Colitis, Constipation, Crohn's, Colon cancer & other IBD's

waltky · Jan 27, 2016

Colon cancer among those under 50 more prevalent than first thought...

Study: 1 in 7 Colon Cancer Patients Under Age 50
January 26, 2016 - A new study shows that colon cancer is more prevalent among people under the age of 50 than previously thought.

The study was published Monday in the journal Cancer, and found that one out of every seven patients with colon cancer is under 50. The younger patients also tended to have more advanced cancer than their older counterparts. For the study, the researchers looked at 260,000 patients who were diagnosed with colon cancer between 1998 and 2011.

The study found that 15 percent of the cases involved people under 50; however, younger patients lived longer with a lower chance of recurrence due to treatment. "We were surprised that the numbers were that high," said the lead author of the study, said Samantha Hendren, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times. Hendren added that she was seeing a spike in cases among people in their 30's and 40's.

Colon cancer is one of the world's deadliest diseases, but it often has no symptoms in the early stages. That's why doctors urge adults over 50 to have a colonoscopy to detect any possible cancer.

Doctors usually recommend regular screening for colon cancer after age 50, but people with a family history of the disease are urged to start the screening process as early as 40. In an interview with CBS News, Hendren said the findings should be a wake-up call, but that it didnt necessarily mean changes will be coming to the screening guidelines. According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and is expected to cause more than 49,000 deaths this year. The most common symptom of the disease is dark red blood in bowel movements. "Small, skinnier, pencil-thin stools are often a sign of a tumor being present," Hendren told the Times, noting that weight loss is another clue that something might be amiss.

Andrew Chan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, said it is not known why colon cancer is showing up among younger people. "It is unexplained," he told CBS News. "It's not simply a change in diagnoses, it's a very real increase. There may be an effect of our environment that could be contributing to the increase." He added that like all cancers, smoking, obesity, a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are risk factors.

http://www.voanews.com/content/mht-colon-cancer-younger-people/3163468.html
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waltky · Feb 11, 2016

Mebbe vinegar kills C. diff?...

Vinegar may help treat ulcerative colitis
Feb. 10, 2016 - Researchers think changes to bacteria in the gut, caused by vinegar, were responsible for fewer ulcerative colitis symptoms among mice in a recent study.

Vinegar suppressed inflammation-inducing proteins linked to ulcerative colitis and improved gut bacteria in the gut, easing the condition in a study with mice. Researchers in China report that vinegar altered the population of bacteria in the gut microbiome, leading to reduced ulcerative colitis symptoms in the rodents.

Previous studies have shown vinegar could affect bacteria in the gut responsible for inflammation in ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic form of inflammatory bowel disease causing inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract, large intestine and rectum. Previous studies have shown the microbiome is involved with the inflammation, and vinegar has been thought to have some effect on the condition, which researchers said in a press release led them to test its effects in an animal model. For the study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers tested vinegar, as well as its main ingredient, acetic acid, in mice with ulcerative colitis by adding small amounts of either substance to their water.

Both vinegar and acetic acid lowered levels of proteins that promote inflammation in the gut and reduced the animals' symptoms, researchers said. Stool samples from rats who received the substances also showed higher levels of bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria, and Enterococcus faecalis, which are beneficial to mice with colitis symptoms, and lower levels inflammation-causing bacteria such as E. coli. A further understanding of how vinegar works in the gut is necessary, but researchers said the study suggests a dietary strategy to reduce or prevent ulcerative colitis in patients.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016...lcerative-colitis/6971455122280/?spt=slh&or=3
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waltky · Mar 4, 2016

Granny takes a aspirin before she goes to bed at night...

Regular Aspirin Use May Lower Cancer Risk
March 03, 2016 - Aspirin therapy has long been recommended for some suffering from heart disease, but a new study indicates it could also help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Writing in the journal JAMA Oncology, researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital say aspirin therapy significantly reduces the overall risk of cancer, a reduction that primarily reflects a lower risk of colorectal cancer and other tumors of the gastrointestinal tract.

