Drug Shows Promise for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treatment

A new investigational drug called Regorafenib has been shown to shrink tumor size and improve overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Research was presented at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology by Axel Grothey, M.D. of Mayo Clinic.

News Release Regorafenib clinical trial2

Journalists: The following video and audio clips are available for download and use in your post-embargo stories.

Study Overview:   MOV    MP3

Idea Behind The Drug:   MOV    MP3

Study Results:    MOV    MP3

Below is a link to an edited youtube video with Dr. Grothey that you can embed with your stories. It will be made public when the embargo lifts.

“Mayo Clinic has provided hope and solutions for tens of thousands of Canadians over the past 90 years. We look forward to the opportunity to extend our expertise to Canadians through the MyCare offering,” says David Hayes, M.D., medical director of the International Office at Mayo Clinic. “Our Canadian patients, just like those from the U.S. and other parts of the world, tell us that they appreciate our team approach, the breadth of our knowledge and expertise, and our efficiency. They entrust their care to Mayo Clinic because they are able to find answers and peace of mind. It is our honor and privilege to provide timely, high-quality care to over a half million patients each year, in virtually every subspecialty of medicine.”

Below is an edited youtube video with Dr. Hayes discussing MyCare.

Here is this inspirational story…a true example of collaboration.

Follow these other links to coverage from other media:

USA Today
ABC World News with Diane Sawyer
CBS The Early Show

Click here to watch a video of Mayo One flight paramedic Bruce Goodman describe the emergency.

Click here to watch an interview with Mayo Clinic Dr. Roger White explain the medical event that saved a life.

Dr. David Knopman, a Mayo Clinic neurologist and Alzheimer’s disease specialist is not surprised by those results, and explains why in the video below.

For more information on the event and registration, click here.

Dr. Sharonne Hayes, M.D., director, Women’s Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic, provides an overview of what to expect and why it’s important for journalists.

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To ensure the safety of all patients and confirm that these incidents were isolated, Mayo Clinic quickly identified all patients who could have been placed at risk by the former employee’s actions and urged them to be tested for hepatitis C.

Since August 2010, Mayo Clinic tested approximately 3,500 patients to determine whether the actions of a former employee exposed them to the virus that causes hepatitis C. This testing is now complete and has identified two more patients who tested positive for hepatitis C that may be related to the former employee’s actions. These patients are receiving appropriate follow-up care.

During the investigation, Mayo Clinic has focused on meeting the needs of the patients who may have been affected by the former employee’s actions. Staff notified patients of test results, answered questions and worked diligently with the Florida Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mayo Clinic has provided free testing, care for affected patients, counseling and a 24-hour information line. The system in place to control narcotics has been strengthened to create even tighter controls, such as putting in place additional narcotic safety and security measures and incorporating procedural changes. Mayo Clinic also expanded its health care drug-screening panel for potential new hires.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to provide safe and effective care to all of our patients,” says Dr. William C. Rupp, chief executive officer of Mayo Clinic in Florida. “Our persistent, 3 1/2 year investigation helped uncover the source of the infections. We appreciate the support and understanding of our patients throughout this process.”

Mayo Clinic continues to cooperate with law enforcement and defers to them regarding any questions on legal aspects of the criminal case.

UPDATED: 9-20-10

Mayo Clinic continues to work diligently to address the safety of all patients who were potentially put at risk by one person’s unauthorized activity.

In the last two weeks, Mayo Clinic’s efforts have focused on meeting the needs of patients who received letters asking them to undergo testing, notifying patients of testing results, answering questions and working diligently on this complex process with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of Sunday, Sept. 19, labs have been drawn or scheduled for approximately 2,400 patients. Positive results will be reported to the DOH and CDC. Mayo Clinic will not publicly disclose test results. Patients who receive a positive result will be assigned a care coordinator to answer questions, coordinate appointments and care at Mayo Clinic or ensure a smooth transition of information to the patient’s primary care physician. Patients who receive a negative result are provided a personal contact to answer questions.

The safety and proper care of patients remains Mayo Clinic’s most important concern. Our continuing review of patient records has been augmented by independent data assurance firms to help make certain we have identified every patient that may be at risk. Beginning today, 2,100 additional patients are being sent letters advising them to undergo hepatitis C testing. The additional patients are primarily those who received care in Interventional Radiology at St. Luke’s Hospital from 2004 to April 11, 2008, when Mayo Clinic owned St. Luke’s Hospital.

“We want to ensure that every patient who might be at risk is tested,” says Dr. William C. Rupp, chief executive officer of Mayo Clinic in Florida. “Thanks to the diligent work of our team of data specialists, along with the outside data assurance firms and consultation with the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are confident that we are at a point where we’ve identified the vast majority of patients who were put at risk by this former employee.”

Patients who receive letters and have questions about the testing can call the toll-free hotline, staffed by Mayo Clinic nurses, at 877-956-1768. It is available every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT.

“Mayo Clinic will do whatever is necessary to support the needs of its patients,” says Dr. Rupp. “Patient safety is central to the trust the organization shares with its patients.  Mayo Clinic is working to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. The multiple systems in place to control narcotics are being strengthened further to create even tighter control.”

