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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
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Colon Cancer Down Under
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Colon cancer is coming to Australia, and no not like the Swine Flu. In fact 'bowel cancer' as the Aussies prefer to call it, is being publicized around Sydney. Physicians in Sydney are hoping to raise awareness and even a bit of fear among Sydney-siders and a nation that is generally quite passe and breeds 'no worries.' A local doctor is bringing colon cancer to the limelight by setting up a display in the heart of city highlighting the dangers of colon cancer.
News.com.au (Daily Telegraph) said, "Prof Newstead spoke on Tuesday at an event in Sydney's CBD, where a giant inflatable colon allowing people to walk through and see the cancer's "polyp" warning signs. Prof Newstead is calling on Australians aged over 50 to speak to their GP about having a test for bowel cancer, while those with a family history of the disease should do so from 40. It is estimated two Australian deaths from bowel cancer could be prevented each day if those in at-risk groups were screened every two years."
Nearly 14,000 Australians are diagnosed with colon cancer each year, and a large percentage actually die from it. Professor Newstead is hoping to alarm his fellow countrymen and also show them how they can prevent it, and call for early detection, which generally dramatically increases chances of survival.
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Tuesday, June 09, 2009
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Fast Food and Colon Cancer
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Fast food is being blamed for an increase in colon cancer among younger demographics. Traditionally, colon cancer has been a disease of the fiftysomethings, but research shows that patients under 50 are seeing a rise in numbers. A diet of too much may be the culprit of such alarming news as well.
The Sydney Morning Herald had an article on the figures, "However the study, published by the American Cancer Society yesterday, found incidence rates of colorectal cancer in those aged 20 to 49 increased 1.5 per cent a year in men and 1.6 per cent a year in women between 1992 and 2005. The researchers said rising levels of obesity, and changes in diet towards more fast food, red and processed meat, and less milk over the past three decades might have contributed to the increase in colorectal cancer among young adults observed in the study."
Similarly physicians and researchers believe alcohol plays a role in the stats as well. Younger people generally consume more alcohol on a regular basis. Alcohol consumption coupled with poor eating habits may be some of the primary causes for the cancer. Lifestyle, exercise, eating and early detection are key to preventing colorectal cancer, it is a common disease, but it is considered one of the most treatable if caught early enough.
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Monday, June 08, 2009
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Diabetes and Heart Disease
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Cardiologists are finding that type 2 diabetes patients with heart disease have better chances of treatment from medicine as opposed to invasive heart surgery. Compliance and consistency with heart medications is also key to preventing heart attacks and stroke in such patients. Generally Type 2 Diabetes patients have serious risk of developing such ailments, and are considered high-risk. Such high risk patients according to physicians should get regular heart scans for early detection and prevention methods.
USA Today said, "It's the first time any randomized clinical trial has shown a reduction in non-fatal heart attack rates in stable patients with diabetes and heart disease," says cardiologist Robert Frye, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and a study chairman. "The study reinforces that for people with diabetes and mild heart disease, medical therapy works, and works very well," Zonzsein says."
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Friday, June 05, 2009
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AIDS and Heart Disease
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Recent studies have shown a link between the AIDS virus and cardiovascular
disease. In fact the research shows as significant of a link as diabetes,
obesity and family history have on developing heart disease. Hardening and
thickening carotid arteries ultimately leads many HIV and AIDS patients with
serious chances of heart attack and stroke. Physicians are recommending
that such patients be treated as high risk patients, who require testing,
scanning and preventative medications like cholesterol lowering pills.
Bloomberg said, "Ultrasound imaging studies of 433 people infected with the
human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, found more hardening and thickening in
the carotid artery, compared with those not infected, said Carl Grunfeld,
professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco and
an endocrinologist at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. At least 1
million people with HIV and many more in the developing world need to start
thinking about their heart," Grunfeld said in a telephone interview."
The study appeared today in the journal AIDS, which also mentioned that over
1.1 million people in the US have HIV, so it's vital that such studies are
taken seriously and have further research and investigation done on them.
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Friday, June 05, 2009
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Hormone Therapies and Lung Cancer
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Researchers have found a link between female hormone therapies and increased
risks of lung cancer. Post-menopausal women and those going through
menopause generally take hormone's to ease the hot flashes and struggles
associated with menopause.
WebMD said, "New findings from the landmark Women's Health Initiative study
show that women with non-small cell lung cancer are 59% more likely to die
from the disease if they take combined estrogen and progestin. The risk was
particularly high for smokers: There was one avoidable death from non-small
cell lung cancer for every 100 women who both smoked and took hormone
therapy over eight years, the study showed."
Lung cancer has always been considered one of the most fatal cancers,
however doctors have urged high-risk patients (smokers especially) to get
checked via virtual scans regularly with hopes of early detection and
prevention. This may mean that post-menopausal women who took hormone
therapies should also get checked.
