Many Doctors Not Using Colon Cancer Test Properly

Many Doctors Not Using Colon Cancer Test Properly



(DrEddyClinic News) -- Many American doctors don't make proper use of a colorectal cancer screening method called the fecal occult blood test, a new study claims.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed 1,134 primary care physicians and found that 75 percent of them order or perform an in-office fecal occult blood test (FOBT), rather than relying on the more accurate home-based FOBT.

National guidelines recommend that FOBT testing be done with stool samples collected at home. The in-office test -- in which a single stool sample is collected by a physician during a digital rectal examination -- is not recommended for colorectal cancer screening because it misses 95 percent of cancers or precancerous polyps http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=31833.

"Many primary care physicians continue to use inappropriate FOBT methods to screen for colorectal cancer, thereby missing the potential to save lives," study author Marion Nadel, a health scientist in CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, said in an agency news release.

"FOBT is an important option for screening, but it must be implemented correctly. People who choose FOBT for screening should use high-sensitivity home tests on an annual basis and be sure to follow-up on any positive result," she added.

Among physicians who ordered or performed FOBT, 25 percent used in-office FOBT exclusively and about 53 percent used both in-office and home tests. The study also found that 61 percent of doctors used the standard guaiac-based FOBT, while significantly fewer used the sensitive guaiac-based test and the fecal immunochemical tests. Those high-sensitivity tests are much more effective at detecting colorectal cancer http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=72 and advanced lesions.

One positive finding was that 93 percent of the physicians said they used colonoscopy as a follow-up to a positive FOBT, as recommended in national guidelines.

The study was published online April 10 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for people aged 50 and older. Certain people may need to begin screening at a younger age. Along with FOBT, other recommended screening tests for colorectal cancer http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/cc/colorectalcancer.php are flexible sigmoidoscopy (every five years) and colonoscopy (every 10 years).


More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about colorectal cancer screening.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/colorectal/patient/

http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/cc/colorectalcancer.php

What are the side effects of leukemia treatment?

What are the side effects of leukemia treatment?



(DrEddyClinic News) It is hard to limit the effects of therapy so that only leukemia cells are destroyed. Treatment also damages healthy cells and tissues; this causes side effects.

The side effects of cancer treatment vary. They depend mainly on the type and extent of the treatment. Also, each person reacts differently. Side effects may even be different from one treatment to the next. Doctors try to plan the patient's therapy to keep side effects to a minimum.

Doctors and nurses can explain the side effects of treatment and can suggest medicine, diet changes or other ways to deal with them.

Chemotherapy:

The side effects of chemotherapy http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=91 depend mainly on the drugs the patient receives. Side effects may vary from person to person. Generally, anticancer drugs affect dividing cells. Cancer cells divide more often than healthy cells and are more likely to be affected by chemotherapy. Some healthy cells may also be damaged. Healthy cells that divide often, including blood cells, cells in hair roots and cells in the digestive tract, are likely to be damaged. When chemotherapy affects healthy cells, it may lower patients' resistance to infection, and patients may have less energy and may bruise or bleed easily. They may lose their hair. They also may have nausea, vomiting and mouth sores. Most side effects go away gradually during the recovery periods between treatments or after treatment stops.

Some anticancer drugs can affect a patient's fertility. Women's periods may become irregular or stop, and women may have symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Men may stop producing sperm. Because these changes may be permanent, some men choose to have their sperm frozen and stored. Most children treated for leukemia appear to have normal fertility when they grow up. However, depending on the drugs and doses used and on the age of the patient, some boys and girls may not be able to have children when they mature.

Radiation Therapy:

Patients receiving radiation therapy may become very tired. Resting is very important, but doctors usually suggest that patients remain as active as they can.

When radiation is directed to the head, patients often lose their hair. Radiation can cause the scalp or skin in the treated area to become red, dry, tender and itchy. Patients will be shown how to keep their skin clean. They should not use any lotion or cream on the treated area without the doctor's advice. Radiation therapy also may cause nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. These side effects are temporary, and doctors and nurses can often suggest ways to control them until the treatment is over.

