VIDEO: Patient advocate pushes for shared decision-making in breast cancer care

In this video, Hope S. Rugo, MD, discusses the keynote address given by patient advocate Kelly Shanahan, MD, who has used her experience with metastatic breast cancer to help others with a similar diagnosis.
Shanahan is an OB/GYN and president of the board of directors for METAvivor, a volunteer-driven organization that funds breast cancer research.
She also is an inspiring “strong international advocate,” according to Rugo, director of the Women’s Cancers Program and chief of breast medical oncology at City of Hope.
During the address, Shanahan shared how she searches for

Vigorous exercise boosts quality of life in long QT syndrome

In children with long QT syndrome, vigorous exercise was linked to better physical and psychosocial quality of life compared with nonvigorous exercise, researchers reported at Heart Rhythm 2026.
As Healio previously reported, in the main results of LIVE-LQTS, people with long QT syndrome who exercised vigorously did not have increased risk for death or ventricular arrhythmias compared with those who exercised nonvigorously.
Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD, Windland Smith Rice Cardiovascular Genomics Research Professor and professor of medicine, pediatrics and pharmacology at Mayo Clinic College of

Deep venous arterialization improves outcomes in ‘no option’ CLTI

Transcatheter deep venous arterialization was tied to high rates of limb salvage and wound healing in patients with “no option” chronic limb-threatening ischemia, a speaker reported.
The minimally invasive procedure (LimFlow) also improved patients’ quality of life, with many reporting fewer circulation-related concerns and returning to social activities, according to results of the PROMISE III trial presented at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions Scientific Sessions & Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology/Association Canadienne de cardiologie

‘We need to change the conversation’: Tips for assessing CV risk in South Asian adults

LAS VEGAS — South Asian adults have increased cardiovascular risk compared with other racial-ethnic groups and should undergo screening as early as age 40 years, according to a speaker.
Multiple studies have found South Asian adults have increased risk for outcomes such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and CV mortality, said Rachna Relwani, MD, an endocrinologist and founder of DesiDil in Atlanta. Additionally, Relwani said CV outcomes tend to occur earlier in South Asian adults than other racial-ethnic groups. During a talk at the American Association of Clinical

Improved mortality outweighs cognitive risks in GLP-1 analog use

CHICAGO — Although GLP-1 analogs were associated with increased risks for cognitive impairment, they had a larger, protective effect for mortality, according to speaker at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.
“Cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity rank among the top threats to public health,” Isaac Thorman, MSc, a rising fourth-year medical student at New York Medical College, said during his presentation.
The burdens of cognitive impairment and dementia also will increase with the aging population. Further, he said, the long-term vascular effects of GLP-1 analogs among

Improved communication of post-intensive care syndrome needed

There is room for improvement in discussing post-intensive care syndrome with ICU patients and their families, as ICU providers and patients had low awareness of this syndrome, according to survey findings published in CHEST.
“Our ICU patients experience challenges during their recovery, especially cognitive changes and mental health distress, that unfortunately come at a complete surprise to them,” Mark L. Rolfsen, MD, MSCI, clinical fellow in the division of allergy, pulmonary and critical care medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told Healio. “Short conversations or mention of

KT-621 gets FDA fast track designation for eosinophilic asthma

The FDA granted fast track designation to KT-621 for treating patients with moderate to severe eosinophilic asthma, according to a press release from Kymera Therapeutics.
The release outlined that KT-621 (Kymera Therapeutics) is a first-in-class oral STAT6 degrader taken once a day that has also received fast track designation for treating moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.
Fast track designation is intended to ease the development path and expedite the review of novel therapeutic drugs that meet an unmet, urgent medical need to address rare or serious conditions. Any therapy that receives

CAR T-cell therapy may prevent progression of smoldering myeloma

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy conferred sustained benefit to individuals with high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma, according to phase 2 trial results.
All patients who received a single infusion of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykti; Johnson & Johnson, Legend Biotech) — administered with no induction or bridging therapy — achieved minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity within 2 months.
All patients remained MRD negative and none had progressed to active multiple myeloma by data cutoff, findings presented at American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting showed.
“We

Duodenal mucosal resurfacing helps maintain GLP-1 weight loss

CHICAGO — Duodenal mucosal resurfacing helped prevent weight regain following tirzepatide discontinuation, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week.
Data from the randomized REMAIN-1 trial showed that individuals who did not undergo duodenal mucosal resurfacing (Revita, Fractyl Health) regained approximately 40% more weight than those who received the investigational outpatient procedure.
“This procedure could fundamentally change how we think about GLP-1 therapy, providing an off-ramp for patients who either can’t or don’t want to be on these drugs long term with a minimally

Gut microbe may alter diagnosis, treatment of lupus nephritis

A common gut bacterium may be implicated in lupus kidney disease, and could potentially alter the diagnosis and treatment of lupus nephritis going forward, according to findings published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
“The theory is that the kidney disease in many patients is driven by a single bacteria,” Gregg Silverman, MD, of the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, told Healio. “If we can then eradicate that bacteria with a short course of antibiotic, we may be able to turn off the progressive kidney damage before the damage is irreversible.”