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All Colon Cancer Alerts
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Smoking and Colorectal Cancer: What the Studies Show
Researchers began investigating the relationship between smoking and colorectal cancer about two decades ago. The initial studies clearly showed that smoking increased a person's risk of developing precancerous colorectal polyps. But the data supporting a link between smoking and colorectal cancer were inconsistent. So, more studies were conducted and now, the results are in.
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Research on Aspirin and Colorectal Cancer
Randomized trials show that regular aspirin use reduces the risk of polyps in people at high risk for colorectal cancer. Now an observational study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Volume 302, page 649) finds that people with colorectal cancer live longer if they take aspirin on a regular basis.
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Genetic Testing for Colorectal Cancer: Privacy Concerns
If you've recently been diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer, you may worry that other family members may be at risk, too. One way to find out is to have a blood test to determine whether you inherited a genetic mutation that increased your risk of getting colorectal cancer -- a mutation that could affect your children, siblings, and parents as well. More...
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Focus on Fiber
A fiber-rich diet has many benefits -- but does it protect against colon cancer? Results of studies have been inconsistent and far from definitive. Here’s what we know … More...
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Exercise Your Way to a Healthier Colon
What can you do to prevent colon cancer? Studies show that certain behaviors are associated with colon cancer. For example, the risk of developing colon cancer increases if you are physically inactive, obese, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, or eat a diet high in red or processed meat, refined grains, and fats, especially those from animal sources. A reader asks: I'd like to make some lifestyle changes to reduce my risk of colorectal cancer. Will exercise help? Johns Hopkins responds … More...
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Colonoscopy Prep: Going Liquid
In preparation for your colonoscopy, your doctor will prescribe a clear liquid diet, along with a laxative to completely clear the colon of stool and fluid. The diet, which provides some energy and maintains the body's fluids, salts, and minerals, offers more foods and choices than you may realize. Here’s what you should know … More...
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The Outlook for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
'In the past, chemotherapy was the only option for patients with advanced colorectal cancer, which often spreads to the liver. But now, aggressive approaches to surgery executed by multidisciplinary teams that bring together colorectal and liver specialists are improving survival and even curing many of these patients,' observes Michael A Choti, M.D., Director of the Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center. More...
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Colon Cancer Surgery: Open or Laparoscopic?
Colon cancer operations are low risk, and in recent years major surgical advances, like the increasing use of minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques, have been helping patients live longer with fewer side effects. In this excerpt of an article from our Health After 50 newsletter, Michael A. Choti, M.D., the Jacob C. Handelsman Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins and Director of the Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center talks about colon cancer surgery. More...
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Clinical Trial Terminology Explained
The National Cancer Institute estimates that between 5% and 8% of cancer patients participate in clinical trials. Why is the number so low? Part of the problem is that many patients believe that all clinical trials include a placebo (an inactive treatment with no known therapeutic value) and treat participants like 'guinea pigs' -- neither of which is true. To help clear up the confusion, this Health Alert explains clinical trial terminology, including randomization, placebo, and blinding More...
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Preparing For Your Colonoscopy
Many people think the worst part of a colonoscopy is the preparation -- clearing your entire large intestine of fecal matter. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions about the cleansing process, which can take two days or more. Now a study reported in The Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that some bowel cleaning preparations can cause kidney damage in some adults. More...
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When Should You Have Your First Colonoscopy?
Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for finding and removing -- and possibly preventing -- colorectal cancer. It can detect up to 95% of colon cancers and can be used to remove precancerous polyps before they develop into cancer. So it’s important to know when you should begin colonoscopy screening: age 40 or 50? More...
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FAP Families at Risk for Colorectal Cancer
It is estimated that about 15% of colorectal cancers run in families. For that reason, it's important to know the health history of your immediate family and to tell your children. A family history of colorectal cancer puts you at higher risk for developing the disease, which means you should have screenings more often than the average person. More...
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9 Tips To Make Your Colonoscopy Easier
Colonoscopy is the “gold standard” for finding and removing precancerous polyps and colon cancers. But many people delay colonoscopy because of the uncomfortable pre-exam preparation. In this Health Alert Johns Hopkins provides practical advice to help you make the best of this necessary test. More...