Further information about hepatitis C is available on the Mayo Clinic website at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-c/DS00097 or the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/

Mayo will continue to provide regular updates as information becomes available.

Additional Contacts:

Florida Department of Health:  Rob Hayes or Eulinda Smith at 850 -245-4111

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  Joe Quimby at 404-639-3286

Duval County Health Department:  Robert Harmon, M.D., 904-630-3220

Journalists: The following video clips are available for download and use in your stories.

Soundbites:

Dr. Rupp

Broll of Mayo Clinic performing a typical blood draw.

Clip 1

Clip 2

Broll of the Hepatitis C Hotline Call Center.

Clip  1

Clip  2

Clip 3

Below is a link to an edited youtube video with Dr. Rrupp that you can embed with your stories.

UPDATED:  9-2-10

Last week, information was shared about a Mayo Clinic employee who admitted to stealing pain medication intended for patients and put them at risk.  His admission unlocked a key to the puzzle we had been piecing together with the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more than three years.   A comprehensive criminal investigation of the former employee’s actions is underway. Mayo is cooperating completely.

Today Mayo Clinic leaders briefed reporters on what is being done on behalf of patients, given the actions of this individual.  Letters are being sent to more than three thousand patients who may have had contact with the individual, informing them of their potential risk, and steps to be tested for infection.  A timeline of the investigation to this point was also released.  Click here to view it.

Additional Contacts:

Florida Department of Health

Robyn Kay, M.P.H., Regional Epidemiologist

Rob Hayes, Communications Director
Eulinda Smith, Deputy Communications Director
850 -245-4111

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Joe Quimby, Press Officer
Rosa Herrera, Press Officer
404-639-3286

Duval County Health Department

Robert Harmon, M.D.
904-630-3220

Below is video from this afternoon’s news briefing.

8-30-10

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic is working closely with the Florida Department of Health and in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine which patients should undergo follow-up testing after the Clinic last week discovered that a now, former employee put patients at risk for exposure to hepatitis C.

Mayo Clinic terminated the radiology technologist’s employment after he admitted stealing injectable fentanyl for personal use.  His admission came after he was questioned about why his strain of hepatitis C infection was found to be similar to the strain of hepatitis C in three patients who underwent interventional radiology procedures over the last four years.  For more details, see Mayo Clinic’s news blog at http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/2010/08/24/employee-terminated-after-confessing-to-drug-diversion/.

“We find it heartbreaking that the actions of this single individual may have impacted some of our patients,” said William C. Rupp, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida. “We are devoted to meeting patient needs as we respond to this situation. We pride ourselves on offering safe, high-quality patient care. Patients have my firm commitment and the commitment of our entire team that Mayo Clinic will do everything possible to maintain the trust they have placed in us.”

The number of patients who might be affected is still being determined. Mayo Clinic will send letters to these patients and will make hepatitis C testing available at no charge to them. Specific details about testing options for patients who are at risk will be released later this week.

Patients who have questions or may be concerned that they may be at risk of infection can call the toll-free hotline at 877-956-1768 or 904-956-1768. Mayo Clinic nurses staffing the hotline can answer questions or concerns from patients about hepatitis C. Approximately 725 people have called the hotline since it was established last Wednesday.

Further information about hepatitis C is available on the Mayo Clinic website at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-c/DS00097 or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/PDFs/HepCGeneralFactSheet.pdf.

Mayo Clinic will provide additional information about this situation as it becomes available.

Already saving patients’ lives, the project has examined more than 15 million images from thousands of patients since the project began in early July. It uses technology that combines advanced imaging with analytics to highlight likely aneurysms for faster detection. This helps radiologists identify them before they result in brain hemorrhage or neurological damage. In the future, Mayo Clinic expects to use the same approach for other radiology detection tests such as the diagnosis of cancer or vessel anomalies in other parts of the body.
“This fully automatic scheme is significant in helping radiologists detect aneurysms in magnetic resonance angiography exams,” says Mayo radiologist Bradley Erickson, M.D., senior author of the study and co-director of the Medical Imaging Informatics Innovation Center at Mayo Clinic.

Click here to read the entire release.

Mayo Clinic has received three patients from the I-90 tour bus accident. In addition, 11 patients were transported to Austin Medical Center and eight were admitted. Six patients were transported to Albert Lea Medical Center and three were admitted. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety confirmed that there were two fatalities.

Mayo Clinic is also responding to two additional, unrelated accidents: an auto/school bus accident on Hwy. 63 north of Rochester, with 10 patients transported to Mayo Clinic; and an ambulance/car accident in downtown Rochester with five patients transported to Mayo Clinic.

Vertebroplasty is a widely applied procedure in which medical cement is injected into the spine to relieve pain and improve function in patients who have osteoporotic fractures. This study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was the first of its kind, using a double-blinded research model to examine the impact of vertebroplasty.

“Though the medical community has been using vertebroplasty for many years, there were no research results to prove whether the efficacy of the treatment relates to the cement injections, patient expectations, or other factors,” says the study’s leader, David Kallmes, M.D., a Mayo Clinic physician who specializes in radiology and neurosurgery.

“The cement is a permanent medical implant, and there is some concern that it places patients at future risk for additional spinal fractures.”

Click here to read the entire release.

Below is a link to an edited youtube video with Dr.Kallmes.