One of the discussions at GI Symposium was whether virtual colonoscopy is ready for prime time. What is that? Well, it is a CT scan which evaluates the colon for polyps and other changes instead of using a scope to enter the colon and look directly.
It is often misunderstood that the preparation for these two procedures are different. They are not. You need a clean colon whether you get a CT colonoscopy or a real one. Read the rest of this entry »
The typical Western diet increases the risk of tumor recurrence for patients with colon cancer.
Patients who ate the most red and processed meats, refined grains, fats, and sugars were about three times as likely to die or have their cancers recur as patients who ate these foods the least. While there is no shortage of evidence linking the so-called Western diet to an increased risk for developing colon cancer, the study by the group at Harvard is among the first to examine the impact of such a diet on survival among patients treated for the disease. Read the rest of this entry »
Colorectal cancer develops with few, if any, symptoms at first.
It depends a little on the location of the colon cancer. If the cancer is closer to the anus (left side), symptoms may include blood in or on the stool, a change in bowel habits, stools that are narrower than usual and general weakness and weight loss. These symptoms are more typical for colon cancer and physicians would easily recommend a colonoscopy for further work up. However if the tumor is on the right side, almost a foot away from the anus, the symptoms may be more general such as unexplained stomach discomfort, frequent gas, pains, or indigestion, unexplained weight loss and chronic fatigue.
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