Study shows how a protein coding gene confers breast cancer susceptibility during DNA transcription
October 11, 2021
https://news.vumc.org/2021/09/30/study-shows-how-a-protein-coding-gene-confers-breast-cancer-susceptibility-during-dna-transcription/
New research from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center provides insight into how genetic variants convey breast cancer susceptibility by altering the transcription factor proteins that convert DNA strands into RNA.
Fibroids and preterm birth
October 11, 2021
https://news.vumc.org/2021/09/30/fibroids-and-preterm-birth/
Uterine fibroids — muscular tumors that grow in the uterus — are inconsistently linked with preterm birth. Katherine Hartmann, MD, PhD, and colleagues sought to determine the association between fibroids and preterm birth by using ultrasounds early in pregnancy.
Spirituality may help reduce end-stage kidney disease risk
May 10, 2021
https://news.vumc.org/2021/03/25/spirituality-may-help-reduce-end-stage-kidney-disease-risk/
Researchers from Vanderbilt’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension have identified an under-studied characteristic that may have a protective effect on end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) risk among vulnerable populations.
Study incorporates genetics with smoking history to identify high-risk smokers for lung cancer screening
March 9, 2021
https://news.vumc.org/2021/03/09/study-incorporates-genetics-with-smoking-history-to-identify-high-risk-smokers-for-lung-cancer-screening
A study by Vanderbilt researchers that analyzed both smoking history and genetic risk variants for lung cancer supports modifying current guidelines to include additional smokers for lung cancer screening.
Geographic Variation in Women’s Colorectal Cancer Survival
February 21, 2021
https://discover.vumc.org/2021/02/geographic-variation-in-womens-colorectal-cancer-survival/
A first look into where early onset mortality spikes among U.S. women.
Women with early onset colorectal cancer have a greater risk of dying from the disease depending upon their county of residence, according to a study published in Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology.
Study shows healthy diet is associated with diverse and health-promoting microbiome
January 27, 2021
https://news.vumc.org/2021/01/27/study-shows-healthy-diet-is-associated-with-diverse-and-health-promoting-microbiome
Scientists are just beginning to understand the impact of diet on the gut microbiome and how this interaction affects human health, but baselines must first be established to yield answers.
The first large-scale, longitudinal study to evaluate this interaction among Chinese adults indicates that long-term healthy eating yields microbiome diversity and an abundance of fiber-fermenting bacteria.
Breast cancer treatment in older women
November 20, 2020
Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) plus radiotherapy is the standard-of-care for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. For women over age 70, however, radiotherapy after BCS is controversial, and U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines recommend that it may be omitted.
Study finds breast cancer recurrence score has different implications for men
November 19, 2020
https://news.vumc.org/2019/11/20/study-finds-breast-cancer-recurrence-score-has-different-implications-for-men/
The TAILORx study published last year offered good news for women with early-stage ER-positive breast cancer who scored at intermediate risk for recurrence according to a genetic assay test. The study indicated that chemotherapy after surgery provided little advantage in overall survival for these women, so they could forgo the treatment.
Making Sense of Lung Nodules: Is It Cancer?
November 18, 2020
https://discover.vumc.org/2020/11/making-sense-of-lung-nodules-is-it-cancer/
Six clinics across four U.S. states provided data for a newly validated clinical risk stratification model for lung cancer. The TREAT model (Thoracic Surgery, Research, Epidemiology, Diagnosis And Treatment) helps identify patients with suspicious lesions who are most likely to benefit from surgical biopsy. The aim is to mitigate unnecessary surgery for benign nodules and reduce delays for patients with early cancers.
Racial Disparities in Post-prostatectomy Mortality
October 7, 2020
https://discover.vumc.org/2020/10/racial-disparities-in-post-prostatectomy-mortality/
In a review of 526,690 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer, researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center found Black patients had significantly higher mortality rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) had notably lower mortality rates than non-Hispanic whites. Hispanics had slightly lower rates than non-Hispanic whites – despite lower socioeconomic status and significant underinsurance.