Eric Lefkofskys Tempus Achieves Unicorn Status With Its Recent $80 Million Funding

Tempus Labs has recently achieved ‘Unicorn’ status when it received an additional $80 million in funding. With this extra money in its coffers, the tech company based in Chicago will be able to expand its operations in collecting and using data to enhance its efficiency and customize cancer care even more. The additional funding came from its current and a new group of investors.

Since it was founded in 2015, the tech company has already received a total of $210 million investments. An individual who was privy to the deal disclosed that with this recent money inflow, the company’s total worth has now reached about $1.1 billion. If a company’s value is over $1 billion, it is automatically raised to unicorn status, a term used to classify a few startups in Chicago.

Tempus was co-founded by Eric Lefkofsky, an entrepreneur who also owns and operates other companies which include Mediaocean, Uptake Technologies, Lightbank, Innerworkings and Echo Global Logistics. This tech company currently employs around 400 workers but this number is increasing since it is adding about 30 employees each month to augment its ballooning operations. With the additional funding it recently received, this pace is expected to pick up even more.

Tempus is on the leading edge of cancer treatments. It is leveraging clinical data from cancer patients to discover better methods of treating this dreaded disease. This will benefit cancer patients since they will be offered more treatment options. The tech company collects molecular data from cancer patients who are currently undergoing treatments. One form of data collection is the digitization of the handwritten patient notes of doctors so that these notes can be stored and be searchable. This will expand the treatment options for cancer patients.

Eric Lefkofsky said that he co-founded the company because he was frustrated with the present system of healthcare that does not put to effective use real evidence and powerful data. He is projecting the possibility that with the scale and breadth of the current available clinical data, healthcare providers are now in a much better position to introduce a new era of precision medicine that can effectively give relief to patients fighting cancer.

According to Eric Lefkofsky, his tech company has established connections with organizations and individuals in every component of the healthcare system. These include drug companies and doctors who are searching for better ways of utilizing massive clinical data to provide more effective treatments to cancer patients.

Eric thinks that the track record of his tech company with regards to its relationship with the healthcare industry stakeholders is somewhat amazing. He believes that they are now at the center of major paradigm shift in the treatment of cancer. Considering that his company is pioneering a new method of personalizing cancer treatments, Eric’s prognostication is not way off the mark.

The recent $80 million additional funding that the tech company received came from several investors. These included Kinship Trust Co., a new investor and existing investors Revolution Growth and New Enterprise Associates. The advisor of the fund is T. Rowe Price Associates.

Could the HPV Vaccine Treat Warts?

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is intended to prevent people from getting infected with the virus, but in some cases, it may actually work as a treatment, clearing warts in people who are already infected, a new report suggests.

The report describes several cases of people who had persistent oral warts that went away soon after they received the HPV vaccine. While it's too early to say for certain whether the HPV vaccine treated warts, the researchers said formal studies should look at this question.

"There remains a critical need for randomized clinical trials to assess efficacy of quadrivalent HPV vaccination for treatment" of oral warts, the researchers said.

The report highlights the case of a man in his 60s who had recurrent warts on his lips, tongue and cheeks for 18 months. The man tried to have the warts removed, but they kept coming back. Doctors diagnosed the man with an HPV infection. There are more than 150 strains of HPV, and although most infections go away on their own, some can linger and lead to health problems, such as genital warts, oral warts, cervical cancer or oral cancer. 

Dr. John Stern, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, who treated the man and co-authored the new report, said he told the patient that there wasn't anything more the doctors could do for his warts. But Stern suggested that the man get the HPV vaccine because he thought it would protect the patient from becoming infected with other HPV strains that are linked with cancer.

The man received the quadrivalent HPV vaccine, which protects against four HPV strains. "We immunized him — not with any therapeutic benefit in mind," Stern said. The vaccine is typically given to children before they become sexually active — it is not thought to help with existing HPV infections.

But a month after the patient received the first dose of the HPV vaccine, he showed significant improvement, and within three months, the warts went away.

"They were all gone; they just disappeared," Stern told Live Science. Stern told a colleague. "We both sort of said, 'Wow,'" Stern said.

Now, two years later, the patient is still free of oral warts.

To see if this had happened in any other patients, the researchers scoured the literature, and found that since 2010, there have been eight other reports of people whose warts disappeared after they received the HPV vaccine. Some of these patients experienced an improvement just two to three weeks after vaccination.

