects may not adequately or consistently capture the duration and impact of symptoms on patients' lives. For example, a grading system might rank six months of mild nausea lower than four days of severe nausea without fully accounting for how a persistent symptom affects a patient's daily life.

The articles also examine the need for longer-term assessment. Many treatment studies measure outcomes only through five years after treatment, potentially leaving gaps in identifying and addressing health problems that emerge later. The reports suggest that cancer care should extend beyond treatment and that new approaches could help support patients’ health and quality of life during and after treatment.

The articles also describe how technology could support changes in how treatment effects are measured. Digital tools such as symptom-reporting apps, wearable devices and artificial intelligence could shift cancer safety monitoring from periodic assessments of what has already happened toward more continuous monitoring.

"Technology can enable new standards in care simply because it could offer more and real-time data," says Dr. Thanarajasingam. The report cautions, however, that new technologies are only a valuable catalyst if they are accurate, useful, equitable and built around patients.

"Complete cancer care is driven by the patient and their needs. For every therapeutic advance we make, we must also evolve our assessment standards and take advantage of new information to keep people's full and ideally, long lives at the core of our decision-making," says Dr. Thanarajasingam. "Just as we are now able to better personalize treatments, so, too, should we begin to address the whole person and their long-term needs."

For a complete list of commission members, disclosures and funding, review the articles in The Lancet Haematology.

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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

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