Trial Evaluates Novel Blood Test for Immediate Ovarian Cancer Risk

young woman getting blood drawn

Investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have a clinical trial underway to evaluate the utility and efficacy of a novel blood test that screens women for ovarian cancer risk. Led by Kevin Elias, MD, of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the trial aims to enroll 500 women who are estimated to be at increased risk of developing the disease due to a family history of cancer or a known mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2 or another gene linked to ovarian cancer.

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Could a Drop of Blood Hold the Clues to Preventing Aortic Dissection?

Provider drawing blood from patientResearchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital are investigating genetic drivers of vascular disease to help prevent aortic dissection and aneurysm in patients with a familial risk. Using a simple blood draw, they are testing patients for genetic abnormalities that can cause the often-deadly condition.

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Study Finds Mechanical Problems of the Knee More Often Linked to Cartilage Damage Rather Than Meniscal Pathology

Women holding knee in pain

Mechanical problems with the knee, which patients may describe as locking, grinding or clicking, have traditionally been associated with meniscal tears. But a new study from investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has found that these symptoms are more often driven by cartilage damage rather than meniscal pathology.

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Are Telemedicine Visits Alone Adequate for Surgical Planning in Spine Patients?

Man doing virtual doctor's visit

In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, most health care providers quickly pivoted to telemedicine. Although elective surgeries were put on hold in the beginning of the pandemic, these surgeries eventually resumed. Continuing to move procedures forward was particularly important for the care of patients requiring orthopaedic surgeries, including spine surgery.

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Does Total Knee Replacement Offer a Good Value for Patients With Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis and Extreme Obesity?

Overweight man hiking

Total knee replacement (TKR) for the treatment of advanced knee osteoarthritis is an efficacious and cost-effective treatment, even for people with extreme obesity (defined as having a body mass index, or BMI, of 40 or higher). This finding from experts at Brigham and Women’s Hospital was published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Double Discrimination: A Call to End Pay and Gender Disparities in Gynecologic Surgery

doctor ready for surgery

The disparity in pay between gynecologic surgery and other surgical specialties has been well-established. In a recent commentary, faculty from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Northwestern University describe the history of this issue and other influences that drive what they call “double discrimination” — lower pay in an area of surgery that has the largest proportion of female surgeons and one that serves primarily female patients.

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Approach Targets Macrophages in BRCA-Linked Breast Cancer

close up of cells
A cyclic immunofluorescence image of triple-negative breast cancer tissue. Shown are tumor cells (Keratin, white), macrophages (CD163, green; CD68, cyan), T cells (red) and nuclei (blue).

PARP inhibitors have become an important part of the arsenal for treating cancers caused by BRCA mutations — including breast cancer. Recently, clinical trials have begun looking at the combination of PARP inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer, with the goal of making treatment more effective and longer lasting.

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Division Chiefs Look Back on an Unforgettable Year

Ali Tavakkoli, MD, and Richard Steven Blumberg, MDDespite the formidable challenges created by the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital General and Gastrointestinal Surgery and Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy divisions celebrated substantial achievements in 2020.

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Studying New Approaches for Immunotherapy in Renal Cancer

illustration of organ

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitor drugs is an emerging treatment for renal cell carcinoma. Now investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital have reported the results from lab research looking at a potential new way to boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.

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Fresh Embryos From Fresh Donor Eggs Improve IVF Birth Rates

D5 Blastocyst
D5 Blastocyst

A retrospective study published by JAMA and conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that transferring fresh embryos grown from freshly retrieved donor eggs resulted in a higher live birth rate compared to frozen (cryopreserved and thawed) embryos from freshly retrieved donor eggs.

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