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Headlines Archive From June 2005

WSU study shows disparate lung cancer risk between African Americans, whites
Originally posted on June 29, 2005
First-degree relatives of black individuals with early-onset lung cancer have twice the risk of lung cancer than first-degree relatives of white individuals with early-onset lung cancer, according to a Wayne State University School of Medicine study in the June 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Cigarette smoking has long been established as the major risk factor for lung cancer in the general population, according to background information in the article. However, the concentration of cases of a disease in families has also been identified as a risk factor. Greatest risk is seen in families with early-onset disease -- or younger than 50 years at diagnosis -- compared with those whose onset of lung cancer occurred at older ages. Researchers have determined that genetic predisposition to lung cancer exists.

Approximately 173,770 new diagnoses of lung cancer were estimated to have occurred in the United States in 2004; Early-onset cases represent 6.7 percent of these cases

Michele L. Cote, Ph.D., a WSU assistant professor at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, and colleagues conducted a study to estimate the lifetime risk of lung cancer by race, smoking status and family history of early-onset lung cancer. This information could be used to identify high-risk individuals and to counsel families with a history of early-onset lung cancer.

The researchers analyzed data from incident cases and controls that occurred between 1990 and 2003 in metropolitan Detroit. The study included 7,576 biological mothers, fathers, and siblings of 629 early-onset cases and 773 controls. One-third of the population was black.

The researchers found that relatives of black patients with early-onset lung cancer had more than twice the risk of lung cancer compared with relatives of white patients with early-onset lung cancer after adjusting for age, sex, pack-years, pneumonia and chronic obstructive lung disease.

"This finding could be the result of a higher degree of underlying susceptibility or aggregation of unmeasured risk factors for lung cancer in black families," the authors wrote.

The researchers also found that smokers with a family history of early-onset lung cancer in a first-degree relative had a higher risk of developing lung cancer with increasing age than smokers without a family history. An increase in risk occurs after age 60 years in these individuals, with 17.1 percent of white case relatives and 25.1 percent of black case relatives diagnosed with lung cancer by age 70 years.

"Family history assessment should be included when evaluating smokers or those presenting with symptoms consistent with lung disease. Further characterization of high-risk individuals is important to provide clinicians with counseling tools and to enhance the effectiveness of screening programs," according to the study. "Family history of early-onset lung cancer in a first-degree relative should be considered a risk factor in other relatives older than 18 years. As knowledge about risk factors (other than tobacco use) for lung cancer increases, physicians may be more likely to consider lung cancer as a differential diagnosis in their young patients. Earlier diagnosis and intervention may reduce mortality and morbidity in this population. Ongoing trials should evaluate the usefulness of screening modalities among those with a family history of early-onset lung cancer."

 

Save the Date: Pathfinders in Medicine to be Oct. 8
Originally posted on June 29, 2005

Pathfinders in Medicine, a WSU School of Medicine black-tie event established in 2000 to honor outstanding vision and leadership in medicine, scientific research and the availability of quality health care within the community, will be at 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8, in Ford Field. This year's honorees include:

  • Larry Fleischman, M.D., president of Children's Hospital;
  • Henry McKinnell, chairman and CEO of Pfizer;
  • Tina Kelley (posthumously), a WSU School of Medicine resident dedicated to serving children who was killed in a car accident Feb. 4;
  • Roberto Romero, M.D., head of National Institutes of Health's Perinatology Research Branch at the WSU School of Medicine;
  • Ebony Rucker, a WSU School of Medicine third-year student; and
  • Sophie Womack, M.D., president of the Detroit Medical Center medical staff and chief neonatologist at Sinai-Grace Hospital.

Proceeds from Pathfinders in Medicine go to scholarship funds, including the The Black Medical Association of Wayne State University Endowed Grant Fund and the Charles F. Whitten, M.D., Post-Baccalaureate Fund. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact Sue Helderop at Sue Helderop (313) 993-4179 or sheldero@med.wayne.edu.

Tech Tri-Corridor awards WSU School of Medicine researchers more than $5.3 million
Originally posted on June 22, 2005
Six WSU School of Medicine researchers received more than $5.3 million in the 2005 round of funding from the Michigan Technology Tri-Corridor, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. that fosters growth in advanced automotive technologies,  homeland security and life sciences.

In addition, two researchers from the WSU College of Science received two additional grants totaling more than $1.5 million. WSU researchers accounted for about a quarter of research funds awarded, which totaled $27.3 million.

The grants were the result of a competitive, peer-reviewed process including researchers at Michigan public universities and entrepreneurs working to commercialize technology-based products that have potential to enhance and extend life. The program seeks to fund the best basic research, applied research and commercialization projects in Michigan and encourages collaboration between researchers and technology companies. 

