On diabetic foot, wound healing, amputation prevention, and the merger of consumer tech with medical devices
A new systematic review finds that roughly one in three adults in remission after a healed diabetic foot ulcer develop a recurrent ulcer within 12 months — a risk comparable to several common cancers. Healing is the beginning of the next chapter, not the end of the story.
For patients battling both diabetes and cancer, even a small foot wound can carry devastating consequences. Chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplants all compromise immunity and circulation. Add diabetes to the mix, and the risk of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and amputations rises dramatically. What’s more, even minor foot infections can force oncologists to... Continue Reading →
It’s not every day that the professional and the personal intersect in such a deeply life-affirming way. Our latest publication in the International Wound Journal, “Three-Year Recurrence in People With Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia Is Comparable to Cancer,” brought together an extraordinary team of colleagues from UCSF, Baylor College of Medicine, USC,... Continue Reading →
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Los Angeles, CA, July 23, 2025 — A new study published in the International Wound Journal highlights a striking parallel: the three-year recurrence rates for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and reintervention for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) are comparable to—or exceed—those of advanced-stage cancers, including colorectal, breast, prostate, and even lung cancer. Led... Continue Reading →
Inspired by much recent discussion as well as a blog post from 13 years ago, here is a manuscript just published. After further discussion with Prof. Ben Lipsky, he raises the interesting idea of calling some of these "infection in situ" just like cancer in situ.
This from Medscape by Gary Rothenberg and me. Can Diabetes Care Teams Improve Patient Outcomes and Value?Download
Diabetic Foot Disease (DFD) is a significant complication of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), often leading to severe outcomes, including increased mortality. A recent study published in Cardiovascular Diabetology provides crucial insights into the risks associated with DFD, emphasizing the need for early intervention and improved management strategies for individuals with T2DM. Study Overview The... Continue Reading →
Screenshot Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a severe and often overlooked complication of diabetes, carrying a significant risk of mortality. A recent update from the Salford podiatry clinic follow-up study, led by Heald et al., sheds new light on the mortality rates among individuals with DFUs, emphasizing the critical need for early intervention and comprehensive... Continue Reading →
The manuscript "Charcot Neuroarthropathy in Persons with Diabetes: It's Time for a Paradigm Shift in Our Thinking" by our long-time friends and colleagues Dane Wukich, Bob Frykberg, and Venu Kavarthapu, advocates for a reimagined approach in treating Charcot Neuro-Osteoarthropathy (CNO) in diabetic patients. It emphasizes surgical intervention over traditional non-surgical methods to prevent deformity and... Continue Reading →
Compelling work from Fields at Scripps, Florida suggest that we may be entering a new era of selective MMP inhibitors that may have profound implications from wound healing to cancer therapy. Buckle up!
