Florida - February 2014 Archives

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Patients with a common form of lung cancer — lung squamous cell carcinoma — have very few treatment options. That situation may soon change. A team of cancer biologists at Mayo Clinic in Florida is reporting in the Feb. 10 issue of Cancer Cell the discovery of two oncogenes that work together to sustain a population of cells in lung squamous cell carcinoma, which may be responsible for the lethality of the disease. When these cells, termed cancer stem cells, are inhibited, tumors cannot develop. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Fields are available in the downloads. http://youtu.be/ZdSIwoL0i80 “Cancer stem cells are a small population of cells in a tumor that can self-renew and grow indefinitely. They resist most treatments and are thought to be responsible for relapse,” says the study’s senior author, Alan P. Fields, Ph.D., the Monica Flynn Jacoby Professor of Cancer Studies at Mayo Clinic in Florida. “If you can shut down cancer stem cells, you may be able to stop relapse after therapy,” he says.

MARIETTA, Ga. — Feb. 6 — WellStar Health System (WellStar) and Mayo Clinic today announced that the metro Atlanta-based health system is joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a national network of like-minded organizations that share a commitment to better serving patients and their families. WellStar is the largest member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network in the southeast and the only member in metro Atlanta. Using digital technology to promote physician collaboration and sharing of the latest medical information, experts from WellStar and Mayo Clinic will work together to further enhance the delivery of healthcare for patients, allowing many patients to avoid unnecessary travel for answers to complex medical questions. “WellStar is home to some of the most accomplished and preeminent physicians in the Southeast,” says Robert Jansen, M.D., executive vice president and chief administrative medical officer of WellStar. “Working with Mayo Clinic through the Mayo Clinic Care Network offers our physicians a new resource to ensure the kind of innovative and leading care that patients have grown to expect from WellStar.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Feb. 3 — Uggie, the scene-stealing Jack Russell terrier in the 2012 Oscar-winning film “The Artist” will visit Mayo Clinic on Thursday, Feb. 6. Uggie will be in Jacksonville to meet Mayo’s Caring Canines, the volunteer dogs who greet patients and visitors at the clinic. The visit by Uggie and his owner/trainer, Omar Von Muller, is open to the public, at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in Walker Auditorium in the clinic’s Davis Building. Von Muller will share Uggie’s amazing success story of going from a puppy headed for the pound to worldwide fame. Uggie will perform some of the tricks that delighted fans of “The Artist” in which he portrayed a loyal dog who courageously rescues his owner from a fire. The film received five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, Jean Dujardin. There are 19 volunteer dogs in Mayo’s Caring Canines program. They make daily “meet-and-greet” visits to patients and visitors, providing warmth and unconditional love. “The Caring Canines play a valuable role in supporting Mayo Clinic’s commitment to the healing of mind, body and spirit,” says Peter Dorsher, M.D., chair of Mayo’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. “Uggie’s impact on people worldwide is further evidence of the human/animal bond and how it can improve our health and well-being. We’re delighted to have him meet our volunteer dogs.”