Morning Rounds – Update on Latest News
Dr. Joseph McGuirk, division director, hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics, The University of Kansas Health System
- The FDA has approved a new treatment for sickle cell disease – the first-ever gene editing therapy.
- This is an extraordinary time for patients with sickle cell disease, a genetic inherited disorder that affects about 100,000 people in the United States, predominantly African Americans and Hispanic Americans.
- It's a terrible debilitating disease associated with very significant pain and suffering for patients and it has shortened life expectancy.
- Today there are curative therapies. We have long-term follow up of stem cell transplants using someone else as a donor, although access has been problematic for affected patients.
- Now we have this really stunning development of genetically modified stem cells taken from the patient to become laboratory modified, expanded, and fused back into the patient to create a normal halting hemoglobin for patients and can stop organ damage.
- Our center is one of the first centers in the nation to be offering the gene modified therapy.
- Most importantly, we really need to get the word out to the African American and Hispanic communities.
Focus Topic
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System
- As doctors, we're taught to do no harm, but sometimes what some may consider harm can be much better for a patient in the long run.
- We are at a new age of medicine and how we are able to do things to help us avoid disease.
- Getting genetic screening early can be a lifesaver.
Lisa Conner, has BRCA gene
- After looking at her family history of breast cancer, she talked to her doctor and underwent genetic testing.
- She tested positive for the BRCA gene and at age 53, opted to have a preventative hysterectomy and mastectomy.
- Her choices came down to family. She wanted to have a life where she didn’t have to worry as much about getting cancer and having her family deal with it.
- Recovery from surgery was pretty standard and this option helps take away the fear of cancer.
- She said she was reluctant to share her story, but felt it would be important for others who have questions to learn more about this.
Dr. Lauren Nye, breast oncologist, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
- We can test for a handful of breast cancer genes as well as hundreds of genes associated with an increased risk of cancer and it's become much more accessible, meaning that cost has come down and it's covered by insurance.
- Many patients are getting this screening through genetic counselors or with their primary care doctors. It can be life changing to get that information and know your cancer risk and know that there's actions that you can take to reduce that risk.
- BRCA2 has an increased risk of male breast cancer and prostate cancer, so that is something else we are looking at more closely.
- Lisa’s risk of breast cancer is very low now and removal of her ovaries has also helped reduce her cancer risk.
- Screening is not going to prevent breast cancer, but the goal would be to detect it early at a stage where we would minimize the cancer therapies that would be needed. And then for risk reduction, we think about lifestyle modifications as well as chemo prevention agents and we do use medication to lower the risk.
- Knowledge is power.
Dr. Lyndsey Kilgore, breast surgical oncologist, The University of Kansas Cancer Center
- It can be up to 50-60 percent lifetime risk of cancer with the BRCA gene.
- Surgery is a big decision, and it’s not for everyone, but there can be a 95 percent risk reduction of cancer by being proactive.
- It also decreases the risk of lymphedema – a side effect of cancer treatments.
- We have highly trained microvascular plastic surgeons here at the University of Kansas Health System that can offer a special type of reconstructive breast surgery.
- It uses your own tissue to reconstruct your breasts so you're not having to use artificial implants. For our risk reducing mastectomies, we commonly do them together, where we do the mastectomy at the same time they get that reconstruction, so they're not having to undergo multiple surgeries.
- It's really stressful for patients when they have a strong family history of cancer. It's overwhelming and what's right for Lisa or someone else may not be right for you either. So have a consultation with us. We can help you along the way figure out what's best for your risk reduction and prevention of breast cancer.
COVID Updates
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
- The COVID inpatient count has jumped to 33 this week, an increase from 19 last week.
- We knew the virus was out there circulating and with holiday travel and gatherings, it is now showing the effects.
- RSV and flu hospital admissions are up as well.
Friday, December 15 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. When Eric Moore was diagnosed with lymphoma and needed a stem cell transplant, he had no idea the man who would ultimately save his life…was his long-lost brother.
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