When Dr. Sam Sayed relocated to Rochester, Minnesota, for residency, he brought his nonprofit with him through the support of a Mayo Clinic Community Contributions grant. 

When Dr. Sam Sayed was in elementary school, his older sister, Dayna, took him and his brother to the shoe store where she worked. She offered to buy any sneakers they wanted. 

For two boys growing up in poverty, this was a pivotal moment.

"We were discount-store or hand-me-down kids — we had never gotten to do anything like that," says Dr. Sayed, an emergency medicine resident at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "We can still recall the shoes and how they made us feel. We want other kids to feel that too." 

Nearly 30 years later, Dr. Sayed helped give 56 Rochester Boys & Girls Club members that same gift. He applied for a Mayo Clinic Community Contributions grant through his nonprofit, Dayna's Footprints, funding an Aug. 13 event that let the kids pick their dream kicks at a local shoe store. 

"They were joyous — one kid said, 'This is the best day of my life,'" says Dr. Sayed. "One boy picked a pair based on his favorite soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo. As soon as he picked them up, he did the classic Ronaldo celebration — run to the corner and do a 360 — over and over."

Watch: Emergency medicine resident brings Mayo's mission to youth with new shoes

Journalists: Broadcast-quality b-roll and sound bites are in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name supers/CG: Sam Sayed, M.D./Emergency Medicine Resident/Mayo Clinic; Sammy Arab, M.B.B.S./Research Fellow/Mayo Clinic

Their excitement reflected the day's deeper meaning — both for the kids and the many Mayo volunteers who made the event possible. 

"I know what it's like to show up in worn-out shoes and pretend you don't notice the comments," says Dr. Sammy Arab, a postdoctoral research fellow at Mayo and the event lead for Dayna's Footprints in Rochester. "We’re not just handing out shoes. We're giving kids dignity. We're telling them they matter." 

A purpose-driven mission

For Dr. Sayed, this isn't simply a passion project — it's a way to honor his sister's legacy. 

Not long after Dayna bought him his Nike Slants, she was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting. 

"We lost her, but we didn't lose her spirit," Dr. Sayed says.  

In 2018, he and his brother, Sharif, raised money to provide shoes for a family at their former school, inspired by what Dayna had done for them. They ended up helping 53 kids.

This compelled them to start Dayna's Footprints. After Dr. Sayed joined Mayo, they expanded to Rochester — a full-circle moment, since Dayna was born in Minneapolis.

This has given him a special way to fulfill his mission as a physician. 

"I don't want to wait for a patient to show up in the Emergency Department on their worst day. I want to know the community I serve," says Dr. Sayed. "At Mayo Clinic, it's about treating the patient in every facet of life. Before they show up and after they leave, Mayo cares." 

His perspective exemplifies Mayo Clinic's commitment to patients — past, present and future. 

"Mayo Clinic is about looking ahead — and with these kids, we're trying to intervene early," says Dr. Sayed. "We're treating them before they ever come here. We're giving them the confidence to believe they can overcome the circumstances they were born into." 

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — The immune system is meant to protect the body from infection and disease. But with age, it can become less capable of doing so. However, Mayo Clinic researchers have found that some older people maintain "immune youth" – a new term coined by Mayo researchers to explain a young immune system in someone over age 60.

"We are studying why some individuals have a 'fountain of youth' in their immune systems. We want to learn from them," says Cornelia Weyand, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic rheumatologist and clinician-scientist. She is a lead author on a perspective paper published in Nature Aging.

Dr. Weyand's research team discovered this cellular fountain of youth in more than 100 older patients who came to Mayo Clinic to receive treatment for an autoimmune disease that affects the arteries, including the aorta, called giant cell arteritis. Dr. Weyand and colleagues found in the diseased tissue of these patients specialized immune cells, called stem-like T cells. These immune cells behave like young stem cells that usually regenerate and aid healing and growth; but in this case, they were spreading the disease. This team of researchers also discovered autoimmune stem cells in humans previously.

"We observed that these patients have very young immune systems despite being in their 60s and 70s. But the price they pay for that is autoimmunity," she says.

