Being fat could become the leading cause of cancer in women in Western countries in the coming years, European researchers said Thursday.
Being overweight or obese accounts for up to 8 percent of cancers in Europe. Experts said that figure is poised to increase substantially as the obesity epidemic continues, and as major causes of cancer, such as smoking and hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women, drop dramatically.
"Obesity is catching up at a rate that makes it possible it could become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade," said Andrew Renehan, a cancer expert at the University of Manchester. Renehan presented his findings to a joint meeting of the European Cancer Organisation and the European Society for Medical Oncology in Berlin on Thursday.
Renehan and colleagues designed a model to estimate the number of cancers that could be blamed on being fat in 30 European countries. In 2002, they calculated that 70,000 cases of cancer out of about 2 million cancer cases were attributable to being overweight or obese. By 2008, the number had jumped to at least 124,000.
Colorectal cancer, breast cancer in menopausal women and endometrial cancer accounted for 65 percent of all cancers linked to being fat. Renehan said that in the U.S., some studies found obesity was responsible for up to 20 percent of cancers.
Experts said the results should help shape future cancer policies across Europe.
"Being overweight or obese is likely to be one of the biggest single causes of cancer after smoking," said Lucy Boyd, an epidemiologist at Cancer Research United Kingdom who was not linked to the research.
Scientists aren't sure why being fat boosts your cancer risk, but suspect it is connected to hormones. As people become fatter, they produce more hormones like estrogen that help tumors grow. People with big bellies also have more acid in their stomachs, which can lead to stomach, intestinal or esophageal cancer.
Still, not all experts said obesity would produce skyrocketing cancer rates in the near future.
"It is not likely (obesity) will have as severe an effect as smoking," said Jan Coebergh, a professor of cancer surveillance at Erasmus University, who has done similar research. Coebergh expected it would take a few decades before rounder Europeans would see a parallel rise in cancer, since the disease often takes years to develop.
Still, scientists called for more measures to fight obesity and the cancers it might cause.
Renehan said new strategies were needed to help people stay slim. "We need to find the biological mechanism to help people find other ways of tackling obesity," he said. "Just telling the population to lose weight obviously hasn't worked."
This article is a reprint of http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hQoWmBc5XrIqB-VoB1FpmPXTJzTAD9ATJH980 The time or date displayed reflects when an article was added to Google News. Sep 24 , 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Study: Low Vitamin D Raises Blood Pressure in Women
from Reuters
Younger white women with vitamin D deficiencies are about three times more likely to have high blood pressure in middle age than those with normal vitamin levels, according to a study released on Thursday.
The study, presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Chicago, adds younger women to a growing list of people including men who may develop high blood pressure at least in part because of low vitamin D.
Researchers in Michigan, who examined data on 559 women beginning in 1992, found that those with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have high blood pressure 15 years later in 2007.
"Our results indicate that early vitamin D deficiency may increase the long-term risk of high blood pressure in women at mid-life," said Flojaune Griffin, who worked on the study for the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Vitamin D, which the human body can make from sunlight and which is found in fatty fish, fortified milk products and dietary supplements, has long been known to contribute to healthy bones and teeth.
But deficiencies, which are widespread in women, are linked to cancer, immune system problems and inflammatory diseases.
High blood pressure raises the likelihood of stroke, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
The women in the blood pressure study lived in Tecumseh, Michigan, and were 24 to 44 years old with an average age of 38, when the research began.
Researchers measured vitamin D blood levels at the outset and took blood pressure readings once a year. In 2007, they compared systolic readings -- the top number in blood pressure results that indicates the pressure within blood vessels when the heart beats.
More than 10 percent of women with vitamin D deficiencies had high blood pressure in 2007, versus 3.7 percent of those with sufficient levels. When the study began, 5.5 percent with deficiencies also had high blood pressure, compared to 2.8 percent with normal vitamin D.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Almost half the population worldwide has lower-than-optimal levels of vitamin D and researchers say the problem is worsening as people spend more time indoors. African-Americans seem at especially high risk as dark skin can make it harder for the body to absorb ultraviolet light.
(Editing by Maggie Fox and Eric Walsh)
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE58M6HT20090923
Younger white women with vitamin D deficiencies are about three times more likely to have high blood pressure in middle age than those with normal vitamin levels, according to a study released on Thursday.
The study, presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Chicago, adds younger women to a growing list of people including men who may develop high blood pressure at least in part because of low vitamin D.
Researchers in Michigan, who examined data on 559 women beginning in 1992, found that those with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have high blood pressure 15 years later in 2007.
"Our results indicate that early vitamin D deficiency may increase the long-term risk of high blood pressure in women at mid-life," said Flojaune Griffin, who worked on the study for the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Vitamin D, which the human body can make from sunlight and which is found in fatty fish, fortified milk products and dietary supplements, has long been known to contribute to healthy bones and teeth.
