Some frozen chicken dishes are not precooked and can cause illness if not prepared properly.  Food-borne illness is of particular concern to people with cancer whose immune systems may be lowered by treatment.

The United States Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert to remind consumers to cook frozen chicken dishes according to package instructions and to use a meat thermometer to be sure that internal temperatures reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Read the rest of this entry »

People with a combination of three common medical conditions together known as metabolic syndrome have a greatly increased risk of colorectal cancer.  The three are hypertension, diabetes and elevated cholesterol.

Reviewing answers the the National Health Interview Survey, researchers found that people who reported metabolic syndrome conditions were almost twice as likely to have colorectal cancer.  Nearly 58,000 people were interviewed by the NHIS in 2002-2003.  Of those 1,200 had metabolic syndrome and 350 had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.  Read the rest of this entry »

Patients who developed hypertension with Avastin® (bevacizumab) had better response to treatment for colorectal cancer.  More had tumors shrink, and it took significantly longer for their cancer to get worse.

In a small Italian study, researchers measured blood pressure in 39 patients receiving Avastin along with irinotecan and 5-FU for the initial treatment of colorectal cancer.  Eight patients (20 percent) experienced grade 2 or 3 hypertension. Read the rest of this entry »

Both women and men who are heavy smokers have twice the risk of colorectal cancer or an advanced colon polyp as people who never smoked.  However, women who smoke less have the same risk as men who are heavier smokers. Read the rest of this entry »

When advanced cancer patients talk with their doctors about preparing for the end of their lives, they have a better quality of life as death approaches.  They aren’t more likely to be depressed, and they receive less aggressive care in the last week of life.

Because it is frightening and uncomfortable, many patients don’t bring up the subject with their doctors.  Doctors avoid end-of-life discussions because they, too, find them uncomfortable and because they fear depressing patients or causing emotional problems. Read the rest of this entry »