Colorectal Cancer News in Brief: July 31

Get help managing the financial costs of your cancer care from an ASCO booklet or figure out how to deal with the Medicare prescription doughnut hole using an AARP online calculator.

In research, Lynch syndrome women have excellent survival after ovarian cancer, older patients have similar effectiveness and side effects from Avastin, and parents with advanced cancer often underestimate how upset their children are.  Long-term cancer survivors have no more depression than people without cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on July 31st, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: Avastin, cancer cost, depression, doughnut hole, Lynch syndrome, Medicare Part D

Running to Raise Lynch Syndrome Awareness

Selena Martinez ran the Santa Cruz Half Marathon on April 19th to raise awareness of Lynch syndrome, or hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC), a genetic condition that greatly increases risk for colorectal and other cancers.

The Santa Cruz was the third of eight half marathons, Martinez plans to run to honor of eight members of her family diagnosed with Lynch syndrome cancers.  Sunday’s race was for her sister Noemi Garza who survived colon and endometrial cancer.

Martinez’ website Detect the Mutation provides information about recognizing and testing for Lynch syndrome. She is also raising funds for the University of California at San Francisco’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program, which offers screenings to those in need. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on April 20th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: HNPCC, Lynch syndrome, Selena Martinez

Lynch Syndrome Children Diagnosed Earlier than Their Parents

In inherited medical conditions, anticipation refers to situations where children develop inherited diseases earlier than their parents.  Anticipation appears to be at work in Lynch syndrome with children being diagnosed with cancer an average of 10 years earlier than their affected parent. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on February 10th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: HNPCC, Lynch syndrome

Aspirin and Undigestible Starch Don’t Protect Against Lynch Syndrome

Neither daily aspirin or undigestible starch supplements reduced the risk for polyps and cancer for people with Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer or HNPCC.)

Nearly 850 patients with identified Lynch syndrome were randomly assigned to receive aspirin, resistant starch, or placebos for up to four years.  After an average of two years, 141 developed either precancerous polyps or cancer (neoplasia). There was no difference in either overall neoplasia or advanced neoplasia whether patients took aspirin or resistant starch or received a placebo. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on December 29th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 2 Comments »
Tags: aspirin, fiber, Lynch syndrome

Screening Colorectal Tumors for Lynch Syndrome: Who Gets Missed?

Identifying colorectal cancer patients with Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer or HNPCC) makes an important difference  in preventing further cancers for them and also for their family members.  However, family or personal medical histories don’t always find everyone at risk.

One of every 35 patients with colorectal cancer has Lynch syndrome, and each one has at least three family members who carry a Lynch gene and will need more intensive polyp and cancer surveillance beginning when they are young adults.

Researchers at Ohio State University compared methods of testing colon tumors to screen for Lynch syndrome and predict those patients who need further genetic testing.  They also looked at more traditional ways of finding potential Lynch syndrome, including family histories and age at diagnosis. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on November 16th, 2008
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Lynch syndrome