Biostatistics and Why They Count

Daniel Sargent, Ph.D.

In April of 2007, a research study on the use of Gleevec to treat early stage gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) -- a type of gastrointestinal cancer -- ground to a screeching halt. Mayo Clinic biostatisticians Daniel Sargent, Ph.D. and Karla Ballman, Ph.D., were responsible. Their exploration of the study's early data revealed that trial participants were enjoying a startlingly significant reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence--so startling, in fact, that the trial was stopped, in order to expedite Gleevec as a bona fide treatment for reducing the risk of recurrence in GIST.

"Clearly, the best possible outcome is when something works even better than we thought it would," says Dr. Sargent. He explains that he's seen this same situation with three studies over the last several years, situations where the trials could be stopped more quickly than originally planned, due to the recognition of a clearly positive result.

Dr. Sargent credits the exceptional collaboration between Mayo investigators and its Biostatistics Department: "Because we very closely monitored the study and were up-to-date with how patients were doing . . .we could stop the trial more quickly than we had anticipated, because of a very favorable result. The great thing about that is you're able to get that therapy then out to patients more quickly than you would have been able to otherwise."

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Medical Edison

Randy Stroetz (left) with colleague Bruce Walters.

Entering Randy Stroetz's office at Mayo Clinic is like walking into a machine shop. In the corner squat a gigantic lathe and a machine for milling metal and plastic. Cabinets overflow with cans of WD-40, and hand-made devices sprouting wires, batteries and plastic tubing clutter the desk. Shelves of books and slick computers attest to the fact that, yes, a Mayo clinical specialist indeed works here. But this is a clinical specialist like none other.

With no formal training in biomedical engineering, Mr. Stroetz designs and builds devices that allow Mayo researchers to study lung function with far greater precision and power than is possible with commercially available instruments. "Randy is a Renaissance man," says Rolf Hubmayr, M.D., director of the lab for which Mr. Stroetz produces most of his devices. "He can think outside the box. He truly is an inventor."

A self-effacing man, Mr. Stroetz considers himself more a "third violinist" in the pulmonary lab. But he shows justifiable pride when describing accomplishments from his 28 years at Mayo.

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