Early detection is critical for improving cancer survival rates, yet pancreatic cancer remains challenging to detect. Exciting new research offers hope as artificial intelligence (AI) models demonstrate the potential to detect pancreatic cancer earlier and with remarkable accuracy. Explore these groundbreaking advancements in a new episode of Tomorrow's Cure.

The latest episode features insights from Dr. Ajit Goenka, radiologist and professor of radiology at Mayo Clinic's Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Dr. Suresh Chari, professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition in the Division of Internal Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

"These small cancers are very difficult to detect on imaging," says Dr. Goenka. "So the challenge with these small cancers is that they look exactly similar to what the rest of the pancreas would look like, and unless you are deeply suspicious and you're looking very carefully, you are likely to overlook that."

Recognizing that early detection is the best hope for improving survival rates, researchers have developed AI models capable of identifying cancers. These models have shown immense promise, identifying pancreatic cancer on CT scans at stages where surgical intervention can still promise a cure.

"Early detection is really our best hope, but also our biggest challenge when it comes to pancreas cancer," states Dr. Goenka.

Dr. Chari further elaborates on the urgency of improving detection timelines. "We are trying to diagnose pancreatic cancer earlier. The challenge we have been facing is that half of patients have stage 4 at the time of diagnosis," he explains. "We want to reduce the number of stage 4 patients. Our early detection strategy would automatically shift everybody to an earlier stage. Right now, only 7% of pancreatic cancers are confined to the pancreas at the time of diagnosis. We want to triple that number, so we came up with a number of four months. If you diagnose all pancreatic cancers four months before they were clinically diagnosed, we would significantly shift the stage to an earlier stage." These advancements mark an exciting step forward in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Discover more about this cutting-edge technology and its lifesaving potential in the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure. For a complete list of episodes and featured experts, visit tomorrowscure.com.

Related Articles:

• Mayo Clinic's AI innovation inspires hope in early detection of pancreatic cancer - Mayo Clinic News Network

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Dr. Victoria Clark, a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon and researcher, focuses on finding better treatments for patients with meningiomas, now and in the future. 

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:25) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Meningiomas are usually noncancerous tumors that form in the membranes surrounding the brain. It may sound strange, but some of these tumors may not need treatment.

"But for the ones that grow or for the ones that cause symptoms, they do require treatment, which is either surgery and/or radiation," says Dr. Clark.

The goal of the surgery is to take out as much of the tumor as possible.

"Meningiomas have this tendency to enwrap very critical structures, like the types of nerves that control sight or control hearing, facial expression, and also encircle around critical blood vessels," she says.

Better tools allow for better outcomes.

"We have what's called navigation. So that allows us to use a pre-op MRI, sort of a GPS for the brain, to know exactly where the tumor is in relationship to the structures that we're trying to preserve and avoid," says Dr. Clark.

Advanced imaging tools used in the operating room help ensure surgeons remove all the tumor.

"Brain surgery is much safer with all of these wonderful new technologies," she says.

Research

While these advancements help patients now, Dr. Clark is looking to the future.

"My hope is that the research that we will do will create new medical treatments that can be used in combination with the surgeries and radiation that are currently available in order to improve the treatment for patients with meningiomas," says Dr. Clark.

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A new solution is transforming cardiac care by leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI) in point-of-care ultrasound. This innovation enables a wider range of medical professionals to capture high-quality cardiac images with confidence, ultimately enhancing diagnostic accuracy and improving clinical outcomes. Check out the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure to learn more.

The podcast episode features Dr. Paul Friedman, cardiologist and chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Davidi Vortman, CEO of UltraSight. Together, Mayo Clinic and UltraSight are at the forefront of developing algorithms to analyze and interpret cardiac ultrasound images. The collaboration seeks to create a comprehensive solution to support diagnostic and treatment decisions using point-of-care ultrasound devices.

This AI-driven technology is designed to overcome existing barriers and expand access to high-quality cardiac imaging and diagnostics. UltraSight's innovation simplifies cardiac sonography by providing real-time guidance on maneuvering the ultrasound probe to capture high-quality images. Now, with the added power of AI, healthcare professionals can analyze those images more effectively.

"Historically, ultrasound has been somewhat difficult for an average person to get," says Dr. Friedman. "So, in many places around the world, if a physician orders an ultrasound of the heart, an echocardiogram, it may take several months to be scheduled."

"It hasn't been used for first-line screening because of those barriers. This is where some of the visionary work of a portable device that uses AI can turn that upside," he adds.

