Regular Exercise Significantly Cuts Colon Cancer Risk
October 28, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colon Cancer Risk, Colorectal Cancer, Colorectal Cancer Risk, Fitness, Vigorous Exercise, Weekly Health Update, cancer risk, colon cancer, exercise, lifestyle, physical activity
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A new study confirms that regular exercise significantly decreases colon cancer risk.
REGULAR EXERCISE SIGNIFICANTLY CUTS COLON CANCER RISK As I discuss in my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, as many as 60 percent of new cancer cases are directly linked to modifiable lifestyle and dietary factors, including many of the worst cancer killers. Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, including colon and rectal cancer, have been particularly linked to lifestyle and dietary factors, as I extensively discuss in my book. A newly published study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute is an exhaustive meta-analysis study of 21 previously published clinical trials that, in turn, evaluated the link between physical activity levels and colon cancer risk. As an aside, meta-analysis is commonly used to combine the data from multiple similar clinical research studies, and then analyze that data in such a way that the “statistical power” of the combined meta-analysis study is usually greater than the individual studies that are being evaluated. When the data from these 21 previously published clinical studies was combined and analyzed, the authors of this new meta-analysis study found that people who regularly engaged in high levels of physical activity were 27 percent less likely to develop cancer in the upper part of the colon when compared to people who were not physically active. Similarly, highly active people were found to have a 26 percent decrease in the risk of developing cancer in the lower colon when compared to sedentary people. The link between high levels of physical activity and decreased colorectal cancer risk noted in this meta-analysis is consistent with the research data that I discuss in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race (as well as other lifestyle and dietary risk factors that are associated with colorectal cancer risk). A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race is now available in both printed and digital formats from all major bookstores. Get your copy now, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle! Dr. Wascher’s latest video:  Dark as Night, Part 1 At this time, more than 8 percent of Americans are unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty between September 2001 and December 2011 is now more than 12 percent. A new website, Veterans in Healthcare, seeks to connect veterans with potential employers. If you are a veteran who works in the healthcare field, or if you are an employer who is looking for physicians, advanced practice professionals, nurses, corpsmen/medics, or other healthcare professionals, then please take a look at Veterans in Healthcare. As a retired veteran of the U.S. Army, I would also like to personally urge you to hire a veteran whenever possible. For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity
Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Vitamin D Improves Cancer Survival
May 13, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Robert Wascher, Vitamin D, Weekly Health Update, colon cancer, death, mortality, rectal cancer, survival
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New research shows that higher levels of Vitamin D in the blood increase survival among colorectal cancer patients.
VITAMIN D IMPROVES CANCER SURVIVAL As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, there is a large body of research evidence available to suggest that low Vitamin D levels may be associated with a higher risk of developing cancer. However, the vast majority of published Vitamin D research has been focused on the use of Vitamin D to prevent cancer, while there is almost no data available linking Vitamin D levels in the blood with survival rates after a person has been diagnosed with cancer. Now, a newly published prospective clinical research study, which appears in the current issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, suggests that low Vitamin D levels in the blood of patients undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer may, in fact, be associated with poorer survival when compared to patients with higher blood levels of this hormone-like vitamin. This new study was part of the large and ongoing European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Altogether, 1,202 EPIC study volunteers were diagnosed with colorectal cancer between 1992 and 2003. As with all EPIC study volunteers, Vitamin D levels in the blood were checked when each participant joined the study. Additionally, extensive dietary, lifestyle and medical history information was obtained from each study volunteer. Among these 1,202 EPIC study volunteers who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, 541 died during an average study observation period of 73 months, and 444 of these deaths were directly caused by colorectal cancer. The findings of this study were highly significant, and strongly suggest that higher levels of Vitamin D in the blood, prior to the onset of cancer, are associated with better survival in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. When comparing patients who had the highest Vitamin D levels with the patients who had the lowest levels, the patients with the highest Vitamin D levels were 31 percent lesslikely to die specifically from colorectal cancer, and 33 percent less likely to die from any cause. Similarly, increased calcium intake prior to being diagnosed with colorectal cancer also appeared to reduce the risk of death due to colon or rectal cancer. (Like Vitamin D, increased calcium intake has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer.) These new findings from the landmark prospective EPIC public health study are highly significant, in my view, as they are among the first data available to show that, in addition to its known cancer prevention activity (as I discuss in detail in A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race), higher levels of Vitamin D in the blood may also reduce the risk of dying in patients who develop colorectal cancer. (I should note that I have also been studying potential links between Vitamin D levels in the blood and survival in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and I expect to report our institution’s findings within the next 12 months.) As always, I strongly recommend that you check with your physician before initiating any new dietary supplements, including Vitamin D, as excessive intake of this hormone-vitamin can lead to kidney injury, GI tract ulcers, calcifications throughout the body, and other serious health complications.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Aspirin Cuts Cancer Risk and Cancer Death Rates
March 25, 2012 by admin
Filed under A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, Breast Cancer, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Risk of Death, Weekly Health Update, aspirin, breast cancer prevention, breast cancer risk, cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, death, heart disease, mortality, myocardial infarction, rectal cancer, risk, stomach cancer
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A new study shows that aspirin not only reduces the risk of getting cancer, but may also reduce death rates in patients with cancer.