Grant recipients include:

  • Dr. Ewart Haacke, WSU professor of radiology, who received about $2 million for "A National Center of Excellence for Magnetic Resonance Imaging";
  • Dr. Li Hsieh, WSU assistant professor of audiology and speech pathology in the College of Science, who received about $1.2 million for "Investigation of Neural Mechanisms of Driving Safety and Speech Distraction Using fMRI and MEG Imaging"
  • Dr. Charles Shanley, WSU associate professor of surgery, who received about $950,000 for "Congestive Heart Failure Monitoring Using an Improved Wireless Intraventricular Pressure Sensor";
  • Dr. Jack Sobel, WSU professor and division chief of infectious disease, who received about $908,000 for "Microfluidics PCR Diagnosis of Fungal Infection";
  • Dr. Krishna Rao Maddipati, WSU assistant professor of radiation oncology, who received about $570,000 for "Anticancer Prodrug Development Program";
  • Dr. Russell Finley, WSU associate professor in the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, who received $501,000 for "Tools for Drug Target Discovery and Development of Diagnostics and Vaccines for Pathogenic Bacteria";
  • Dr. Otto Muzik, WSU associate professor of radiology, who received about $391,000 for "Software Tools for Neuroimaging in Epilepsy"; and
  • Dr. Jing Hua, WSU assistant professor of computer science in the College of Science, who received about $275,000 for "Virtual Histology with Volumetric Computerized Tomography."
Amniotic sludge indicates a high risk of infection, preterm delivery, WSU study shows
Originally posted on June 15, 2005

A curious residue of particulate matter, or sludge, that is visible in amniotic fluid via ultrasound may represent an undetected infection and put patients at risk for impending preterm delivery, according to an award-winning report by Jimmy Espinoza, M.D., WSU assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and member of the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Dr. Espinoza's retrospective analysis of transvaginal ultrasounds found that 22.6 percent of subjects who had preterm labor with intact membranes, had amniotic fluid “sludge.” In contrast, this sonographic finding was found in only 1 percent of patients with uncomplicated pregnancies at term. In addition, amniotic fluid sludge was also associated with microbiological and histological evidence of intrauterine infection. The report deduces that the infection may be triggering preterm labor in patients with amniotic fluid “sludge.”

“Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity is generally prevented by the normally functioning immune system; but microorganisms can sometimes penetrate intact membranes and invade the amniotic cavity. The maternal and fetal host response would be the local accumulation of proinflammatory cells and their products to prevent bacterial colonization; however micro-organisms may protect themselves by embedding in matrices of polymeric compounds that they produce. We believe the amniotic fluid sludge may represent these clusters of bacteria and pro-inflammatory cells,” Dr. Espinoza said.

The composition of the sludge is still uncertain, but according to this study, the presence of sludge is significantly associated with a higher frequency of positive amniotic fluid cultures and histologic chorioamninitis, compared to those subjects with no visible residue.

“We propose that this sonographic sign may identify patients at risk for microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, a condition present in at least 40 percent of all preterm deliveries.” Dr. Espinoza said.

This research presentation won first place in its category at the 14th World Congress of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Co-authors include the following WSU and PRB researchers: Drs. Roberto Romero, Luis Gonçalves, Jyh Kae Nien, Susan Stites, Y.M. Kim, Sonia Hassan, Ricardo Gomez, Bo Hyun Yoon, Tinnakorn, Chaiworapongsa, Wesley Lee and Moshe Mazor.

 

Journal's picture of the month from WSU
Originally posted on June 15, 2005

Wayne State University 's Dr. Jimmy Espinoza captured the cover of the May Journal of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology with a novel three/four-dimensional ultrasound rendering of a fetal heart.

His featured article describes a novel rendering algorithm called the inversion mode with which he has obtained more accurate views of the venous connections of the fetal heart, allowing diagnosis of abnormalities. The inversion mode is a sonographic modality that transforms translucent heart and vascular structures into echogenic voxels, allowing them to become visible through ultrasound. Other fluid-filled structures including the stomach and bladder can also be seen as echogenic structures with this new rendering modality.

Using three- and four-dimensional ultrasound, volumes are obtained and analyzed to visualize veins that may range from only 1 to 4 mm in the fetus which are difficult to see with two-dimensional ultrasound. “This new rendering modality allows us to see more anatomical detail than before and could potentially improve the prenatal diagnosis of abnormal systemic venous connections to the fetal heart,” Dr. Espinoza said.

Co-authors on the study include Drs. Luis Gonçalves, Wesley Lee, Moshe Mazor and Roberto Romero.

239 medical students graduate at commencement
Originally posted on June 8, 2005
Cheers of joy erupted as 239 WSU School of Medicine students officially became doctors.This year's ceremony featured a talk by New York Times medical reporter Dr. Lawrence K. Altman as well as a posthumous Distinguished Service Award for the late Dr. James Hazlett, former assistant dean for basic science education.

Watch for highlights of the ceremony to be posted on the WSU School of Medicine's streaming server at http://www.med.wayne.edu/news_media/streamingmedia/somevents/index.asp.

Visit WSU Physician Group booth at Detroit Festival of the Arts
Originally posted on June 8, 2005

Wayne State University Physician Group's Active Health Solutions will be hosting a booth at this weekend's Detroit Festival of the Arts. Learn more about AHS's programs, which are designed to empower individuals and organizations by providing the tools they need to take charge of their health as well as their budgets. For more on Active Health Solutions, please visit http://www.wsupg.org/specialty/ahs/.

The Detroit Festival of the Arts runs Friday, June 10, through Sunday, June 12. For more information, please visit http://www.detroitfestival.com/.