Yes We Can

In the month of March we celebrate Colon Cancer Awareness.

Colon cancer is one of the few cancers we can prevent successfully with colonoscopy, better than breast cancer or any other cancer with the exception of cervical cancer.

It takes usually about 5-10 years to develop colon cancer, which gives us a great window of opportunity to screen. We know that usually we see polyps first, which can develop into cancer, but that normally takes years. With screening we can see polyps and remove them before they develop into cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on March 9th, 2010
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, Preventing Colorectal Cancer

GI Specialists Reduce Risk of Cancer after Clear Colonoscopy

After a negative colonoscopy, there is a significantly reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer if the exam was done by a gastroenterologist. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 2nd, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tags: colonoscopy, colorectal cancer risk

Experts Recommend Changes for Colorectal Screening Access and Quality

The first priority of an expert panel looking at increasing the number of people being screened for colorectal cancer was to “Eliminate financial barriers to colorectal cancer screening and appropriate follow up.”

Meeting for two days in Washington in February, a National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science conference considered what is known– and not known– about why people choose or avoid screening, how to improve screening quality, and what the healthcare capacity is to deliver colorectal cancer screening to the US population.

At the end of the meeting, the panel released a consensus statement with their recommendations for enhancing the use and quality of colorectal cancer screening. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 24th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, colorectal cancer screening, FOBT

Colorectal Cancer Research Briefs: Patients want colonoscopy videos

Briefly

• Hormone replacement therapy reduces risk of colon cancer.
• Smoking before age 30 increases chances that colon cancer will recur.
• Low CEA levels improve both survival and disease-free survival for stage II colon cancer.
• Most patients want videos of their colonoscopies and are willing to pay for them. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 10th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: CEA, colonoscopy, hormone replacement therapy, recurrence, survival

Risk During Colonoscopies

Recent publications have questioned the safety and adequacy of cancer screening procedures particular mammograms, but today I am reviewing the risks of colonoscopies.

There is no doubt that colonoscopies can prevent colon cancer almost 100%. Continue reading…

Posted by Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD on November 24th, 2009
Posted in: From the Desk of Dr. Lenz | No Comments »
Tags: colonoscopy, Preventing Colorectal Cancer