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Medscape
7 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Enhanced Navigation Speeds Up Time to Radiotherapy in HNSCC
Enhanced navigation shortens time until guideline-adherent, postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) among patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) compared with standard navigation, according to a study. The findings of the randomized controlled trial suggest that greater efforts are needed to develop and use enhanced, navigation-based approaches in this patient population, lead author Evan M. Graboyes, MD, of Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, and colleagues, said. 'Initiation of PORT within 6 weeks of surgery is recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology and is the only Commission on Cancer-approved quality metric for HNSCC,' the investigators wrote in JCO Oncology Practice . '[D]elays in starting PORT are associated with a 10% absolute decrease in 5-year survival and a 21% increase in the adjusted hazard of mortality.' Despite the known risks of treatment delay, about half the patients with HNSCC do not receive PORT in a timely, guideline-adherent fashion, Graboyes and colleagues noted, and some patient subgroups are less likely to receive timely treatment than others. 'Delays in starting PORT disproportionately burden racial and ethnic minoritized groups, the underinsured, lower-income, and other medically vulnerable populations,' they wrote. 'These differences in receipt of guideline-adherent care contribute to the persistent and profound disparities in survival for patients with HNSCC.' Aiming to close this gap, the investigators developed Navigation for Disparities and Untimely Radiation thErapy (NDURE), which includes strategies at the patient, healthcare team, and organizational level. Specifically, NDURE clarifies the navigator's role and defines timepoints for communication and action. For example, under usual care, appointments related to PORT are not tracked; in contrast, the NDURE navigator ensures that appointments are scheduled and attended and logs these events in the patient's electronic health record. Methods and Results From May 2020 to November 2023, patients were recruited for the trial from the Medical University of South Carolina and enrolled in NDURE or usual care in a 1:1 ratio. Of the 176 patients enrolled, 145 underwent surgery and had an indication for PORT, of whom 67 were in the NDURE group and 78 were in the usual care group. Guideline-adherent, timely PORT was delivered in 74% of patients in the NDURE group vs 39% of patients in the usual care group, an absolute risk difference of 35%. Moreover, NDURE was associated with an increased rate of PORT initiation (hazard ratio [HR], 1.82; 90% CI, 1.32-2.50) and treatment package completion (HR, 1.67; 90% CI, 1.22-2.29). 'These data support studying an enhanced, navigation-based approach to improve timely PORT for patients with HNSCC,' the investigators concluded. Study Powered to Show Risk Reduction in Postoperative Delays David L. Schwartz, MD, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, and colleagues highlighted the magnitude of the findings. 'The current report provides encouraging results from a follow-on institutional trial,' they wrote in an accompanying editorial. 'Although limited to a modestly sized cohort, it was adequately powered to show a significant 35% absolute risk reduction in postoperative delays in a study population potentially weighted against detection of intervention effect.' They emphasized that the findings underscore both the progress made and the opportunity for further improvement. 'The fact that more than 60% of control patients treated by an integrated academic practice highly invested in its care coordination still experienced refractory delays speaks volumes as to the [importance] and severity of the problem being addressed here,' they wrote. 'Although treatment delay is a surrogate process measure, there is ample evidence as noted above to suggest the significant downstream impact on disease outcomes.' Schwartz and colleagues noted how the NDURE program makes each navigator a formal member of the multidisciplinary care team and suggested that the model could more broadly affect future navigator research. 'All told, to our knowledge, this is the first trial to experimentally test a model-informed navigation intervention in any acute multidisciplinary cancer treatment setting beyond uncontrolled quality improvement experiences,' they wrote. 'These are meticulous first steps toward solidifying routine reimbursement for cancer navigation.' More work remains, Schwartz and colleagues continued, including research into cost-effectiveness research, impact on treatment outcomes, and broader feasibility. Although they called the 6-week time threshold a 'laudable goal,' they noted that one quarter of the patients in the NDURE group did not hit this mark, suggesting that the target may not be 'a tenable goal across all practice environments in the absence of disruptive systems-level care reorganization and reimbursement reform.' Still, the editorialists suggested that the presented model offers a valid path forward. 'Navigation is a steady, sensible, and proven way for us to accumulate small patient-level victories which can collectively transform into population-level accomplishments,' they wrote. 'It merits its chance to earn full interventional standing in modern multidisciplinary oncology.'
