Tag Archives: E.J. Mundell

Young adults see rise in colon cancer

3-bottom, Community Health, Health, , ,
Researchers have seen colon cancer cases in young adults rise as much as 18 percent a year in some countries. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay


The rise in colon cases among younger adults that’s been seen in the United States is also occurring in wealthier nations worldwide, new research shows.


In the decade leading up to 2014, the number of cases of colon cancer among people under 50 increased by 3% a year in Denmark, New Zealand, Australia and Canada and by 1% per year in Britain.


The increase was most pronounced among those aged 20 to 29, noted a team led by Dr. Marzieh Araghi, from International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France.


Among twenty-somethings, colon cancer cases rose by 18% a year in Denmark and 11% in Norway, according to the study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hematology.


“Although the incidence of colorectal cancer in adults younger than 50 years remains much lower compared with that in older age groups, our findings are of concern and highlight the need for action to counteract the rising burden of the disease in younger people,” Araghi said in a journal news release.


The increase in cases among the young runs counter to declines in colon cancer among people over 50, the researchers pointed out.


For example, between 2004 and 2014 cases of colon cancer fell each year among people over 50—by 2% in Australia and Canada, 3% in New Zealand and 1% annually in the U.K.


Colon cancer remains a huge global killer.


According to the research team, in 2018 alone nearly 2 million cases of colon cancer were diagnosed and the disease claimed 881,000 lives worldwide.


But why the surge among the young? According to Araghi, the increase is likely driven in part by increases in certain risk factors, specifically obesity and poor diet.


On the other hand, he said, the decrease in colon cancer among people over 50 is most likely due to better screening stool tests or colonoscopy that catches tumors early.


Dr. David Bernstein is chief of hematology and a gastrointestinal specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Reviewing the new report, he said similar data has already changed medical practice in the United States.


“The U.S. findings have led to updated (American Cancer Society) colon cancer screening guidelines, which now recommend the initiation of colon cancer screening at age 45, as opposed to previous guidelines recommending the initiating of screening at age 50,” Bernstein noted.


Early screening and detection could bring colon cancer numbers down again among the young, he said.


Dr. Elena Ivanina is a gastroenterologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She believes younger Americans need to pay more heed to avoiding colon cancer risk factors.

“This includes things like obesity, diet, smoking and other carcinogens,” she said. “Patients should discuss their colon cancer risk with their physician and not ignore any symptoms like rectal bleeding, no matter what their age.”


In the meantime, Bernstein said, “perhaps the more important question is ‘why in high income countries is the incidence of colorectal cancer increasing among young adults, and what factors are leading to this?’” Bernstein said. “Significant work needs to be done to answer this critical question.”


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Suspect in pancreatic cancer: Gut fungi

3-bottom, Community Health, Health, ,
In experiments using mice, researchers found some populations of fungal species increased at a higher rate in a cancerous pancreas. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay


Fungi living in the gut can move into the pancreas, triggering changes to normal cells that can result in cancer, a new study suggests.


The finding could advance the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer, which is usually fatal because it’s often detected too late.


The disease has been in the news lately because “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek is waging a battle against an advanced form of the illness.


The new research focuses on a particular form of the cancer, called pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which can be fatal within two years.


While the exact causes of pancreatic cancer remain unclear, the American Cancer Society has long recognized that viruses, bacteria and parasites can help spur pancreatic tumors, the authors of the new study noted.


But fungi haven’t been shown to play a role—until now.


“While past studies from our group have shown that bacteria travel from the gut to the pancreas, our new study is the first to confirm that fungi, too, make that trip and that related fungal population changes promote tumor inception and growth,” study co-author Dr. George Miller said in a news release from NYU Langone Health.


Miller is co-leader of the Tumor Immunology Research Program at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health, in New York City.


Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is cancer of the tube in the pancreas where digestive juices drain into the intestines.


This exchange causes fungal populations in the gut and pancreas—the “mycobiome”—to become abnormal, the NYU team explained. That change may cause pancreatic cells to turn malignant.


In the new study, the researchers first looked at fungal transfer from the gut to the pancreas in mice that already had pancreatic tumors.


In those experiments, the researchers found that treating the rodents with an antifungal drug shrunk the weight of tumors from between 20% to 40% over 30 weeks.