Autoimmunity is when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs.

In addition, the researchers saw that the immune checkpoint inhibitors that regulate the immune system were not working properly.

Benefits of immune system aging

"Contrary to what one may think, there are benefits to having an immune system that ages in tandem with the body," says Jörg Goronzy, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic researcher on aging who is a co-lead author of the paper. "We need to consider the price to pay for immune youthfulness. That price can be autoimmune disease."

Immune aging is a sophisticated adaptation mechanism that the immune system can use to prevent autoimmune disease, say the researchers.

They are in the process of developing new diagnostic tests that will help find patients and healthy individuals who carry high numbers of immune stem cells and may be predisposed to autoimmune disease later in life. The research is part of a larger effort at Mayo Clinic called the Precure initiative, focused on developing tools that empower clinicians to predict and intercept biological processes before they evolve into disease or progress into complex, hard-to-treat conditions.

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

Additional resources:
Mayo Clinic advances research on mysterious blood vessel disease

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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:

• Alison Satake, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic researchers discover the immune system’s ‘fountain of youth’ appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Changes in how brain cells generate energy may drive the development of Alzheimer's disease and influence how patients respond to therapy, according to a new study from Mayo Clinic researchers. The findings, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, spotlight mitochondrial complex I — a critical component of cellular energy production — as both a contributor to disease progression and a promising target for new treatments.

Led by senior author Eugenia Trushina, Ph.D., the Mayo Clinic team found that disruptions in complex I activity can trigger gene expression patterns commonly observed in Alzheimer's disease. The researchers demonstrated that using small molecules to gently adjust how complex I functions can help activate protective mechanisms in brain cells.

"This research offers new clues about how Alzheimer’s begins and shows a promising new path for developing better, more personalized treatments," says Dr. Trushina, a researcher who studies neurodegenerative diseases.

Mitochondria, often described as the powerhouse of the cell, produces the energy necessary for proper cellular function. In neurons, which have especially high energy demands, mitochondrial dysfunction can have devastating consequences. The Mayo Clinic researchers found that when complex I is not working properly, it disrupts how brain cells manage energy and respond to stress — changes that resemble those seen in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Using experimental models and advanced molecular and computational tools, the team showed that mild modulation of complex I activity with specially designed small molecules helped neurons launch protective responses, such as reducing inflammation and improving energy balance.

Interestingly, they found that males and females responded differently to these treatments, suggesting a need for sex-specific approaches to therapy. "This sex-dependent effect is intriguing," says Dr. Trushina. "It suggests that future therapies could be tailored by sex, especially for a disease like Alzheimer's that affects men and women differently."

Current Alzheimer's treatments mostly focus on managing symptoms or targeting hallmark brain changes such as amyloid plaques and tau tangles. However, these approaches have seen limited success in halting disease progression. The new study points to mitochondrial dysfunction as a possible upstream trigger — one that may begin long before cognitive symptoms emerge.

"This study gives us a deeper understanding of the cellular events that spark Alzheimer's and, more importantly, how we might intervene to slow or prevent its progression," says Dr. Trushina. "Our results open the door to a new class of drugs that work by protecting the brain's energy supply and buffering it against early disease-related changes."

The research is part of a larger effort at Mayo Clinic called the Precure initiative, focused on developing tools that empower clinicians to predict and intercept biological processes before they evolve into disease or progress into complex, hard-to-treat conditions. In the future, the team plans to further investigate the safety and effectiveness of complex I modulators in preclinical models, with the goal of advancing into clinical trials.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Scientific breakthroughs in one disease don't always shed light on treating other diseases. But that's been the surprising journey of one Mayo Clinic research team. After identifying a sugar molecule that cancer cells use on their surfaces to hide from the immune system, the researchers have found the same molecule may eventually help in the treatment of type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system errantly attacks pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. The disease is caused by genetic and other factors and affects an estimated 1.3 million people in the U.S.

In their studies, the Mayo Clinic researchers took a cancer mechanism and turned it on its head. Cancer cells use a variety of methods to evade immune response, including coating themselves in a sugar molecule known as sialic acid. The researchers found in a preclinical model of type 1 diabetes that it's possible to dress up beta cells with the same sugar molecule, enabling the immune system to tolerate the cells.