This innovative technology isn't about replacing experts, notes Vortman. "We're not replacing the experts, we are giving them more data from more patients, faster than ever before. So AI is an accelerator for access that gives much better data at the right time," he says.

"It doesn't replace human interpretation and action, but it can provide a common groundwork for consistency," Dr. Friedman adds.

Looking ahead, Vortman envisions a future where diagnostic tools are more accessible and affordable. "This is the future. Diagnostic tools like ultrasound that are low-cost and can be used by a wider variety of healthcare team members are going to be future of healthcare and disease detection," he says.

The collaborative effort between Mayo Clinic and UltraSight holds the potential to democratize cardiac care, offering hope faster and more efficiently. Tune in to the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure to learn more about this solution.  

Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in the technology referenced in this podcast. Mayo Clinic will use any revenue it receives to support its not-for-profit mission in patient care, education and research.

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Proton beam therapy, traditionally used to treat cancer, is now bringing new hope to patients with life-threatening heart rhythm disorders. A clinical trial is harnessing this precise radiation treatment to target the specific area of the heart causing the irregular rhythm, providing a less invasive, potentially transformative solution. Tune in to the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure to explore this innovative approach and its promise for revolutionizing heart rhythm treatment.

The podcast episode features Dr. Konstantinos Siontis, cardiac electrophysiologist and associate professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; Dr. Amanda Deisher, radiation oncology medical physicist, assistant professor of medical physics and researcher at Mayo Clinic's Comprehensive Cancer Center in Rochester; and Dr. William Stevenson, cardiac electrophysiologist, professor of medicine and director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Clinical Research Program at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute. Together, they discuss a groundbreaking new approach to treating heart arrhythmias.

Proton beam therapy is a form of radiation treatment that uses a precise beam of protons to deliver targeted radiation. Now, a clinical trial is exploring the use of proton beam therapy to treat ventricular tachycardia (VT).

"Ventricular tachycardia is a type of fast heart rhythm that we see in people who have almost any type of heart disease. It can be an old heart attack, heart valve surgery or cardiomyopathy, which is a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle," says Dr. Stevenson. "What's common to many of these things is that they'll produce an area of scar in the heart. If you have an area of scar in your pumping chambers, it's almost like having a little electrical circuit in that scar. When the right thing comes along to trigger it off, it goes each time around the circuit as a heartbeat, and it can cause episodes of sudden rapid heart action, which are ventricular tachycardia."

Treatment of VT aims at restoring normal heart rhythm and can include medication, use of a defibrillator and catheter ablation. Unlike catheter ablation, proton beam therapy is completely noninvasive and can be delivered directly to the target in the heart.

"The idea of targeting any-size lesion in the middle of the patient without having to put the patient under anesthesia or any sort of access to veins or chest cavity, sounds like it's right up our alley," says Dr. Deisher.

The clinical trial using proton beam therapy to treat VT offers promise for patients who continue to battle the condition despite previous treatments.

Dr. Siontis discusses the results of the study thus far, "I certainly think that there were some patients who benefited from radiation with protons when everything else that we did for them, including multiple catheter ablation procedures and medications, had failed. I think adding noninvasive options generates a broad spectrum of options for patients who have the most difficult arrhythmias." To learn more about this innovative work, explore the new episode of Tomorrow's Cure. The podcast is available on all audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. Episodes also feature a video component, which can be viewed on Mayo Clinic's YouTube channel.

Related Article:

• (VIDEO) Using proton beam therapy on the heart

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The stethoscope, one of the most iconic symbols of medicine, was invented over 200 years ago. Today, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing this essential tool, empowering doctors to detect cardiac disease at its earliest stages with greater precision. Discover these groundbreaking advancements on a new episode of Tomorrow's Cure.

The podcast episode features Dr. Demilade Adedinsewo, cardiologist, and Jason Bellet, co-founder of Eko Health. Together, they discuss innovative and lifesaving technology that is transforming heart health.

The AI-powered digital stethoscope, developed by Eko Health, captures electrocardiogram (ECG) data and heart sounds. This advanced tool enhances the detection of peripartum cardiomyopathy, a serious yet treatable condition that weakens the heart muscle during pregnancy or postpartum.

"There is a diagnostic gap when it comes to how do we identify a high index of suspicion and how we make it to that diagnosis," explains Dr. Adedinsewo. "Also, we do not have a simple, noninvasive screening test that is safe for mother and the baby."

