Colon Cancer

March is National Colorectal Awareness Month, and to increase your knowledge of colorectal cancer, Bel Marra Health has amassed a group of articles featuring information on IBD, blood pressure, and colon cancer. Enzyme may prevent tumor growth in colorectal cancer Researchers have found that an enzyme associated with inflammation may be effective in suppressing tumor ...click here to read more

Blood pressure and colon cancer risk may be lowered with a vegetarian diet. The researchers analyzed seven clinical trials and 32 studies where participants consumed a vegetarian diet. The researchers measured differences in blood pressure associated with eating a vegetarian diet. The researchers found that adhering to a vegetarian diet was associated with reduced systolic ...click here to read more

Eating walnuts may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer, as well as improve colon health, according to different studies. The Connecticut-based research center conducted a study among 46 adults aged 30 to 75. All of the participants were overweight with BMIs greater than 25. Men had waist circumferences larger than 40 ...click here to read more

Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). If not well managed, it can lead to complications, including arthritis, uveitis, osteoporosis, and colon cancer. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation of the large intestine, although the exact reason why this happens is still unknown. Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. ...click here to read more

The colon cancer vs. Crohn’s disease debate is generating a lot of interest in the medical community, and rightly so. Every year in the U.S., approximately 57,000 people die from colorectal cancer and 147,000 new cases are diagnosed. According to the journal Oncology, there is a substantial body of evidence demonstrating that chronic inflammation is ...click here to read more

Although at first diverticulitis and colon cancer may present similar symptoms, they are two very different conditions. Diverticulitis is a condition set off by infection or rupture of diverticula, which are bulges forming in the lower part of the large intestine or colon. The risk of developing diverticula is usually higher in people over 40. ...click here to read more

Colon cancer recurrence is associated with diabetes and high blood pressure, according to research. In a retrospective study looking at 36,000 colon cancer patients, the researchers found that early diabetes and high blood pressure increased the risk of colon cancer recurrence and mortality, compared to patients without either condition. Senior study author Nestor Esnaola said, ...click here to read more

Celiac disease is not a risk factor for colon cancer or melanoma (skin cancer). Although celiac disease won’t increase the risk for colon cancer or melanoma, it is associated with a higher risk for three other types of cancer, including enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma of the small intestine. Although celiac disease ...click here to read more

Researchers are steps closer to better predicting the return of colon cancer. The prediction can be made using a blood test that detects bits of DNA shed from colon cancer. Known as liquid biopsy, the technique can predict with imperfect accuracy the return of colon cancer in patients with early forms of the disease. Coauthor ...click here to read more

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common gut disorder that shares the same symptoms as colon cancer, making it difficult for people to figure out on their own if they have a bowel condition or, perhaps, something more serious. You should never self-diagnose. If you experience uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms, get a full medical evaluation ...click here to read more

The findings of a Denmark-based study revealed that patients with Crohn’s disease have a greater overall risk for colon cancer compared to the general public, but the same was not true for those with ulcerative colitis. The researchers looked at 1,437 patients with ulcerative colitis and 774 with Crohn’s disease between 1978 and 2002. Follow-up ...click here to read more

Five new genes that play a role in colon cancer have been discovered. The findings come from a study of over 1,000 people with colon cancer. The five genes uncovered are considered very rare, so additional research is required to confirm their association and link to colon cancer. Study leader Richard Houlston said, “Our study ...click here to read more

In 2008, the colon cancer screening was recommended to commence at the age 50 and continue to age 75, but the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) did not suggest that one method of screening was more effective than the other. Former task force member Dr. Douglas Owens said, “There are multiple screening options for ...click here to read more

Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and colon cancer can be treated with experimental breakthrough therapy. The findings come from UCLA where researchers have found a way to suppress the development of ulcerative colitis by using a chemical inhibitor capable of blocking an RNA molecule (microRNA-214) involved in the transmission of genetic information. High levels of microRNA-214 ...click here to read more