However, some side effects may be lasting. Children (especially young ones) who receive radiation to the brain may develop problems with learning and coordination. For this reason, doctors use the lowest possible doses of radiation, and they give this treatment only to children who cannot be treated successfully with chemotherapy alone. Also, radiation to the testicles is likely to affect both fertility and hormone production. Most boys who have this form of treatment are not able to have children later on. Some may need to take hormones.

Bone Marrow Transplantation:

Patients who have a bone marrow transplant face an increased risk of infection, bleeding and other side effects of the large doses of chemotherapy and radiation they receive. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) may occur in patients who receive bone marrow from a donor. In GVHD, the donated marrow reacts against the patient's tissues (most often the liver, the skin and the digestive tract). GVHD can be mild or very severe. It can occur any time after the transplant (even years later). Drugs may be given to reduce the risk of GVHD and to treat the problem if it occurs.

Nutrition:

Some cancer patients find it hard to eat well. They may lose their appetite. The common side effects of therapy, such as nausea, vomiting or mouth sores, can make eating difficult. For some patients, foods taste different. Also, people may not feel like eating when they are uncomfortable or tired.

Eating well means getting enough calories and protein to help prevent weight loss and regain strength. Patients who eat well during cancer treatment often feel better and have more energy. In addition, they may be better able to handle the side effects of treatment. Doctors, nurses and dietitians can offer advice for healthy eating during cancer treatment.

Follow-Up Care:

Regular follow-up exams are very important after treatment for leukemia. The doctor will continue to check the patient closely to be sure that the cancer has not returned. Check-ups usually include exams of the blood, bone marrow and cerebrospinal fluid. From time to time, the doctor does a complete physical exam.

Cancer treatment may cause side effects many years later. For this reason, patients should continue to have regular check-ups and should also report health changes or problems to their doctor as soon as they appear.

Colon Surgery Linked to High Readmission Rates

Colon Surgery Linked to High Readmission Rates



(DrEddyClinic News) -- Although one in four patients ends up back in the hospital within three months of colon surgery, new research reveals these readmissions -- which cost $300 million every year -- are often preventable.

The most common reason colorectal surgery patients return to the hospital: complications from surgical-site infections, according to the study published in the December issue of the journal Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. The researchers said many of these infections could be avoided.

"Readmissions after surgery are common and they burden the health care system with exorbitant costs," study senior author Dr. Martin Makary, an associate professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a Hopkins news release. "While readmissions are sometimes unavoidable, many times they result from poor coordination of medical care. Everyone knows you can't get readmissions down to zero but, at 23 percent, there's a huge amount of room for improvement. There is no reason we can't cut that rate in half."

The cost is roughly $9,000 every time a patient is readmitted, the study found.

"Hospital readmissions are costly to the patient, costly to the system, delay recovery and victimize some patients multiple times," study leader Dr. Elizabeth Wick, an assistant professor of surgery, said in the news release.

In conducting the study, researchers analyzed the records of nearly 11,000 patients who underwent colorectal surgery over the course of six years. They found that within one month of being discharged, more than 11 percent of patients were readmitted to the hospital. Another 12 percent were readmitted at between one and three months. The study also revealed that nearly 7 percent of the patients were readmitted two or more times within three months.

The researchers noted that colorectal surgery is associated with high readmission rates because of the location on the body and complexity of the operations. Nearly 19 percent of patients developed a surgical-site infection within 30 days of their operation. Two other common reasons for readmission after this type of surgery: dehydration and complications associated with a stoma (a skin opening from a procedure to divert the intestinal tract outside the body).

The study's authors pointed out that reducing surgical-site infections by just 5 percent could dramatically lower readmission rates. They noted that hospitals are already taking preventive steps, including having nurses review patient discharge plans and following up with patients after discharge.

The researchers said that readmission rates for colorectal surgery is an area that calls for cost reduction as well as higher quality of care.

