News from NYU Langone Health
The Emerging Breast-Cancer Treatment: No Surgery Required. (Wall Street Journal)
Paywalled* Wall Street Journal (12/12)* Doctors are re-evaluating treatment approaches for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive breast cancer detected through mammograms, suggesting that some women may avoid immediate surgery and instead opt for monitoring, as new data indicates similar outcomes between surgery and monitoring groups; Nancy Chan, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center called the findings “really encouraging.”
California Reports More Illnesses In People Who Drank Raw Milk. Here Are The Risks, According To Health Experts. (CNN)
CNN (12/12) The California Department of Public Health reported that raw milk has been linked to at least 10 illnesses in the state, though none have been confirmed as bird flu, and health officials are investigating a possible bird flu case in a child who consumed raw milk and tested positive for influenza A; Rabia A. De Latour, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, said, “Pasteurization is meant to ensure the bad bacteria that can be harmful to people and make them ill are killed.”
America’s Greatest Workplaces For Diversity 2025. (Newsweek)
Newsweek (12/11) reports that NYU Langone Health is celebrated as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2025, recognized with a five-star rating for its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment.
GLP-1 Barriers Begin To Break Down. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (12/12) Eli Lilly has partnered with telehealth company Ro to facilitate access to Zepbound, a GLP-1 medication, through telehealth visits and direct home delivery; Christine J. Ren-Fielding, MD, professor, Department of Surgery, chief, Division of Bariatric Surgery, said that generics “will allow a gigantic population of individuals to have some hope in weight control,” although they may not reduce current demand.
Antidepressants May Act In Gut To Reduce Depression And Anxiety. (Science Daily)
Science Daily (12/11) Researchers at NYU Pain Research Center, including Kara G. Margolis, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Pediatrics, have discovered that targeting serotonin in the gut epithelium could provide safer treatments for depression and anxiety, avoiding systemic side effects, as prenatal antidepressant exposure increases the risk of functional constipation in children.
Also reporting is Neuroscience News (12/12).
Do Risk-Reducing Surgeries Benefit BRCA Carriers With Early-Onset Breast Cancer History? (Hematology & Oncology)
Hematology & Oncology (12/12) New data from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2024 suggests that risk-reducing surgeries, such as mastectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy, significantly improve overall survival and disease-free survival for BRCA-mutation carriers with early-onset breast cancer; Freya Schnabel, MD, professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, underscored the importance of early decision-making, stating, “The benefit of risk-reducing oophorectomy cannot be overemphasized, even in the presence of a known breast cancer because, as my colleagues and I say – we don’t want to cure their breast cancer and then have them die of ovarian cancer.”
Teledermoscopy System Proves High Accuracy In Diagnosing Skin Cancer. (Healio)
Healio (12/12) A system called SpotCheck demonstrated “that teledermoscopy was equally as effective as in-person appointments in evaluating suspicious-looking skin lesions for skin cancer” in a recent a study, with David Polsky, MD, PhD, the Alfred W. Kopf, M.D. Professor of Dermatologic Oncology, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, professor, Department of Pathology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, saying, “We know that patients who have less access to dermatologists tend to be diagnosed with more advanced skin cancers. We see SpotCheck as a strategy to help mitigate that health disparity.”
Caregiver Stress May Increase Hypertension Risk In Black Women. (News Medical)
News Medical (12/12) A study led by NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine researchers found that caregiving stress is linked to increased hypertension risk among 21- to 44-year-old Black women; Tanya M. Spruill, PhD, associate professor, Departments of Population Health, and Medicine, said, “Given the high lifetime risk of CVD especially among reproductive-age Black women, we need to better identify the root causes contributing to the strain.” An additional NYU Langone Health author was Yiwei Li, PhD, the Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health.
Viruses Learn To Share: The Breakthrough Discovery Changing Phage Therapy. (SciTech Daily)
SciTech Daily (12/12) A study published in Science, involving researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Oxford, and Yale University, reveals that a single E. coli strain can host diverse phage species, offering insights critical for developing phage-based therapies for bacterial infections; Nora Pyenson, PhD, postdoctoral scholar, Institute for System Genetics, said, “Knowing how more than one kind of phage can survive over time on a single bacterium could help in designing next-generation phage cocktails,” while Jonas Schluter, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Microbiology, added that this work shifts the understanding of phage ecology, highlighting its implications for health and disease.
Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Effective For Alopecia In Breast Cancer. (HealthDay)
HealthDay (12/12) Research conducted by Devyn Zaminski, BA, medical student, and colleagues showed that low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) is “effective for alopecia in patients with breast cancer, according to a letter to the editor published online Dec. 3 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.”
Tyler (TX) Morning Telegraph (12/11) Co-senior researcher Kristen Lo Sicco, MD, associate professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, chief, service and director, Skin and Cancer Unit, added, “The effectiveness of minoxidil may therefore help patients restore their sense of self and some control in a situation where it has been visibly taken away,”
Rapid Treatment Key With Headaches. (KSFY-TV Sioux Falls (SD))
KSFY-TV (12/12) Myrna I. Cardiel, MD, clinical professor, Departent of Neurology, said that “time is of the essence” when treating headaches, recommending immediate medication as part of a rescue plan; research indicates that ibuprofen provides faster relief than acetaminophen, though high dosages may increase cardiovascular risk, while supplements may reduce migraine frequency.
Flu Vaccination Rates Declining Among Children. (NBC News Now-2)
NBC News (12/13) Natalie E. Azar, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, discussed the concerning decline in flu vaccinations among children in the U.S., with rates dropping to 37 percent from 43 percent the previous year, as reported by the CDC; she stressed the importance of vaccinations, saying, “Even an imperfect flu shot is better than none to protect these kids from hospitalization and from death.”
Chilling Fact You Need To Know About COVID. (7 News (AUS))
7 News (AUS) (12/13) Studies by NYU Grossman School of Medicine show younger children with long COVID often experience digestive issues and sleep disturbances, and a US study indicates long COVID affects about 5.5% of infected individuals, with economic implications such as a $9.6 billion cost to the Australian economy in 2022.
The Health Benefits Of Spending Time With Loved Ones During Christmas. (Fox News)
Fox News (12/12 Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to explain how spending time with loved ones can benefit and improve health during the holiday season.”
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
NYU Langone Health Expands Cardiac Services. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (12/12) NYU Langone Health has expanded its cardiology services at NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn, following renovations and the hiring of cardiac electrophysiologists Felix Yang, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, Yury Malyshev, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, and Thomas Bustros, MD, clinical instructor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, allowing patients to receive advanced heart procedures locally.
