News from NYU Langone Health

Nation’s First Fully Robotic Lung Transplant Performed At NYU Langone Health. (Becker's Hospital Review)

Becker’s Hospital Review (9/10) A surgical team at NYU Langone Health recently performed the first fully robotic lung transplant in the US, utilizing a robotic system to make a small incision between the patient’s right ribs for lung removal and preparation of the surgical site, with Stephanie H. Chang, MD, associate professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and surgical director for NYU Langone Health’s lung transplant program, leading the procedure, saying, “This approach to lung transplantation requires smaller incisions for the patient and is an overall less invasive approach compared to the traditional open chest procedure.”

Also reporting is WNBC-TV (9/10).

NYU Langone Health Patient Recovers After World’s 1st Face, Eye Transplant. (Becker's Hospital Review)

Becker’s Hospital Review (9/10) Fifteen months after undergoing the world’s first whole-eye and partial face transplant at NYU Langone Health, 46-year-old Arkansas resident Aaron James has recovered without any episodes of tissue rejection; the 21-hour surgery, performed on May 27, 2023, involved over 140 healthcare workers at NYU Langone Health, following a 7,200-volt electrical accident that caused “catastrophic tissue loss to his face,” according to a study published Sept. 9 in JAMA.

Paywalled* STAT (9/10)* Daniel J. Ceradini, MD, associate professor, the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, stated, “We performed, now, four face transplants at NYU Langone Health, this last one incorporating an eye,” adding that the eye had always been considered “The Holy Grail of vision restoration,” but this is the first successful attempt.

The London Evening Standard (UK) (9/10) Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS, the Helen L. Kimmel Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, chair, the Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, who was part of the team that carried out the surgery, explained that although the transplanted eye has not regained vision, electroretinography shows a photoreceptor response, indicating that the light-sensitive nerve cells in the eye survived the transplant.

Also reporting is KSHB-TV (9/10).

Mammogram Patients Now Have To Be Told About Their Breast Density. Here’s What To Know. (WKRC-TV Cincinnati)

WKRC-TV (9/10) New mammography regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration now require facilities to notify patients about their breast density to aid in early breast cancer detection, marking the first nationwide rule of its kind, with Elizabeth Comen, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, explaining that this information is crucial because “having dense breasts may increase your risk of breast cancer” and “it may be harder to detect a breast cancer” on a mammogram, potentially necessitating additional imaging.

Also reporting is People (9/10).

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

MD Edge (9/10) Eli Lilly and Company has introduced a new formulation of the weight loss drug tirzepatide (Zepbound) to “significantly expand” its supply, although Michael A. Weintraub, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & 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.”

FDA Approval Of Amivantamab Plus Lazertinib Builds Upon Success Of First-Line TKIs In Advanced EGFR-Mutant NSCLC. (OncLive)

OncLive (9/10) “The FDA approval of amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) plus lazertinib (Lazcluze) in locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) broadens first-line treatment options for patients with exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations, the latter of whom often experience suboptimal responses to current third-generation TKIs, according to Joshua K. Sabari, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, as well as the director of High Reliability Organization Initiatives at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, in New York.”

Can Chatbots Help With Genetic Testing For Cancer Risk? (Science Daily)

Science Daily (9/10) Researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah and NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center have found that a specialized chatbot can effectively help patients decide on genetic testing, potentially expanding access to genetic care, with Rachelle Chambers, MS, CGC, manager, High-Risk Cancer Genetics Program, Perlmutter Cancer Center, stating, “Twenty years ago, we were testing for a handful of cancer-related genes, like BRCA1 and BRCA2, which can lead to an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Now, we might analyze 100 different genes linked to cancers.”

Tick-Borne Wetland Virus, Newly Discovered In China, Could Cause Damage To Brain, Researchers Say. (Fox News)

Fox News (9/10) A new tick-borne disease called Wetland virus (WELV), part of the Orthonairovirus genus, has been discovered in China, with a case dating back to 2019 in Inner Mongolia; Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, said, “This can cause hemorrhagic fever and can be quite deadly,” and emphasized the importance of monitoring such viruses despite their rarity.

Also reporting is the Cairns (AUS) Post (9/10).

News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island

Study Reveals The Reason Why Many Women Don’t Return For Mammogram Screenings. (Health)

Health (9/10) Consistent participation in screening mammography significantly impacts a woman’s risk of death from breast cancer, aiding doctors in detecting subtle changes and lowering false positives, while routine mammography helps identify higher-risk patients, according to Douglas K. Marks, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, who told Health, “Repeat breast imaging and benign breast biopsies are commonly identified when reviewing the history of a patient who ultimately is diagnosed with breast cancer.”