"Our findings show that it's possible to engineer beta cells that do not prompt an immune response," says immunology researcher Virginia Shapiro, Ph.D., principal investigator of the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

A few years ago, Dr. Shapiro's team demonstrated that an enzyme, known as ST8Sia6, that increases sialic acid on the surface of tumor cells helps tumor cells appear as though they are not foreign entities to be targeted by the immune system.  

"The expression of this enzyme basically ‘sugar coats' cancer cells and can help protect an abnormal cell from a normal immune response. We wondered if the same enzyme might also protect a normal cell from an abnormal immune response," Dr. Shapiro says. The team first established proof of concept in an artificially-induced model of diabetes.

In the current study, the team looked at preclinical models that are known for the spontaneous development of autoimmune (type 1) diabetes, most closely approximating the process that occurs in patients. Researchers engineered beta cells in the models to produce the ST8Sia6 enzyme.

In the preclinical models, the team found that the engineered cells were 90% effective in preventing the development of type 1 diabetes. The beta cells that are typically destroyed by the immune system in type 1 diabetes were preserved.

Importantly, the researchers also found the immune response to the engineered cells appears to be highly specific, says M.D.-Ph.D. student Justin Choe, first author of the publication. Choe conducted the study in the Ph.D. component of his dual degree at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.

"Though the beta cells were spared, the immune system remained intact," Choe says. The researchers were able to see active B- and T-cells and evidence of an autoimmune response against another disease process. "We found that the enzyme specifically generated tolerance against autoimmune rejection of the beta cell, providing local and quite specific protection against type 1 diabetes."

No cure currently exists for type 1 diabetes, and treatment involves using synthetic insulin to regulate blood sugar, or, for some people, undergoing a transplant of pancreatic islet cells, which include the much-needed beta cells. Because transplantation involves immunosuppression of the entire immune system, Dr. Shapiro aims to explore using the engineered beta cells in transplantable islet cells with the goal of ultimately improving therapy for patients.

"A goal would be to provide transplantable cells without the need for immunosuppression," says Dr. Shapiro. "Though we're still in the early stages, this study may be one step toward improving care."

The research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Please see the study for the full list of authors.

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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 Mayo Clinic researchers find “sugar coating” cells can protect those typically destroyed in type 1 diabetes appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic again leads U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Hospitals" rankings for 2025-2026 – the 36^th time since the rankings began. This sustained distinction includes a place on the Honor Roll and more specialties ranked in the top three than any other hospital in the nation.

"We are proud to once again be recognized as a leader in healthcare, a reflection of the unwavering commitment of our staff and their dedication to excellence, innovation and putting patients first," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., Mayo Clinic president and CEO. "This honor reinforces our continued focus on raising the standard of what’s possible in medicine."

This recognition comes as Mayo Clinic continues to make major investments in shaping the future of healthcare through Mayo Clinic Platform and Bold. Forward. Unbound., which seamlessly blends physical spaces with digital technologies to create new healthcare experiences for patients and staff. This includes integrating artificial intelligence, robotics and automation with a human touch to address patients’ unmet and evolving needs.

U.S. News & World Report’s Honor Roll features the top 20 U.S. hospitals that earn the most points across 15 specialties and 22 procedures and conditions. Mayo Clinic is the only healthcare organization with two hospitals on the list—Mayo Clinic in Arizona marks its ninth consecutive year and Mayo Clinic in Rochester again earned the highest overall point total.

State and regional rankings

Mayo Clinic again ranks No. 1 in the U.S. News state rankings for Minnesota and Arizona and continues to be the top hospital in the Jacksonville metro area. Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, has also been recognized as a "Best Regional Hospital" in Northwestern Wisconsin.

"Being top-ranked year after year isn’t just about accolades – it’s about consistent, reliable excellence," said Sean Dowdy, M.D., chief value officer at Mayo Clinic. "Real quality means providing world-class care, even under pressure and through change. Our teams stay focused on what matters most: the patient."