The findings, they say, could serve to complement types of cancer screening such as a colonoscopy. "We now can recommend that many individuals consider taking aspirin to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer - particularly those with other reasons for regular use, such as heart disease prevention - but we are not at a point where we can make a general recommendation for overall cancer prevention," said Andrew Chan, chief of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit in the Massachusetts General Hospital Division of Gastroenterology, the senior author of the report. "Our findings imply that aspirin use would be expected to prevent a significant number of colorectal cancers above and beyond those that would be prevented by screening and may have even greater benefit in settings in which the resources to devote to cancer screening are lacking," he said.

A new study claims regular aspirin use can reduce the chances of getting cancer.

The researchers said other studies have pointed to a link between aspirin use and lowered risk for colorectal cancer, but that aspirins effect on other types of cancer is not fully understood. For the study, the researchers looked at 32 years of data collected from nearly 136,000 participants in the Nurses Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They found that those who reported regular use of aspirin--taking a low or normal dose at least three times a week - lowered their chance of developing any type of cancer by 3 percent compared to those who did not take aspirin regularly. Those who took regular doses of aspirin had a 19 percent lower chance of developing colorectal cancer as well as a 15 percent reduction in chances of getting any gastrointestinal cancer.

This, researchers said, could lead to up to 30,000 fewer cases of gastrointestinal tumors in the U.S. and 7,500 fewer cases of colorectal cancer. "At this point, it would be very reasonable for individuals to discuss with their physicians the advisability of taking aspirin to prevent gastrointestinal cancer, particularly if they have risk factors such as a family history," said Chan. "But this should be done with the caveat that patients be well informed about the potential side effects of regular aspirin treatment and continue their regular screening tests. Furthermore, aspirin should not be viewed as a substitute for a colonoscopy or other cancer-screening tests."

http://www.voanews.com/content/regular-aspirin-use-may-lower-cancer-risk/3218324.html
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waltky · Mar 16, 2016

Colon Cancer Clues from 18th Century Mummies...

18th Century Mummies Reveal Clues to Colon Cancer
March 15, 2016 - Researchers sequenced genetic material from 22 mummies in hunt for mutations, eventually pinpointing one that today is tied to development of the disease

Mummies are providing clues to the evolution of colon cancer. In 1995, more than 265 mummies were excavated from sealed crypts in the Dominican church in Vac, Hungary. The bodies, identified from their dress as priests and townsfolk, had mummified in the cool and dry conditions for more than 250 years. An archive of their tissue samples has attracted researchers worldwide, including a team from Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, which has turned to the mummies to study the history of colon cancer.

Hungarian mummies excavated from a church crypt in Hungary in 1995 are providing clues to the causes of colorectal cancer.

Colon cancer is associated with obesity, physical inactivity and processed foods. Scientists have also identified genetic mutations connected with the disease. The research was led by Tel Aviv University microbiologist Rina Arbesfeld of the Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology. The scientists hoped the mummies' DNA could shed light on whether the increase in the "incidence of cancer today is the result of man's manipulation of nature alone," Arbesfeld said.

Mummies preserved naturally

The church mummies presented a rare opportunity for the biologists. The naturally desiccated Hungarian mummies had lost their body fluids slowly and naturally, which is quite different from the method used by Egyptians, who deployed special embalmers to carry out the task quickly over a period of two or three months. The Hungarian mummies retained tissue that could be better analyzed for evidence of disease. "It presents an ideal opportunity to carry out a detailed genetic analysis and test for a wide variety of pathogens," said research team member Israel Hershkovitz of Tel Aviv University's Department of Anatomy and Anthropology.

Microbiologist Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld in her lab in the medical school at Tel Aviv University researches a possible ancestral link to colorectal cancer.

Arbesfeld and colleagues took DNA samples from 22 mummies and sequenced the genetic material in the hunt for mutations. The genetic material, however, was not easy to work with. "But eventually, after quite a lot of tries, we were able to find one specific mutation in a gene called APC that we know these days is involved with the development of cancer," Arbesfeld said.

Precursor cancer gene
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waltky · Apr 16, 2016

Chinamen usin' worms to fight IBD???...

