Be First For Your Colonoscopy

People ages 50 and older should be screened for colon cancer. Often this means that the patient would undergo a colonoscopy.

During colonoscopy, doctors look for abnormal growths, polyps, by "inserting a tiny camera into the rectum. The camera is attached to a tube that can also be used to remove polyps before they turn cancerous."

When you set up your appointment for a colonoscopy, get a first appointment. That's when your doctor is most alert.

Dr. Brennan Spiegel of UCLA suggested that "a repetitive procedure...can lull you (the physician) into complacency over a long work shift."

In a 4-month study of 28 colonoscopy doctors, "for each hour that lapsed throughout the day, there was a four percent reduction in the number of polyps the doctors spotted."

Asprin and Colorectal Cancer

Dr. Peter Rothwell, a professor of neurology at the University of Oxford (UK), believes that colon cancer high risk patients should take low-dose (75 milligrams) aspirin as a preventative.

A study including 14,000 people over 6 years and conducted by Dr. Rothwell showed that people who "regularly take a low dose of aspirin may be reducing their risk of developing colon cancer (of a certain type and location) by 24 percent."

Also those taking aspirin reduced their risk of dying from this colon cancer by 35%.

The downside to this preventative is that aspirin may induce gastrointestinal bleeding.

Always consult a doctor before taking medication.

Less Sleep Equals Risky Colon Polyps?

My eyes and ears perk up when I notice "unlikely" medical connections. For instance, once I saw the article entitled, "Lack of Sleep Linked to Risky Colon Polyps," I was hooked.

According to an article by Adam Marcus, dated October 15, 2010, in Reuters Health Information, in one recent study, "people who slept less than six hours a night were more likely to have dangerous polyps in their colon or rectum compared to better-rested patients."

Approximately 10% of these polyps develop into cancerous tumors. But don't be mistaken...the findings don't prove that lack of sleep causes these polyps to occur, only that lack of sleep could be one factor in colon cancer.

The study doesn't show how these two criteria might be connected. However, Dr. Li Li at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center wonders if the sleep hormone melatonin protects against cancer tumors.

At any rate, researchers have much to ponder.

Cancer Screening: What's New

A screening called virtual colonoscopy is a less invasive means to identify colorectal cancer. According to a study at the American College of Radiology/American Roentgen Ray Society, the virtual colonoscopy examines the entire abdomen and pelvis for cancer. Study author Dr. Ganesh R. Veerappan said that this method of screening "should be considered as an alternative to optical colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening or as a onetime procedure to identify significant treatable intracolonic an extracolonic lesions."

Imagine a simple annual 100% effective blood test to see if you have ovarian cancer. Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have developed this new kind screening.

Typically, patients don't know they have ovarian cancer because it is asymtomatic in its early stages. The new approach can detect this "silent killer" before it has reached very advanced stages (80% of patients are diagnosed at later stages.)

The implications may be "earth-shatteringly important" because "it's possible that there are also signatures for other cancers, not just ovarian, so (they're) also going to be using the same approach to look at other types of cancers."

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The majority of biopsies being done are less invasive than ever before. That's because with the help of imaging in the form of CT scans, ultrasound and MRI, a needle is guided to remove tissue or fluids to test for disease. An "image-guided biopsy (also) allows more definitive diagnosis and shorter hospital stays," according to Dr. Robert Quencer, chair of radiology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The use of imaging guidance also enables more efficient and safer targeting of lesions.

Source: MedlinePlus, health information from the National Library of Medicine

For more on cancer screening and colonoscopy, visit 50somethinginfo.com

Lifelong Healthy Weight Ups Your Chances For Not Dying of Colon Cancer

We've heard so much about obesity lately--how it can ruin your health. Well, here's another reason to avoid lifelong obesity: Your chances of survival as a postmenopausal woman are greater if you are diagnosed with colon cancer. And losing weight after the fact may be too late.

There have already been several studies revealing the association of excess body weight to a higher risk of colon cancer. In an Iowa Women's Health Study obese women had a 45% greater chance of all causes of death than women within a healthy weight range and a 32% greater chance of dying from colon cancer.

Source: MedlinePlus, health information from the National Library of Medicine

For more on cancer and obesity, visit 50somethinginfo.com.

Cancer Breath: New Cancer Research

All cancers are much easier to treat in early stages--when they haven't spread to other parts of the body.

An "electronic nose" may be used in the future to discover cancer.