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

Media contact:

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic top-ranked in most specialties for 36 straight years in U.S. News & World Report rankings appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic took a pivotal step toward integrating AI solutions in the clinical setting with the deployment of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with NVIDIA DGX B200 systems, an advanced infrastructure that provides state-of-the-art AI compute capabilities.

Mayo Clinic and NVIDIA collaborated to enable the rapid innovation and development of foundation models in support of Mayo’s platform approach to healthcare, contributing to Mayo Clinic’s Bold. Forward. strategy and new innovations for generative AI solutions and digital pathology. These innovations are delivering new insights as Mayo is driving to improve patient outcomes and transform healthcare.

"Our aspiration for AI is to meaningfully improve patient outcomes by detecting disease early enough to intervene. What was once a hypothetical — 'If only we had the right data' — is now becoming reality thanks to AI and advanced computing," says Matthew Callstrom, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the Department of Strategy and leader of Mayo Clinic’s Generative Artificial Intelligence Program.

The advanced computing infrastructure will initially support foundation model development for pathomics, drug discovery and precision medicine.

The NVIDIA Blackwell-powered DGX SuperPOD is built to efficiently process large, high-resolution imaging essential for AI foundation model training. Designed for speed and scalability, the Blackwell infrastructure enables Mayo Clinic to accelerate pathology slide analysis and foundation model development — reducing four weeks of work to just one, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This advanced computing infrastructure will also advance Mayo Clinic’s generative AI and multimodal digital pathology foundation model development.

Mayo Clinic, in partnership with Aignostics, developed a leading pathology foundation model called Atlas, trained on more than 1.2 million histopathology whole-slide images. With Atlas, Mayo Clinic clinicians and researchers can improve accuracy and reduce administrative tasks. The new computing capabilities will accelerate and improve clinical model development.

"This compute power, coupled with Mayo’s unparalleled clinical expertise and platform data of over 20 million digitized pathology slides, will allow Mayo to build on its existing foundation models. We’re transforming healthcare by quickly and safely developing innovative AI solutions that can improve patient outcomes and enable clinicians to dedicate more time to patient care while also accelerating commercial affiliations with other industry leaders," says Jim Rogers, CEO of Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology.

Journalists: Media kit with images for download available here.

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About Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology
Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology facilitates the global scaling of digital pathology solutions to benefit clinicians and patients, advancing key areas such as scanning, storage, foundation model development and the creation and deployment of cutting-edge algorithms. Working with Mayo Clinic innovators and external collaborators, Mayo Clinic Digital Pathology is wholly owned by Mayo Clinic and seeks to incubate and start impactful companies while investing in and acquiring existing companies, spurring innovation across pathology.

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

The post Mayo Clinic deploys NVIDIA Blackwell infrastructure to drive generative AI solutions in medicine appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Lake Regional Health System and Mayo Clinic Platform announced that the health system in Osage Beach, Missouri, has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a select group of independent healthcare providers carefully vetted by Mayo Clinic and granted special access to Mayo's clinical, educational, research and operational knowledge, expertise and resources. 

Lake Regional began collaborating with Mayo Clinic Platform on clinical quality improvement in 2023 and has worked to enhance care delivery standards, particularly focusing on specialty care access and coordination for the unique needs of the Lake of the Ozarks community, including both year-round residents and seasonal visitors.

"This clinical collaboration is a game-changer for our region and a bold step forward in our mission to provide exceptional, world-class care," says Kevin McRoberts, CEO of Lake Regional Health System. "We are proud of Lake Regional's quality journey and the remarkable team we have built. Joining Mayo Clinic Care Network gives our talented physicians unprecedented access to leading-edge resources, including additional clinical expertise and innovative treatments. It means our patients can receive the very best care available — right here at home, surrounded by the people and community who matter most."

Through its proven success in clinical excellence initiatives, Lake Regional has demonstrated its ability to implement and sustain quality improvements across multiple facilities. This foundation enables its healthcare professionals to now integrate Mayo Clinic's advanced clinical expertise with its established regional healthcare leadership, delivering enhanced outcomes for patients throughout the Lake of the Ozarks region.