"Hospital readmissions are being used as a surrogate measure for determining quality of care," Wick said. "If care isn't as good, patients end up back in the hospital. We need to make sure patients don't have to come back."

More information

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons provides more information on complications of colorectal surgery.
http://www.fascrs.org/physicians/education/core_subjects/2011/Complications/

Study: More Vitamin B in Mother’s Diet Reduces Risk of Colon

Study: More Vitamin B in Mother’s Diet Reduces Risk of Colon



(DrEddyClinic News) Few experts question the influence a mother’s diet can have on her children’s long term physical health. Yet, many believe this effect is mostly sociological, limited to positive or negative role modeling, and the development of general dietary habits later in life. However, new research suggests that the foods moms eat could impact the health of their children much more directly.



Scientists at Tufts University’s USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA), near Boston, have recently published findings of a new study which shows a strong connection between the quantity of B vitamins pregnant mice consume and the likelihood of their offspring developing colorectal cancer as adults [1].

Breaking Down The Study

Three test groups of pregnant and nursing mice, which were genetically engineered to be predisposed to develop colorectal cancer, were fed diets with either higher than normal, adequate, or slightly deficient amounts of folate and vitamins B2, B6, and B12. Once fully weened, all newborn mice were fed identical, nutritionally balanced diets through adulthood.

The occurrence of tumor development appeared similar between both the adequate and B vitamin deficient groups, with about 60 percent of the mice in each of these two groups eventually developing colon cancer. In comparison, less than 20 percent of the mice in the group that was given larger than normal servings of B vitamins were found to have malignant growths.

While these figure are impressive, the researchers caution that the study itself is only a preliminary investigation, and additional studies will be needed to further asses the correlation between maternal vitamin B consumption and reduced risk of cancer in humans.

Dr. Jimmy Crott, PhD, lead author of the HNRCA study:

“We saw, by far, the fewest intestinal tumors in the offspring of mothers consuming the supplemented diet. Although the tumor incidence was similar between offspring of deficient and adequate mothers, 54% of tumors in the deficient offspring were advanced and had invaded surrounding tissue while only 18% of tumors in the offspring of adequate mothers displayed these aggressive properties.”

Most healthcare providers already recommend higher than normal intake of folate and other essential B vitamins during pregnancy and while nursing as part of routine prenatal care. And accordingly, most popular brands of prenatal vitamins> contain significantly larger than normal serving of all four B vitamins as compared to regular multivitamins. The standard reasons for this, however, have nothing to do with with the prevention of colon cancer.

In addition to their potential for the risk of colorectal cancer, http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/cc/colorectalcancer.php Vitamin B – folate, more specifically – has long been known to play an important role in the prevention of spina bifida and related defects of the neural tube (a sort of embryonic forerunner of the central nervous system) during fetal gestation. It’s also believed to have a strong influence on proper neurological development in very young children.

by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

References:

1. Andrea Grossman. B Vitamins in mother’s diet reduce colorectal cancer risk in offspring http://now.tufts.edu/news-releases/b-vitamins-mother%E2%80%99s-diet-reduce-colorectal-ca. Turfts Now. 20011 June 9.

Mini-Strokes May Cause Vision Loss

Mini-Strokes May Cause Vision Loss



(DrEddyClinic News) -- A study of people who suffer the mini-strokes called silent cerebral infarcts could help explain the medical mystery of normal-tension glaucoma, Hong Kong ophthalmologists report.

Glaucoma http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/gg/glaucoma.php is the progressive loss of vision caused by deterioration of the optic nerves, which carry signals from the eyes to the brain. It is customarily attributed to abnormally high pressure of the fluid in the eye. But glaucoma can occur in some people who have normal intraocular pressure http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/gg/.../glaucoma_3.php, a phenomenon that puzzles eye doctors.

The Hong Kong study of 286 people with normal-tension glaucoma found a high incidence of silent cerebral infarcts among those whose loss of vision progressed more rapidly. The finding is in the July issue of Ophthalmology.

