Actress Angelina Jolie in 2005
Photo by Remy Steinegger

In a heartfelt and open editorial appearing earlier today, Angelina Jolie told New York Times readers and the world at large about a major health decision: her choice to have a double mastectomy.

Jolie writes that she carries the BRCA1 gene, which significantly increases the likelihood of a woman getting breast or ovarian cancer. Jolie’s mother died in 2007 after a long battle with ovarian cancer, and the actress said she did not want her children to have the same experience.

Cesarean delivery is the most common surgery in the United States, performed on 1.67 million American women annually. Yet hospital cesarean rates vary widely according to new research from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health.

Wednesday morning, a five-month-old Chihuahua mix arrived at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center for a life-changing operation.

WCCO-TV documented the dog’s story …

Adrian Peterson, of the Minnesota Vikings, is having a huge season after returning from an ACL injury.

ACL injuries are getting a lot of attention these days, with returns of two big names in Minnesota sports. Both Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings are within a year of ACL injuries. Peterson went down last December during a game, and Rubio left the line up back in March.

Peterson’s return has been nothing short of astounding; he’s leading the NFL in rushing and is in the discussion for the league’s Most Valuable Player. Rubio is expected to return to the hardwood sometime in the next month, just 9 months after his tear.

Jeffrey Macalena, M.D., orthopaedic surgeon with University of Minnesota Physicians, spoke about ACL treatment and recovery with Minnesota Public Radio.

According to Macalena believes there are more ACL injuries now than in the past, partly because of the faster pace of sports but also because of the growing size of athletes.

Macalena says patients recovering from ACL injury treatments can expect to get back to training in about 7 to 10 months. However, because Peterson and Rubio are exceptional athletes, their recovery is a little quicker.

Listen to the whole interview to find out the difference in recovery for men and women, who will most benefit from ACL surgery, and how to recover if you opt out of surgery.

Click here for the Minnesota Public Radio interview with Jeffrey Macalena, M.D.

A new drug created at the University of Minnesota may hold the answer to defeating pancreatic cancer, according to results published today in the prestigious journal Science Translational Medicine.

The study is based on successful outcomes in a mouse model – results researchers expect to carry over to human patients when the drug potentially begins human trials in 2013.

The drug, Minnelide, is a type of injectable chemotherapy designed to target tumor cells.  The drug works by inhibiting a heat shock protein, HSP 70, which has been proven to aid the growth of tumor cells.  By stopping HSP 70 from working, Minnelide disperses the cells integral to the tumor’s growth and the cancer disintegrates.

The University of Minnesota welcomed the Chinese Minister of Health, Dr. Chen Zhu, to the Twin Cities campus earlier this week.  Minister Chen was in town to receive an honorary doctorate of science for his work as a groundbreaking leukemia researcher, and for his efforts to reform China’s health care system.

Minister Chen was the first to use synergistic cancer targeting therapy, and he developed the first successful model in the treatment of acute promyelocitic leukemia.  His work turned this once fatal form of cancer into a curable disease.

On a broader scale, Minister Chen’s work to reform health care in China has been just as ambitious.  Over the last three years, China has worked to transform healthcare by incorporating nearly universal coverage of basic health insurance, expanding coverage of essential drugs and increasing access to basic public health services.

Going forward, Minister Chen is working to accelerate health care reform in his country, including efforts to ensure universal coverage to all children who are faced with cancer or other catastrophic illnesses.

Minister Chen’s visit did generate some discussion in the news media about a controversial program in China related to organ donation.  One U of M faculty member questioned the University’s decision to grant a doctorate to Minister Chen because China’s transplantation system has relied primarily on executions for organs needed for transplant.

However, another University faculty member, John R. Lake, M.D., disagreed with that assessment.  Dr. Lake is a professor of medicine and surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School and executive medical director of solid organ transplantation at the University of Minnesota Medical Center.

He applauded the University for recognizing Minister Chen, who he said is actually providing courageous leadership in reforming China’s transplant program.

KSTP-TV highlighted this aspect of Minister Chen’s visit in a story.

Click here to read Lake’s full letter, as well as to get a full sense of the issue of China’s transplant system and to read about the many reforms Minister Chen has helped usher in since taking office.