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
A Common Virus Causes Cancer, but Most Americans Are Clueless About It
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major source of cancer that's now almost entirely preventable through vaccination. But sobering research out today shows that Americans are largely in the dark about HPV and its many health risks, much less the HPV vaccine. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina conducted the study, which examined nationally representative survey data. A third of Americans don't know that the virus exists, they found, while most who do know are still unaware it can cause more than one type of cancer besides cervical cancer. People in certain regions of the country, particularly Midwest and Southern states, were even less aware of HPV, which likely helps explain why vaccination rates are lagging in these areas, the researchers say. 'Some of these states have the lowest HPV vaccine coverage in the nation, which could be a reason why we are observing these differences,' lead study author Ashvita Garg, a public health researcher at MUSC, told Gizmodo. There are over 200 different types of HPV, which is spread through skin contact (including sexual contact). Some types are low-risk, only causing unseemly but harmless warts along our skin or genitals. Other high-risk types can linger in the body and cause damaging changes to normal cells that raise their risk of becoming cancerous. HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer, accounting for nearly all cases. But high-risk HPV infections are also primarily responsible for several other kinds of cancer, including vaginal and vulvar cancers in women, penile cancer in men, and oral cancer in both men and women. In fact, HPV-related oral cancer is more common in men than it is in women. All told, about 40,000 HPV-caused cancers occur annually in the U.S. Today's vaccines can prevent up to nine different high-risk types of HPV, but the vaccination rate remains relatively low in many parts of the world, the U.S. included. The researchers sought to better understand just how aware people are about the virus and the value of vaccination. The researchers studied data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a project run by the National Cancer Institute that regularly measures Americans' knowledge of health and cancer-related information. Their sample ultimately included almost 23,000 responses collected between 2017 and 2022. Based on the survey data, around 34% of Americans nationally were ignorant about the existence of HPV, and 37% were ignorant about the HPV vaccine. Of those who did know about the virus, 71% didn't know that it can cause oral cancer, and 28% didn't know it caused cervical cancer. Ignorance of HPV and the vaccine was especially high (over 40%) in seven states, including Kansas, Nebraska, and Illinois in the Midwest, as well as Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama in the South. These same states have some of the lowest HPV vaccination rates in the country, and about 62% of all HPV-related cancers occur in the Southern and Midwestern U.S., the authors note. 'Additionally, the gap between awareness that HPV causes oral cancer was notably larger compared to the awareness that HPV causes cervical cancer, highlighting the undervaluation of the importance of HPV vaccination in males,' Garg said. The team's findings were published Thursday in JAMA Oncology. Some countries have already started to effectively eliminate cervical and other HPV-related cancers through widespread HPV vaccination, but the U.S. is still lagging well behind. Overall, only around 57% of American teenagers in 2023 received the HPV vaccine as recommended, well below the 80% target goal that health officials are hoping to reach by 2030. The researchers say that much more effort is needed to improve people's knowledge of HPV and its dangers. 'Improving HPV awareness would require a multifaceted approach, such as public education campaigns, improving patient-provider communication, and community and school-based outreach programs,' Garg said. Unfortunately, the federal government may not be so interested in HPV prevention these days. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current health secretary, has regularly spread misinformation about the HPV vaccine and even referred to Merck's HPV shot, Gardasil, as the 'most dangerous vaccine ever invented.' All that said, Garg and her team at MUSC are still dedicated to improving HPV vaccine coverage in their neck of the woods. 'Beyond examining the HPV-related cancer burden and mortality, we are also investigating the uptake and delivery of HPV prevention modalities and understanding prevention behaviors across the US,' she said. 'MUSC is also actively involved in public health outreach, particularly in South Carolina, where initiatives like the HPV Vaccination Van are helping to improve education and access to HPV vaccination.'
