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Mass General Brigham


Research Spotlight: Lipid nanoparticle therapy developed to stop tumor growth and restore tumor suppression

Researchers developed a novel approach using lipid nanoparticles to deliver mRNA and siRNA, restoring tumor suppressors and inhibiting tumor drivers in prostate cancer cells. This technique holds promise for treating various types of cancer by targeting specific pathways related to tumor growth and suppression.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalACS Nanoscience Au·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 9, 2025

Cancer-preventing topical immunotherapy trains the immune system to fight precancers

A new study by Mass General Brigham researchers reveals that a novel immunotherapy can eliminate precancerous spots and prevent skin cancer through the activation of specific immune cells. The therapy successfully cleared over 95% of facial lesions and showed long-term efficacy, with benefits lasting up to five years after treatment.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 2, 2025

Leveraging AI to assist clinicians with physical exams

A new study found that large language models can provide useful physical exam recommendations and instructions based on patient symptoms. The researchers used GPT-4 to recommend physical exam instructions and evaluated its performance by three attending physicians, scoring at least 80% of the possible points.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of Medical Artificial Intelligence·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 18, 2024

Research Spotlight: Improving liver cancer outcomes through enhanced immunotherapy

Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in treating liver cancer, with a new study revealing the potential of anti-CXCR4 therapy to reprogram the 'cold' microenvironment. The combination of anti-CXCR4 and PD1 blockades enhances intratumoral dendritic cell activation and immune responses against hepatocellular carcinoma.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalCancer Immunology Research·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 13, 2024

Mass General Brigham research leads to new insights on preventing brain injury after cardiac arrest

A team of researchers from Mass General Brigham has identified changes in immune cells that can predict patient recovery after cardiac arrest. The study suggests that a particular population of cells may provide protection against brain injury and a drug that can activate these cells, improving neurological outcomes in preclinical stud...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateDec 4, 2024

Mass General Brigham researchers find too much sitting hurts the heart

A new study by Mass General Brigham researchers found that excessive sedentary behavior increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death. Even among individuals who meet guideline levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sitting for extended periods can still pose significant health risks. The study's findings sugg...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·TypeObservational study·DateNov 15, 2024

Clinical trial shows positive results for potential treatment to combat a challenging rare disease

A phase 3 clinical trial has demonstrated that inebilizumab significantly reduced the risk of symptoms in patients with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) by 87%. The treatment, which depletes CD19-expressing B cells, shows promise for improving patient outcomes and reducing the need for immunosuppressive treatment.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateNov 14, 2024

Mass General Brigham experts develop laboratory toolkit for patients with viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Marburg virus disease

The toolkit provides a base plan for collecting, processing, and reporting laboratory test results from VHF suspects, as well as guidance on infection prevention and control. It aims to bolster local preparedness efforts by offering scalable resources for healthcare facilities to develop practical action plans for isolation and initial...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalInfection Control·DateOct 25, 2024

Study of former NFL players finds 1 in 3 believe they have CTE

A new study of nearly 2,000 former NFL players shows that about one-third believe they have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition linked to repeated head trauma. Players who believed they had CTE reported more cognitive problems and higher rates of treatable conditions such as depression and low testosterone.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJAMA Neurology·TypeObservational study·DateSep 23, 2024

Clinical trial successfully repurposes cancer drug for hereditary bleeding disorder

A clinical trial found that an oral cancer drug reduced nosebleed severity and improved quality of life in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). The PATH-HHT study showed significant improvements in disease manifestations, including severe nosebleeds and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateSep 18, 2024

Black women have a higher risk of dying from all types of breast cancer, meta-analysis reveals

A meta-analysis by Mass General Brigham researchers found that Black women face higher mortality rates from breast cancer across all tumor subtypes, attributed to socioeconomic inequality, delayed diagnosis, and inadequate access to timely quality treatment. This disparity is not limited to hormone-positive tumors, with differences als...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 17, 2024

Generative AI model study shows no racial or sex differences in opioid recommendations for treating pain

A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers found that large language models demonstrated no racial or gender discrimination in opioid treatment recommendations. The results suggest that these AI models have the potential to reduce bias and improve health equity in pain management, which is a critical area where disparities exist.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalPain·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 16, 2024

Obesity may increase susceptibility to contracting COVID-19

A new study by Mass General Brigham has found that obesity may be an important risk factor for infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Individuals with obesity were 34% more likely to become COVID positive after reported exposure than those without obesity, indicating a possible link between obesity and increased transmission risk.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalPNAS Nexus·TypeObservational study·DateSep 4, 2024

AI tool offers more accurate detection of immune-related adverse events in cancer patients

A Mass General Brigham-led study found that a large language model improves the accuracy of immune-related adverse event detection, identifying additional cases not picked up by manual adjudication. The model demonstrated excellent specificity and sensitivity, opening up opportunities for collaboration among institutions.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 3, 2024

International study detects consciousness in unresponsive patients

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that brain scans can detect consciousness in some unresponsive patients with severe brain injury. The study, co-led by Mass General Brigham, discovered that 25% of participants with severe brain injury who appeared unresponsive responded to instructions covertly.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateAug 14, 2024

Research spotlight: Generative AI “drift” and “nondeterminism” inconsistences are important considerations in healthcare applications

A Mass General Brigham study highlights inconsistencies in generative AI that can affect patient safety if not addressed. The researchers found 'drift' (model performance changes over time) and 'nondeterminism' (inconsistent results between runs) in their tests, emphasizing the need for repeated testing and monitoring.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalNEJM AI·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 12, 2024

Study finds regular aspirin use associated with greatest reduction in colorectal cancer among those most at risk

A study published in JAMA Oncology found that regular aspirin use significantly lowers the risk of colorectal cancer in individuals with higher lifestyle-related risk factors. The benefits were most pronounced among those with unhealthiest lifestyles, where treating 78 patients with aspirin would prevent one case of colorectal cancer o...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJAMA Oncology·TypeObservational study·DateAug 1, 2024

Research spotlight: Machine learning helps identify patients at varying levels of risk for opioid use disorder

A study published in JMIR Medical Informatics found that machine learning can accurately classify patients into differing levels of opioid use disorder (OUD) risk, demonstrating substantial agreement with clinicians' reviews. The research suggests that this technology can enhance personalized and safer care for patients early in opioid...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJMIR Medical Informatics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 8, 2024

Rapid test of cerebrospinal fluid decreases time to diagnosis for brain tumors

Researchers developed a rapid genotyping test for patients with central nervous system lesions, detecting key mutations associated with brain cancers in samples taken during a lumbar puncture. The test eliminated the need for surgical brain biopsies in seven cases and significantly accelerated time to treatment, from an average of 12 d...

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalBlood·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 17, 2024