In one case, a 41-year-old woman with widespread warts had not received treatment for her warts for 10 years, but many of her warts cleared about six months after she received the HPV vaccine.

However, it's possible for warts caused by HPV to just go away on their own, so more research is needed to confirm that the vaccine is indeed responsible for these cases, Stern said.

And not all people who receive the HPV vaccine have their warts disappear. A 2013 study of six people with genital warts found that all of the patients had their warts come back after they received the HPV vaccine. Moreover, a 2007 study of more than 2,000 women with genital HPV infections found that the HPV vaccine did not accelerate the speed at which the women's bodies cleared the infection.

"These case report shouldn't prompt every person with HPV to then go and demand to be vaccinated," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease specialist and a senior associate at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Health Security, who was not involved with the new report. "This isn't something that happens to every person that has the vaccine," Adalja said.

However, the report should prompt researchers to try to understand why some people appear to benefit from getting the vaccine even after they have an HPV infection, while others don't, Adalja said.

It may be that the warts cleared in the 60-year-old man because the HPV vaccine boosted his immune response to all HPV strains, even though the strain that the man had was not in the vaccine, Adalja said.

If it turns out that the HPV vaccine does help with some cases of HPV-related warts, it would be one of the few examples of a vaccine that treats, rather than prevents, disease. There are some experimental vaccines that are aimed at treating cancer and HIV, Adalja noted.

These are the skin cancer warning signs you should never ignore

Skin cancer isn't uncommon, there have been 15,419 cases of melanoma in the UK since 2014 according to Cancer Research UK.

The good news is it's preventable and treatable if you catch it early.

Unlike other types of cancer, more than 1 in 4 cases are diagnosed in people under 50.

Here are seven things you should look out for.

1. You notice an 'ugly mole'

Keep an eye out for a mole that looks different to the others on your body. You can see some examples of what to look out for through the NHS website.

Remember, moles you're born with can develop into skin cancer and not all 'new' moles are dangerous.

Dr. Debra Wattenberg, a New York dermatologist told USA Today. "A lot of people have moles that look sort of scary, but they’ve got 20 of them on their arm or their back. And then they have one that’s totally different looking. Usually, it’s the ‘ugly duckling’ — the one that stands out — that’s problematic."

2. There's a vertical dark streak on your nail

It's not that well known that melanomas of the nail can develop - but they can. Famously Bob Marley died at 36 of acral lentiginous melanoma which appeared as a dark spot under his toenail and spread to his liver.

Cancer can appear like a pigmented dark streak down your nail or something that looks like a blood blister towards the base of the nail.

Remember to remove nail polish when you go for a skin check.

3. You get vision problems

The second most common type of melanoma is melanoma of the eye - which can only be discovered during an eye exam.

It's important to get it checked as half of the patients will never get symptoms.

4. A spot that won't go away

Some cancers can appear like a pimple that doesn't clear up - or may go away and come right back in the same place.

5. You notice a mole on your foot

Many people have spots on the sole of their feet - which they should definitely get checked out.

A lot of people don't actively look at their feet so these often go unnoticed.

6. There's pigmentation after you've had a mole removed

If you've had a mole removed and you start seeing pigmentation around the scar - get it checked.

7. There's a black spot inside your cheek

The inside of your cheek, nasal cavity, anal region and the vagina are other less known locations where you can get melanoma.

Have You Been Including These Cancer Causing Foods in Your Diet?

Cancer kills a whopping 8.8 million across the world annually. The instances and number of deaths are only expected to rise in the coming decades. A host of factors come into play when we talk about the contributing factors, some of which include a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. What you put into your system also matters a lot. Our daily food choices have long term effects on our health. According to the American Cancer Society, "Substances and exposures that may lead to cancer are termed as Carcinogens". They range from chemical substances and ultraviolet radiation to infectious agents and tobacco. While carcinogens have the potential to cause cancer, they do not always result in cancer. Development of cancer is an interplay of many factors and contribution of a particular carcinogen depends on its level, as well as the length of exposure.

Contrary to a naive belief that everything edible is 'natural' and 'safe', some of our daily foods may be cancer-causing. These carcinogens often occur naturally in foods, not necessarily after processing or packaging.

