Cancer - October 2015 Archives

Alaska Native people have twice the rates of colorectal cancer as rest of U.S. ROCHESTER, Minn. — Cologuard stool DNA testing for colorectal cancer was found to be an accurate noninvasive screening option for Alaska Native people, a population with one of world’s highest rates of colorectal cancer, concluded researchers from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Mayo Clinic. The remote residence of many Alaska Native people in sparsely distributed communities across vast roadless regions creates a barrier to screening with conventional tools, such as a colonoscopy. Stool DNA testing, which was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), may offer a workable and effective screening method for this population. The research was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings and funded by a competitive grant from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation. The stool DNA test is a noninvasive screening tool that identifies characteristic chemical changes in stool that signal the presence of cancer or precancerous polyps. The test, which requires no bowel preparation and no diet or medication restrictions, can be done from home via a mailed sampling kit. “Stool DNA detects colorectal cancer and highest risk precancerous polyps with high accuracy, and its application within a screening program could translate into more effective prevention and control of the leading cancer among Alaska Native people,” says David Ahlquist, M.D., a study author and co-inventor of the stool DNA test. MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Kilen, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, Email: newsbureau@mayo.edu

Don't believe everything you see about cancer "cures'' Cancer scams abound online. What's legit and what could be potentially dangerous? Ask yourself these questions. ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death for men and women combined in the U.S. The goal of screening is to reduce the number of people who die from this common cancer. According to Mayo Clinic cancer experts there are gaps in current screening approaches in terms of detection accuracy, patient willingness to use them, and accessibility. Recently, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announced draft recommendations on colorectal cancer screening. The task force recommended screening for colorectal cancer using the conventional tools, including, fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy in adults, beginning at age 50 years and continuing until age 75. The task force concluded that the evidence is less mature to support use of the stool DNA test as a screening modality for colorectal cancer and designated this new test as an alternative rather than front-line screening approach.  The innovative and noninvasive stool DNA test (Cologuard) was co-developed by Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences scientists to improve screening accuracy, encourage participation with its user-friendly features, and remove access barriers. The stool DNA test has met the stringent reviews and been approved by both the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Mayo Clinic strongly urges the USPSTF to unambiguously support the stool DNA as a fully legitimate colorectal cancer screening option. “There is compelling scientific evidence that this innovative approach can increase screening accuracy and potentially save lives,” says John Noseworthy, M.D., President and CEO, Mayo Clinic.  "We need to remove cost, cultural, location and other barriers to improve access to effective screening.” MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Kilen, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The World Health Organization (WHO) says processed meats increase your risk for cancer. The organization now lists processed meats like bacon, hot dogs and ...

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month Pancreatic cancer has long proved the least survivable of the most common forms of cancer, in part because it tends to spread before symptoms appear. Surgery has offered the longest remissions, but for many people with advanced cancer, an operation wasn’t an option. Now, thanks to improvements in chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, even this most recalcitrant of cancers is starting to budge, says Mark Truty, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastrointestinal surgeon. Dr. Truty and his colleagues are now performing complex tumor removal operations on pancreatic cancer patients who in the past would have been considered inoperable — and they are seeing survival times rise significantly. “We know that patients who go through our preoperative protocol and to the operating room do significantly better than average, compared to historical outcomes. We’re looking at three- to four-fold improvement in overall survival,” Dr. Truty says. “In the past few years, we have done operations that were never performed before. With improved chemotherapy and radiation therapy, we’re now beginning to push the envelope surgically.” Journalists: Video and audio cuts of Dr. Truty are available in the downloads. For interviews with Dr. Truty, please contact Sharon Theimer in Mayo Clinic Public Affairs at 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu. Dr. Truty explains who is a candidate for pancreatic cancer surgery, the types of operations, recovery times and outcomes:

Watch today's Mayo Clinic Minute Probing your risk for heart attack, and Mayo Clinic breast cancer specialist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi tells us about a new iPad app helping breast ...

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its recommendations for breast cancer screening for women at average risk of the disease. The recommendations strongly support ...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on the next program breast cancer specialist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi discusses the latest in diagnosis and treatment, including the debate ...

When you're ill, showing gratitude for caregivers can be therapeutic Even with the stress of being treated for cancer, giving back to your caregivers can ...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on the next program breast cancer specialist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi discusses the latest in diagnosis and treatment, including ...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on the next program breast cancer specialist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi discusses the latest in diagnosis and treatment, including the debate ...

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Breast cancer: Prevention In addition to having regular mammograms, making changes in your daily life may help reduce your risk ...