Minnesota - May 2014 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic has earned a spot on the 2014 “Best of the Best” Top Hospitals for Hispanics list for the second year in a row. Each year, Hispanic Network Magazine evaluates the nation’s employers, diversity programs and executive leadership, law enforcement and government agencies, as well as colleges, universities and MBA programs for their initiatives and programs with Hispanic communities in the U.S. The magazine also ide ntifies the “Best of the Best” in proactive outreach and accessibility for Hispanic communities and other minority populations. “To be named a Top Hospital for Hispanics acknowledges not only the excellent care we provide to all patients who come through our doors, but also the priority Mayo Clinic has placed on our outreach to diverse communities in order to include them in medical research. The knowledge we gain helps improve the health of the Hispanic/Latino community,” says Sharonne N. Hayes, M.D., director of Mayo’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

CHICAGO — Molecular sequencing could identify ovarian cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from treatment with bevacizumab (Avastin), a Mayo Clinic-led study has found. Results of the research were presented today at the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. The addition of bevacizumab to standard therapy extended progression-free survival more for ovarian cancer patients with molecular subtypes labeled as “proliferative” or “mesenchymal” compared to those with subtypes labeled as “immunoreactive” or “differentiated,” says Sean Dowdy, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gynecologic oncologist and senior author of the study. “Though our study is very preliminary, it does suggest that we are getting close to the point where we could use sequencing data to choose more effective and less toxic therapies for patients.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdi8vCwvfA4 CHICAGO — A chemotherapy regimen consisting of procarbazine, CCNU, and vincristine (PCV) administered following radiation therapy improved progression-free survival and overall survival in adults with low-grade gliomas, a form of brain cancer, when compared to radiation therapy alone. The findings were part of the results of a Phase III clinical trial presented today at the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting by the study’s primary author Jan Buckner, M.D., deputy director, Cancer Practice, at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Here are highlights from the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit http://www.healthletter.mayoclinic.com/ or call toll-free for subscription information, 1-800-333-9037, extension 9771. Full newsletter text: MCHL_May2014 (for journalists only). Choosing the right time for cataract surgery Some degree of vision clouding caused by cataracts occurs in most people as they age. But according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, there’s no need to rush scheduling the surgery to remove the cataracts. The right time for surgery should be determined by weighing expected improvements in vision against the very slight risk of a less than ideal outcome. There are several types of age-related cataracts with subtle differences. Except in rare instances, cataracts develop painlessly and gradually, leading to vision changes that include: Increasingly blurred or dim vision Increasing difficulty with night vision Sensitivity to bright light and glare Seeing halos around lights Double vision in one eye In the early stages of the disease, adjustments such as different eyeglasses, brighter lighting and wearing sunglasses to reduce glare may compensate for vision changes. When cataracts interfere with daily tasks, surgery should be considered.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Trauma and injury remains a devastating problem in the U.S. It is the leading cause of death for those under the age of 45. Almost 200,000 Americans die of injury every year and nearly all are completely avoidable, Mayo Clinic experts say. May is National Trauma Awareness Month and Mayo Clinic trauma and injury prevention expert, Donald Jenkins, M.D., offers some advice on how to prevent common injuries in adults and kids this summer, while still having fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuZgASaZLfk Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Jenkins are available in the downloads.

ROCHESTER, Minn., and SAN FRANCISCO — The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine and Whole Biome today announced a collaboration to develop microbiome targeted diagnostic testing, beginning in Women’s Health, with a focus on preterm labor. Preterm birth is the most common cause of infant death and is the leading cause of long-term disability in children, according to the National Institutes of Health. Many preterm births may be delayed or prevented with microbiome-based testing and intervention, according to Mayo Clinic experts. “Understanding the microbiome, and translating that understanding into enhanced patient care is a major goal within the Center for Individualized Medicine,” says Heidi Nelson, M.D., director of the center’s Microbiome Program. “Our early work suggests the microbiome may play a significant role in triggering preterm labor, and we are excited to take these early results into clinical trials with Whole Biome’s analytics platform.” “This collaboration is bringing together the clinical expertise of Mayo Clinic with our innovative diagnostic tools,” says Colleen Cutcliffe, CEO of Whole Biome. “Together, we plan to transform affordable and detailed microbiome information into tools that will improve patient health and their lives.” Whole Biome’s Complete Biome Test is able to generate microbiome profiles with strain-level resolution at a low cost, enabling researchers and physicians to more rapidly conduct large-scale studies and produce effective microbiome diagnostics to help predict, treat and prevent life-threatening issues.

