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Our e-newsletter for WorldCare members that highlights the value of Medical Second Opinions for critical illnesses while sharing research insight from The WorldCare Consortium® providers.

For Your Health

Talking to your physician about a medical second opinion

Receiving a diagnosis of a critical illness or life threatening condition can cause dismay, confusion, and anxiety. Questions swirl through your mind: ‘what is this illness?”, “how did I get this?”, and, most importantly, “what do I do from here?”

Whether you diagnosis came from your family physician or a local hospital, you will likely be referred to a specialist – a process that can take months and may require travel. When time is of the essence, consider utilizing your WorldCare Medical Second Opinion (MSO) benefit to get clarity on your diagnosis and next steps.

WorldCare helps you and your physician gather medical records and information on your original diagnosis before assigning your case to a team of specialists who are experts in your condition. They will review your case and deliver a report of their findings and recommendations for an optimal treatment plan to you and your physician within two weeks – with no travel required.

Learn more about WorldCare’s MSO

Health IQ

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is a term that covers a broad range of conditions affecting the way your heart, and the blood vessels that supply it, function. According to the World Health Organization Cardiovascular diseases accounted for 32% of deaths world wide in 2019.

The good news is that many forms of cardiovascular diseases can be treated effectively when properly identified – or can be avoided entirely by embracing a healthy lifestyle. According to the American Heart Association, it’s also important to monitor your heart health with recommended screenings such as:

Recommended Screenings	How Often?
Blood pressure	Each regular healthcare visit or at least once per year if blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. If higher, your doctor may want to check it more frequently
Cholesterol (“fasting lipoprotein profile” to measure total, HDL and LDL cholesterol)	Every 4-6 years for normal-risk adults; more often if any you have elevated risk for heart disease and stroke
Discuss smoking, physical activity, diet	Each regular healthcare visit

Source: American Heart Association

Proper diagnosis and care are vital to improving your outcomes when diagnosed with any form of cardiovascular disease and WorldCare may be able to help.

Research Updates from The WorldCare Consortium® Providers

Advances in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatments

While great strides have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, one particularly aggressive strain, known as triple negative, has been persistently resistant to treatment. According to the National Breast Cancer Association, a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer is one in which the three most common types of receptors known to fuel most breast cancer growth–estrogen, progesterone, and the HER-2/neu gene–are not present in the cancer. Comprising 15% of breast cancer cases, triple negative often affects women under 50, Black women and patients from underserved populations.

Today, there’s reason for hope for those fighting triple negative breast cancer. WorldCare consortium partner Mass General Hospital is teaming with Boston Medical Center for clinical trials combining radiation with novel targeted therapies. The advancement of new treatments is particularly important to triple negative patients as, unlike common breast cancers, the options for treatment have been limited and the prognosis for those with metastatic cases is 12-18 months.

Using Stem Cells to Repair Spinal Cord Injuries

Stem cell therapy has been considered a promising treatment for a number of conditions and now researchers at the Mayo Clinic are looking into the possibility that it could be used to help the body repair spinal cord injuries and diseases. While complex and still in early stages, this exciting research has advanced beyond the discovery phase and into early clinical trials.

Learn More