Cancer - March 2014 Archives

Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system. Rectal cancer is cancer in the last several inches of the colon. Together they're often referred to as colorectal cancers.  On our upcoming program, Paul Limburg, M.D., joins us to discuss why screening is so important and why the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is being studied in relation to colorectal cancer. We'll also discuss a new American Cancer Society campaign aimed at getting 80% of the eligible population screened in 2014. Myth or Matter of Fact:  Colorectal cancer is a man's disease. To hear the program LIVE on Saturday, click here. Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions. Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio. Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines: News Segment March 15, 2014  (right click MP3)  Mayo Clinic Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic. The show is taped for rebroadcast by some affiliates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MkoFI5lBvY Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Cerhan are available in the downloads. ROCHESTER, Minn. — March 12, 2014 — Having a big belly has consequences beyond trouble squeezing into your pants. It’s detrimental to your health, even if you have a healthy body mass index (BMI), a new international collaborative study led by a Mayo Clinic researcher found. Men and women with large waist circumferences were more likely to die younger, and were more likely to die from illnesses such as heart disease, respiratory problems, and cancer after accounting for body mass index, smoking, alcohol use and physical activity. The study is published in the March edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The researchers pooled data from 11 different cohort studies, including more than 600,000 people from around the world. They found that men with waists 43 inches or greater in circumference had a 50 percent higher mortality risk than men with waists less than 35 inches, and this translated to about a three-year lower life expectancy after age 40. Women with a waist circumference of 37 inches or greater had about an 80 percent higher mortality risk than women with a waist circumference of 27 inches or less, and this translated to about a five-year lower life expectancy after age 40.  

Miss the show? Here's the podcast! Mayo Clinic Radio Full Show-3-14-2014 Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your ...

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Spring break is just around the corner for many students, and as they prepare for the sandy beaches of popular vacation destinations, some are making trips to the tanning salon first ... but at what cost? “Tanning beds emit UVA rays which damage the cells in the skin that can lead to skin cancer.” says Mary Duh (Dew) from dermatology at Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare. “Unfortunately, the increased use in tanning beds does create a high risk factor for melanoma.” Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer that develops in the cells that produce melanin (the pigment that gives your skin color). “When exposed to UVA rays, DNA damage occurs and the skin darkens in order to prevent more damage. As this process keeps occurring there is a higher risk of melanoma due to the DNA damage.” Ways to help prevent melanoma include:

Fertility preservation: Understand your options before cancer treatment Cancer treatment can have a major impact on fertility. Get the facts about fertility preservation options for men and women. Cancer caregivers and quality of life — new study opportunity Mayo Clinic has a new study open to cancer caregivers that is researching interventions to improve quality of life and prevent burnout. Managing chemotherapy side effects Chemotherapy treatment carries with it a host of potential side effects — fatigue, hair loss and more. Learn about managing chemotherapy side effects.

A Milestone for the Future of Health Care in Arizona  The Far East met the Southwest as Mayo Clinic in Arizona employees, benefactors, ...

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Hearing aids: How to choose the right one Many types of hearing aids exist. So which is best for you? Colon cancer screening: At what age can you stop? Colon cancer screening may have an upper age limit of effectiveness. What is it? Heart healthy for life: Avoiding heart disease Preventing heart disease begins with small steps. Find out more about maintaining a healthy heart. HEALTHY RECIPES Italian flags (tomato and mozzarella salad) Barley and roasted tomato risotto Tossed greens with pasta, fruit and balsamic vinaigrette Berries marinated in balsamic vinegar HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK Do you need sunscreen in the winter? You bet! It's as easy to get sunburned in winter as in summer. Snow reflects the sun's rays, so sunburn is possible even if you're cold. When you're outdoors in the winter, wear sunscreen on any exposed areas. Use lip balm that contains sunscreen, too. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

New York — March 3, 2014 — A new approach to breast reconstruction surgery aimed at helping patients’ bodies get back to normal more quickly cut their postoperative opioid painkiller use in half and meant a day less in the hospital on average, a Mayo Clinic study found. The method includes new pain control techniques, preventive anti-nausea treatment and getting women eating and walking soon after free flap breast reconstruction surgery. It has proved so effective, it is now being used across plastic surgery at Mayo Clinic. The findings were being presented at the Plastic Surgery Research Council annual meeting March 7-9 in New York. Breast reconstruction surgery is common after breast tissue is removed to prevent or treat breast cancer; in free flap breast reconstruction, the plastic surgeon transfers a section of tissue from one part of the body to the chest.  Using traditional care, the hospital stay averaged roughly four and a half days after that procedure. Using a new approach known as an “enhanced recovery pathway,” patients spent an average of three days in the hospital, the researchers found. Opioid painkiller use by patients in the hospital after surgery also declined with the new method, and those patients reported less pain at 24 hours after surgery than those who received the traditional approach. Calculated in oral morphine equivalents, opioid use averaged 142.3 milligrams over the first three days in the hospital, compared with an average of 321.3 milligrams over the same period with traditional care. Patients are giving the changes positive reviews, says senior author Michel Saint-Cyr, M.D., a plastic surgeon in the Breast Diagnostic Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.