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 »
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has updated their colorectal cancer screening recommendations.
Changes from the 2002 guidelines include recommendations not to routinely screen people over 75 and not to screen people over 85 at all. Decisions about screening between 76 and 85 need to be made in light of individual health, prior screening, and life expectancy.
The recommendations have dropped barium enema as a screening option. They do not include either CT colonography (CTC or so-called virtual colonoscopy) or DNA stool tests, saying that there was not enough current evidence to judge the harms and benefits of the new technology. Read the rest of this entry »
Polyps on right found with retroscope
Doctors using a new optical device mounted on the end of their scopes, found significantly more polyps in the colon during routine colonoscopies. Called the Third Eye Retroscope™, it lets gastroenterologists see both forward and backward as the scope moves through the colon.
Although colonoscopy is extremely sensitive and will discover most colon polyps during an exam, some are missed. They may be hidden in the back side of folds in the colon wall or not seen because they are outside of the half circle view of the standard colonoscope. The wider view allowed doctors to find 13 percent more polyps and 10 percent more adenomatous polyps, the ones more likely to become cancer. Read the rest of this entry »