Business Wire
29-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Saltgrass Advisory Launches to Power the Next Wave of Healthcare AI Innovation
CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saltgrass Advisory, a strategic management consulting firm focused on artificial intelligence and emerging healthcare technologies, today announced its official launch. The firm partners with healthcare institutions, startups, and investors to accelerate high-impact innovation by turning cutting-edge capabilities into scalable, real-world solutions. 'Saltgrass Advisory brought the strategic insight and healthcare expertise we needed to define and commercialize our oncology AI innovation,' said Brett Berman, director of operations - health solutions, Medical University of South Carolina. Saltgrass Advisory is led by seasoned executives who bring a rare blend of healthcare, data, and AI expertise. Robert Goodman leverages his track record as a data & AI leader at Deloitte and as an executive within Blackstone-and Vista-backed technology companies. Brian Litten draws on decades as a healthcare operator, including a successful NASDAQ IPO with Tabula Rasa in 2016, his roles as CEO of PathForward Oncology and Swift Medical, and deep leadership experience across the Blue Cross network. Together they're positioning Saltgrass as a trusted partner to drive healthcare innovation at scale. With AI evolving rapidly—and healthcare organizations under growing pressure to deliver better outcomes at lower cost—Saltgrass Advisory enters the market at a pivotal time. The firm guides leaders through this transformation with a focus on intelligent infrastructure, clinical relevance, and operational execution. Impact in Action Saltgrass Advisory is already delivering measurable impact, recently guiding the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) on the commercialization of its oncology AI platform, LAMPER, which has driven: an 80% reduction in support staff burden per patient, a 10–20% increase in clinical trial accrual, and 3–4 hours saved per patient across roles. Time-to-appointment readiness has dropped from 1–2 days to under a day. In just one department at MUSC, LAMPER is projected to deliver $2.1M–$10.2M in cost savings over five years, while unlocking new revenue through increased patient throughput and clinical trial enrollment. 'Saltgrass Advisory brought the strategic insight and healthcare expertise we needed to define and commercialize our oncology AI innovation,' said Brett Berman, director of operations, MUSC Health. 'Their team translated academic discovery into real-world impact.' Focused Expertise at the Intersection of Strategy, Technology, and Delivery Saltgrass Advisory—powered by a leadership team of seasoned operators who've built, scaled, and exited companies across the healthcare ecosystem—helps clients accelerate outcomes and unlock healthcare value: Commercialization and go-to-market execution AI strategy, data platforms, intelligent models, seamless integrations, and scalable operations Fractional leadership across product, operations, technology, and growth 1:1 advisory for institutional leaders and startup founders Regulatory, compliance, and policy navigation The Saltgrass Team Brian Litten, Managing Partner – Former digital health founder & CEO Robert Goodman, Managing Partner – Former data & AI executive at Deloitte Lisa Davis, Principal– Past CIO of top U.S. health plan; Former SVP, Intel Health Solutions Munish Khaneja, MD, Principal – Former health plan CMO, EmblemHealth and HealthEdge Drew Narayan, Principal – Former strategy leader at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Archana Puthran, Principal – Former AI & digital health leader at UnitedHealth, OptumRx Jacob Jesson, Principal – Former EVP & chief revenue and experience officer, Medecision Paige Bagby – Principal - Former Ogilvy communications and public relations leader Speaker Series Saltgrass Advisory is live, and so is its new speaker series highlighting concrete steps to scale health AI. The series debuts August 19 at 11 a.m. ET. Register here. About Saltgrass Advisory
The Star
18-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Is brain rot real? Here's what brain health experts say
Doomscrolling. Instagram obsessions. Mindless YouTube video viewing. Distracting behaviours, yes. But can they actually rot a person's brain? Last year, Oxford University Press designated "brain rot" as its word of the year, defining it as the "supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state" caused by overconsuming "trivial or unchallenging" material found on social media and other online platforms. "It's what happens when you consume too much low-quality online content, which is like junk food for the brain," said Dr. Andreana Benitez, an associate professor in the department of neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. But whether that content is actually harming the brain – and how – remains unclear. Screen habits can shape health According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of teenagers in the US spend four hours or more looking at screens each day, and global estimates suggest adults may be online an average of more than six hours per day. There are no federal health guidelines for how many hours of daily screen time are appropriate for teens or adults. Researchers lack sufficient data to fully understand the concept of brain rot and what it might lead to. "There really isn't a coherent science around it," Benitez said. There is, however, CDC data showing that 1 in 4 teenage frequent scrollers report feeling anxious or depressed. Some research suggests problems with heavy online use may begin quite young. Adolescents who spend greater amounts of time in front of screens may be more likely to experience mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, and related physical symptoms such as pain, dizziness or nausea. That's according to a 2024 analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the largest long-term child brain development study in the US Other studies have potentially linked brain rot to emotional desensitization, cognitive overload, negative self-worth and impaired executive function skills, including memory, planning and decision-making. Rethinking our digital diet While there's no evidence that hours of daily screen time are changing the structure of the human brain, it's what's not happening during those hours that could be harmful, especially for young people whose brains are still developing, said Dr. Costantino Iadecola, director and chair of Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. The more time young people spend in front of screens, the less time they spend