New predictive tool can help determine treatment of breast cancer patients

A new predictive measurement, called a PEPI score, could bring good news to many women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer — a low PEPI (preoperative endocrine prognostic index) score could show that they have little risk of relapse and can safely avoid chemotherapy after surgery. For others, a high PEPI score could warn that the risk of relapse after breast surgery is large and indicate that careful follow-up and aggressive therapy may be needed, say researchers at the School of Medicine.

Racial disparities decline for cancer in Missouri

Cancer death rates in the United States are highest among African Americans, but a new report shows that in Missouri the disparity in cancer incidence and death between African Americans and whites is declining. As a result, cancer incidence (the rate of newly diagnosed cases) between the races is equal, although the death rate will probably remain higher for African Americans for some time.

Old and new therapies combine to tackle atherosclerosis

Image from *What is Atherosclerosis*, courtesy of National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteAtherosclerosis in an arteryFuturistic nanotechnology has been teamed with a decades-old drug to beat atherosclerotic plaques in research conducted at the School of Medicine. The scientists have found that drug-laced nanoparticles plus a statin could stop the growth of tiny blood vessels that feed arterial plaques. Their results suggest that the dual treatment also prevents the vessels from restarting their growth, which could shrink or stabilize plaques.

U.S. health care system headed for perfect storm

McBride”We are headed into a time when a confluence of changes are going to lead to a perfect storm, making us finally realize that our health care system needs a major overhaul,” says Timothy D. McBride, Ph.D., leading health economist and professor of social work. McBride is available to discuss candidates’ health care plans and universal health care.

Despite all the attention paid to Social Security, it’s a minor problem compared to Medicare, says leading health economist

McBride”The problems with Social Security can be solved easily compared to those of Medicare,” says Timothy McBride, leading health economist and associate dean for public health. “Social Security can be fixed right now, although most people don’t want to solve it with tax hikes. We cannot solve Medicare as easily. Medicare is in a serious crisis relative to Social Security,” he says. McBride is available to discuss Social Security and Medicare.

Medicare-for-All is the most practical option, says leading health insurance expert

BernsteinAccess to affordable health care has been a recurring topic in current political discussions. Merton C. Bernstein, leading health insurance expert and law professor emeritus says that Medicare is the most practical platform for both extending coverage to everyone and taming medical cost inflation. He is available to discuss the candidates’ health care proposals.

Despite all the attention paid to Social Security, it’s a minor problem compared to Medicare, says leading health economist

“The problems with Social Security can be solved easily compared to those of Medicare,” says Timothy McBride, leading health economist and associate dean for public health at Washington University in St. Louis. “Social Security can be fixed right now, although most people don’t want to solve it with tax hikes. If passed today, a one-percentage point tax increase on both employers and employees could solve the Social Security problem for 75 years. If we don’t want to raise taxes, another option is to cut benefits by a similar amount and we’re done.” McBride says that the tax increase needed to fix Medicare would be six or seven percentage points in the long run. “We cannot solve Medicare as easily. Medicare is in a serious crisis relative to Social Security,” he says. McBride believes that as soon as the next President is elected “we will hear that we need to solve Medicare and Medicaid.”

Washington University Physicians provide Emergency Department services at newly renovated Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital

Washington University faculty physicians have assumed responsibility for providing medical care in the Emergency Department at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital. The addition of Washington University emergency medicine physicians continues the enhancement of clinical services at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital.
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