In the fight against colorectal cancer, the colonoscopy is one of the most valuable tools. Although colonoscopies only need to be performed every once in a while, they prove to be extremely useful for detecting and preventing colon cancer. Colonoscopies, unfortunately, carry a bit of a social stigma for being embarrassing or possibly painful. Many… Read more »
Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States. It’s important to be attuned to symptoms that could indicate colon cancer. However, the condition is notorious for being asymptomatic. Potential Symptoms In some cases, patients with colorectal cancer start to experience symptoms. Possible symptoms… Read more »
About IBD Inflammatory bowel disease refers to a group of diseases that affect the small intestine and/or the colon. The diseases differ somewhat in their severity and manifestation, but they are all autoimmune diseases or diseases in which the body attacks its own tissue as foreign. Some forms include: Ulcerative colitis Crohn’s disease Diversion colitis… Read more »
Esophageal cancer affects the esophagus, the long tube that takes food from the back of the throat to the stomach. Esophageal cancer can take the form of either squamous cell carcinoma, which affects the flat cells that line the esophagus; or adenocarcinoma, which affects the cells that secrete mucous. Anyone can get esophageal cancer, regardless of… Read more »
Doctors in Louisiana are ready to start prescribed a revolutionary Hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi, which has been proven to clinically cure up to 90% of cases of Hepatitis C in clinical trials. Nearly 4 million Americans are affected by Hepatitis C, which is most common in the Baby Boomer generation. The virus is even more prevalent… Read more »
Sovaldi, the recently released cure for hepatitis C, has garnered a great deal of controversy due to its high cost. The drug is one of the most expensive available, at $1,000 per pill or a total of $84,000 per course of treatment. Sovaldi is expensive for both insurance companies and patients – but, as John… Read more »
A new study from the University of Regensburg in Germany found that people who spend most of their time sitting down have an increased risk for numerous cancers, including colon cancer. Previous studies have also linked sitting to health problems such as heart disease, high blood sugar, blood clots, and obesity. The study looked at the results… Read more »
Hepatitis C (HCV) is a contagious liver disease that comes from being infected with the Hepatitis C virus. The word “hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. The inflammation of the liver could be from many causes, such as viruses like hepatitis A, B or C being among them; other causes of inflammation can include medications… Read more »
Crohn’s disease is one of the conditions belonging to the group known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Crohn’s disease affects approximately half a million Americans and is a condition that causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The doctor who first described this eponymous disease in 1932, Dr. Burrill B. Crohn, worked with two colleagues on… Read more »
For years, doctors have known that regular use of aspirin can reduce the risk of heart problems. Now, researchers have discovered another potential use of aspirin: the prevention of digestive cancer. A new study from the Center for Cancer Prevention at Queen Mary University of London’s Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine found that taking aspirin daily reduced… Read more »
Colon polyps are noncancerous growths in the lining of the colon or rectum. Although polyps are not cancerous in and of themselves, they can become cancerous later on. Screening for colon polyps can help prevent the development of colon cancer, by allowing their removal before they turn into cancer. Colon Polyps Can Become Cancerous On… Read more »
The American College of Gastroenterology recently released a review of the data for the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC). Patients with IBS experience issues such as abdominal pain, constipation, and frequent diarrhea. Unlike inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) conditions such as Crohn’s, IBS does not involve changes to the structure of the bowel but is a”functional” problem, how… Read more »
