News from NYU Langone Health

Man’s Eye Transplant Recovery Leaves Doctors “Truly Amazed” After Live Wire Accident. (CBS News)

CBS News (9/9) Aaron James, a veteran who received the world’s first whole-eye and partial-face transplant in May 2023 is back to daily life, though his sight hasn’t returned yet, with Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS, the Helen L. Kimmel Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, chair, the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, saying, “We are truly amazed by Aaron’s recovery, with no episodes of rejection,” and Paul W. Glimcher, PhD, professor, Departments of Neurology and Physiology, and Psychiatry, chair, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, adding, “The critical task ahead is to ensure that all of the eye cells survive the transplant, which is essential for restoring connections to the brain.”

UPI (9/9) Daniel J. Ceradini, MD, associate professor, the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, lead author of the study documenting James’ progress since the operation, said, “This is the first of many significant hurdles to be crossed on our way to the restoration of sight with transplantation.”

BBC News (9/9) Vaidehi S. Dedania, MD, associate professor, Department of Ophthalmology, said, “The outcomes we’re seeing after this procedure are quite incredible and could pave the way for new clinical protocols and inspire further research into complex transplants involving critical sensory organs.”

Also reporting are US News & World Report (9/9), Scripps News (9/10), AOL (9/9), the New York Post (9/9), Scientific American (9/9), Nature (9/9), HealthDay (9/9), Gizmodo(9/9), People (9/9), Yahoo (9/9), Medical Xpress (9/9), EurekAlert (9/9), Drug Information Online (9/9), Cosmos Magazine (AUS) (9/9), Mirage News (AUS) (9/9), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (9/10), Nipponese News (9/9), ITV News (UK)(9/9), MSN (UK) (9/9), Peeblesshire News (UK) (9/9), the London Evening Standard (UK) (9/9), the Independent (UK) (9/9), Sky News (UK) (9/9), the Telegraph (UK) (9/9), the Daily Mail (UK) (9/9), The Sun (UK) (9/9), the Shropshire (UK) Star (9/9), the Scotsman (UK) (9/9), the Guernsey Press and Star (9/9), PA Media (UK) (9/9), the RTÉ News (IRL) (9/9), the Irish Examiner (IRL) (9/9), Science News (9/9), Science Blog (9/9), List 23 (9/9), Study Finds (9/9), WSGW-AM Saginaw, MI (9/9), the Manhattan (KS) Mercury (9/9), WSGW-AM Saginaw, MI (9/9), the Woburn (MA) Daily Times Chronicle(9/9), KGTV-TV San Diego (9/10), WXYZ-TV Detroit (9/10), and RTT News (9/9).

Among those providing braodcast coverage were Scripps News (USA) (9/10), WKBW-TV (9/9), KARK-TV (9/9), KAIT-TV (9/10), and KLRT-TV (9/9).

Will Tirzepatide Vials Help Patients? Endos Weigh In. (Medscape)

Paywalled* Medscape (9/9)* Eli Lilly and Company has introduced a new formulation of the weight loss drug tirzepatide (Zepbound) to “significantly expand” its supply, although Michael Weintraub, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, remarked, “For many, this lower monthly cost is attainable and is a significant advancement in increasing access. For others, however, an out-of-pocket monthly cost of $349-549 for a chronic medication is still unaffordable.”

Early Testing For Alzheimer’s: What Are The Ethical Costs? (Medscape)

Paywalled* Medscape (9/9)* Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor, Department of Population Health, Division of Medical Ethics, writes that a Swedish team has developed a blood test with over 90% accuracy for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, which could significantly aid early detection, although there are concerns about affordability and the ethical implications of testing before symptoms appear, and the healthcare industry must prepare to counsel patients on the meaning of test results and manage the costs associated with widespread testing.

Understanding The Connection Between Alzheimer Disease Plasma Biomarkers And Gait Dysfunction: Arjun Masurkar, MD, PhD; Waijha Ahmed, MD. (Neurology Times)

Neurology Times (9/9) Researchers from NYU Langone Health presented a new analysis at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference linking Alzheimer’s disease plasma biomarkers with quantitative gait measures in a cognitively normal population, with study authors Arjun Masurkar, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Departments of Neurology, and Neuroscience and Physiology, and Waijha Ahmed, MD, associate research scientist, discussing the study’s focus on preclinical stages and notable findings such as the connection between gait and phosphorylated tau.

Selena Gomez Says She Can’t Carry Her Own Children Due To Medical Issues. Sharing Her Story Could Have A Positive Impact. (Yahoo! News)

Yahoo! News (9/9) Selena Gomez discussed her infertility challenges due to lupus and bipolar disorder medications, revealing that surrogacy and adoption are potential paths for her to become a mother, with James A. Grifo, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Langone Fertility Center, remarking, “We spend our lives thinking it’s so easy to get pregnant, because that’s what we’re taught, mainly to keep us from having an unintended pregnancy,” and praised Gomez for being proactive in her family planning approach.

FDA To Mandate New Mammogram Guidelines On Dense Tissue. (TODAY)

TODAY (9/9) NBC News medical contributor Natalie E. Azar, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, explains how a new FDA mandate, beginning Sept. 10, that will require mammogram facilities to notify patients of dense breast tissue, may help detect breast cancer earlier.

News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island

A Diagnosis Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Was Not On My Radar. (ASCO Post)

The ASCO Post (9/10) Christine D’Addario writes that despite no family history of breast cancer, she detected a mass in her breast and armpit during a 2020 vacation, leading to a diagnosis of stage IIB triple-negative breast cancer; she chose Douglas K. Marks, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, who recommended a combination therapy of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy, which reduced her tumor size, allowed a lumpectomy, and resulted in remission.