Investigating further, the team catalogued the species of fungi in the poop of mice with or without pancreatic cancer. They even tagged the fungi with “glowing” proteins to watch the microbes travel from the gut to the pancreas.


Certain patterns emerged, with some populations of fungal species increasing at a far higher rate in the cancerous pancreases versus the non-cancerous ones.


One such cancer-linked species is called Malassezia.


“We have long known that Malassezia fungi—generally found on the skin and scalp—are responsible for dandruff and some forms of eczema, but recent studies have also linked them to skin and colorectal cancer,” study senior co-author Deepak Saxena noted in the news release.


“Our new findings add evidence that Malassezia is abundant in pancreatic tumors as well,” said Saxena, who is professor of basic science and craniofacial biology at NYU College of Dentistry. Pancreatic cancers in the mice grew about 20% faster when Malassezia was allowed to grow unchecked, the team noted.


The researchers theorized that fungi spur growth of the cancer by affecting immune system mechanisms that lead to abnormal tissue growth.


Study co-first author Smruti Pushalkar, a research scientist at NYU College of Dentistry, added, “Moving forward, one goal for our team is to determine which species are most relevant to cancer, as doing so could guide future attempts to slow tumor growth with targeted antifungal medications, and to avert side effects.”


The results of the study add evidence to the theory that fungi increase the risk for cancer by activating an ancient part of the immune system, the researchers said.


This immune response fights infections but also increases cell growth as the infection is cured. Past studies have shown that aggressive tissue growth can cause cancer when it’s combined with genetic flaws.


The report was published recently in the journal Nature.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.



Those perilous pooches

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Senior Living, , , ,
Researchers have found that injuries sustained while dog walking—fractures, specifically—have jumped 163 percent in the 65 and older group over the past 15 years. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay


Walking the dog can be great exercise for seniors, but there could be one downside: fractures.


Fractures suffered by elderly Americans while walking their dogs have more than doubled in recent years, new research shows.


Still, taking your dog for a walk can also bring big health rewards, one joint specialist said.


“Pets can provide companionship for older adults—and the physical exercise from regularly walking a dog may improve other aspects of physical and psychological health,” said Dr. Matthew Hepinstall, who wasn’t involved in the new study.


“So, the risks of walking a dog should be balanced against potential benefits,” said Hepinstall, who helps direct joint surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.


The new research was led by Kevin Pirruccio, a second-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania. His team tracked national data and found that among people aged 65 and older, fractures associated with walking leashed dogs rose from about 1,700 cases in 2004 to almost 4,400 cases in 2017—a 163 percent rise.


More than three-quarters of the fractures occurred in women, with hip and arm fractures being the most common. About half of all fractures occurred in the upper body, with fractures of the wrist, upper arm, finger and shoulder leading the way.


The most common type of fracture was a broken hip (17 percent). That’s cause for concern, Pirruccio’s team said, because the death rate linked to hip fractures in people older than 65 is close to 30 percent.


The researchers added that the study only involved data on fractures treated at emergency departments. The actual number of dog walking-related injuries among seniors might even be higher if injuries not typically seen in a hospital—for example, tendon or muscle tears—were factored in.

Why the rising rates of fractures tied to dog walking? The study authors theorized that increased pet ownership and a greater emphasis on physical activity for older adults may be driving the trend.


In a university news release, Pirruccio stressed that walking your pooch each day “has repeatedly demonstrated social, emotional and physical health benefits.” It’s also “a popular and frequently recommended activity for many older Americans seeking new ways to stay active,” he said.


On the other hand, “patients’ risks for falls must be factored into lifestyle recommendations in an effort to minimize such injuries,” Pirruccio said.


Hepinstall agreed.


“The take-home message for older adults and their families is that, when choosing to care for a pet, be sure to consider the strength and coordination of the older adult, and the size and expected behavior of the pet selected,” he advised.


Pet ownership and care may need to be re-assessed with age, Hepinstall added.


“When the mobility of older adults changes, they should be encouraged to re-evaluate their ongoing ability to care for any pets,” he said. “This will help ensure that the health and other needs of the adult and of the pet can be properly managed.”


The study was published recently in JAMA Surgery.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.