Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer among men and women in the United States, and is among the most deadly of cancers. In an effort to improve those statistics, doctors began recommending that people have regular colon screenings, such as colonoscopies, to look for signs of the disease. Screenings are recommended beginning at age 50 or earlier for people who have a family history of colorectal cancer or are experiencing symptoms such as blood in the stool.

However, colonoscopies are intimidating. The procedure involves sending a tube with a camera on the end through the rectum and into the large intestines. Patients are sedated during the process, but they must prepare at least a day before the procedure by taking large amounts of laxatives to cleanse the bowel before a colonoscopy.

Between the uncomfortable prep required and the thought of the procedure itself, many people opt to go without. Studies show that less than 20 percent of the people who should be screened for colon cancer actually have a colonoscopy.

Which explains why companies like EDP Biotech are working tirelessly to find a more patient-friendly test. (Not to mention that approval of such a test would mean millions, if not billions, for the company that lands a suitable alternative to colonoscopies.)

EDP Biotech’s ColoMarker test involves adding a chemical to a small blood sample. The reading takes about 30 seconds, and the results are revealed on a computer screen. The test detects a certain marker in the blood that indicates if a patient is clear from colon cancer or needs further testing, perhaps by a colonoscopy.

In tests of 2,400 patients, the ColoMarker detected every case of colon cancer during treatable stages. The company is currently seeking FDA approval and hopes to have the ColoMarker available to the public in one to three years.

Source: WBIR.com

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › Blood test to detect colon cancer seeks FDA approval

The newly released report includes data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR). The data shows a 3 percent decrease in new colon and rectal cancer cases in men and a 2.2 percent decrease in women. Deaths from colon and rectal cancers dropped 3.9 percent in men and 3.4 percent in women.

Using modeling projections of colorectal cancer rates, authors of the report say that with accelerated cancer control efforts in the United States, such as quitting smoking and having regular colonoscopies, as well as more effective chemotherapy treatments for the disease, overall deaths from colorectal cancers could be reduced by 50 percent by 2020.

“This report shows that we have begun to make progress reducing colorectal cancer. Yet, colorectal cancer still kills more people than any other cancer except lung cancer,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D. “Reducing smoking further can bring lung and other cancer rates down, and improved colorectal cancer screening can prevent colorectal cancer.”

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › NCI report: new cases of colon, rectal cancer deaths declining

Colonoscopies

Sure, the procedure can cause anxiety. Just the thought can make you cringe. And then there’s the process one has to endure to cleanse the bowel even before the procedure begins, a practice that can take a day or more. This involves taking a pill or drinking a solution that forces the intestines to purge their contents.

While an important procedure, it is not without its comics. This week, Sacramento Arts & Entertainment Examiner N.E. Frances, who was preparing for her own colonoscopy, compiled a list of humorous colonoscopy videos. If you’re preparing for a colonoscopy and are feeling a little anxious, check out the colonoscopy humor here.  It’s guaranteed to take at least a little of the stress out of the procedure.

Humor aside, colonoscopies do serve an important purpose. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States among men and women combined. Caught early, the disease can be curable, which is why regular colonoscopies are important. Colon screenings are recommended for people beginning at age 50 and younger for those who have a family history or are exhibiting symptoms, such as blood in the stool.

Risks from the procedure are low – about 0.35 percent.

Some patients may also suffer from complications from their bowel-cleansing solution. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black box warning on prescription Oral Sodium Phosphates (OSP) such as Visicol and Osmo Prep because some patients who used the products suffered from a severe kidney injury known as acute phosphate nephropathy. Over-the-counter OSP solutions, such as those made by C.B. Fleet, have been pulled from the market. While the risks with OSPs is higher among older patients, most doctors have turned to other, safer laxatives to prep the bowel before colonoscopy.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have about the bowel cleansing process, or the colonoscopy procedure.

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › Humor takes the anxiety out of colonoscopies

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancers often present no symptoms in the early stages, which is why screenings are important. Signs and symptoms of the disease may include

• A change in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool for more than a couple weeks;
• Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool;
• Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain;
• Abdominal pain with a bowel movement;
• A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely;
• Weakness or fatigue;
• Unexplained weight loss.

Some symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as blood in your stool, may indicate other conditions, so it is important to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. He may order a colonoscopy to rule out any serious problems. Discuss with your doctor any concerns you have about the procedure.

While generally safe, the elderly are more susceptible to problems from the procedures, most notably, a type of solution used to clean the bowel prior to colonoscopies, oral sodium phosphate (OSP), has been linked to a serious kidney injury. The prescription products, Visicol and Osmo Prep, now fall under an FDA black box warning and Fleet, makers of over-the-counter OSP products, have pulled them from the shelves.

Sources:
American Cancer Society
Mayo Clinic

SOURCE: Fleet Attorney › Understanding the symptoms of colorectal cancer