Study: Worm infection counters inflammatory bowel disease
April 15, 2016 - Worm infection influences greater numbers of certain bacteria in the gut that help reduce inflammation.

Worm infection may protect against inflammatory bowel diseases, according to a recent study, leading researchers to suggest a lack of exposure to worms in the overly-sanitized modern world is increasing cases of the conditions. Researchers at New York University suggest exposure to worms, or at least to immune chemicals produced when worms are present in the gut, could prevent IBD in some people.

The worms trigger reactions in the gut microbiome -- the production of specific bacteria, clostridia, which help counter inflammation -- but in their absence, the researchers found inflammation occurs, leading to IBD. The researchers say the findings support the hygiene hypothesis, a theory that too-clean homes, pervasive overuse of hand sanitizers and a general avoidance of "germs," has contributed to changes in the collection of bacteria in the gut essential to bodily function. "Our study could change how scientists and physicians think about treating IBD," Dr. Ken Cadwell, an assistant professor at the New York University's Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, said in a press release. "Patient testimonials and anecdotes lead many to think that worms directly cure IBD, while in reality, they act on the gut bacteria thought to cause the disease."

For the study, published in the journal Science, researchers found mice with intestinal worms had a thousand-fold decrease in a group of bacterial species called bacteroides linked in previous studies to higher risk for IBD. Clostridia, at the same time, were found to have 10 times the presence in worm-infected mice. The clostridia compete with bacteroides for nutrients, or kill them by releasing toxins, further decreasing their number in the intestine and counteracting their inflammatory effects.

Cadwell said the findings support the hygiene hypothesis, as have studies in countries where worm infestation remains more common because of a lower emphasis on sterilizing every environment. "Our findings are among the first to link parasites and bacteria to the origin of IBD, supporting the hygiene hypothesis," said Dr. P'ng Loke, an associate professor at NYU, who said the study may also lead to a greater understanding of the role the gut microbiome plays in other inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016...wel-disease/6871460722072/?spt=mps&or=3&sn=hn
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See also:

Only half of rectal cancer patients get recommended treatment: Study
April 15, 2016 -- Despite the increasing use of a standard therapy for rectal cancer in the United States, only slightly more than half of patients receive it, a new study finds.

Chemoradiation therapy followed by surgery is recognized as the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer because it offers patients the best outcomes, according to the researchers. The new analysis of national data found the use of this standard treatment regimen among these patients rose from almost 43 percent in 2004-2006, to 50 percent in 2007-2009, and to 55 percent in 2010-2012.

While the increase is positive, nearly half of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer still do not receive the standard therapy as recommended by national guidelines, the study authors said. The investigators identified several factors associated with a lower chance of patients receiving the treatment: lack of private insurance; being treated at a facility with a low or medium volume of such cases; being non-white; and living in a neighborhood with low levels of education.

The report, by Dr. Helmneh Sineshaw, director of treatment patterns and outcomes research at the American Cancer Society, and colleagues was published online April 13 in the journal Cancer. "Unfortunately, with only 55 percent of U.S. patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving the standard of treatment in the recent years, one must address the gap between the guidelines and the variable penetrance into routine clinical practice," the study authors wrote.

About 39,000 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, and rates are rising among younger Americans, the researchers said in a journal news release.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016...d-treatment-Study/7761460755816/?spt=slh&or=3
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waltky · Jul 30, 2016

Cookbook for fighting inflammatory diseases...

'Anti-inflammation Cookbook' Offers Recipes for Better Health
July 28, 2016 - People have long known about the importance of food in promoting good health. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

Todays research confirms that certain foods have the potential to cure, prevent or aggravate diseases. Thats the focus of The Anti Inflammation Cookbook by chef Amanda Haas. To understand why we should avoid inflammation, we need to understand what it is. Neil Bernard, associate professor of medicine at George Washington University's medical school, said inflammation is a natural response of our immune system. Its our bodys way of attacking invaders," he said. "So if bacteria or viruses enter the body, inflammation is a way of knocking them out.

