Be alert for symptoms of acute flaccid myeletis

DALLAS – November 2016 – Late summer and early fall have brought an uptick in the number of cases of the polio-like paralytic disease acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) that has been affecting children in the U.S.  While the disease is rare – there were 89 cases reported in the first nine months of 2016 – the serious consequences and the fact that the cause remains a puzzle for health officials can make it worrisome for both pediatricians and parents.

Dr. Benjamin Greenberg, a neurologist and pediatrician at UT Southwestern Medical Center who investigates rare diseases and has treated cases of AFM, said that for parents, the key is to seek medical help for a child with sudden weakness in an arm, a leg, or both.

AFM is usually, but not always, preceded by a respiratory illness or gastrointestinal symptoms. Paralysis follows.  “If someone has weakness for more than one day, they should be evaluated,” says Dr. Greenberg, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, and Pediatrics. “Odds are that even if they have weakness, it’s not this. There are many other causes of muscle weakness, but any child with unexplained weakness should be seen by a physician.”

While the cause is still being sorted out, Greenberg says a virus that causes a cold is the most likely culprit, so prevention measures are general measures for avoiding viral infections, including frequent hand-washing and avoiding contact with people who are sick.

Dr. Greenberg is the Cain Denius Scholar in Mobility Disorders.

Know your great-great-grandma

DALLAS – November 2016 – Having a clear picture of your full maternal ancestry could help determine your risk for a deadly type of breast cancer.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas did a genetic test with triple negative breast cancer patients, using a diverse group of women made up of equal numbers of Caucasians, Hispanics/Latinas, and African-Americans. They were studying mitochondrial DNA, which is maternally inherited and does not change. Researchers can trace the lineage of this type of DNA through multiple generations.

In 13 percent of cases, the patient’s self-reported ethnicity was incorrect. This is important because being part African-American or Ashkenazi Jewish can raise a woman’s risk of triple negative breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer is more difficult to treat successfully, does not respond to standard breast cancer treatment, and is often diagnosed at a younger age. When it is found, it is more likely to have already spread in the body.

“Patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer tend to be younger and are more likely to be African-American or Hispanic/Latina. These patients may be less likely to get traditional mammograms, which usually target women 50 and older,” said Dr. Roshni Rao, Associate Professor of Surgery and medical oncologist who lead the study. “If you know your ancestry, then you could be included in the group that gets screened at a younger age.”

Getting screened early – if you are at greater risk for triple negative breast cancer– can help catch the disease when it is most treatable.