In a compelling episode of The Scope, retired gastroenterologist Dr. Shanker Mukherjee shares how he diagnosed himself with IgG4-related disease, a rare autoimmune condition, after experiencing persistent back pain and inconclusive test results. Initially suspected to have lymphoma, Dr. Mukherjee’s deep dive into his own medical data led him to uncover the correct diagnosis. He joins Dr. Allison Yang, medical director of Weill Cornell’s Pancreas Program, to discuss the diagnostic challenges of this elusive disease and emerging treatment approaches. The episode offers a unique look at the intersection of clinical expertise and personal health journeys.
Author: Abhay Panchal
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., abruptly canceled a scheduled meeting of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — a long-standing, nonpartisan panel that issues evidence-based recommendations on preventive health services like cancer screenings and STI testing. This cancellation, coming on the heels of Kennedy’s dismissal of CDC vaccine advisers, has raised alarm among health experts and lawmakers who fear the task force may be the next target in a political reshaping of public health policy. Critics argue this move threatens the task force’s integrity and could disrupt access to free…
Private equity-backed consolidation is rapidly reshaping gastroenterology. Nearly 10% of U.S. gastroenterologists now work in PE-owned practices, and from 2019 to 2023, at least 108 GI practices were consolidated. In 2023 alone, over a dozen GI companies expanded their footprint. Gregory Brennan, MD, a gastroenterologist based in Mansfield, Texas, spoke with Becker’s about what he’s seeing in his region — where deals involving both primary care and specialty groups are increasingly common.
Abridge has secured $300 million in Series E funding led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from Khosla Ventures, to scale its AI-driven clinical documentation and revenue cycle management (RCM) platform. Already deployed in over 150 enterprise health systems across 55 specialties and 28 languages, Abridge is transforming point-of-care conversations into real-time, compliant clinical notes and billing codes. Its Contextual Reasoning Engine supports the latest CMS-HCC guidelines, helping clinicians capture accurate diagnoses and documentation without added cognitive burden. Clinician burnout has dropped by 60–70% among users, and over 90% continue using Abridge meaningfully. With this funding, Abridge aims to further…
🧪 Study Purpose This study evaluated how well ChatGPT-4.0 responds to both clinical and patient questions about Barrett’s Esophagus (BE). Researchers wanted to test its accuracy, empathy, readability, and overall usefulness as a tool for patient education. 🧭 Methods 📊 Key Findings DimensionChatGPT-4Notes✅ Accuracy79.3% responses rated “completely” or “mostly accurate”Acceptable, but not flawless.📚 CompletenessHigh completeness score (>4/5)Responses were comprehensive.❤️ EmpathyModerate (mean ~3/5)Slightly less than doctors.🧠 Clarity/UnderstandabilityOften clearer than doctors’ responsesPatients found ChatGPT easier to follow.🗳 Patient Preference84.4% preferred ChatGPT’s responsesLiked the tone, format, and ease of understanding. 💬 Conclusion ChatGPT-4 delivered accurate, comprehensible, and generally preferred responses about Barrett’s Esophagus…
Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a next-generation liquid biopsy test that detects early-stage colorectal cancer with 95% accuracy—a significant leap over existing non-invasive tests. Unlike conventional methods that rely on circulating tumor DNA, this new approach analyzes RNA modifications in both human and microbial cell-free RNA found in the blood. Led by Dr. Chuan He and in collaboration with gastroenterologist Dr. Marc Bissonnette, the study revealed that changes in microbial RNA activity—triggered by tumor-induced shifts in the gut microbiome—can serve as ultrasensitive biomarkers for early cancer detection. This method bypasses a major limitation in early diagnostics: the…
A recent JAMA Health Forum study highlights a growing concern in gastroenterology: colonoscopy prices have risen significantly faster at private equity-acquired practices than at independent ones — by about 4.5% overall, and 6.7% in high-market-share areas. Despite these price hikes, the quality of care remains statistically unchanged, based on six standard measures. Lead researcher Dr. Daniel Arnold of Brown University notes that while consolidation may offer operational efficiency, it’s not translating to better outcomes. “Higher prices without better quality challenges the justification often given for consolidation,” he said. As the pressure of consolidation increases, GI physicians are left weighing trade-offs…
Exact Sciences has announced a major milestone: its Oncodetect™ MRD test for colorectal cancer has secured Medicare coverage through CMS’s MolDX program. The test can now be used serially in patients with stage II, III, and resectable stage IV CRC over a five-year period for adjuvant and recurrence monitoring. Why it matters: The highly sensitive, tumor-informed test tracks up to 200 ctDNA variants and can detect signs of cancer recurrence up to two years earlier than imaging alone. This opens the door to more personalized and timely treatment for millions of Americans eligible for MRD testing across solid tumors.
Burnout, saturation, and a changing healthcare landscape are prompting physicians worldwide to rethink their professional paths — not necessarily to leave medicine, but to realign with their values, goals, and lifestyle. In a compelling feature by Anna Carolina Rodrigues for Medscape, the story follows Dr. Layla Almeida, an infectious disease specialist from Brazil, who transitioned from traditional practice to becoming a strategic advisor for healthcare startups. Her story reflects a broader trend: more doctors are reconsidering what fulfillment and sustainability look like in a profession they once entered with clarity and conviction. The number of doctors in Brazil alone has…
A new chapter published by Springer Nature dives deep into one of the most promising frontiers in oncology: the use of gut microbiota as a noninvasive biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC) detection and monitoring. Titled “Diagnostic Approaches for Colorectal Cancer: Gut Microbiota–Based Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Detection and Monitoring”, the chapter is part of the book Role of Gut Microbiota and Postbiotics for Colorectal Cancer and is authored by K. Sandhanam, Bedanta Bhattacharjee, M. Sumithra, Ram Kumar Sahu, and Jiyauddin Khan. The authors explore the rapidly growing body of evidence that links shifts in the gut microbiome to CRC progression.…