"This collaboration demonstrates Lake Regional's unwavering commitment to continuous quality improvement, and it positions them perfectly to serve their unique patient population with Mayo Clinic-level expertise," says Mark V. Larson, M.D., medical director, Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Through Lake Regional Health System's membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network, its healthcare professionals have access to Mayo Clinic Platform-enabled clinical solutions and services, including:

• AskMayoExpert: A point-of-care tool offering concise clinical information on hundreds of medical conditions, including medical protocols, treatment recommendations and medical references. The database can be used wherever healthcare is provided.
• eConsults: Connections to Mayo Clinic specialists for second opinions on specific patient cases.
• eBoards: Live, scheduled video conferences that enable medical teams at Lake Regional Health System to review and discuss complex cases with a Mayo Clinic multidisciplinary panel and other healthcare professionals in the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
• Healthcare consulting: Access to Mayo Clinic's extensive experience, knowledge and subspecialty expertise to achieve clinical, operational and business goals.

Staff from Lake Regional Health System can use Mayo Clinic educational materials designed for patients. They also can access opportunities for professional development and continuous medical education.

Lake Regional Health System and other Mayo Clinic Care Network members remain independent and join an ecosystem of more than 60 healthcare organizations around the world.

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About Lake Regional Health System
Lake Regional Health System is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive healthcare services to residents and visitors throughout the mid-Missouri region. The hospital is a Level II Stroke Center, Level II STEMI (heart attack) Center and Level III Trauma Center. Lake Regional also provides a wide range of specialties, including cancer care, heart care, orthopedics and women's health. Plus, Lake Regional operates primary care clinics, Express Care walk-in clinics, rehab therapy clinics, hospice and retail pharmacies. To learn more, visit lakeregional.com.

About Mayo Clinic Platform
Founded on Mayo Clinic's dedication to patient-centered care, Mayo Clinic Platform enables new knowledge, new solutions and new technologies through collaborations with health technology innovators to create a healthier world. To learn more, visit Mayo Clinic Platform at www.mayoclinicplatform.org.

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 contacts:  

• Kaitlin Haar, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu
• Jennifer Bethurem, VP of Public Affairs, Lake Regional Health System, jbethurem@lakeregional.com

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a key reason some cancer patients relapse after receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR-T cell therapy. Over time, the engineered immune cells age and lose their ability to fight cancer.  

Published in Molecular Cancer, the study identifies this aging process, known as senescence, as a previously unrecognized mechanism of CAR-T failure.   

The researchers also showed that senescence is influenced by how CAR-T cells are engineered. Certain intracellular features — such as how the cell recognizes cancer and how strongly it activates — can overwork the cells. The researchers found that if the activation signal is too intense or prolonged, it can push CAR-T cells into premature aging.  

The discovery may guide the development of next-generation CAR-T therapies that last longer and are more effective across a broader range of cancers.  

"This is one of the most clinically relevant discoveries we've made because it doesn't just explain the cause of relapse, it gives us a biological target to possibly prevent it," says Saad Kenderian, M.B., Ch.B., a principal investigator and hematologist at Mayo Clinic.  

CAR-T therapy reprograms a patient's own immune cells to recognize and destroy cancer. It has led to long-term remission for patients, including some with aggressive or treatment-resistant diseases. But many patients eventually relapse, and the causes have remained poorly understood. 

Modeling CAR-T cell stress over time 

To investigate why CAR-T therapy can fail, the Mayo team developed a novel lab model that simulates long-term biological stress, offering a clearer view of how the engineered cells behave after infusion. Over time, some CAR-T cells lost their ability to multiply and attack cancer. Specifically, they showed hallmark signs of senescence, including distinct genetic changes.  

The researchers found that senescence occurred more often in CAR-T cells built with a signaling feature, known as 4-1BB, which affects how the cells respond to cancer. In comparison, cells designed with an alternative domain, called CD28, were less affected by aging. These cells activate more quickly and persist for a shorter time, reducing the cumulative stress that drives senescence.

The researchers confirmed the results in multiple laboratory models and validated them in patient samples.

