Marion County Medical Center

Health Shorts

January 2006

Don’t Let Polyps Shorten Your Life
About 56,000 Americans die of colorectal cancer each year, and the average victim has 13 years trimmed from his or her life. Since nearly all cancers develop from pre-malignant intestinal polyps that can be detected through screening, many of these deaths could be avoided with regular screening

[SOURCE: L.A. Ries, et al, “The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1973-1997 with Special Section on Colorectal Cancer,” Cancer, 2000; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, “Screening for Colorectal Cancer,” July, 2002]

Women Prefer Female Endoscopist
Even though women are generally more health-conscious than men, they are less likely to undergo colorectal cancer screening with sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Part of their reluctance may be associated with the gender of the practicing endoscopist.
In a survey of 202 women, 43 percent indicated that they preferred a woman endoscopist. Of these, 87 percent said they would wait 30 days in order to have a female perform the test; 14 percent said they would pay an additional fee; 5 percent said they would refuse the test unless it were performed by a female.

[SOURCE: “Women Prefer Female Endoscopists,” Family Practice News, October 1, 2005]

Colonoscopy May Be Best for Women
One recent study concluded that colonoscopy may be the best colorectal cancer screening test for women since advanced cancer in females occurred “significantly more often” in the right than in the left colon. Flexible sigmoidoscopy, which examines only the lower half of the colon, would miss these cancers.

[SOURCE: Jeff Evans, “Colonoscopy May Be Best Ca Screening Tool for Women,” OB GYN News, January 15, 2005]

Aspirin, NSAIDs May Prevent Polyps
Studies have found that aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 inhibitors tend to inhibit the formation and proliferation of polyps in the colon, many of which are premalignant. This may be in part because the medications block the growth of blood vessels that grow up around a tumor to nourish it (angiogenesis).

Other factors frequently associated with a lower incidence of colorectal cancer include a high-fiber, low-fat diet; exercise; calcium; vitamin D; and selenium.

[SOURCE: Tina B. Stacy, “Colorectal Cancer: Screening, Treatment and Prevention,” Drug Topics, May 17, 2004; Charlie H. Viala and John K. Olynyk, “Screening Sigmoidoscopy for Colorectal Cancer: Further Pieces in the Jigsaw,” The Medical Journal of Australia, May 17, 2004]

Avoid Aspirin after Head Injury
A lingering headache is common after even a minor head injury. For relief, take acetaminophen (Tylenol) rather than aspirin since aspirin will increase the risk of bleeding in the brain.

[SOURCE: Medical Encyclopedia: Head Injury, Updated April 8, 2005]

CT Scan Allows Viewing Inside Skull
The CT (computed tomography) scan is an excellent tool for diagnosing and monitoring moderate to severe head injuries. The procedure is widely available, can be performed quickly with no special preparation on the part of the patient and at a lower cost than MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

CT gives high-quality images of bone, soft tissue and blood vessels, detecting bleeding and damage to blood vessels. Although MRI may give more precise images of soft tissue, CT is better for noting some changes in bone.

[SOURCE: Radiological Society of America, “Computed Tomography (CT)–Head,” 2005]

How To Keep Your Kids Fit and Trim
Dieting is not advised for children, but parents can help children establish good habits that will help keep them fit.

Eat meals together as a family as often as possible with a variety of healthy foods on the table.
Forcing children to eat certain foods doesn’t work, but you can make an effort to establish healthy eating habits early.
Don’t force kids to participate in organized sports, but encourage physical activity by making sure bikes, basketball hoops, skates and other outdoor play equipment are available and in good working order.
Spend time with your children playing catch, hiking in the woods, dancing or other physical activities.
Encourage them to reach for water first when they’re thirsty. Even fruit juices add extra calories.
Pay attention to your child’s weight as he or she grows and talk to your pediatrician if you suspect a weight problem.

[SOURCE: American Heart Association No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss, 2005]

Cancer Survivors: Numbers Grow
Cancer was once considered a virtual death sentence, but about 64 percent of American adults and 79 percent of children diagnosed with cancer this year can expect to be alive in five years.

