Dive deep with Torrey Smith, Co-Founder & CEO of Endiatx, as he shares his groundbreaking journey in the world of medical technology. A fascinating look into the innovative use of drone technology within the field of gastroenterology. Highlights: ▶ From Aerospace to medtech: Torrey Smith shares his journey from aerospace engineering to pioneering medical device technology. Inspired by his personal experiences and science fiction, Smith’s transition into medtech was driven by a desire to push the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare. ▶ The Creation of PillBot™: The story behind the development of PillBot™ is as intriguing as a sci-fi…
Author: Harshal Chaudhari
Zappix, a digital patient engagement solutions company, has reported a significant reduction in no-shows and late cancellations from gastroenterology and endoscopy patients using its platform. No-shows and late cancellations often reduce operational efficiency for practices and decrease patient access. They negatively impact financial stability and patient care and have ripple effects that cause other inefficiencies for practices, according to a Feb. 14 press release from Zappix. During 2023, practices using the Zappix digital platform saw a 72% decrease in no-shows and an 87% decrease in late cancellations, the press release said. read more
The article emphasizes the need for further studies to understand how to monitor individuals experiencing sudden weight loss and highlights the importance of medical evaluation in cases of unexplained weight loss. Key points from the article include: Increased Cancer Risk with Recent Weight Loss: Health care professionals who experienced recent weight loss showed a notably higher risk for a cancer diagnosis in the following year. This finding is based on a prospective cohort analysis. Common Cancers in At-Risk Individuals: The most frequent cancers among individuals with recent weight loss were those of the upper gastrointestinal tract, including esophageal, stomach, liver,…
The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) has released a new clinical guideline to address alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), particularly in light of the increasing incidence of alcohol use disorder (AUD), which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The guideline, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, provides recommendations for managing ALD and AUD. Key recommendations include avoiding alcohol consumption among individuals with underlying obesity, chronic hepatitis C infection, hepatitis B virus infection, or a history of gastric bypass. The guideline emphasizes the need for health systems to overcome barriers in treating AUD and to commit to creating a multidisciplinary care…
In this month’s The Regueiro Report, I’d like to highlight two exciting FDA approvals for moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Both approvals occurred this past October after two successful randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical trials. The first I’d like to highlight is etrasimod (Velsipity, Pfizer). Supported by data from the ELEVATE trials, this drug is the second-in-class sphingosine-1-phosphate modulator treatment, following the FDA’s earlier approval of ozanimod (Zeposia, Bristol Myers Squibb) for treating moderately to severely active UC. Both are once-daily oral pills, and both work to prevent the egress of lymphocytes from lymphoid organs into the colon,…
A team of researchers from Politecnico di Milano and Humanitas University has developed a 3D personalized model of biliary tract cancer derived from patient cells. This breakthrough, published in the Journal of Hepatology Reports, involves a microchip that serves as a patient-specific organ-on-chip. The model, only a few centimeters in size, contains microchannels that accurately represent a biliary tract cancer called cholangiocarcinoma, along with its tumor microenvironment. This 3D model is constructed from a sample of patient cancer cells, making it a personalized organ-on-chip. This technology, which merges biomedicine, physics, and engineering, aims to accelerate research on cholangiocarcinoma and advance…
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection has shown potential in predicting treatment outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. The study found that ctDNA-based detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) and ctDNA dynamics in response to adjuvant chemotherapy are highly prognostic of patient outcomes. The research involved an updated analysis from the observational GALAXY study, focusing on patients with radically resected stage II to stage IV colorectal cancer. The study used a personalized, tumor-informed assay to detect and quantify ctDNA in serial plasma samples collected at various intervals post-surgery until disease recurrence.…
A phase 2/phase 3 clinical trial investigating the efficacy of using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to guide adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with resected stage II colon cancer has been terminated due to disappointing results. The study, presented at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, found that ctDNA did not successfully predict whether these patients would benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. The trial involved 635 patients with resected stage II colon cancer who were recommended for active surveillance. They were randomly assigned to receive either standard care or ctDNA assay-directed therapy. In the experimental arm, patients with evidence of ctDNA received 6 months…
Gastroenterologist burnout has declined 2% in the last year, according to Medscape’s 2024 “Physician Burnout and Depression Report,”published Jan. 24. While 50% of GI specialists reported feeling burned out in the last year, 52% reported burnout the year prior. Gastroenterology still ranked as the fourth most burnt-out specialty in 2024, tied with anesthesiology, internal medicine and pulmonary medicine. Physician burnout overall also fell in the last year, dropping from 53% to 49%. read more
Twenty-six percent of physicians are considering leaving their primary roles as physicians to pivot to nonclinical careers, according to Medscape’s “Physicians and Nonclinical Careers Report 2023.” What’s the appeal of switching to a nonclinical career? According to the Medscape report, 25% of physicians said nonclinical careers appeal to them because they want to work fewer hours. The second most popular reason is burnout unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic, which 24% of physicians identified with. What comes after medicine? The most popular career physicians are considering switching to is education and teaching, which 42% are considering. Thirty-one percent are considering healthcare business companies, and 21%…