ASPIRIN CUTS CANCER RISK AND CANCER DEATH RATES As I discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, aspirin may be able to do much more than just relieve a headache, or reduce the risk of heart disease. Indeed, a growing body of scientific evidence strongly suggests that aspirin may also significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer. Now, a newly published research study, which appears in the current issue of the Lancet Oncology journal, suggests that aspirin may not only reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, but may also reduce the risk of cancer spread in patients who have already been diagnosed with cancer, as well. An important and unique aspect of this particular study is that it reviewed the results from numerous previous aspirin studies, including both highly powered prospective randomized clinical research studies and lower powered public health studies. Based upon this massive review study, the regular use of aspirin was associated with a 38 percent reduction in the risk of developing colorectal cancer, and a 42 percent reduction in the risk of death due to colorectal cancer. Similar reductions in the risk of other major cancer killers were also observed with regular aspirin use, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach, bile ducts, liver and breast. Among patients already diagnosed with cancer, regular aspirin use was associated with a 31 percent decrease in the incidence of distant spread of cancer. (This is an important finding, as most patients who die from cancer do so due to the distant spread, or metastasis, of their cancer rather than due to the presence of their original, or primary, tumor alone.) The findings of this important study are highly significant, as they lend further important evidence that the humble aspirin tablet can significantly reduce our risk of developing many of the most prolific cancer killers of mankind. Moreover, regular aspirin use may also reduce the risk of distant spread (metastasis) for many types of cancer, which may, in turn, reduce the risk of death associated with these cancers. As aspirin use can be associated with serious side effects, including GI tract ulcers, bleeding, kidney injury, and other potentially serious health complications, I recommend that patients first talk with their doctor before starting daily aspirin therapy. For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my bestselling book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! Within one week of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books. Within three months of publication, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list. Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a lighthearted perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people from around the world who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.3 million pages of high-quality medical research findings were served to the worldwide audience of health-conscious people who visited Weekly Health Update in 2011!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Meat Consumption and Colorectal Cancer Risk
December 18, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Grilled Meat, Nutrition, Processed Meat, Red Meat, Robert Wascher, Weekly Health Update, cancer risk, colon cancer, meat, rectal cancer
Welcome to Weekly Health UpdateMEAT CONSUMPTION AND COLORECTAL CANCER RISK As I discuss in my bestselling evidence-based book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, our dietary habits have an enormous impact on our risk of developing cancer, and particularly cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Colorectal cancer risk, specifically, has been directly linked to diets high in red meat, processed meats, grilled meats, and other animal-based fats. However, the majority of research data linking these dietary factors to colorectal cancer risk, and the premalignant “adenomatous” polyps that precede the development of colorectal cancer, has been based upon one-time surveys and one-time clinical examinations performed on public health research study volunteers. Because of the known limitations of such studies, more compelling research data is needed to show, convincingly, that these dietary factors are indeed associated with a greater risk of premalignant and malignant tumors of the colon and rectum. Now, a newly published research study, which appears in the British Journal of Cancer, provides this higher-level data which, once again, confirms a link between meat-rich diets and colorectal cancer risk. More than 17,000 volunteers participated in the prospective, giant Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCOCS Trial). All of these clinically healthy volunteers underwent endoscopic examinations of the rectum and lower colon (proctosigmoidoscopy) both when they entered into the PLCOCS Trial and again during a follow-up examination. Careful dietary records were also kept by all participants in this very large cancer screening trial. A total of 1,008 research volunteers were found to have premalignant polyps (adenomas) of the lower colon and rectum during these two separate endoscopic colorectal examinations. In this huge population of otherwise healthy research volunteers, the frequent consumption of grilled meat was associated with a 56 percent increase in the risk of developing premalignant colorectal adenomas, while increased intake of well- or very-well done cooked meat was associated with a 59 percent increase in the risk of colorectal adenomatous polyps. Interestingly, despite the fact that the iron pigment in red meat (heme) has long been suspected of acting as a carcinogen within the colon and rectum, total dietary iron intake actually appeared to be somewhat protective against colorectal adenomas in this study; and study participants with higher levels of total iron intake were 31 percent less likely to develop colorectal adenomas. This study, with its prospective design, its very large number of research participants, and its baseline and follow-up proctosigmoidoscopic exams, provides a more accurate view of the impact of meat intake on the risk of developing precancerous colorectal adenomatous polyps when compared to most previous similar research studies. The findings of this huge clinical research study, therefore further confirm that precancerous colon and rectal adenomatous polyps are, indeed, strongly associated with meat intake in our diets.