Engineering CAR-T cells for longevity 

That discovery was driven in part by the work of Ismail Can, Ph.D., who helped lead the molecular analysis behind the finding. 

"Efforts to make CAR-T cell therapy more durable will likely fail without fully understanding the reasons behind CAR-T cell failure. This study represents a significant step toward understanding why CAR-T cells fail," says Dr. Can, first author of the study and a senior research fellow at Mayo Clinic’s T Cell Engineering Laboratory. "By identifying the early molecular triggers of senescence, we can begin to refine CAR-T design to potentially improve long-term function and reduce relapse." 

The findings highlight a new direction for CAR-T research, with potential implications not only for blood cancers but also for expanding cell therapy into solid tumors.  

The study builds on Dr. Kenderian's broader efforts to identify resistance mechanisms and design more durable and personalized immunotherapies.   

This work was supported in part by Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Eagles 5th District Cancer Telethon Funds for Cancer Research, the State of Minnesota, and benefactors Georgia and Michael Michelson. For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding information, 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 

The post Mayo Clinic researchers link CAR-T cell aging to cancer relapse  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — An artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by Mayo Clinic and Ultromics, Ltd., an AI echocardiography company based in Oxford, England, is highly accurate in screening for cardiac amyloidosis, a rare and progressive type of heart failure, according to a new study. The model is the first and only AI tool of its kind.

Researchers from Mayo Clinic and Ultromics, with investigators at the University of Chicago Medicine and collaborators around the world, validated and tested the model on a large and multiethnic patient population and compared its abilities to other diagnostic methods for cardiac amyloidosis.

Their findings, published in the European Heart Journal, show that the AI model was highly accurate, with 85% sensitivity (correctly identifying those with the disease) and 93% specificity (correctly identifying those without the disease). Using a single echocardiography videoclip, the model was effective across all major types of cardiac amyloidosis and distinguished it from other conditions with similar characteristics.

Cardiac amyloidosis is a life-threatening condition where an abnormal protein, called amyloid, builds up in the heart, causing it to stiffen and not work properly. It is often missed because the symptoms and imaging features can be similar to other heart conditions. However, early diagnosis is crucial because new drug therapies are now available that can slow or stop the disease's progression.

This work builds on the previous experience of Mayo Clinic and Ultromics in developing an AI echocardiography model to detect heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in 2022. HFpEF is a common type of heart failure, associated with high morbidity and mortality, but can be challenging to diagnose. An estimated 15% of patients with HFpEF have cardiac amyloidosis.

"This AI model is a breakthrough tool that can help us identify patients earlier so they can receive the treatment they need," says Patricia Pellikka, M.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and past director of the Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Lab in Rochester. "We found that AI performed better than traditional clinical and transthoracic echo-based screening methods, providing clinicians with stronger insights on which to base decisions for further confirmation tests. New treatments are available for cardiac amyloidosis but are most effective if administered early in the course of the disease." Dr. Pellikka is senior author of the study.

The amyloid AI model is FDA-cleared and is currently being used at multiple centers in the U.S. Dr. Pellikka says she looks forward to applying this technology in the clinical practice at Mayo Clinic.

This study was partially supported by a grant from Ultromics and Dr. Pellikka is supported as the Betty Knight Scripps-George M. Gura, Jr., M.D. Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases Clinical Research at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in this technology and will use any revenue it receives to support its not-for-profit 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

The post AI-enhanced echocardiography improves early detection of amyloid buildup in the heart appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Talking to loved ones about a recent head and neck cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Of course, there is no one “right” or “wrong” way to handle these conversations — or adjusting to your life with cancer. Everyone has their own pace, preferences and relationship patterns. But taking the time to consider your approach can help make these conversations more manageable.

If you have been diagnosed with a head and neck cancer, consider these tips to talk more openly with your loved ones.

Anxiety and fear are a natural response to a cancer diagnosis, says Eric Moore, M.D., chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and medical director, International, Mayo Clinic.

