In this episode, Salina Lee, MD, a gastroenterologist at RUSH University Medical Center, will discuss how the detection and removal of adenomas is key to helping gastroenterologists prevent patients from developing colorectal cancer. Additionally, she will profile several colorectal cancer screening tools, as well as the latest advancements in colonoscopy, including the use of GI Genius that helps to produce higher adenoma detection rates.

“GI Genius is a novel artificial intelligence that's built into our processor to help us identify potential adenomas. You may wonder if GI Genius is helpful even amongst gastroenterologists who already have an adequate, or even good, adenoma detection rate. There’s research that shows it does increase the detection of polyps when compared to humans alone, even if they were considered experienced.”

The RUSH Multiple Sclerosis Center features a team of world-class clinicians and researchers, dedicated to offering the most advanced, comprehensive and individualized treatment protocols to patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and other autoimmune disorders affecting the central nervous system.

In this episode, Augusto Miravalle, MD, the Chief of the Section of Multiple Sclerosis at RUSH, discusses the importance of whole brain health for MS patients, his work to reach and treat underserved populations, and the vital role patient education plays for beneficial short and long-term outcomes.

“One of my priorities is to improve healthcare literacy [about MS]. It's been demonstrated that patients who have a high level of literacy do better [in their care]. They have better clinical outcomes and they have a better understanding of the importance of certain types of lifestyle interventions.”

CME Link: https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/event/492484/

Catheter-based approaches to treat congenital and structural heart diseases are providing patients with a minimally invasive option for care when they are not eligible for traditional surgery. Hussam Suradi, MD, an interventional cardiologist at RUSH who specializes in treating patients with complex coronary and peripheral artery disease, will talk about several of these interventional approaches, including TAVR, or transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and TEER, or transcatheter edge-to-edge repair to their patients.

The podcast will also profile several promising new clinical trials that are evaluating the use of the next generation of catheter-based intervention in TAVR, TEER and TTVR, or transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement.

Dr. Suradi is fellowship-trained in structural heart interventions and is skilled in treating patients with heart valve conditions, such as tight or leaky valves, and those who are born with heart defects. He is also the director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and the Structural Hybrid Lab.

“At RUSH, we specialize in the treatment of a variety of different structural heart conditions using cutting-edge transcatheter approaches. We’re also excited to take part in several trials that are helping to move patient care forward.”

Bladder cancer is a condition that primarily affects elderly patients, causing symptoms such as blood in urine, changes in urinary habits and pain during urination. It’s the fourth most common cancer among men and the eighth most common cancer among women in the United States. In this episode, Gary Steinberg, MD, discusses the challenges in managing bladder cancer, which can range from low-grade and non-invasive to high-grade and invasive. He also highlights the importance of providing patients with an early diagnosis and profiles the range of treatments available for patients today.

Dr. Steinberg is a urologist at RUSH and a national authority in the surgical treatment of bladder cancer and continent urinary tract reconstruction. He is a recognized expert in translational bladder cancer research and has made significant contributions to the understanding of both non-muscle invasive and invasive bladder cancer.

“Treatment for patients with intermediate risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is an unmet need. Most patients with intermediate risk bladder cancer have a low risk of progression, but  their risk of recurrence is quite high. Our standard form of treatment, chemotherapeutic agents, is inadequate, but we're changing the way we deliver them. We think these new ways could improve the delivery of the drugs to the bladder lining cells.”

Clinicians in the RUSH Cancer Center are continually providing tailored cancer treatment to their patients. In today’s episode with Jessica Slostad, MD, a breast oncologist in the RUSH University System for Health, she profiles one possible, future avenue for personalized medicine--organoid drug screening. Although they are still being evaluated, tumor organoid drug screening may play a key role in the evolution of personalized cancer care. This type of screening could help clinicians test the effectiveness and side effects of therapies prior to giving them to patients.

Later in the episode, she profiles the ways she treats women with pregnancy-associated breast cancer, along with the unique challenges mothers and their babies encounter during treatment.

Dr. Slostad is an assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Cellular Therapy at RUSH and specializes in breast cancer management. Her research interests include clinical and translational research with a focus on precision oncology and organoid technology.

“As we get more data and if [that data] supports the hypothesis that tumor organoids can be used as a drug screen to predict response, we would eventually look to see if we can use the tumor organoid to pick which therapy for the patient. Our data is not there yet; we first need to establish that there is concordance between the drug screen and what the patient is getting.”

