THE ABCs Of Colon Cancer [CRC] Screening

Involved organizations promote a message for adults: get screened if you are 50 or older.

It is predicted that if all individuals aged 50 or older had regular colorectal screening tests resulting in the removal of all precancerous polyps, up to 90% of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented. The premise for the utility of cancer screening, in general, is that early diagnosis may reduce cancer mortality, result in less radical therapy, and decrease costs. Colorectal cancer screening, in particular, is capable of detecting precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum for removal and can detect early-stage cancer so that treatment may be initiated when it is more effective, often leading to a cure.

Screening for colorectal cancer begins soon after an individual turns 50 years of age, then continues at regular intervals. People at higher risk for colorectal cancer should be tested at a younger age and/or more frequently, including individuals who 1) have a personal or close family history of colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer; 2) have inflammatory bowel disease; 3) have genetic syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Patients should speak to their health care provider to ascertain when they should begin screening and how often they should be tested.

A consensus guideline for colorectal cancer screening was released in March 2008 by the American Cancer Society, the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology (ACS/USMSTF/ACR), while the USPSTF updated its screening recommendations in October 2008. Ongoing studies drive the constantly evolving recommended screening schedules. For the latest in cancer screening point your medical professional to these articles. Ask your medical professional where you fit in.

Levin B, Lieberman D, McFarland B, et al. Screening and surveillance for the early detection of colorectal cancer and adenomatous polyps, 2008: a joint guideline from the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008;58:130-160. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for colorectal cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149:627-637.

Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com

USE CELL PHONES TO PROTECT FROM ALZHEIMERS?

If you’re a mouse using a cell phone you’ve got it made. In mice prone to an animal form of Alzheimer's disease, long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation typical of cell phones slowed and reversed the course of the illness. Cell phone exposure, begun in early adulthood, protects the memory of mice otherwise destined to develop Alzheimer's symptoms. And the electromagnetic waves generated by cell phones actually reversed memory impairment in old Alzheimer's mice. A similar exposure in normal mice -- for two hours a day over seven to nine months -- improved their cognitive abilities compared with controls reports the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, which is the research journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

Rreactions to the study ranged from "interesting" to "nonsense” because it's too early to say whether the findings have any relevance to humans. Even science published in reputable journals can turn out to be wrong, adding "extreme caution is necessary until this outcome has been confirmed independently in other laboratories. And even if the science is correct, "humans are not just big mice, and we must always be cautious in extrapolating results from mice to man."

The report comes almost exactly two years after researchers at the University of Sunderland, in England, said they had shown that infrared light could improve cognition in mice.That report led to the development of the so-called "Alzheimer's helmet," aimed at slowing or reversing the disease in humans. Whether that works has not been shown yet.


Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com

DENTAL CARIES FROM GERD

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux [GERD] sometimes develop dental erosion owing to chemical dissolution of enamel. Researchers used optical coherence tomography to assess tooth demineralization and enamel loss in 30 patients receiving either placebo or esomeprazole [Nexium] acid suppression. The researchers describe significantly diminished loss of enamel thickness and reduced tissue demineralization in patients randomly assigned esomeprazole versus those given placebo

Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com

inverse association between coffee consumption and liver disease

Investigators who studied the coffee-drinking habits of 766 patients with chronic hepatitis C report an inverse association between coffee consumption and liver disease progression. A dose-dependent trend was observed, in which participants who consumed three or more cups a day had significantly less disease progression than coffee nondrinkers.This ought to send Starbucks stocks skyrocketing.

Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com

WHITE FLOUR GOOD-WHOLE GRAIN BAD!

Insoluble fiber may actually aggravate IBS.

In the U.S. many patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] modify their diets, hoping to alleviate certain symptoms. Now, research from the UK "shows conclusively that eating extra bran and other fiber is likely to do more harm than good." Instead of insoluble fiber, investigators recommend that IBS patients consume "white bread, white pasta, biscuits, cakes, and cream crackers -- anything, as long as its made from refined white flour."

Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com

HOW ACCURATE ARE NUTRITION PACKAGE LABELS?

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, "prepared foods may contain an average of 8% more calories than their package labels own up to, and restaurant meals may contain a whopping 18% more." The misleading labels are also said to be "perfectly o.k." with the Food and Drug Administration, which "plays no role in checking the calorie claims in restaurants." Without federal regulation, "it's up to the states to handle the job - with the predictable patchwork results." Susan Roberts, who conducted the study, described the unregulated menu counts as "the Wild West when it comes to this."

Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com

Hormone Replacement Drug Lawsuits

Most of the hormone lawsuits in the U.S."focus on the drug Prempro [conjugated estrogens and medroxyprogesterone]," which was "prescribed to treat" menopausal symptoms.

On Jan. 6, 2010 the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals "reinstated more than 100 lawsuits against drug companies filed by women or their surviving relatives who claimed that hormone replacement therapy caused breast cancer." The move overturned "a 2008 district court ruling that had blocked almost all of the suits from being sent back to state court in Minnesota and dismissed most of the lawsuits that were being heard in Little Rock." The appeals court also "reversed the dismissal of dozens of cases that the lower court ruled should not have been part of the litigation because they duplicated claims pending in California."

Please remember, as with all our articles we provide information, not medical advice.
For any treatment of your own medical condition you must visit your local doctor, with or without our article[s]. These articles are not to be taken as individual medical advice.

Deepen your understanding of "medical malpractice"... www.MedMalBook.com

For more health info and links visit the author's web site www.hookman.com