“People justifiably want to know what this diagnosis means for them. Am I going to live? Is it going to require aggressive treatment?” he says. “One of the first things I say is to take a breath. There are specialists that are passionate about and have studied your disease. And the vast majority of cancers that are encountered are treatable and very many of them are likely curable.”

The next step is to learn as much as you can about your cancer diagnosis. If possible, Dr. Moore recommends having a loved one accompany you to appointments and take notes. That way, both you and your loved one have the opportunity to fully process and discuss the information shared.

From there, Dr. Moore says it is important to understand that head and neck cancer isn‘t a specific diagnosis. Rather, head and neck cancer is a general category that describes many different types of cancer that impact the head and neck region. Cancers in the mouth, tongue, tonsils, pharynx (throat), larynx (throat box), nasal cavity and other areas are all considered types of head and neck cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma — a type of cancer that develops in the skin cells that line the lips, sinuses, and inner mouth and throat — is one of the most common types of head and neck cancer. However, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer is on the rise in the United States. Often involving the tonsils and base of the tongue, oropharyngeal cancer is thought to be caused by exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection.

Given the variety of head and neck cancers, it is key to talk with your care team about the exact type of cancer, stage and treatment options available. Having a firm grasp of your cancer diagnosis can also help you determine what to share with loved ones moving forward.

Consider when and how to talk to loved ones about your head and neck cancer

Before you begin disclosing your diagnosis, it can be helpful to first consider the different relationships in your life. It may be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• Who do you want to talk to? For many people, this may be a partner, parent or close friend — anyone important to you who can provide emotional support throughout your cancer journey.
• Who do you need to talk to? From a practical or logistical standpoint, certain people in your life may need to be informed of a diagnosis sooner rather than later. For example, a caregiver may need to speak to your care team on your behalf or an employer may need to accommodate your treatment schedule.
• Who can you talk to at a later time? When you first receive a diagnosis, there are some people in your life who may not need to be informed immediately, for both personal and practical reasons. For example, you can speak with more-distant relatives and friends, neighbors and coworkers when you feel ready to talk.

Once you have a better understanding of who you’d like to speak to and when, it’s a good idea to think about the best method of communication. For a friend or family member, you may choose to make a personal phone call or set aside time to meet in person. If you’re talking with a child about a cancer diagnosis, being as open and honest as possible about both the diagnosis and your feelings are good first steps. In other situations, a text message, letter, email or even social media post may feel more appropriate.

Each method comes with its own considerations — a personal conversation can feel affirming, but over time it may be exhausting to speak so intimately with everyone in your life. On the other hand, a social media post may require less time and emotional investment, but it may be a less personal or private option. To avoid emotional burnout or repeating yourself multiple times to multiple people, you also may choose to lean on the support of a loved one to inform extended family and friends. That way, they can inform your support network about your diagnosis, the best ways to support you and any specific requests you may have.

Most people know that it’s important to ask for help, but this is often easier said than done. To start, determine exactly what kind of help you need — be it logistical or emotional — and who exactly can provide it.

For example, if you can’t drive to your medical appointments or struggle with eating during treatment, consider asking a reliable friend to create a rideshare or meal prep schedule. By delegating this task, your loved ones have a tangible, consistent way to provide support and you can rest easier knowing certain tasks are taken care of.

Other times, you may need space to talk about your feelings and concerns. Think about the core message or emotion you’d like heard. Are you looking to vent? Do you want advice or reassurances? Before starting a conversation, stating the exact type of feedback and support that you’re looking for can ensure you get what you need.

“If you don’t have that kind of support network of family and friends, that doesn’t mean it’s nonexistent,” says Dr. Moore. “I encourage you to discuss your concerns during the initial consultation with your healthcare professional.” In many situations, there are a number of resources your care team can connect you with, including support groups, care coordinators and social work programs.

Finally, if you are experiencing sleep deprivation, feel overwhelmed or fatigued, or notice any difficulties with concentration and memory, Dr. Moore says these are early signs that you may need more support.

Learn more about head and neck cancers and find a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic. Join the Head and Neck Cancer Support Group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic for patients and caregivers.

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Media contact:

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

The post How to talk to family and friends about a head and neck cancer diagnosis appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.