Gastroenterology

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Oct. 14, 2013 — Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer, according to a new study presented by Mayo Clinic researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific Meeting, Oct. 11–16, in San Diego. Esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cancer in men worldwide. Early detection and prevention are critical to survival because most patients do not survive the first year of diagnosis, and only 15 percent of patients survive more than five years. In an analysis of four studies, researchers observed a 32 percent lower risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma in people who were physically active. The analysis also showed the overall risk of esophageal cancer was 19 percent lower among the most physically active people, compared with the least physically active.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOyKwyVTulc Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer, according to a new study presented by Mayo Clinic researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology’s Annual Scientific Meeting, Oct. 11–16, in San Diego. “Although the incidence of esophageal squamous cell cancer is declining worldwide, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has been rapidly rising. This increase may be partly attributable to the obesity epidemic,” says Siddharth Singh, M.B.B.S., the study’s lead author and researcher at Mayo Clinic. Click here to see the news release. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Siddarth Singh are available in the downloads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q7oFzeLfRE Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at an increased risk of stroke and heart attack according to a new study presented by Mayo Clinic researchers. In an analysis of over 150,000 patients with IBD in nine studies, researchers estimated the risk of stroke and heart disease in patients with IBD, as compared to the general population. The results of the comparison pointed to a 10-25 percent increased risk of stoke and heart attacks in patients with IBD. The increased risk was especially more prominent in women. “Gastroenterologists should be cognizant of this relationship and should focus on better management of conventional risk factors, such as smoking cessation, recognition and control of hypertension and diabetes,” says Siddharth Singh, M.B.B.S., a study author and Mayo Clinic researcher. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Siddarth Singh are available in the downloads.

Join us on Monday, October 7 from 11am-Noon EDT for an @MayoClinic hosted twitter chat where our panel of experts will be answering these and other HCV related questions. - I have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C Virus, HCV—What What tests do I need now? - What treatments for chronic HCV are available now? - What new treatment options may be available to treat HCV in the next 6 months? This twitter chat will be hosted by Mayo Clinic in Florida hepatologist Andrew Keaveny, M.D. The following experts will be answering your HCV questions: •          Moderator: Dr. Andrew Keaveny (@AndrewKeavenyMD)—Mayo Clinic in Florida •          Maria Yataco, M.D. (@MariaYatacoMD)—Mayo Clinic in Florida •          Surakit Pungpapong, M.D. (@SPungpapong)—Mayo Clinic in Florida 

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) has reached an epidemic state and is the most common infectious cause of diarrhea in hospitals. Health care providers are seeing increased severity and recurrence rates of the infection. As a result, new treatments are being tested. Mayo Clinic experts are at the forefront of these tests. In June, Mayo Clinic opened a C. Difficile Clinic to provide these treatments to patients. "New treatment options are now available and we believe that a clinic dedicated to C. difficile will help improve patient care and outcomes," says Sahil Khanna, M.B.B.S., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. One new treatment available is fecal transplant. Also known as stool transplant, the procedure restores healthy intestinal bacteria by placing donor stool in the colon. Additionally, there is ongoing research on

A Mayo Clinic researcher, along with his collaborators, has shown that an individual’s genomic makeup and diet interact to determine which microbes exist and how they act in the host intestine.The study was modeled in germ-free knockout mice to mimic a genetic condition that affects 1 in 5 humans and increases the risk for digestive diseases. Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and first author of the study Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S., says, “Our data show that factors in the differences in a host’s genetic makeup — in this case genes that affect carbohydrates in the gut — interact with the type of food eaten. That combination determines the composition and function of resident microbes.” Dr. Kashyap is also a collaborator in the Microbiome Program of the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine. Changes in microbial membership or function as demonstrated in this study may, in turn, foster a “digestive landscape” that can promote inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s disease.The findings appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Read news release.

A simple treatment that involves transplanting healthy feces into a patient suffering from a debilitating and sometimes deadly infection of the colon called Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, is continuing to show significant promise. Called a fecal transplant, the stool of a healthy patient is directly transplanted into the colon of a C. diff patient to replenish the normal bacteria in the colon. Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Arizona reported their findings in the August 2013 edition of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Read news release. Journalists: Sound bites with gastroenterologist John DiBaise, M.D., and patient Diane Seegers are available in the downloads.  http://youtu.be/ub0zFn-iVBU

On Saturday, August 17th, Mayo Clinic Radio will feature a compilation program from previous programs based on the abdominal cavity. Joseph Murray, M.D., will discuss celiac ...

The 24th US News & World Report annual America’s Best Hospitals list released today reveals Mayo Clinic earned the No. 3 overall spot on the “Best Hospitals” list.  Mayo ranked No. 1 in the nation in five clinical areas — gynecology, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology, nephrology and pulmonology. Mayo is ranked No. 2 in five additional specialties — cardiology and heart surgery; ear, nose and throat; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; and orthopedics. Mayo Clinic earned the No. 1 spot in Minnesota, ranked No. 1 in Arizona and specifically in the Phoenix metro, and tied for the No. 1 rank as best hospital in the Jacksonville area. Mayo Clinic President and CEO John Noseworthy, M.D., says, ““These endorsements reinforce our century-old commitment to provide the highest quality care to each patient every day. While no single set of measures can perfectly represent health care quality, we are proud to be recognized by so many. We are honored by this recognition, and we remain focused on our primary mission: putting the needs of our patients first and creating for them the best possible, most trusted and affordable model of health care for the future.” There are many external agencies that rate quality in health care, and Mayo Clinic is top ranked for quality by more well-known national assessment organizations than any other academic medical center in the nation. Click here for news release Journalists: Mayo Clinic campus b-roll and sound bites with Mayo Clinic leadership are available in the downloads. Jan Buckner, M.D.- Cancer Center: Video Interview Brooks Edwards, M.D.- Transplant Center: Video Interview Wyatt Decker, M.D., CEO Mayo Clinic in Arizona  http://youtu.be/dZT9Lb1nTPQ Bio Bill Rupp, M.D., CEO Mayo Clinic in Florida  http://youtu.be/EqsIRQK7t7k  

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators have issued a warning on the blood pressure drug known generically as olmesartan medoxomil. The drug can cause severe, chronic ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-IqdPch9t0 Clostridium difficile, or C. diff as it's often referred to, has reached an epidemic state. It's the most common infectious cause of diarrhea in hospitals and can lead to life-threatening complications. Now, Mayo Clinic is opening a C. difficile clinic at its Rochester, Minn., campus and gastroenterologist Sahil Khanna, M.B.B.S. (sah-Heel Kahn'-ah), says the new facility will be able to offer patient care by experts experienced in dealing with the infection. Journalists: B-roll, animation and sound bites with Dr. Khanna are available in the downloads.  Click here for news release

Recent upgrades at YouTube have resulted in issues with some older versions of Internet Explorer. If you are only seeing a black box in the player, click ...