Israeli researchers are using a simple breath test to detect lung (the leading cause of dancer death in both women and men in the United States), breast, bowel and prostate cancers.

Hopefully, this will lead to the development of a cost-effective, easy-to-use, portable test that will enable physicians to diagnose and treat cancer early.

Information taken from MedlinePlus, health information from the National Library of Medicine

For more on cancer, cancer prevention, cancer survival, cancer treatments, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), diet therapy and screening, visit 50somethinginfo.com

An Apple a Day Keeps Colon Cancer At Bay: What To Eat For Colon Health

What you eat is important for colon health, according to Real Age. The fiber found in apples (pectin) appears to protect your colon from cancer-causing compounds. Choose cloudy over translucent juices because they contain more disease-fighting antioxidants.

Head for Red Delicious bin at your supermarket. Wash them well and don't forget to eat the nutrient-enriched skins.

Other key factors to colon health are:

Get screened for polyps

Load up on whole grains

Drink milk and stay away from sugary drinks

Add sliced onions to your salads

For more on colon cancer, visit 50somethinginfo.com. And read my cousin's real-life situation conquering colon cancer.

Surviving Colon Cancer: The Wake-Up Call

It's hard to believe it was less than a year ago that I wrote about my young cousin contracting colon cancer.

Her life was full--a loving husband, twin daughters, unending support from her parents and sister, and more friends than anyone has a right to! Eve earned all her accolades with intelligence and sweat. I remember when she went door-to-door selling books and when she kept score for her college swimming team.

You never had to ask Eve how she was feeling; it was always written on her face. I can only imagine her struggles at hiding her disbelief (and disgust!) when unbeknownst to her, everyone was advised to gift-wrap the worst white elephant they could find for a wedding shower gift. Thank goodness she also had a mammoth sense of humor.

She loved the excitement of Washington, D.C. and working for elected representatives, a love that many years later brought her to Iowa to support Hilary Clinton's candidacy for president. This was where she found out that the excruciating pain she was experiencing was due to her next challenge in life, facing and fighting colon cancer.

Since that defining moment the rest of us have helplessly watched as Eve summoned up every tool, every emotion, every person to give their prayers, their advice, their research, and their help to hurdle Eve and her family over this life-threatening obstacle.

It's come full-circle now. Just the other day Eve reported that her "cancer chapter" of her life is finally over. She is feeling renewed hope and the opportunity to do wonderful things for her family and community on a very much smaller scale but similar to what Senator Obama plans for our country.

Welcome back, Eve. We love you.

Surviving Colon Cancer

My cousin Eve began her last round of chemo.  In spite of the neuropathy and other bothersome side effects, her spirits were high.  Her twin daughters just turned 5.  

Then she read about Tony Snow who died from a relapse of colon cancer.  

In all her efforts to fight her cancer including acupuncture, natural medicine, mental healing, and just keeping occupied with everyday life, Eve avoided the one constant fear among survivors: The enemy can and often does slyly and maliciously creep back into your life without notice.

"I hear from many survivors that eventually this all-consuming worry lessens and isn't a part of your daily existence.  Some people have told me that they now go weeks--even months--without thinking about cancer.  That's hard to imagine now but I look forward to that day."

Don't Press Your Luck: Cancer Prevention

Always a political activist, cousin Eve finally got her dream of going to the Iowa caucuses. Leaving the supervision of her active 4 year-old twins to the care of her sweetheart of a husband, she ventured to Des Moines only to spend her free time in the local hospital where she battled extreme pain.

“Another crazy Californian,” the staff must have thought as they released her a couple of times before running some serious tests.

Admittedly, Eve can be a little “over the top” (quiet she isn’t) but the pain was real and it took a special doctor to recognize that there was, indeed, a problem…a serious problem.

The 39 year-old was rushed to surgery. Part of her colon and some diseased lymph nodes were removed. Now she is fighting with every ounce of determination to be a cancer survivor.

As I prepare to head north to oversee the princess and the ballerina while mom gets and recovers from her chemo, I am raging inside at the idiocy of our medical insurers which don’t provide funds for colonoscopies at an age younger than 50.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. If found early enough, this killer can usually be arrested by surgery.

Check out these websites to protect yourself and others:

1. Preparing for and having a colonoscopy

2. Causes, risks, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments for colon cancer

3. Volunteer to gather signatures to lower the screening age for colonoscopies