WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer starts in the colon (large intestine) or rectum. The risk of colorectal cancer goes up as you get older (90% of cases occur in people over 50), and if you eat a meat-heavy diet, smoke, or have a family history of the cancer. Colorectal cancer symptoms include pain, blood in the stool, and a change in bowel habits. Routine screening for colorectal cancer is recommended starting at age 50—or even sooner for those with risk factors.
Colorectal Cancer News
Study Supports Value of Sigmoidoscopy, an Alternative to Colonoscopy
By Randy DotingaHealthDay Reporter MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) — New research confirms that sigmoidoscopies — less-invasive alternatives to colonoscopies that don’t require sedation — are effective in lowering the risk of colon cancer. Having the procedure lowered the risk of getting a colon cancer diagnosis by 21 percent and the chances of dying from the disease [...]
Blacks, Hispanics Have Higher Colon Polyp Risk Than Previously Thought
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) — Black and Hispanic Americans are far more likely than whites to develop precancerous colorectal polyps, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 men and women aged 50 and older who had a first-time colonoscopy screening at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in New York City [...]
Researchers Test Laxative-Free Colon Scan
By Randy DotingaHealthDay Reporter MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) — A preliminary new study suggests that patients who get virtual colonoscopies — alternatives to regular colonoscopies — might avoid the unpleasant task of bowel-cleansing with laxatives beforehand. However, this study of 605 people found that the laxative-free virtual colonoscopies were less effective at detecting small malignancies than [...]
Common Blood Pressure Drugs May Not Cut Colon Cancer Risk
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) — Widely used blood pressure medications called beta blockers do not cut a person’s odds of developing colon cancer, a new study contends. Beta blockers, which include drugs such as alprenolol, carvedilol, propranolol and atenolol, are commonly prescribed to older adults for high blood pressure and heart conditions. Prior research has also [...]
Colon Cancer Gaps for Blacks, Whites Largely Due to Screening
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) — Differences in screening account for much of the disparity in both colorectal (colon) cancer incidence and death rates between white and black Americans, a new study says. The screening differences are responsible for 42 percent of the gap in cancer incidence and 19 percent of the disparity in death rates, [...]
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