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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Colorectal Cancer Rapidly Declines With Increased
Testing, Better Tests
Colon and rectal cancer most common among senior
citizens
 October 23, 2006 Medical science and technology
appear to be winning the war against colorectal cancer, which is the
second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women. And, the
inclusion of colon cancer testing in Medicare's preventive care has
undoubtedly helped, too. New research says the increased number of
people being screened early and the advancement in screening technology
is driving down the number of cancers of the colon or rectum, which are
both classified as colorectal cancer. (Read what every senior should
know about this cancer below news report.)
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Related Stories |
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Senior Nutrition, Vitamins, Supplements
Red Wine but Not White Reduces Risk of Colon Cancer
Study says it is the resveratrol in red wine
that provides protection
 October 23, 2006- Drinking more than three glasses
of red wine a week reduced the risk for colon cancer, according to
research presented at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American
College of Gastroenterology in Las Vegas.
Read
more...
Colon Cancer Treatment Improved by Targeted Exam of
Lymph Node
June 19, 2006 Colon cancer is the second most
common cause of cancer death in the U.S. but the accuracy of determining
the cancers progress can be improved by examining the lymph notes to
which colorectal cancer is most likely to have spread. This can also
spare some patients the cost and toxicity of chemotherapy, according to
a report in the June issue of the Archives of Surgery, one of the
Journal of the American Medical Association journals.
Read more...
Colonoscopy Very Effective But Maybe Used Too Often
Little value for those over 80; Second
test not needed for 10 years
May 23, 2006 Two studies reported in today's
Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that colonoscopy may
be used too often. One of the studies says in does little for those over
80, and the second says those who pass a colonoscopy test probably do
not need another for ten years.
Read more...
Virtual Colonoscopy Makes Progress Detecting Polyps,
Studies Say
Studies find broad value and ease of CTC for
average risk patients
May 23, 2006 - With more than 100,000 people in the
U.S. diagnosed each year with colon cancer, doctors are working to
improve screening techniques through more accurate technologies and more
comfortable procedures. In research presented today at Digestive Disease
Week 2006 (DDW), studies suggest that virtual screenings may be just as
effective as standard colonoscopy at detecting colon polyps in
average-risk individuals.
Read more...
Study of Postmenopausal Women
Low-Fat Diet with Fruit, Veggies, Grains Does NOT
Reduce Heart, Breast Cancer or Colon Cancer Risks
Study findings send shock waves through health
care community
Feb. 6, 2006 Results of new studies were
released today that indicate a diet low in fat, but high in fruit,
vegetables and grains, does not significantly reduce the risk of breast
cancer, colorectal cancer or cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal
women. These findings that run counter to what has been
preached by health experts for years. The three articles will be
published in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association
(JAMA), but they have already stirred up a storm of caution.
Read more...
Read more
on
Health & Medicine |
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The decline in colorectal cancer cases from 1988 to
2002 coincides with improvements in and the increased use of the fecal
occult blood test, the flexible sigmoidoscopy, and more recently, the
colonoscopy, considered the gold standard for testing. The research
was presented at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American
College of Gastroenterology.
Dr. Mazen M. Jamal from Long Beach, VA and the
University of California at Irvine used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample
(NIS) database to determine the age-adjusted rate of colon cancer during
3-year intervals from 1988 to 2002.
Researchers found the incidence for colon cancer
decreased from
● 42 per 100,000 in
1988-90 to
● 41 per 100,000 in 1991-93, and to
● 38 per 100,000 in 2000-02.
Similar trends were also observed from the
Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER). In 1988-90, the
age-adjusted incidence of colorectal cancer was 61 per 100,000, which
declined to 58 per 100,000 in 1991-93. In 2000-02, the rate of
colorectal cancer went down to 52 per 100,000.
Jamal says these trends may in part be due to
increased screening and polyp removal, thereby preventing progression of
polyps to cancers.
Last year, Mark McClellan, then administrator of
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, noted that 56 percent of
Americans 50 and older still do not get screening tests that can detect
colon cancer at an early, treatable stage, despite the fact that
Medicare covers such tests. When colon cancer is caught early, survival
rates are over 90 percent.
Both the declining trend of colorectal cancer and
the recent decline in proximal colon cancers coincide with an 80 percent
increased utilization of colonoscopy from 1997-2002.
At present, colonoscopy is the most accurate and
effective procedure to screen for early signs of colon cancer. A
colonoscopy provides a visual image of the entire colon and can identify
and remove colon polyps, abnormal growths on the inside lining of the
intestines. By identifying and removing polyps, which may develop into
cancer over years, colonoscopy likely prevents many cancers from
forming.
About the American College of Gastroenterology
The ACG was formed in 1932 to advance the scientific study and medical
treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The College
promotes the highest standards in medical education and is guided by its
commitment to meeting the needs of clinical gastroenterology
practitioners. Consumers can get more information on GI diseases through
the following ACG-sponsored programs:
1-800-978-7666 (free brochures on common GI
disorders, including ulcer, colon cancer, gallstones, and liver disease)
1-866-IBS-RELIEF and
http://www.ibsrelief.org
(free educational materials)
1-800-HRT-BURN (free brochure and video on heartburn and GERD)
http://www.acg.gi.org (ACGs
Web site)
What Senior Citizens Need to Know About Colorectal
Cancer
Highlights From NIHSeniorHealth.gov
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of
death from cancer in both sexes in the United States. The risk of
developing colorectal cancer rises after age 50. It is common in both
men and women. If colon cancer is found in its early stages, it is up to
90 percent curable.