We spoke to Ms. Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head - Dietetics, Max Hospitals to know about most common food sources of cancer-causing agents. According to her, "Non-vegetarian foods, especially cooked in a large amount of oil, at high temperature or with such methods as charcoaling, smoking or barbequing may release carcinogenic nitrogen compounds."
 

We bring you some foods and food components that have been labelled as 'known human carcinogens' by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (part of WHO) and the National Toxicology Programme (a collaboration of the US NIH, CDC, FDA) after evaluation of years of scientific research and studies.

Here are 8 foods you should not be consuming:

1. Aflatoxins  - Fungi of the Aspergillus genus, especially A. flavus produce these poisonous chemicals. Most commonly, aflatoxins may be detected in corn, peanut and cottonseed. They can affect cerebral function, leading to death and may contribute to the development of cancers of the liver. Not only is direct consumption a major risk,  animals feeding on aflatoxin contaminated foods can produce animal food products (such as milk) that contain aflatoxins, while the toxins can also be transmitted to breastfeeding infants by mothers consuming contaminated foodstuffs.



2. Acetaldehyde - Alcohol consumed is metabolized by liver enzymes and converted into a number of products, including acetaldehyde. This compound has been evaluated as having a major role in the development of cancers of the upper digestive tract.

3. Areca Nut (Supari) and 'Paan' (Betel Quid) - Well, here's a shocker, it's not just the paans with tobacco or 'gutka' in them that may contribute to oral cancers, the ones without tobacco, but containing the infamous 'supari' (Areca nut) have also been labelled as carcinogenic by a number of International agencies. Even chewing supari or the betel leaf alone, may expose you to risk of developing oropharyngeal cancers.

4. Liver flukes - The larvae of these worms (Clonorchis sinensis, the Chinese liver fluke, and Opisthorcis viverrini, the Southeast Asian liver fluke) are found in freshwater fish and infect humans when they consume undercooked or raw fish. These parasites mostly occur in the Asian regions, especially China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Asian part of Russia. Eating lightly salted, smoked, pickled, marinated, dried or poorly processed fish may also lead to infection with these organisms. Consumption of meat from carnivorous animals that consume raw fish may also transmit the infection to humans indirectly. Infection with these worms may lead to the development of bile duct cancers in humans.

5. Processed meat - Hot dogs, ham, bacon, sausage are among some meats produced by various processes such as salting, curing, fermentation, smoking. A greater incidence of bowel cancer has been observed in those having a regular consumption of processed meat. While most Indians do not consume a large amount of meat or do so regularly, it's best to cut down on the pepperoni and salami, and replace these with healthier lean meats such as chicken, turkey and fish.

6. Red Meat - Though an excellent source of Iron, B vitamins and protein, the haemoglobin in red meats in metabolized to 'possibly carcinogenic' N-nitroso compounds in our gut. What you can do? Keep the intake occasional and switch to whites for your daily protein needs.



Carcinogens from cooking methods, utensils and other materials

7. Mineral Oils - These are colourless, odourless mixtures obtained from a mineral source, commonly distilled petroleum fractions. While they are not generally present in foodstuff (unless by contamination), mineral oils find indirect use in the food industry. They may be used to preserve wooden cutting boards, salad bowls and utensils. Confectioners may also use it to give a glossy finish to the products and prevent candies from sticking to each other. Industrial baking equipment may also use mineral oil as a lubricant. Paraffin oil based feeds (cheaper alternative to use vegetable or animal fats in feeds) may lead to mineral oil contamination in food products (e.g. eggs). Due to its poor absorption in the human body, mineral oil has also been (undesirably) used as a slimming agent. It's best to avoid this product.


8. Emissions from high temperature frying - Very small (sub-micron) sized particulate matter emissions occur during cooking and frying with oil beyond its boiling point. These may contain, among other substances, carcinogenic chemicals such as PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and heterocyclic amines. Heating oil increases its fatty acid content, thereby lowering the smoke point and increasing the amount of emissions on use. It is thus extremely important to avoid reusing oil, especially for frying. Look up the smoke point of an oil before using it for frying - Avocado Oil, Ghee, Safflower, Mustard, and Rice Bran oils have high smoke points. Refining increases the smoke point of oils, so unrefined or cold pressed oils should not be used for frying, but consumed raw or lightly heated, instead.

What you need to know about prostate cancer - For MEN

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop in the prostate. These abnormal cells can continue to multiply in an uncontrolled way and sometimes spread outside the prostate into nearby or distant parts of the body.