CME Link: https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/event/490159/

Genetic testing plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of neuromuscular illnesses. Testing can help provide a definitive diagnosis in cases where clinical symptoms alone may not be conclusive. Neuromuscular disorders often share overlapping symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between them based solely on clinical presentation.

Rabia Malik, MD, is a neuromuscular physician in the Department of Neurology at RUSH University Medical Center and is the director of the RUSH Muscular Dystrophy Association Care Center Clinic. Rich Dineen, MS, CGC, is a certified genetic counselor in the section of Neuromuscular Diseases at RUSH.

Dr. Malik explains that “having the right clinical question is definitely the most challenging piece of neuromuscular illness [care]. You need expertise and experience in recognizing what particular neuromuscular disorder you may be dealing with because that would subsequently help with [choosing the right] genetic testing.”

CME Link: https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/event/489637/

The RUSH Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders program treats over 7,000 patients with movement disorders, the majority of whom have Parkinson's disease (PD). RUSH is currently conducting about 150 research projects related to movement disorders; half of those focus on PD. Research on PD at RUSH encompasses a wide breadth of inquiry, from clinical phenotypes to pharmacologic interventions and much more.

Deborah Hall, MD, is a neurologist and movement disorder specialist and the Division Chief of the Section of Movement Disorders at RUSH University Medical Center. She also co-leads the novel RUSH PD GI Clinic, a novel multidisciplinary clinic focused on the gastrointestinal health of patients with PD and other movement disorders.

“Gene-based therapies are a particularly exciting area of research. Over the last five years, RUSH’s goal has been to personalize treatment for PD patients. This particular strategy coincides very nicely with the worldwide gene discovery effort to look at the genetic causes of Parkinson's disease.”

CME Link:  https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/event/489645/

RUSH electrophysiologists treat patients with atrial fibrillation through a number of pharmacologic, non-surgical and surgical approaches, while also helping them modify risk factors to slow down progression of this chronic disease. Our providers treat newly diagnosed, paroxysmal, persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation. RUSH clinicians coordinate patients’ care before, during and after treatment, tailoring a multidisciplinary treatment plan that specifically meets their needs.

Dr. Erica Engelstein is an electrophysiologist in the RUSH University System for Health and an expert in treating atrial fibrillation. Her clinical interests include evaluation and treatment of patients with suspected or documented arrhythmias, including catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.

“Some patients are best managed with rate control and anticoagulation so that we don't expose those patients unnecessarily to an invasive procedure. However, if the chances of restoring and maintaining a normal heart rhythm are good--and a lot of patients fit that profile--then they may be better managed with a more aggressive approach including catheter ablation.”

CME Link:  https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/event/488912/ 

Through its participation in several stage III and IV lung cancer clinical trials, RUSH is a leader in identifying future treatments for patients with early and late-stage non-small cell lung cancer. By studying genetic mutations and analyzing genetic sequencing, RUSH is also developing new hypotheses about lung cancer progression through its partnership with Tempus.

Mary Jo Fidler, MD, is a thoracic oncologist and professor of Internal Medicine at RUSH University Medical Center. She is the Medical Oncology Section Chief in the RUSH Cancer Center and is the national principal investigator for the ADAURA trial, which is studying the effects of postoperative Osimertinib in resected EGFR+ lung cancer patients.

“We have at our fingertips an enormous amount of data [on non-small cell lung cancer]. When we generate hypotheses for tumor resistance and cancer cachexia, it is really helpful to have this large data set as we try to make sense out of the multitude of gene rearrangements, amplifications and RNA sequencing changes.”

CME Link: https://cmetracker.net/RUSH/Publisher?page=pubOpenSub#/event/489638/

Clinicians in the RUSH Spine Center take an integrated, multidisciplinary approach with the assessment and management of spine problems. They provide patients with innovative, evidence-based and individualized non-surgical and surgical treatment plans aimed at rapidly restoring function and quality of life.

Hong Wu, MD, is a physiatrist and the Director of the RUSH Spine Center. Ricardo Fontes, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgeon and the director of the RUSH Neurosurgery Residency Program.

“The success of the multidisciplinary approach is just the recognition that nobody has a set recipe for every patient,” says Dr. Fontes. “This model is very versatile and can offer a gamut of options to our patients. Surgery is not the solution for most patients and some may do very well with non-operative treatments.”