But deficiencies, which are widespread in women, are linked to cancer, immune system problems and inflammatory diseases.
High blood pressure raises the likelihood of stroke, heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
The women in the blood pressure study lived in Tecumseh, Michigan, and were 24 to 44 years old with an average age of 38, when the research began.
Researchers measured vitamin D blood levels at the outset and took blood pressure readings once a year. In 2007, they compared systolic readings -- the top number in blood pressure results that indicates the pressure within blood vessels when the heart beats.
More than 10 percent of women with vitamin D deficiencies had high blood pressure in 2007, versus 3.7 percent of those with sufficient levels. When the study began, 5.5 percent with deficiencies also had high blood pressure, compared to 2.8 percent with normal vitamin D.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Almost half the population worldwide has lower-than-optimal levels of vitamin D and researchers say the problem is worsening as people spend more time indoors. African-Americans seem at especially high risk as dark skin can make it harder for the body to absorb ultraviolet light.
(Editing by Maggie Fox and Eric Walsh)
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE58M6HT20090923
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Common Part of Aging
It is common for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. Doctors call this condition benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or benign prostatic hypertrophy.
As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH.
Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man's life, the enlargement doesn't usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so some of the urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.
Many people feel uncomfortable talking about the prostate, since the gland plays a role in both sex and urination. Still, prostate enlargement is as common a part of aging as gray hair. As life expectancy rises, so does the occurrence of BPH. In the United States in 2000, there were 4.5 million visits to physicians for BPH.
As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH.
Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man's life, the enlargement doesn't usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so some of the urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.
Many people feel uncomfortable talking about the prostate, since the gland plays a role in both sex and urination. Still, prostate enlargement is as common a part of aging as gray hair. As life expectancy rises, so does the occurrence of BPH. In the United States in 2000, there were 4.5 million visits to physicians for BPH.
Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is by far the most important GI cancer in the United States. The number of new cases has actually gone down a little bit since that slide, 132,000 per year, 56,000 deaths colon cancer and rectal cancer. Far ahead of all of the others and definitely different than in the world where it is only second and is surpassed by gastric cancer. Again, to illustrate that this is a disease of the developed world, the darkness represents the relative incidence of colorectal cancer, a disease of North America, Europe, Australia and only in the last 20 years or so, as the Japanese have developed more Western eating habits.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
How are diverticular disease and diverticulitis diagnosed?
Diagnosing diverticular disease and diverticulitis.
As there are several illnesses and conditions with similar symptoms, such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), diagnosis of diverticular disease is not easy. A doctor can rule out other conditions by having some blood tests done.
Colonoscopy - the doctor has a look inside the patient's colon by using a colonoscope - a thin tube with a camera at the end. The colonoscope enters the patient through the rectum. Before the procedure begins most patients are given a laxative to clear their bowels. A local anesthetic is given before the procedure starts. The aim of the colonoscopy is to see whether any diverticula are present.
Barium enema X-ray - a tube is inserted into the patient's rectum and a barium liquid is squirted into the tube and up the rectum. Barium is a liquid that shows up in X-rays. When the inside surface of organs that do not show up on X-ray are coated with barium, they become visible. The aim here is to see whether the X-ray may confirm the presence of diverticula. The procedure is not painful.
Diagnosing diverticulitis
If a patient has a history of diverticular disease, the GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) will be able to diagnose diverticulitis by carrying out a physical examination and asking the patient some questions regarding symptoms and his/her medical history. A blood test is useful, because if it reveals a high number of white blood cells it probably means there is an infection.
Patients who have no history of diverticular disease will need additional tests. There are other conditions which may have similar symptoms, such as a hernia or gallstones. A computer topography (CT) scan may be used, as well as a barium enema X-ray. If the patient's symptoms are severe the CT scan may tell whether the infection has spread to another part of the body, or whether there is an abscess.
For a full information on colonoscopy visit www.colonoscopy.org
As there are several illnesses and conditions with similar symptoms, such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), diagnosis of diverticular disease is not easy. A doctor can rule out other conditions by having some blood tests done.
Colonoscopy - the doctor has a look inside the patient's colon by using a colonoscope - a thin tube with a camera at the end. The colonoscope enters the patient through the rectum. Before the procedure begins most patients are given a laxative to clear their bowels. A local anesthetic is given before the procedure starts. The aim of the colonoscopy is to see whether any diverticula are present.
Barium enema X-ray - a tube is inserted into the patient's rectum and a barium liquid is squirted into the tube and up the rectum. Barium is a liquid that shows up in X-rays. When the inside surface of organs that do not show up on X-ray are coated with barium, they become visible. The aim here is to see whether the X-ray may confirm the presence of diverticula. The procedure is not painful.