Prostate cancer is generally a slow growing disease and the majority of men with low grade prostate cancer live for many years without symptoms and without it spreading and becoming life-threatening. However, high grade disease spreads quickly and can be lethal. Appropriate management is key.

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WHAT IS THE PROSTATE?
Only men have a prostate. It is a small gland that sits below the bladder near the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, the passage in the penis through which urine and semen pass.

The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. It produces most of the fluid that makes up semen that enriches sperm. The prostate needs the male hormone testosterone to grow and develop.

The prostate is often described as being the size of a walnut and it is normal for it to grow as men age. Sometimes this can cause problems, such as difficulty urinating. These problems are common in older men and not always symptoms or signs of cancer.

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WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

In the early stages, there may be no symptoms. In the later stages, some symptoms of prostate cancer might include:

• Feeling the frequent or sudden need to urinate
• Finding it difficult to urinate (for example, trouble starting or not being able to urinate when the feeling is there or poor urine flow)
• Discomfort when urinating
• Finding blood in urine or semen
• Pain in the lower back, upper thighs or hips.

These symptoms may not mean you have prostate cancer, but if you experience any of them, go and see your doctor.

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WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS?

Factors that are most strongly linked to an increased chance of developing prostate cancer:

• Age: Prostate cancer is an age-dependent disease, which means the chance of developing it increases with age. The risk of getting prostate cancer by the age of 75 is 1 in 7 men. By the age of 85, this increases to 1 in 5.
• Family history: If you have a first degree male relative with prostate cancer, you have a higher chance of developing it than men with no such history. The risk increases again if more than one male relative has prostate cancer. Risks are also higher for men whose male relatives were diagnosed when young.

OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING PROSTATE CANCER:

Factors that are most strongly linked to an increased chance of developing prostate cancer:

• Genetics: Genes are found in every cell of the body. They control the way the cells in the body grow and behave. Every person has a set of many thousands of genes inherited from both parents. Changes to genes can increase the risk of prostate cancer being passed from parent to child. Although prostate cancer can’t be inherited, a man can inherit genes that can increase the risk.
• Diet: There is some evidence to suggest that eating a lot of processed meat or food that is high in fat can increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.
• Lifestyle: There is evidence to show that environment and lifestyle can affect the risk of developing prostate cancer.

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HOW IS PROSTATE CANCER DETECTED AND DIAGNOSED?

A doctor will usually do a blood test and/or physical examination to check the health of the prostate.

• Blood test (Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test): The result shows whether there is an increase in this specific protein. Depending on the result, you might need further investigation by a specialist. A high PSA test result does not necessarily mean cancer. Prostate diseases other than cancer can also cause a higher than normal PSA level.
• Digital Rectal Examination (DRE): Because of where the prostate is located, the doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to check the size of the prostate and assess if there are any abnormalities. A normal DRE result does not rule out prostate cancer.

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DIAGNOSIS

If your tests show you may be at risk of prostate cancer, the next step is a biopsy. A biopsy is the only way a firm diagnosis of prostate cancer can be made. A urologist removes small samples of tissue from your prostate, using very thin, hollow needles guided by an ultrasound. The prostate is either accessed through the rectum (transrectal) or the perineum (transperineal), which is the area between the anus and the scrotum. A biopsy is usually done as an out-patient procedure and the doctor will likely advise a course of antibiotics afterwards to reduce the chance of infection. The tissue is sent to a pathologist to identify whether the cells are malignant (cancerous) or benign (not cancerous).

• Blood test (Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test): The result shows whether there is an increase in this specific protein. Depending on the result, you might need further investigation by a specialist. A high PSA test result does not necessarily mean cancer. Prostate diseases other than cancer can also cause a higher than normal PSA level.
• Digital Rectal Examination (DRE): Because of where the prostate is located, the doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to check the size of the prostate and assess if there are any abnormalities. A normal DRE result does not rule out prostate cancer.

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REDUCING THE RISK OF DEVELOPING PROSTATE CANCER

There is no evidence that the following protective factors can stop prostate cancer from developing, but they can improve your overall health and possibly reduce the risk of prostate cancer:

• Diet: Eat meals that are nutritious. Refer to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. What is good for the heart is good for the prostate.
• Physical activity/exercise: There is some evidence to show that physical activity and regular exercise can be protective factors for cancer. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes of a day.