Re: Tony Snow's Death
- From: Thumper <jaylsmith@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:50:36 -0400
On Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:18:10 -0400, "Brad Naylor"
<brad_naylor@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Rita" <Rita@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:30rh741pmj4es0vd61vdeeu4jtirf2ua80@xxxxxxxxxx
It is very sad to learn Tony Snow died of colon cancer
at the age of 53.
My adopted mother died of colon cancer in 1942 at the same
age. But then there was nothing to be done about it.
So it seems surprising such a young man would succumb to
this disease today.
Those who dread having a colonoscopy should put their
fears aside and perhaps have one far earlier in life than
often recommended. I have never complained about this
procedure because I know what suffering having one might
well avoid.
Very sorry about Tony Snow. And a word to the wise about
colon exams. Not that we know his history in any detail.
It is possible even with these tests cancer can take hold.
I don't know his history as regards to whether or not he had colonoscopies
prior to age 50, but, regardless, there's a new kid on the block as far as
lesions or polyps go. The so-called 'flat' lesions that are flush with the
colon walls, or even in little depressions ('potholes') that are much harder
to see than the usual polyps. The technical name for these guys: nonpolypoid
colorectal neoplasms. They are 5-10 times more likely to become cancerous.
I just had a colonoscopy this past Tuesday and I still feel a little
concerned since the procedure only took about 30 minutes and could these
hard-to-spot lesions have been missed? (Normal time for a colonoscopy is
30-60 minutes, he found no polyps hence the shorter time). Here's an
article from Web-MD on this topic:
Did you watch? It shouldn't take longer than that.
Thumper
Flat Lesions Linked to Colon Cancer
Flat Lesions Can Be Overlooked During Colonoscopies
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
March 6, 2008 -- They are usually missed or overlooked during colon cancer
screening, but flat lesions within the lining of the colon and rectum may be
more likely to be cancerous than polyps, new research shows.
They are also more common in the U.S. population than previously thought.
Known as nonpolypoid colorectal neoplasms, they were found in roughly 9% of
patients who underwent colonoscopy in the new study, published in today's
edition of The Journal of the American Medical Association.
And the flat lesions were roughly five times more likely to contain
cancerous tissue than polyps, after adjusting for polyp size.
"This study shows that flat lesions are actually a lot more dangerous than
protruding ones," researcher Roy M. Soetikno, MD, tells WebMD. "We can do a
better job of preventing colon cancer if we look for them, but this will
require that the patient and the doctor work together."
Spotting Flat Lesions
The flat or even recessed lesions are much more difficult to spot than
raised polyps with traditional colonoscopy, because their appearance is
similar to normal tissue.
Soetikno says patients can help by doing everything their doctor recommends
to prepare for a colonoscopy. The lesions are even harder to spot if any
waste is left in the bowel.
And doctors must be made aware of the importance of the nonpolyp lesions,
and do a thorough job of looking for them.
In the study, Soetikno and colleagues using a special dye to highlight
subtle changes seen with standard high-resolution colonoscopy.
This takes much longer than a standard colonoscopy, but it is an important
step, Soetikno says.
New-generation endoscopes don't require the dye step, and they may be able
to detect the lesions more accurately and quickly than older endoscopes.
Studies suggest that about one in four colonoscopies are compromised by poor
bowel cleanout.
"You can't overstate the importance of the prep for a good-quality exam,"
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy President Grace Elta, MD,
tells WebMD. "You hear over and over that the prep is the worst part, but it
is also the most important part."
Depressed Lesions Most Dangerous
The study involved 1,819 veterans who underwent elective colonoscopy in Palo
Alto, Calif.
A total of 9.35% of patients had the flat or depressed lesions.
The depressed type of lesion, which was the most difficult to detect during
colonoscopy, had the highest likelihood of containing precancerous or
cancerous tissue.
The incidence of the lesions was found to be similar to that reported in
Japanese populations, a group that researchers had believed were uniquely
susceptible to them.
And the size of the lesions did not appear to be a factor in whether or not
they contained cancer cells.
Colonoscopy Still Highly Effective
The lesions were also most commonly seen in people who also had large polyps
or symptoms suggestive of colon cancer.
American Cancer Society Director of Screening Robert Smith, PhD, tells WebMD
that this is reassuring.
"The likelihood that a person with a normal colonoscopy is harboring a
really dangerous abnormality is not very high," he says.
The experts who spoke to WebMD all agreed that standard colonoscopy remains
a highly effective tool for screening and preventing colon cancer and that
people who have had one do not need another one to look for flat lesions.
"I don't think people should be overly concerned that they may have had a
poor procedure," American College of Gastrointerology President Amy
Foxx-Orenstein, DO, says. "The most important thing is to be screened and to
follow up that screening as recommended."
.
- References:
- Re: Tony Snow's Death
- From: Brad Naylor
- Re: Tony Snow's Death
- Prev by Date: Food for thought
- Next by Date: some unusual exercises for seniors
- Previous by thread: Re: Tony Snow's Death
- Next by thread: Re: Tony Snow's Death
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