Amanda Haas wrote "The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook" at the suggestion of her doctor, who noted that her ailments were all forms of inflammation in her body

However, inflammation can also contribute to illness, from asthma and arthritis to cancer and diabetes. When inflammation becomes chronic, the body turns against its own tissue. Its a biological equivalent of friendly fire, Bernard said. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis, the joints are inflamed, and thats not a bacterium thats being attacked, its the lining of our joint. Thats when the inflammation becomes a problem.

All in the kitchen

Haas suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, as well as "things like chronic heartburn and stomach pain, back problems." "I had an allergist who said to me, Amanda, these are just all different forms of inflammation in your body. I think its something that youre eating. Since you cook for a living, why dont you go and figure out whats going to make you feel great and share it with other people?

Country Captains Chicken with lots of curry and turmeric is one of the author's favorite recipes.

Haas examined ingredients she often used in her recipes, things we all probably know we shouldnt have too much of things like refined sugars, too much caffeine, she said. A lot of people [know that] if you have joint and arthritic issues, you can be sensitive to peppers and eggplants and tomatoes. "I had too much to work with. I wanted people to understand that eating an anti-inflammatory diet can be delicious [but] youre going to be using a lot of green, leafy vegetables," she said. "I use a lot of spices, fresh herbs as well. Youll see me use a lot of citrus and natural sweeteners, like a little bit of honey, maple syrup. You wouldnt see me using a lot of refined sugar at all.

All kinds of recipes
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waltky · Mar 24, 2018

Colon Cancer Can Be Prevented and Treated...

Colon Cancer Can Be Prevented and Treated
March 24, 2018 | WASHINGTON — Although cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, colorectal cancer is one of the cancers that we can actually prevent, the World Health Organization says.

The colon is a long, muscular tube that’s also known as the large intestine. It is part of the digestive system. Colon cancer is linked to diet, genetic predisposition and age. In the U.S., 1 in 23 people will be told they have colon cancer. Michele Alexander got her diagnosis at age 53. “How much longer do I have? My daughter’s 24. You know, she’s still got a lot of life left. How much longer will I be with her? Those kind of thoughts go through your head,” Alexander said.

Largely preventable

Dr. Zihao Wu at the University of Missouri Health Care says this type of cancer is largely preventable. “The majority of colon cancer develops from a benign polyp, and that takes about 10 to 15 years,” he said. “And if you find a polyp and remove it, you won’t have colon cancer, so it’s very important to have a screening to prevent cancer.” As scary as her diagnosis was, Alexander’s passion for auto racing helped her get through her ordeal. Her favorite driver is Carl Edwards, and she had tickets to a race in which he was competing. When someone shared her story with him, he called her. “I said, ‘I know there’s an auction where I can bid to ride in the truck with you for driver intros, and it is my goal to win that auction,’” she said. … He said, ‘Don’t bid. You get here, you’re riding with me.’” Six weeks after surgery to remove the cancer in her colon, Alexander got her ride. “Oh, it was just joy. In a race for my life, and I crossed the finish line a winner,” she said.

Healthy lifestyle helps

Wu said Alexander’s attitude helped. “She wanted to get better. She had a strong will to get better, and I think that’s very important,” he said. Doctors say you can help prevent colon cancer if you eat plenty of greens, whole grains and vegetables and legumes, which are high in fiber. Regular exercise also helps, and if you smoke, stop.

Assemblyman Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, who is pediatrician, passes through an inflatable colon display in Sacramento, Calif., March 24, 2014. The display shows what a healthy colon looks like, how polyps develop and how they can turn cancerous.

Most importantly, get a regular screening starting at age 50 or sooner if you have a family history. If colon cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, the World Health Organization says 90 percent of patients survive at least five years, compared with no more than percent of those diagnosed at an advanced stage. Two years after her surgery, Alexander is still cancer free and still a racecar enthusiast.

https://www.voanews.com/a/colon-cancer-can-be-prevented-treated/4314250.html
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Sallyally · Mar 25, 2018

waltky said: ↑

Granny takes a aspirin before she goes to bed at night...

Regular Aspirin Use May Lower Cancer Risk
March 03, 2016 - Aspirin therapy has long been recommended for some suffering from heart disease, but a new study indicates it could also help reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Click to expand...

Does granny have many headaches?

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