Author: Abhay Panchal

There is a relatively new device that was recently FDA-approved for chronic idiopathic constipation, and that’s the vibrating capsule. I think some of you may be aware of this device. So it’s a device that is FDA-approved for five times a week and is activated twice. So typically, you take it in the evening, and it activates around noon the next day, and then 6 p.m. that same day, each for 2 hours’ time. In phase 3 clinical trials, it did significantly improve the number of complete spontaneous bowel movements per week, which was statistically significant over the sham device.…

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Google has committed to funding 15 AI-driven projects that aim to enhance the provider experience and patient access to care, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Each of these projects will receive $3 million in the form of technical assistance, cash, and Google Cloud credits. Some projects will also benefit from Google.org Fellowships, where Google employees collaborate with an organization on a pro bono basis for up to half a year. Out of the 15 projects, eight are digital health initiatives:

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A study published in Gastroenterology demonstrated that the TissueCypher® Barrett’s Esophagus test, developed by Castle Biosciences, Inc., surpassed the standard of care pathology review in predicting the progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with Barrett’s esophagus (BE) initially diagnosed with low-grade dysplasia (LGD). The study involved 154 BE patients and compared the test’s performance against a panel of expert and community-based pathologists. TissueCypher showed higher sensitivity in detecting patients progressing to HGD/EAC. The test uses Artificial Intelligence to provide objective information about a patient’s risk of progressing to esophageal cancer. Key Insights:

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance to Limaca Medical for its Precision GI endoscopic ultrasound biopsy device. This clearance follows the device’s breakthrough designation in May 2022. The Precision GI device is designed to obtain biopsies for diagnosing pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers. Initial patient trials have shown that the device can obtain contiguous intact core tissue samples that are adequate for definitive diagnoses of pancreatic lesions. The device’s design features a unique motorized, automated rotational cutting needle, which offers advantages over manual hand-operated biopsy devices. The Precision GI device has demonstrated faster tissue sampling times…

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Of several potential advances in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers presented at the 2023 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, four new trials may help change the way several GI cancers are treated. In two trials, investigators looked at approaches to personalize surgery treatment plans for colon and pancreatic cancers. Two other trials evaluated targeted therapies for HER2-positive biliary tract and colorectal cancers, but more research is needed to determine which patients would be best suited to these treatments. Neoadjuvant Chemo Vs Upfront Surgery For Colon CancerIn the phase 3 NeoCol trial, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was found to…

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Research conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of Olympus has highlighted that Black Americans are 20% more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 40% more likely to succumb to it compared to other demographic groups. This research was based on a survey of 2,027 U.S. adults conducted between Feb. 23 and Feb. 27. Here are the key findings: These findings underscore the need for increased awareness and education about colon cancer screenings, especially within minority communities.

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