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When the Diagnosis Is Colorectal Cancer
The best way to “treat” colorectal cancer is to prevent it, through regular colonoscopy screenings during which any suspicious polyps can be removed. However, if your doctor does find evidence of colorectal cancer, your treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. In this Health Alert, Johns Hopkins gastroenterologist Sergey V. Kantsevoy, M.D. explains what you should expect if you are diagnosed with colorectal cancer. More...
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Eating To Lower Your Cancer Risk
Can diet prevent colorectal cancer from coming back? A number of researchers are zeroing in on certain foods and nutrients that may play an important role in preventing the recurrence of adenomas (polyps that have a high likelihood of becoming cancerous). Here's the latest thinking from Johns Hopkins cancer experts. More...
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For Colonoscopy, Location Matters
Not all colonoscopies are equal, a new study finds. Colorectal cancer is more likely to be missed if the colonoscopy is performed in a doctor's office rather than in a hospital or clinic.
Canadian investigators analyzed data from more than 12,000 people with colorectal cancer who had reportedly normal colonoscopies no more than three years before their diagnosis. The investigators found that 3% of the people had a new or missed cancer, some within six… More...
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How Often Should You Have a Colonoscopy?
If you are at low risk for colorectal cancer, how long should you wait between colonoscopy screenings? Johns Hopkins looked into this question and provides advice.
Most of us grudgingly accept the need for regular colonoscopy screenings but may wonder: Is it really safe to wait a decade before your next colonoscopy? Some researchers have wondered as well. … More...
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The Size of a Pea and a Lot More Dangerous
Colorectal polyps are small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells that grow in the rectum and colon. Over the course of 10–15 years, some of these polyps -- usually the ones that are larger than a pea -- can become cancerous. Fortunately, regular screening for colorectal cancer helps to identify and remove polyps, often before they progress to cancer. … More...
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Can Diet Prevent Colon Cancer From Coming Back?
An unhealthy diet has long been associated with an increased risk of developing colon cancer, at times without much evidence other than common sense. Now a growing body of research is backing up these claims with studies showing that people who eat 'good' foods may indeed be able to reduce their risk of developing colon cancer. … More...
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When Normal Is Not Enough
Don't assume a normal annual test for fecal occult blood (FOBT) means you can postpone your colonoscopy. According to Frank Herlong, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology Division at Johns Hopkins and Health After 50 Board Member, FOBTs are no longer relied upon for colon cancer screening -- though some doctors may use them to test for gastrointestinal bleeding from causes other than cancer. … More...
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Introducing the Aer-O-Scope
Patients who plan to undergo colonoscopy should be on the lookout for the Aer-O-Scope, a new self-propelled colonoscope – still under development.
Colonoscopy, long the gold-standard for colorectal cancer screening, requires specialized training and sedation and can have complications, such as colon perforation. A newly developed instrument could be used with minimal training, without sedation, and perhaps with fewer complications, according to its developers. … More...
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Aggressive Treatment Pays Off
For patients with advanced, metastatic colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver, surgery offers hope, according to a study in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
The treatments for advanced cancer are much the same as for newly diagnosed cancer. However, they are more aggressive. They include: Surgery to remove cancer where it has returned or metastasized. This could be localized or could involve extensive surgery for metastases in the liver or other organs. … More...
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Follow-Up and Recurrence
Following treatment for colon cancer, it's critically important to monitor your recovery with frequent doctor visits and to pay attention to potential symptoms of recurrence. Johns Hopkins doctor explain what to look for.
After colon cancer treatment, vigilant surveillance must continue for several years. Early detection of recurrent or metastasized cancer yields the best possibility for cure or containment. For these reasons, at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, most colon cancer patients… More...
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Preventing Colon Cancer With Exercise
Men who took part in a regular exercise program had fewer precancerous changes to the colon lining than non-exercisers, a study shows -- and the more vigorous the exercise, the better the results.
While there is no surefire way to prevent colon cancer or a recurrence, lifestyle choices may lower your risk of colon cancer. Much of the new information echoes time-honored common sense: Eat a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables, maintain an appropriate… More...
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Advice to Speed Recovery From Colon Cancer Surgery
Research suggests that chewing sugarless gum after colon cancer surgery can speed recovery and shorten hospital stays by as much as a third.
The first line of treatment for colon cancer is to remove the primary tumor or tumors. If your colon cancer is confined to polyps or a small area, surgery is probably the only treatment that you need. After major surgery, you will have some pain for two or three days, which is… More...