The number of cancer survivors has tripled over the past 30 years and now stands at 9.8 million. About 6 million cancer survivors are over age 65 and covered by Medicare. Of the others, 11 percent are not covered by health insurance.

[SOURCE: “Report: Number of Cancer Survivors Increasing,” FDA Consumer, September-October, 2004]

Breast Cancer Survival High
The incidence of breast cancer has been rising steadily since 1987, in part because of improved detection. When breast cancer is identified in the early stages through mammography and breast self examination, 98 percent of patients survive at least five years–and usually much longer.

An estimated 211,240 women and 1,690 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Preventive measures include exercise, weight control, avoiding excess alcohol and finding an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

[SOURCE: Sanjay Gupta, “Beating Cancer,” Time, November 7, 2005]

Affordable Life Insurance Is Now Available to Breast Cancer Survivors
A woman who follows screening recommendations and gets early diagnosis and successful treatment for breast cancer can expect to live a long, healthy life. Now she can also obtain life insurance that reflects her life expectancy.

Noting improvements in detection and treatment of breast cancer, the Hartford Financial Services Group decided in October of 2005 to sell individual life insurance policies at standard rates to women age 40 and over treated for stage 1 (one centimeter or less) breast cancer whose tests indicate strong potential for survival and who have no major health problems. For a $500,000 policy, a woman receiving standard rates would save about $12,500 a year compared to what she could purchase previously.

The company says it is the first to offer standard rates to breast cancer survivors.

[SOURCE: Trevor Thomas, “Hartford Cuts Rates for Many Breast Cancer Survivors,” National Underwirter Life and Health, October 3, 2005]

Future Bright for Melanoma Survivors
Historically, invasive melanoma has been deadly, but five-year survival rates for this skin cancer have been improving steadily over the past several decades. Today, patients who live five years after diagnosis have a 91 to 92 percent chance of living another 15 years, according to a report based on data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute.

Each year, about 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with a melanoma that requires treatment. Sun exposure is the best known risk factor; others include age, trauma and genetics.

[SOURCE: Doug Brunk, “Survival Rates after 5 Years Have Improved for Invasive Melanoma,” Internal Medicine News, March 1, 2005]

Diet Season Is Now Underway
Since the main idea is to sell books and get readers excited about weight loss, nearly all diet books end up sounding a bit faddish. Some, however, are based on sound principles.

The Sonoma Diet promises a “trimmer waist, better health in just 10 days.” Quite a claim, but author Connie Gutterson, R.D., Ph.D., is a nutritionist and an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America who offers advice on eating good, healthy foods that satisfy.

The Flavor Point Diet: The Delicious, Breakthrough Plan To Turn Off Your Hunger and Lose the Weight for Good claims to trick the brain “into being satisfied all day long, so you don’t eat when you don’t need to.” The author Dr. David Katz of the Harvard School of Public Health presents ways of combining foods and flavors for maximum enjoyment so you are less tempted to overeat.

[SOURCE: Charles Stuart Platkin, “Read Up on the Latest Diet Books,” Poughkeepsie Journal, January 1, 2006]

Beware of ‘Brazilian’ Diet Pills
Brazilian diet pills marketed under the brand name Emagrece Sim are selling better than hot cakes over the internet. If you’re willing to pay $140 to $230 for a month’s supply, you can lose 20 pounds or more in just three weeks...or so they say.

Some Americans who have bought these pills have failed drug tests and been fired from their jobs because the pills they took contained amphetamines or tranquilizers–illegal for non-prescription products and dangerous for persons with some medical conditions.

[SOURCE: John Dorschner, “‘Brazilian’ Diet Pills True Nature Is Elusive,” Miami Herald Watchdog, January 2, 2006]

Brief Walk Helps Colonoscopy Prep
Emptying your bowels is a necessary but sometimes unpleasant part of preparing for a colonoscopy. A recent study found that subjects who walked briefly (about 5 minutes) at 10-minute intervals between laxative drinks had better ratings for bowel cleanliness than subjects who didn’t walk. Their walks may also have made the bowel cleansing experience more tolerable.

[SOURCE: Johns Hopkins Medical Letter, January, 2006]

Health Shorts

January 2006

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