Recognizing a weak heart pump caused by pregnancy is crucial because its symptoms — shortness of breath when lying down, swelling in the hands and feet, weight gain, and rapid heartbeat — can easily be mistaken for normal pregnancy-related conditions.

"We really believe that this technology has the ability to improve access to early detection, which then can inform the patient to go to a cardiologist on a more expedited timeline and get the advanced care they need," Bellet says. "If we can just detect heart murmurs that much better or AFib that much better in the physical exam, we can then get those patients referred into cardiology faster, get the echocardiogram and, hopefully, get the treatment they need earlier."

This technology holds immense potential to revolutionize the healthcare field.

"Our vision is to create a pipeline of algorithms such that when you put the stethoscope on the chest in a future physical exam, we'll be able to take those 15 to 30 seconds of heart sounds — and eventually lung sounds — and analyze them for a host of conditions, really turning that wellness visit that we all know with our provider that can be 15, 30 or 45 minutes into a really powerful early detection opportunity," Bellet says.

To learn more, check out the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure wherever you get your podcasts. To see a complete list of episodes and featured experts, visit tomorrowscure.com.

Related Articles:

• Clinical research shows AI-enabled digital stethoscope can detect pregnancy-related heart disease
• Pregnancy-related heart failure is under-detected; AI-enabled stethoscope helped doctors diagnose twice as many cases
• Spotlight on early detection of 3 heart diseases using ECG-AI

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Researchers are pioneering innovative ways to restore voice to those who have lost it, leveraging advancements in transplant surgery and 3D printing. Discover these groundbreaking developments in the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure.

Dr. David Lott, associate director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, joins his mentor, Dr. Marshall Strome, an otolaryngologist, professor, and chair emeritus of the Cleveland Clinic Head and Neck Institute, to share their insights as leaders at the forefront of this transformative research.

On Feb. 29, 2024, Dr. Lott, joined by Dr. Strome, led a multidisciplinary team in performing a groundbreaking larynx transplant for Marty Kedian, a Mayo Clinic patient. The procedure at Mayo Clinic in Arizona was the third known larynx transplant in the U.S. and first for a patient with active cancer as part of a clinical trial. The surgery offers new hope to individuals who have experienced severe laryngeal dysfunction or complete larynx loss.

Dr. Lott emphasizes the critical role of the larynx in daily life. "It allows us to swallow, eat, drink — all the things that we do on a day-to-day basis — breathe, get air into our lungs, and, perhaps most importantly, allows us to communicate and share a voice," he says.

The larynx transplant surgery is a pivotal advancement in making this rare procedure a scientifically validated, safe and effective option for patients.

Marty stresses the importance of the surgery, and he explains why he chose to undergo the procedure. "My reason of pushing this type of surgery, a total transplant, is because I know how it is not to have my voice and then to get it back. Not having a voice hurts. Having it back, life is beautiful," he says.

"The larynx has different meanings to different people," says Dr. Strome. "But it's clearly, very clearly, an organ that when you don't have it, alters your life in a way that most people would not choose."

Researchers are continually advancing innovative solutions to personalize transplants and implants, customizing them to meet the unique needs of each patient. The goal is to address the shortage of donor organs and reduce the reliance on lifelong anti-rejection medications. Among these advancements is the use of 3D bioprinting, which offers expanded options for both patients and surgeons, transforming the future of transplantation.

To learn more about these transformative advancements, listen to the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure. The podcast is available on all audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. Episodes also can be viewed on Mayo Clinic's YouTube channel.

Related Articles:

Breaking the silence: First known total larynx transplant on a patient with active cancer as part of landmark clinical trial

Mayo Clinic marks medical milestone with world's first known successful total larynx transplant performed in a patient with an active cancer as part of a clinical trial

Paving the way for future larynx transplants through regenerative science

Research prepares for Mayo's first larynx transplant

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Imagine knowing your risk for disease long before symptoms appear. With early detection and targeted interventions, this knowledge could transform how complex healthcare challenges are addressed. Researchers are now leveraging genetic data to enhance disease risk prediction through an innovative tool known as a polygenic risk score. Learn more on a new episode of Tomorrow's Cure.

The podcast's latest episode features Victor Ortega, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, and Louise Wain, Ph.D., professor of respiratory research, University of Leicester in the U.K.

