As an invited speaker at a Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences event, Blair Peters, M.D., describes their work in gender-affirming surgery and how major medical organizations have declared it medically necessary care.

OHSU patient Megan Link recently attended the World Heart Summit, where she shared her experience living with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as well as her participation in a clinical trial evaluating an experimental drug for the heart condition. Ahmad Masri, M.D., says: “We’re very focused on … implementing the science and trying to get more options to patients.”

In a story exploring rare cases of patients having their cardiac amyloidosis-related heart failure resolving spontaneously after receiving an antibody treatment, Ahmad Masri, M.D., notes two of the three observed cases had a variant form of cardiac amyloidosis, which disproportionately affects people of African descent.

In an article on “hacks” for getting kids to wear sunscreen, Elizabeth Berry, M.D., says: “If they're going to be out for a really long time, cover them up with whatever you can. Then you're just left to sunscreen whatever skin is showing. It becomes less of a struggle because you're not trying to slop on whole-body sunscreen.”

In an article on Amelanotic Melanoma -- a rare type of melanoma that looks colorless or takes on a red, pink, or purple tint -- Elizabeth Berry, M.D., says this form of melanoma is often diagnosed only when it’s more advanced because it’s harder to recognize. She says: “I tell my patients that if a pink bump comes up and does not resolve within four to six weeks like a normal pimple or insect bite should, they should show that bump or spot to a medical provider.”

In response to a new study analyzing the risk of falls seen with newer antiandrogens for prostate cancer, Julie Graff, M.D., and Alexandra Sokolova, M.D., publish an editorial suggesting the risk-benefit ratio of adding a second-generation AA to treatment may be different for a patient who wants to stay alert and sharp to keep a complex job "versus someone whose primary goal is to see their young children graduate high school.”

Luiz Bertassoni, D.D.S., Ph.D., discusses a new Biofabrication center that takes small samples of human cells from organ tissues to reproduce organs, cancerous tumors and bone material using 3D bioprinters and other advanced engineering. Bertassoni says: “We can actually do drug trials and do experiments with these same tumors without actually having to expose the patient themselves to these treatments and trials.”

Research Workers United rally at OHSU Wednesday, June 7.

Sancy Leachman, M.D., Ph.D., is interviewed by Axios Portland for a story on the evolution of skin cancer rates in Oregon. When asked why rates are persistently high in Oregon, Leachman said she suspects our dark, rainy winters make Oregonians overeager sun seekers, finding rays outside or in a tanning salon: “And they overdo it."

In a story explaining Oregon House Bill 2002, which, f passed, would expand access to abortion and gender-affirming health care, notes OHSU doesn’t provide abortions for patients younger than 15 without parental or guardian consent and quotes Christina Milano, M.D., as saying the bill calls for expanding insurance coverage in Oregon to also include gender-affirming facial hair removal and gender-affirming facial surgeries.