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Friday, June 05, 2009
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Avastin Struggles
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Avastin the so-called colon cancer wonder drug may be in for a blow as
studies show the drug has not effectively treated post-surgery patients from
getting colon cancer. The drug completely wore off right as patients
stopped taking it. Researchers were thrilled at the prospects of Avastin a
few months ago, as trials showed hope for patients in their early stages of
cancer treatment, however the recent results are not as good as they had
initially hoped.
Reuters reported, "The trial was designed to show whether use of Avastin
plus chemotherapy for six months, followed by six months of Avastin alone,
results in more patients being cancer free after three years compared with
just treating them with chemotherapy. "As patients come off treatment, the
events come back," Bishop said. "The one-year duration of treatment was
insufficient to derive clinical benefit."
The findings have been presented at the American Society of Clinical
Oncology where more research will also be presented about the new trials.
Avastin is known to cost over $4,000 so now physicians are still encouraging
the use of preventative measures like virtual colonoscopies for early
detection of colorectal cancer.
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Thursday, June 04, 2009
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Wine Worries
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Studies show that colorectal cancer risks are increased with daily alcohol
intake. For those of you wino's who are health conscious you may want to
take note of these recent developments. Generally physicians have
associated high risk candidates as smokers, high consumption of red meat,
people with diabetes and a family history of the cancer. Colon cancer
claims the lives of tens of thousands of people annually and is considered
one of the most treatable cancers if caught early enough.
Sydney Morning Herald said, "But for alcohol we found that the risk was 60
per cent, and what's classified as the highest intake isn't very much." Dr.
Huxley said many Australians would be shocked to learn that having more than
one alcoholic drink daily - or more than seven across a week - was shown to
significantly increase the risk of colorectal cancer."
It seems as if the link is strong between alcohol and colon cancer, so for
those of you foodies who enjoy the pleasure of your pallet with wine, it may
be a wise choice to keep an eye on your colon health with virtual
colonoscopies.
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Monday, June 01, 2009
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Tomato Pill Perks
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Researchers are saying that a tomato supplement pill may be able to ward off
heart disease. Ateronon, the tomato pill, is said to block out 'bad
cholesterol' LDL from the arteries - which is a key instigator of heart
attacks and strokes. Researchers however warned patients at high risk of
heart disease and those currently on medications for high cholesterol or
blood pressure to continue as advised by their physicians because these
findings are still at the early stages. The prelimary results have a
promising prospect, however much more research and experimentation is
required.
BBC News reported on the pill saying, "Professor Anthony Leeds, trustee of
the cholesterol charity Heart UK, said: "The new lycopene product Ateronon
represents an entirely new approach to the treatment of high blood
cholesterol and opens up the exciting possibility." He said the preliminary
findings were "very promising".
It is vital that high-risk patients maintain their regular regiment of
eating healthy, excericse, taking their medications while also getting
regular yearly heart scans to prevent from blocked arteries and heart
attacks.
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Friday, May 29, 2009
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Vitamin D Perks
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For years scientists and researchers have been doing studies on the perks
and benefits of Vitamin D. Dermatologists have long been promulgating the
importance of Vitamin D for skin health and getting it from outdoor activity
in the sun. But now new studies have emerging linking Vitamin D to heart
health.
The Alternative Health Journal said, "Yet they do say that keeping an
adequate amount in the bloodstream doesn't seem unhealthy-and might turn out
to be a health ace in the hole. Scientists speculate that low vitamin D
levels might lead to calcium build-up in plaque on artery walls or perhaps
adversely affect blood pressure or heart muscle contractions."
For people with high-risk issues like smoking, obesity and diabetes it is
essential to get regular heart scan check-ups. Now it may be a wise decision
to get scanned if you have low levels of Vitamin D.
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Thursday, May 28, 2009
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Colon Cancer Survival
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Colon cancer survival rates in the past have generally been fairly low,
however in recent years, studies show that patients with colon cancer (even
advanced) have had better survival rates. Much of this credited to more
innovative and effective treatments as well as better prevention and early
detection awareness.
Frobes report said, "Over the past 15 years, the average survival rate for
patients battling advanced colorectal cancer has increased dramatically, new
research indicates, due in equal measure to the advent of new, powerful
drugs and more frequent surgical interventions. "We have certainly made
advances in treatment as a result of chemotherapy, compared to where we were
10, 15, 30 years ago, he noted. And we've also learned that there is a group
of patients where we can do something with surgical techniques, and they can
often go on to do very well."
Such prospects are exiting the medical community and patients as well,
considering colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the US,
resulting in thousands of deaths annually. Increased survival means not
only medical technology has dramatically improved, but we are becoming more
aware of colon health.
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