Scientists have developed polygenic risk scores to analyze multiple genetic variants across a person's genome. These scores assess the likelihood of developing conditions such as heart and lung diseases, diabetes, asthma, and certain cancers.

"There's really no one singular variant in the genome that causes common diseases. It's really a lot of different variants across the genome, across our genomes that have weaker or milder effects on disease risk, but all together give us this increased risk," explains Dr. Ortega.

"With those discoveries, we've developed genetic risk scores, polygenic risk scores, where we bring together the effects or associations across variants, across entire genomes into a singular score," he continues.

Clinicians can then utilize these risk scores to potentially customize prevention and treatment strategies.

"These are quite early in development, but are potentially really, really important," says Dr. Wain. "In the future, we could use these to improve diagnosis where somebody is already presenting with the disease, but they need a specific diagnosis in order to access the medicines that are going to work for them." Dr. Ortega says the potential of polygenic risk scores is both exciting and promising. Find out more on the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure. To view the complete list of episodes and featured experts, visit tomorrowscure.com.

Related content:

• What's your health forecast? Expert explains science behind personal guides to well-being
• Mayo pioneers population science to advance personalized medicine

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Dr. Kathy MacLaughlin, a Mayo Clinic family physician specializing in cervical cancer prevention, says screening for HPV is important, but there are barriers for some patients to screening tests that require a speculum exam — and that leads to lower screening rates in those populations. 

A new option will be offered soon to help with these healthcare disparities. Mayo Clinic is one of a few medical organizations in the U.S. that will provide eligible patients with the option of an FDA-approved self-collection HPV test. The alternative screening is expected to become available at Mayo Clinic practices in the Midwest beginning February 5 and then later expand to Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Mayo Clinic in Florida. 

Watch: Improving cervical cancer screening with HPV self-collection tests

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (1:42) is in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Traditional cancer screening involves a clinician-collected cervical sample for a Pap and/or HPV test. A new option will hopefully get more people screened.

"We're calling it the HPV self-collection test. The difference is that instead of your clinician putting in a speculum and doing a swab of the cervix, the patient would use a self-collection device to get a vaginal sample to test for HPV," says Dr. MacLaughlin.

The HPV self-collection test is done in a healthcare setting

She says the test is quick and painless. It's aimed at people facing barriers to having a speculum exam. For example, those with disabilities, mobility issues, cultural or religious reasons, or a history of trauma. The test is done privately in a healthcare setting, such as an exam room.

How the self-collection test works

"The device is inserted, just like a tampon into the vagina, and the little plastic wings on the side of the device control the insertion depth, so people don't have to worry about pushing it in too far. And then they would take the plunger and push that in, and that extends the sampling brush. This is a very soft, dry bristle brush. And then the handle needs to be rotated five times, and it clicks. You can hear the click. You can feel the clicks, so you know you've done enough turns. Once that has been done, the patient would remove the entire device and just retract the brush and cap it, and this will get sent to the lab for the testing," Dr. MacLaughlin explains.

Talk with your healthcare team to determine which test is best for you. The most important thing is to get screened.

"The beauty of screening is that we're catching things before it is cancer, when it's still treatable as a precancer," she says.

Dr. MacLaughlin says that, for now, the self-collection screening must be done in a healthcare setting and is not for at-home use. However, this is anticipated to change in upcoming years, and eventually, home-based self-collection should be approved. 

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Hollywood's cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing medical education, bridging the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice. Through immersive digital scenarios, medical students are refining their skills and gaining hands-on experience for real-world challenges. Discover how this innovative technology is transforming medical education in a new episode of Tomorrow's Cure.

Featured experts on the podcast episode include Matthew Hoerth, M.D., medical director of the Multidisciplinary Simulation Center at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, and Dan Munnerley, executive director of the Next Lab at Arizona State University. Together, they discuss how advancements in simulation technology and the use of virtual reality are equipping students for the future.

Immersive virtual environments are advancing medical education by accurately replicating healthcare experiences, offering students a higher level of learning.

"This is not a replacement of traditional medical education. We still have requirements. Students still have to see physical people. They have to lay their hands on them. They have to actually talk to real people," says Dr. Hoerth.

"One of my rules in simulation, so to speak, is that it's a safe place, right? We make mistakes when we are simulating, when we're training — whether it's a virtual reality, mannequins, simulated patients — we can make mistakes there. It's OK. We don't want to make mistakes on patients. So, it's not a replacement; this is completely an add-on," he says.

