Here are eight recent findings on colorectal cancer.
1. High Blood Sugar Levels in Older Women Linked to Colorectal Cancer. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University analyzed data on 5,000 women from the National Institutes of Health's Women's Health Initiative study. For 12 years, the fasting blood sugar and insulin levels were measured. By the end of that period, 81 of the women had developed colorectal cancer, and researchers found a strong association with elevated levels of glucose.
2. Median Survival Time for Colon Cancer Increases 17-Fold. Researchers from Macmillan Cancer Support looked at data of cancer diagnoses of adults aged 15-99 in England and Wales in the years 1971-72, 1980-81, 1990-91, 2000-01 and predicted for those diagnosed in 2007. The median survival time for colon cancer increased from seven months in the 1970s to 10 years now, and the overall median survival time for all cancers rose from one year to six years. However, the survival rates for stomach, esophageal, brain, pancreatic and lung cancers have barely improved.
3. American Ginseng Prevents Colon Cancer. A Western-style diet, characterized by fat intake, processed foods and excess sugar, has been shown to increase cancer risk. To test the hypothesis that American ginseng can mitigate some of that risk, researchers fed mice a Western-style diet of 20 percent fat and a Western-style diet of 20 percent fat in combination with 250-ppm of American ginseng. They found American ginseng significantly inhibited inflammation of the colon and tumor growth.
4. Regular Aspirin Use Reduces Colorectal Cancer Mortality by 34 percent. Researchers analyzed data from 14,000 patients from four randomized, cardiovascular disease prevention trials who were on a daily aspirin regimen for five years and found the regimen was associated with a 34 percent reduction in 20-year colorectal cancer mortality. An additional analysis of almost 3,000 patients with a history of colorectal cancer or adenoma found aspirin use reduced the occurrence of advanced adenomas by 28 percent and all adenomas by 17 percent.
5. Poor Men More Likely to Die of Colorectal Cancer. Researchers used the Scottish Cancer Registry and analyzed the incidence and death rates for five socio-economic sections from 2004-2009 for 18,000 cases of colon and rectal cancer. They found an increased incidence of 48.4-54.4 for colorectal cancer and an increased mortality rate of 8.6-10.1 and 11.5-13.5 for rectal and colon cancer respectively.
6. Fiber, Whole Grains Linked To Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk. Researchers looked at 25 studies to analyze the link between fiber and colorectal cancer and found the relative risk for developing colorectal cancer in people who had eaten 10 grams of total fiber per day was 0.90. The risk was 0.83 for people who ate three servings of whole grains per day, 0.90 for cereal fiber, 0.93 for fruit fiber, 0.98 for vegetable fiber and 0.62 for legume fiber.
7. Prolonged Sitting a Risk Factor for Colon, Breast Cancer. While exercise has often been linked to a decreased risk of cancer, the new research found exercise and avoiding prolonged periods of sitting can best reduce cancer risk. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that adults who sit most of the day take short breaks every hour.
8. Aspirin Reduces Bowel Cancer Risk by 63 Percent. Researchers found adults who took 600 milligrams of aspirin daily for at least two years were 63 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer. All participants were carriers of Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that predisposes a person to developing certain type of cancers. Although aspirin reduced the risk for developing colorectal cancer, researchers found a similar number of polyps in both groups.
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1. High Blood Sugar Levels in Older Women Linked to Colorectal Cancer. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University analyzed data on 5,000 women from the National Institutes of Health's Women's Health Initiative study. For 12 years, the fasting blood sugar and insulin levels were measured. By the end of that period, 81 of the women had developed colorectal cancer, and researchers found a strong association with elevated levels of glucose.
2. Median Survival Time for Colon Cancer Increases 17-Fold. Researchers from Macmillan Cancer Support looked at data of cancer diagnoses of adults aged 15-99 in England and Wales in the years 1971-72, 1980-81, 1990-91, 2000-01 and predicted for those diagnosed in 2007. The median survival time for colon cancer increased from seven months in the 1970s to 10 years now, and the overall median survival time for all cancers rose from one year to six years. However, the survival rates for stomach, esophageal, brain, pancreatic and lung cancers have barely improved.
3. American Ginseng Prevents Colon Cancer. A Western-style diet, characterized by fat intake, processed foods and excess sugar, has been shown to increase cancer risk. To test the hypothesis that American ginseng can mitigate some of that risk, researchers fed mice a Western-style diet of 20 percent fat and a Western-style diet of 20 percent fat in combination with 250-ppm of American ginseng. They found American ginseng significantly inhibited inflammation of the colon and tumor growth.
4. Regular Aspirin Use Reduces Colorectal Cancer Mortality by 34 percent. Researchers analyzed data from 14,000 patients from four randomized, cardiovascular disease prevention trials who were on a daily aspirin regimen for five years and found the regimen was associated with a 34 percent reduction in 20-year colorectal cancer mortality. An additional analysis of almost 3,000 patients with a history of colorectal cancer or adenoma found aspirin use reduced the occurrence of advanced adenomas by 28 percent and all adenomas by 17 percent.
5. Poor Men More Likely to Die of Colorectal Cancer. Researchers used the Scottish Cancer Registry and analyzed the incidence and death rates for five socio-economic sections from 2004-2009 for 18,000 cases of colon and rectal cancer. They found an increased incidence of 48.4-54.4 for colorectal cancer and an increased mortality rate of 8.6-10.1 and 11.5-13.5 for rectal and colon cancer respectively.
6. Fiber, Whole Grains Linked To Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk. Researchers looked at 25 studies to analyze the link between fiber and colorectal cancer and found the relative risk for developing colorectal cancer in people who had eaten 10 grams of total fiber per day was 0.90. The risk was 0.83 for people who ate three servings of whole grains per day, 0.90 for cereal fiber, 0.93 for fruit fiber, 0.98 for vegetable fiber and 0.62 for legume fiber.
7. Prolonged Sitting a Risk Factor for Colon, Breast Cancer. While exercise has often been linked to a decreased risk of cancer, the new research found exercise and avoiding prolonged periods of sitting can best reduce cancer risk. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that adults who sit most of the day take short breaks every hour.
8. Aspirin Reduces Bowel Cancer Risk by 63 Percent. Researchers found adults who took 600 milligrams of aspirin daily for at least two years were 63 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer. All participants were carriers of Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that predisposes a person to developing certain type of cancers. Although aspirin reduced the risk for developing colorectal cancer, researchers found a similar number of polyps in both groups.
Related Articles on Gastroenterology:
AGA Releases New Standards for Performing CT Colonography
Capsular Endoscopes Soon to Have HD Capability
Gastroenterologist Compensation: 13 Recent Findings