Mathematics may not be the first thing people associate with Alzheimer’s disease research. But for Pedro Maia, an assistant professor of mathematics and data science at The University of Texas at Arlington, analyzing how different parts of the brain interact like a network is revealing new insights into one of the world’s most devastating brain disorders.

About The Study: Among men with traditional Medicare, this study examined racial differences in 2 important measures of prostate cancer care quality that have contrasting relationships with utilization. Black men had lower odds of confirmatory testing among those on active surveillance, where utilization and quality are tightly aligned, indicating worse care. Conversely, Black men had lower odds of overtreatment, where utilization and quality are misaligned, suggesting better care in this dimension. 

About The Study: In this economic evaluation, undergoing risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) appears cost-effective for women ages 30 to 55 with a lifetime breast cancer risk of 35% or higher. These results could have significant clinical implications to expand access to RRM beyond BRCA1/BRCA2/PALB2 pathogenic variant carriers. Future studies evaluating the acceptability, uptake, and long-term outcomes of RRM among these women are warranted.

More women at higher risk of breast cancer should be offered a mastectomy, according to researchers at Queen Mary and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. A new analysis has found that the surgical technique was a cost-effective way of reducing the likelihood of developing breast cancer compared to breast screening and medication. Current guidelines on who is offered mastectomy may need to be revised to reflect these new findings. 

Instead of supporting recovery, food served in hospitals and nursing homes may actually undermine patients’ and residents’ health – and the environment – according to a new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health. Researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Stanford University, have found that meals in healthcare settings include too few healthy, plant-based foods and too many unhealthy and unsustainable options, making them inadequate for both individual and planetary health.