Flying is as safe as ground travel after chest surgery, Mayo study finds Rochester, Minn. — Summer travel isn’t for vacation alone. For some people, it may include a trip to an out-of-town hospital for surgery. If you are traveling for chest surgery, you may wonder whether it is safer to return home by car or plane. A new Mayo Clinic study found that, contrary to conventional wisdom, air travel is just as safe as ground travel after chest surgery, and there is often no reason to wait for weeks after an operation to fly home. Lead study author Stephen Cassivi, M.D., a Mayo Clinic thoracic surgeon, offers these five tips for safer, more comfortable travel home after surgery:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LImk-KdMT1w ROCHESTER, Minn. — May 14, 2014 — In a proof of principle clinical trial, Mayo Clinic researchers have demonstrated that virotherapy — destroying cancer with a virus that infects and kills cancer cells but spares normal tissues — can be effective against the deadly cancer multiple myeloma. The findings appear in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.  Click here to listen to the July 12th Mayo Clinic Radio program featuring Dr. Russell and Stacy Erholtz Journalists: The video package and extra b-roll are available in the downloads. The video package script, including intro and anchor tags, is available here. Two patients in the study received a single intravenous dose of an engineered measles virus (MV-NIS) that is selectively toxic to myeloma plasma cells. Both patients responded, showing reduction of both bone marrow cancer and myeloma protein. One patient, a 49-year-old woman, experienced complete remission of myeloma and has been clear of the disease for over six months. “This is the first study to establish the feasibility of systemic oncolytic virotherapy for disseminated cancer,” says Stephen Russell, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic hematologist, first author of the paper and co-developer of the therapy. “These patients were not responsive to other therapies and had experienced several recurrences of their disease.” Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow, which also causes skeletal or soft tissue tumors. This cancer usually responds to immune system-stimulating drugs, but eventually overcomes them and is rarely cured.

What: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Commencement Ceremony When: Saturday, May 17 at 10 a.m. CT Where: Mayo Civic Center – Presentation Hall Description: Bill George, former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic and Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) board member, will receive the second-ever Mayo Clinic honorary degree — Doctor of the College (honoris causa) — in recognition of his distinguished career in leadership development, and exemplary service to Mayo Clinic. Mr. George’s commencement address will challenge graduates to become authentic and mindful leaders. Interviews with journalists: Bill George will be available for media interviews at the conclusion of the ceremony on Saturday, May 17, in the North Lobby at Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, Minn. To request an interview with Mr. George, email gonzalez.alyson@mayo.eduor call 507-284-5005 in advance. During the commencement ceremony, 59 physicians and scientists will receive degrees from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine: Mayo Graduate School – graduating 18 Ph.D. future researchers, scientists and academics in biomedical and translational sciences. Mayo Medical School – 41 students becoming M.D. and going on to residency programs at Mayo and across US.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids is the first health care organization in Iowa to be selected to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a national network of like-minded organizations that share a commitment to better serving patients and their families. The network, which began in 2011, now includes 28 member organizations across the country and internationally that are interested in working with Mayo Clinic to improve the delivery of health care by sharing knowledge and promoting collaboration between physicians. As part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids now has access to Mayo Clinic’s knowledge and expertise when its providers feel that additional resources will be helpful to patients, allowing many to avoid unnecessary travel for answers to complex medical questions. “UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids has earned national recognition multiple times for high quality, low cost health care,” says Ted Townsend, president and CEO of UnityPoint – Cedar Rapids. “We believe this collaboration with Mayo Clinic elevates health care standards for our region. It’s about improving care and reducing costs. By working with the world-renowned experts at Mayo Clinic, we will enhance the quality of care and the quality of life in our community.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc8riRUR81Q ROCHESTER, Minn. — A Mayo Clinic review of 47 studies found that 30-day readmissions can be reduced by almost 20 percent when specific efforts are taken to prevent them. Key among these are interventions to help patients deal with the work passed on to them at discharge. The results of the review are published in this week’s issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Leppin are available in the downloads.

*See specific embargo dates and times for each study ROCHESTER, Minn. – Mayo Clinic urologists will present studies on a new non-mesh outpatient procedure for treating female stress incontinence stress incontinence, lymph node surgery guided by 11c-Choline imaging for patients with nodal recurrent prostate cancer, a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) cut point correlated with systemic progression of prostate cancer, an increased mortality risk for diabetes patients undergoing surgery for kidney cancer and other research at the 2014 Annual meeting of the American Urological Association, May 16–21, in Orlando, Fla. Mayo Clinic experts will also be available to provide comment for reporters covering the conference. Studies to be presented at the meeting and their embargo dates include: New non-mesh outpatient sling procedure for treating female stress urinary incontinence shows promise Embargoed until Sunday, May 18, 2014 10:00 AM ET http://www.aua2014.org/abstracts/files/presenter_LinderBrian.cfm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB0ptOP7Stw A feasibility study of a novel non-mesh-based outpatient surgical procedure to treat female stress incontinence has promising results. Early results show that all patients have experienced decreased leakage volumes after surgery, while 80 percent reported no leakage and no longer required absorbent pads. Female stress incontinence is characterized by the unintentional loss of urine during physical activity such as exercise, coughing, sneezing or laughing. The minimally invasive outpatient procedure developed by Daniel Elliott, M.D., and Brian Linder, M.D., of Mayo Clinic, was designed to avoid the controversies and complications of mesh procedures. During the procedure the surgeon inserts a sling, made from a small amount of the patient’s own tissue, to support the urethra.