Diagnosing diverticulitis
If a patient has a history of diverticular disease, the GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) will be able to diagnose diverticulitis by carrying out a physical examination and asking the patient some questions regarding symptoms and his/her medical history. A blood test is useful, because if it reveals a high number of white blood cells it probably means there is an infection.
Patients who have no history of diverticular disease will need additional tests. There are other conditions which may have similar symptoms, such as a hernia or gallstones. A computer topography (CT) scan may be used, as well as a barium enema X-ray. If the patient's symptoms are severe the CT scan may tell whether the infection has spread to another part of the body, or whether there is an abscess.
For a full information on colonoscopy visit www.colonoscopy.org
Monday, September 21, 2009
Is That Right? Alli Weight-Loss Drug is Safe
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced August 24 that it's reviewing cases of liver injury among people using the weight loss drug orlistat, found in the prescription drug Xenical and the over-the-counter product Alli.
The FDA says it received 32 reports of serious liver injury among patients using those drugs between 1999 and 2008. Thirty of those instances occurred outside the United States.
The FDA is analyzing the cases for evidence that might link the liver injuries to the weight-loss drugs. In the meantime, the agency encouraged people to keep using orlistat, just so long as they follow the physician's instructions or those that come with the OTC product. Both doctors and orlistat users should be on the lookout for signs of liver problems, including weakness, fatigue, fever, jaundice and brown urine.
Howard Marsh, the chief medical officer for Alli-maker GlaxoSmithKline, says that while the company is as concerned as the FDA is about these cases of liver disease, orlistat is a much-studied drug with a long track record. Though Alli received FDA approval just two and a half years ago, he notes, orlistat has been available by prescription worldwide for about 10 years and has been used safely by more than 30 million people. The company bills the product as "safe and effective when used as directed."
Alli works by interfering with the intestine's ability to absorb fat. When someone taking the drug consumes too much fat, the fat is expelled in, well, an unpleasant fashion, usually involving the need for a very speedy trip to the bathroom. The drug is meant, Marsh says, to help train users to consume fewer calories by steering them away from calorie-dense fatty foods. It's not meant to be a miracle pill or magic bullet, he says, and it's intended to be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes such as exercise and a more healthful diet.
In any case, Marsh notes that there's nothing about the drug's mechanism of action, which is mostly isolated to the digestive tract, that would suggest it might damage the liver. And, he adds, overweight people (such as those inclined to use Alli in the first place) are at increased risk of liver disease simply by virtue of their being overweight.
If I were overweight enough to seek help from a product like Alli, I don't think I'd be worried enough about the FDA's safety review to shy away from the drug.
What about you? Have you tried Alli? Does the liver-injury concern make you think twice about using it?
This article is a reprint of http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2009/09/is_that_right_alli_weight-loss.html?wprss=checkup The time or date displayed reflects when an article was added to Google News. Sep 4 , 2009
The FDA says it received 32 reports of serious liver injury among patients using those drugs between 1999 and 2008. Thirty of those instances occurred outside the United States.
The FDA is analyzing the cases for evidence that might link the liver injuries to the weight-loss drugs. In the meantime, the agency encouraged people to keep using orlistat, just so long as they follow the physician's instructions or those that come with the OTC product. Both doctors and orlistat users should be on the lookout for signs of liver problems, including weakness, fatigue, fever, jaundice and brown urine.
Howard Marsh, the chief medical officer for Alli-maker GlaxoSmithKline, says that while the company is as concerned as the FDA is about these cases of liver disease, orlistat is a much-studied drug with a long track record. Though Alli received FDA approval just two and a half years ago, he notes, orlistat has been available by prescription worldwide for about 10 years and has been used safely by more than 30 million people. The company bills the product as "safe and effective when used as directed."
Alli works by interfering with the intestine's ability to absorb fat. When someone taking the drug consumes too much fat, the fat is expelled in, well, an unpleasant fashion, usually involving the need for a very speedy trip to the bathroom. The drug is meant, Marsh says, to help train users to consume fewer calories by steering them away from calorie-dense fatty foods. It's not meant to be a miracle pill or magic bullet, he says, and it's intended to be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes such as exercise and a more healthful diet.
In any case, Marsh notes that there's nothing about the drug's mechanism of action, which is mostly isolated to the digestive tract, that would suggest it might damage the liver. And, he adds, overweight people (such as those inclined to use Alli in the first place) are at increased risk of liver disease simply by virtue of their being overweight.
If I were overweight enough to seek help from a product like Alli, I don't think I'd be worried enough about the FDA's safety review to shy away from the drug.
What about you? Have you tried Alli? Does the liver-injury concern make you think twice about using it?
This article is a reprint of http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2009/09/is_that_right_alli_weight-loss.html?wprss=checkup The time or date displayed reflects when an article was added to Google News. Sep 4 , 2009
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