Cancer of the colon or rectum is called colorectal
cancer. The colon and the rectum are part of the large intestine, which
is part of the digestive system. Colorectal cancer occurs when tumors
form in the lining of the large intestine, also called the large bowel.
Scientists don't know exactly what causes
colorectal cancer, but they have been able to identify some risk factors
for the disease.
Risk Factors
Studies show that the following risk factors can
increase a person's chances of developing colorectal cancer: age,
polyps, diet, personal history, family history, and ulcerative colitis.
● Polyps are benign, or non-cancerous, growths on
the inner wall of the colon and rectum. They are fairly common in people
over age 50. Some types of polyps increase a person's risk of developing
colorectal cancer. Not all polyps become cancerous, but nearly all colon
cancers start as polyps.
● Diet appears to be associated with colorectal
cancer risk. Among populations that consume a diet high in fat, protein,
calories, alcohol, and both red and white meat, and low in calcium and
folate, colorectal cancer is more likely to develop than among
populations that consume a low-fat, high-fiber diet.
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FDA Approves Vectibix for
Advanced Colorectal Cancer |
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The Food and Drug
Administration on September 27 approved Vectibix (panitumumab)
for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer that has
metastasized (spread to other parts of the body) following
standard chemotherapy. Vectibix, a monoclonal antibody that
binds to a protein called epidermal growth factor receptor or
EGFR on some cancer cells, received an accelerated approval
after showing effectiveness in slowing tumor growth and, in some
cases, reducing the size of the tumor.
In the United States, it is estimated
that 150,000 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed and
55,000 deaths will occur from colon and rectal cancer in 2006.
Approximately 70 percent of all colorectal carcinomas test
positive for EGFR.
Colorectal cancer is the third most
common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer mortality in
the United States, said Dr. Steven Galson, director of FDAs
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. This approval adds a
treatment option for patients with an advanced stage of a
disease that can be life-threatening.
FDA approved Vectibix on the basis of the
results of a randomized, controlled clinical trial of 463
patients with metastatic cancer of the colon and the rectum
after undergoing treatment with chemotherapy drugs,
fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin and irinotecan.
The mean time to disease progression or
death in patients receiving Vectibix was 96 days versus 60 days
in patients receiving the best standard supportive care. In
addition, 8 percent of the patients on Vectibix experienced a
tumor shrinkage that in some cases exceeded 50 percent of the
pre-treatment size of the tumor. Both study groups showed
similar overall survival.
Under the accelerated approval program,
drugs for serious and life-threatening diseases can be made
available earlier in the development process if a promising
effect of the drug is observed. As part of the approval, the
manufacturer of Vectibix committed to conduct a postmarketing
trial to show whether the drug improves patients survival in
patients with fewer prior chemotherapies.
The most serious adverse events in the
studies of Vectibix included pulmonary fibrosis, severe skin
rash complicated by infections, infusion reactions, abdominal
pain, nausea, vomiting and constipation. The most common adverse
events associated with the drug included skin rash, fatigue,
abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
Vectibix is manufactured by Amgen Inc. in
Thousand Oaks, California. |
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● A diet high in saturated fat combined with a
sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
● There is also evidence that smoking cigarettes
may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
● Research shows that women with a history of
cancer of the ovary, uterus, or breast have a somewhat increased chance
of developing colorectal cancer.
● A person who has already had colorectal cancer
may develop this disease a second time.
● The parents, siblings, and children of a person
who has had colorectal cancer are somewhat more likely to develop this
type of cancer themselves. This is especially true if the relative had
the cancer at a young age. If many family members have had colorectal
cancer, the chances increase even more.
Most cancers in their early, most treatable stages
don't cause any symptoms. That is why it is important to have regular
tests to check for cancer even when you might not notice anything wrong.
Common signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer
include:
● a change in the frequency of bowel movements
● diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty
completely
● either bright red or very dark blood in the stool
● stools that are narrower than usual
● general abdominal discomfort such as frequent gas pains, bloating,
fullness, and/or cramps
● weight loss with no known reason
● constant tiredness
● vomiting
Beginning at age 50, the following tools are all
used for early detection.
● A fecal occult blood test, or FOBT, is a test
used to check for hidden blood in the stool. Sometimes cancers or polyps
can bleed, and FOBT can detect small amounts of bleeding.
● A sigmoidoscopy is an examination of the rectum
and lower colon -- or sigmoid colon -- using a lighted instrument called
a sigmoidoscope.
● A colonoscopy is an examination of the rectum
and entire colon using a lighted instrument called a colonoscope.
● A double contrast barium enema , or DCBE, is a
series of x-rays of the colon and rectum. The patient is given an enema
with a solution that contains barium, a substance that outlines the
colon and rectum on the x-rays.
● A digital rectal exam, or DRE, is an exam in
which the doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to
feel for abnormal areas.
In July 2002, the U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force made its strongest ever recommendation for colorectal cancer
screening: it urged all adults age 50 and over to get screened, or
tested, for the disease. The task force noted that various screening
tests are available, making it possible for patients and their
clinicians to decide which test is best for each person.
>>
Click here to Colorectal Cancer Info at NIHSeniorHealth.gov
>>
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