Immersive simulations provide students with opportunities to perfect their skills, which can later be applied to patient care. This technology also makes it possible to introduce complex scenarios in a controlled environment.

"Being able to create a simulation that could be done anywhere — in a headset at home, on the bus through a mobile phone — gives students an extra chance to keep learning in between those more in-person experiences and introduce some of the more complex scenarios they might face when they need to," explains Munnerley.

Dr. Hoerth emphasizes the value of immersive learning. "Putting yourself in virtual reality, you retain so much more of that information if you've kind of lived that experience and interacted with it rather than coming at it passively," he says.

To learn more about the progressive work being done in medical education, listen to the latest episode of Tomorrow's Cure. The podcast is available on all audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. Episodes also feature a video component, which can be viewed on Mayo Clinic's YouTube channel.

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Excitement filled the auditorium at the Walleye Tank: Ice Fishing Edition, held recently at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Thirteen teams took the stage to present their healthcare innovations to a panel of judges and an audience attending in person and online. Projects ranged from addressing the needs of patients with rare or chronic diseases to improving lives through assistive technology.

Each team had two minutes to pitch its innovation, followed by three minutes of Q&A with the judges. Presenters addressed five key questions: Why is it a problem? What is your solution? Why you? Why now? And how is it a business?

Modeled after the TV series "Shark Tank," the Walleye Tank is Minnesota's premier life sciences pitching competition. It provides medical and life science startups with an opportunity to raise capital and network with potential partners. Contestants pitch their projects to a panel of judges, or "Walleyes," vying for cash prizes while receiving valuable feedback and exposure that may advance their innovations.

"Walleye Tank is where innovation meets opportunity here in Minnesota," said Waleed Brinjikji, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic Research Innovation, in his opening remarks. "Walleye Tank is a testament to the power of innovation and the potential of entrepreneurs to shape a dynamic and resilient future, both here in Minnesota as well as throughout the globe."

The event was co-sponsored by Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, Launch Minnesota and the Medical Alley Association. Judges representing Mayo Clinic were Alan Gonzalez Suarez; Christine Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Radiology-Diagnostic; Emanuel Trabuco, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology; Jason Tri, Cardiovascular Research; and Marina Walther-Antonio, Ph.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Meet the winning teams

Participants competed in three divisions, sharing a total of $20,000 in funding. The winning teams were:

Junior Division: Entrepreneurs in the early stages of business development

• Winner: GroLimb ($2,500)
  Below-knee, adjustable pediatric prosthesis.
• Runner-up: Minneapolis Veterans Medical Center RECOVER ($1,500)
  Upright mobility scooter for older Americans.

Mid-Level Reeler Division: Incorporated companies in the early stages of fundraising

• Winner: One Health Biosensing Inc. ($3,500)
  Health sensing platform for continuous glucose monitoring.
• Runner-up: NorthStar Cryo ($1,500)
  Device enabling long-term cryopreservation of islets from donor or stem cell-derived sources.

Professional Division: Established life science businesses with active sales

• Winner: Zepto Life Technology Inc. ($8,000)
  Invasive fungal infection diagnostic solution.
• Runner-up: SENSE-ational Spaces LLC($3,000)
  Custom sensory-friendly spaces for families.

Bridging the gap between invention and commercialization

Support from pitch competitions like the Walleye Tank helps innovators bring their ideas to market and improve the lives of people with health challenges.

Stefan Madansingh, Ph.D., of Mayo Clinic Ventures, outlined the journey of turning a novel healthcare device, therapy or technology from concept to market ― a process that he said can take years to even decades.

"Healthcare startups fundamentally start with the unmet patient needs," Dr. Madansingh explained. However, he emphasized that most innovations fail to bridge the gap between invention and commercialization.

"The technology is almost always only 25% of the solution when you want to actually get it to patients," he said. "Everything we've talked about here ― the IP (intellectual property), the business model, the sales strategy, the fundraising, the leadership ― matter as much or more."

Ron Thacker, Ed.D., entrepreneurial education program coordinator for Mayo Clinic Research Innovation, and Maria Ploessl, chief of staff for University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization, served as co-masters of ceremonies. Alisha Peters, project assistant for Mayo Clinic Research Innovation, and Katie Breslin, office manager and event associate for University of Minnesota Technology Commercialization, co-organized the event.

Walleye Tank is one of several pitch competitions sponsored by Mayo Clinic Research Innovation, which provides education, consultation, project management and funding to accelerate Mayo Clinic innovations in patient care.

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