"We feel that our study does cast light on the pathogenesis of normal-tension glaucoma," said the study's lead author, Dr. Dexter Y.L. Leung, deputy coordinator of the glaucoma service at Hong Kong Eye Hospital. "We postulate that vascular [blood vessel] risk factors may be interacting with intraocular pressure in causing glaucoma optic neuropathy."

The study found that 29.6 percent of people with silent cerebral infarcts -- symptomless blockages of small brain arteries -- experienced steady deterioration of their vision, whereas such infarcts occurred in only 15.3 percent of those whose glaucoma-caused vision loss did not progress.

All study participants were Chinese, Leung noted. "We feel that a similar silent cerebral infarct-glaucoma relationship is likely to be applicable to other ethnic groups than the Chinese, but more studies are needed to confirm that," he said.

Doctors treating people with normal-tension glaucoma should consider obtaining brain images to determine whether silent infarcts have occurred, Leung said. There has been a debate about whether doing neuroimaging to detect abnormal growths within the brain is worthwhile, he said.

The next step in the Hong Kong research program will be to determine whether the severity of the silent infarcts correlates with the degree of vision loss in glaucoma, Leung said. Such a relationship would confirm the role of silent infarcts in normal-tension glaucoma, he said.

Dr. Andrew Iwach, executive director of the Glaucoma Center of San Francisco and a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, said that while the Hong Kong study adds evidence that there might be a vascular effect in normal-tension glaucoma, "at the moment, the only parameter that has been clearly shown to affect patients is lowering eye pressure."

That applies even to people with normal-tension glaucoma, Iwach said. A study done several years ago by the Glaucoma Research Foundation found that lowering eye pressure reduced visual field loss in such cases, he said.

But sudden changes in vision were seen in some study participants, Iwach said, "and one characteristic of a vascular process is that you can have such sudden changes." Though eye pressure remains the dominant factor in glaucoma, "we are continuing to look for other contributing factors, and high on our list has been the vascular component," he said.

Because glaucoma-caused vision loss can be insidious, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that a comprehensive eye examination, with careful checking of the optic nerve, be done no later than age 40, Iwach said.

More information

The U.S. National Eye Institute has more on glaucoma.

http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp

http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/gg/glaucoma.php

http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/gg/.../glaucoma_3.php

11 Selenium Toxicity Dangers You Can Easily Avoid

11 Selenium Toxicity Dangers You Can Easily Avoid



Selenium is an essential nutrient that the human body requires in order to function normally. And, like all nutrients, selenium can reach a point where enough becomes too much and it begins to hurt rather than help. Your body needs what it needs; more isn’t necessarily better. In fact, if you consume too much selenium, you can experience selenium toxicity, also known as selenium poisoning. As you might guess, this is the presence of too much selenium in the body.[1]



Research suggests that the adult human body can tolerate up to 600 micrograms (µg) of selenium per day for 18 months without experiencing adverse health effects.[2] However, the Food and Nutrition Board of the United States Institute of Medicine recommends that humans over the age of 14 limit selenium intake to 400µg per day.[3]

Selenium toxicity is actually more common in livestock than people. This is particularly true in the western part of the United States where the soil is rich in selenium. High selenium content in soil is absorbed by plants and passed on to livestock.[4]

Selenium toxicity is generally not a widespread threat to humans. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry assigned selenium a “minimal” risk level.[5] In fact, selenium deficiency http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=33885 is far more common than selenium toxicity.[6] Selenium is usually excreted from the body naturally within 24 hours, although rare exceptions do occur.[7]

Should you be concerned about selenium poisoning? Let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent symptoms.

11 Symptoms of Selenium Toxicity

Selenium toxicity is often caused by over-supplementation[8] and can impact the human body in a number of ways. Some symptoms are more severe than others, but all represent a disruption in wellness. Here is a look, courtesy of the Journal of the American Medical Association, at some of the ways selenium toxicity can cause problems.[8]

1. Gastrointestinal Distress and Diarrhea — reported in over 75% of those observed suffering from selenium toxicity.
2. Fatigue — reported by roughly 75% of those observed. Not surprising, as one of the key roles of selenium is as a helper for specific enzymes http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=33739 that regulate certain bodily functions related to energy production.[9, 10, 11]
3. Hair Loss — reported by over 70% of observed parties.
4. Joint Pain — reported by about 70% of those observed.
5. Nail Discoloration or Brittleness — reported by 61% of participants. Likely related to the hair loss.
6. Nausea — reported in over half of those observed.