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When It Comes to Colonoscopy, How Old Is Too Old?
Two research studies report on the benefits and risks of colonoscopy in adults over age 80.
Colonoscopy is considered the gold standard for finding and removing -- and possibly preventing -- colorectal cancer. It can detect up to 95% of colon cancers and can be used to remove precancerous polyps before they develop into cancer. … More...
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Questionnaires Help Predict Inherited Colon Cancer Risk
After age 80, heredity is a major risk factor for colorectal cancer. Now scientists have a new tool to help them identify people at risk for genetically linked colon or endometrial cancer.
It's not known exactly why colorectal cancer begins. Some people carry genes that make them unusually susceptible to certain cancers, and some people have genes that are specific for colorectal cancer. In fact, because colon cancer is relatively easy to identify in the precancerous… More...
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Advice to Beat the Odds of Colorectal Cancer
The evidence that links various foods with the risk of colon cancer is increasing. Fortunately, most of the foods that are good for you are good to eat as well.
So far, there is no surefire way to prevent colon cancer or a recurrence. But increasing knowledge about contributing factors has revealed that lifestyle choices may lower your risk. Some of the information is surprising and may challenge your assumptions. However, much of the new… More...
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More Reasons to Exercise
It's never too late to begin to exercise. In one study, those with advanced colon cancer who exercised regularly more than doubled their disease-free survival time.
If you have been diagnosed with polyps -- cancerous or benign -- you now have an incentive to make some different lifestyle choices. Stop smoking and limit your use of alcohol. Exposing yourself to these known toxins can cause cell damage that promotes cancer. A recent study shows that alcohol… More...
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Colon Cancer Proteins Show Promise For Blood Test
Searching for less invasive screening tests for cancer, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered proteins present in blood that accurately identify colon cancer and precancerous polyps. Initial studies of the proteins, CCSA-3 and CCSA-4, suggest they could be used to develop a blood test to identify individuals at-risk for colon cancer.
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Four Genes That Cause Colorectal Cancer
Scientists are identifying specific genes that confer a high risk of developing some cancers, including colorectal cancer. If you happen to carry one of these specific genes, your risk of colorectal cancer is increased considerably. Your doctor may recommend genetic testing if cancer seems to run in your family or if a close relative has been found to carry one of these genes. More...
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The Link Between Fiber and Colon Cancer
A fiber-rich diet has many benefits – but does it protect against colon cancer?
The idea that fiber protects against colon cancer was first proposed many years ago when researchers found that Africans who ate high fiber diets had a low incidence of colon cancer. Since then dozens of studies have supported the protective role of fiber. There are plenty of reasons fiber might lower colon cancer risk: Fiber increases fecal bulk and may dilute… More...
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Is Colon Cancer in Your Genes?
Johns Hopkins Professor Frank Giardiello, M.D., Professor explains why knowing your family tree can save your life.
Following the publication of the complete sequence of the human genome in 2003, researchers announced that much of this information had been placed on a single, dime-sized glass slide called a DNA microarray or gene chip. This tool allows researchers to rapidly examine humankind’s estimated 35,000 genes so they can pinpoint those linked to disease, an achievement that promises… More...
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What You Can Do To Prevent Colorectal Polyps
Low-dose aspirin can help protect against colorectal cancer, but talk to your doctor first.
Colorectal polyps are small, non-cancerous (benign) clumps of cells that grow in the rectum and colon. Over the course of 10–15 years, some of these polyps—usually the ones that are larger than a pea—may become cancerous. Fortunately, regular screening for colorectal cancer helps to identify and remove polyps, often before they progress to cancer. … More...
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What You Eat Affects Your Colorectal Cancer Risk
A number of studies have confirmed a link between diet and the risk of colorectal cancer. In one study of 150,000 adults reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, people who ate the most red and processed meat over a 20-year period had a 50% greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than those who consumed little meat. Individuals who ate more poultry and fish than meat had a 70% lower risk of… More...
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Women and Colorectal Cancer
More Evidence That Calcium Reduces Colorectal Cancer Risk
A new study provides further evidence that calcium, from both dietary sources and supplements, can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in women—presumably by neutralizing highly irritating bile acids in the colon. The data which was reported in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention come from more than 45,000 women enrolled in the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project. During the study, the subjects were asked to… More...
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