being physically active or having the face-to-face human interactions that supply the developing brain with critical complex sensory and emotional input, he said. "Brain development requires diversity of exposures," Iadecola said. "When you are on your phone, you are not getting these other experiences. We are substituting artificial interactions for human interactions, and artificial interactions lack the complexity of the human experience – the verbal, sensory and emotional reactions we have after interacting with people." It's not just screen time that matters – it's also screen content, Benitez said. "If you consume excessive amounts of low-quality online content, you are more likely to be exposed to information that might distort your perception of reality and harm your mental health," she said. Cycling through large amounts of negative content can also leave a person mentally exhausted, she said. But how much is too much has yet to be determined, Benitez said. Sticking to her junk food analogy, she likened short periods of screen time to the occasional junk food snack. "One bag of chips might not be that bad, but if you're eating three at a time, that might be a problem," she said. How to have smarter screen time Helping kids – and adults – consume a healthier online diet isn't easy, Benitez said, because so much of modern life, from schoolwork to shopping, entertainment and socialising, involves online applications. "With kids, screens are a part of their lives," she said. "It's how they get a lot of information." But, she said, "it's incumbent upon adults to curate the content, make sure they are consuming content that's good for them and in a way that does not result in mental fatigue. We need to make sure they are engaging in critical thinking as they engage with screens." For both children and grown-ups, Benitez also cautioned against scrolling before bedtime. "Consuming arousing information and being exposed to light when your body should be winding down for sleep might affect your sleep," she said. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests families develop screen-time plans together and encourage usage that builds creativity and connections with family and friends. It also suggests parents emphasize the importance of offline activities such as sports, music, art and other hobbies. The AAP also notes that some screen use may be "healthy and positive," a point both Benitez and Iadecola agreed with. "You could be consuming good content," Benitez said. "There's a value judgment in this." Iadecola suggested making sure online usage is "purpose-appropriate. It's OK to use the technology for whatever task is at hand. The problem is when it becomes addictive behaviour. Everything in moderation." – American Heart Association News/Tribune News Service
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pediatrician Annie Andrews challenges Lindsey Graham in South Carolina
Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and former congressional candidate, is launching a Democratic bid to challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) next year. In her roughly three-and-a-half-minute ad, Andrews used her background as a pediatrician to slam the Trump administration for its handling of different health crises and concerns. Her ad also criticizes Graham for voting to confirm President Trump's appointees. Her campaign ad also reminds voters of Graham's past criticism of Trump, playing several clips of Graham calling the president a 'kook' and suggesting Trump 'should go to hell.' Graham has since turned into a key Trump ally since the 2016 election. In an interview with The Hill ahead of her launch, Andrews described Graham as being ideologically inconsistent and suggested he prioritize the business and donor community over that of everyday Americans. She said Graham had been in the Senate for about half her life, saying that 'one of the problems with that is that he's changed his position on nearly every issue over the span of those 22 years because he doesn't believe in anything or stand for anything other than himself.' 'Lindsey Graham will take food off of kids' plates … let prices spiral out of control, gut our nation's Medicaid program, which is the largest insurer for children, just so he can cut taxes for billionaires and his donors and special interests,' she said. Andrews spent 15 years at Medical University of South Carolina, leaving the university in 2023. The pediatrician has previously run for office before, running against Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) in 2022; Andrews lost to the Republican congresswoman by 14 points that November. Andrews noted that she does do some work in Washington, D.C., telling The Hill that she has 'a part time role at Children's National Hospital and a faculty appointment at George Washington [University], and so I spend a few days a month up there taking care of sick and injured children in our nation's capital.' Andrews has two medical licenses in Washington, D.C. and South Carolina, the latter of which is set to expire next month. Andrews's campaign confirmed to The Hill she plans to renew her South Carolina medical license. Andrews said if elected to the Senate one of her legislative priorities would be expanding and making permanent the child tax credit. 'I also want to work towards policies that will help working families, that will lower the costs of groceries, that will lower the cost of childcare, that we rein in the cost of health care, get prescription drug costs down,' she told The Hill. 'All of these things will benefit Americans, whether they're Republicans or Democrats in every corner of this country.' Andrews faces an uphill battle to topple Graham. Democrats bet big on Democrat Jaime Harrison in 2020, who launched a bid to unseat Graham in 2020. Despite raking in more than $100 million over the course of his campaign, he ultimately lost to the GOP senator by 10 points that fall. The pediatrician noted that some of the barriers present during 2020, when the world grappled with a global COVID pandemic, won't be present during the 2026 cycle. 'Jamie ran a great campaign, but it was in the middle of the COVID pandemic which really hamstrung their ability to have an effective field operation, so we won't have those limitations this time,' she said. She added that 'we are in a very different moment in this country' in comparing 2026 and 2020, saying that 'we are seeing attacks on our health care system' and 'attacks on the social safety nets that are really the bedrock and foundation of this country,' among other concerns. 'Folks are feeling that in a way that they were not in 2020.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