Many participants said that the nail issues, fatigue, and hair loss continued for at least 90 days. These are some of the milder symptoms of selenium toxicity. Unfortunately, other reported instances have included more troubling symptoms:

7. Peripheral Neuropathy[12]
8. Excessive Tooth Decay[2]
9. Nervous System Abnormalities[2]
10. Paralysis[2]
11. Selenosis — a selenium-induced toxicity across multiple organs.[13]
Selenosis outbreaks have not been reported in the U.S. but have occurred in some small villages in China.[14] These villages subsisted on a diet of high-selenium foods over a period of months or years. The reason no outbreaks have occurred in the U.S. can likely be attributed to a difference in diet. Americans tend to eat many different foods sourced from different locations, grown in different soils with varying nutrient levels. This helps avoid over-dependence on any one particular high-selenium food http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=33532.

Now that you know a bit more about selenium toxicity, what do you need to know about avoiding it?

Avoiding the Risk of Selenium Toxicity or Deficiency

So, what do you need to do to avoid selenium poisoning? Not much! Actually, you’re probably already doing it. As I mentioned earlier, selenium toxicity is rare in humans. You have to consume large quantities over a prolonged period of time before it becomes a real problem.

Selenium is an essential nutrient and your body relies on it to function normally. You can’t and shouldn’t eliminate selenium from your diet.

As with so many other nutrients, selenium consumption is all about achieving balance. Most people receive enough selenium through their diet. Selenium supplements, such as our brand new, vegan-friendly food-sourced selenium formula http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=35926, are available for those who don’t.



Wellness supports the body’s ability to carry out its normal physiological processes. Total wellness is what happens when the body receives the necessary nutrients in proper amounts. Remember the importance of this balance. Make sure your body gets the appropriate nutrients, including selenium, through a combination of diet and supplementation. Proper nutrition helps your body function normally and achieve total wellness. Read more

Common Pain Medication Accelerates Growth of Cancer Tumors

Common Pain Medication Accelerates Growth of Cancer Tumors
by: E. Huff
painkillers, cancer tumors, health news

(DrEddyClinic News) Two recent studies analyzing the side effects of morphine have revealed that the chronic pain drug and other opiate-based pain medications contribute to the growth and spread of cancer cells. Dr. Patrick Singleton, Ph.D., author of the studies and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center, emphasized that the discovery could change the way cancer patients are treated for pain.

Morphine is a highly potent, highly addictive opiate analgesic that works by crossing the protective blood-brain barrier to get to the central nervous system where it alleviates a person's pain symptoms. Laboratory studies have revealed that a side effect to relieving pain is the prompting of cancer cells to replicate and proliferate throughout the body. Morphine also obstructs the body's immune response by decreasing the barrier function that protects the body from foreign invaders.

The late pharmacologist Leon Goldberg of the University of Chicago developed a solution drug called methylnaltrexone (MNTX) in the 1980s that blocks the negative side effects of morphine while preserving its pain relieving capabilities. Current research indicates that MNTX works in some way to preserve the "mu" opiate receptor functionality which blocks tumor growth. Morphine alone disrupts the mu receptor, instigating the spread of cancer.

If confirmed clinically, study authors believe the many findings concerning morphine and opiate-related cancer proliferation will significantly alter how morphine is used in cancer patients. 

The inherent dangers of morphine and other opiate drugs was not mentioned in the studies. Even if the mechanism that encourages cancer growth can somehow be disabled, morphine is still an incredibly powerful, addictive drug that if misused even slightly can cause serious injury or death. Withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing its use can be difficult as is the detoxification period following its usage.

Read more