For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list! Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.2 million health-conscious people visited Weekly Health Update in 2010!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Dietary Fiber and Colon and Rectal Cancer Prevention
November 13, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Dietary Fiber, Nutrition, Weekly Health Update, colon cancer, diet, fiber, fruits, rectal cancer, vegetables, whole grains
Welcome to Weekly Health Update
A large new meta-analysis study indicates that a diet rich in whole grain foods significantly decreases colorectal cancer risk
DIETARY FIBER AND COLON AND RECTAL CANCER PREVENTION For many years, it was widely believed that a diet rich in fiber, and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables in particular, significantly reduced the risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, more recent public health studies have called this assumption into question. As I extensively discuss in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, there is ample clinical evidence that a so-called Mediterranean diet, which does include large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables (as well as foods rich in unprocessed whole grains), dramatically reduces the risk of colorectal cancer and other GI tract cancers. Now, a landmark new meta-analysis research study provides important new evidence that certain high-fiber foods may, indeed, be associated with a significantly reduced risk of colorectal cancer. This comprehensive research study appears in the current issue of the British Medical Journal. In this huge meta-analysis, 25 prospectively conducted public health studies, including 14,500 study volunteers, were analyzed; and the findings of this large clinical study may explain why recent large public health studies have not been able to confirm that a diet rich in all types of fiber can reduce colorectal cancer risk. In this meta-analysis study, dietary fiber from fruit and vegetable intake did not appear to significantly reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, whole grain foods, including cereals rich in whole grains, did appear to significantly reduce colorectal cancer risk. In fact, for each 10 grams of whole grain fiber consumed per day, colorectal cancer risk was reduced by a very significant 10 percent. Among research volunteers who consumed at least three servings of whole grains each day, the risk of developing colorectal cancer was reduced by 17 percent. The health implications of this meta-analysis study are highly significant. First of all, the authors of this study included only prospectively conducted public health studies in their analysis, thus eliminating some of the major limitations associated with the more common retrospective “case control” studies that make up the majority of public health studies on diet and disease prevention. (As I have often mentioned, retrospective case control and case series studies are very often flawed by “recall bias,” wherein the data that is collected is based purely upon the recollections of volunteers recruited into such studies.) Secondly, the findings of this meta-analysis are supported by higher level research studies that have found that highly refined grains and cereals are stripped of important cancer-preventing nutrients and bulk fiber during processing. While fresh fruits and vegetables (and brightly colored and dark green leafy vegetables in particular) have been shown by other studies to reduce overall cancer risk, this landmark meta-analysis study appears to reconcile the contradictory findings of previous cancer prevention studies regarding the impact of dietary fiber intake on, specifically, colorectal cancer risk. Based upon the findings of this very important study, a diet rich in unprocessed, or minimally, processed, whole grain foods appears to significantly protect against colorectal cancer. (For a much broader and deeper review of evidence-based approaches to cancer prevention, see my book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race.) For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list! Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.2 million health-conscious people visited Weekly Health Update in 2010!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Green Tea May Prevent Colon and Rectal Cancer
October 23, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Catechins, Colorectal Cancer, Tea, Weekly Health Update, colon cancer, green tea, health, polyphenols, rectal cancer
Welcome to Weekly Health Update
A large new public health research study from China suggests that drinking green tea at least 3 times per week may cut colorectal cancer risk in half, but only among nonsmokers. GREEN TEA MAY PREVENT COLON AND RECTAL CANCER As I have written about in my bestselling book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, green tea has been consumed for several thousand years now, and the health benefits attributed to this ancient beverage have been numerous. Unfortunately, the published research findings regarding green tea’s claimed health benefits continue to be quite contradictory, including in the area of cancer prevention research. A newly published public health study from China, which appears in the journal Carcinogenesis, adds to previous studies that have suggested a favorable role for green tea in cancer prevention. In this very large prospective public health study, 60,567 Chinese men (ages 40 to 74 years) were followed for an average of about 5 years. The incidence of new colorectal cancers was assessed in this very large cohort of research volunteers, and the consumption of green tea was assessed as a potential factor in the incidence of colorectal cancer among these men. In this huge prospective public health study, the regular consumption of green tea (defined as green tea consumption at least 3 times per week, and for more than 6 consecutive months) was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, this observed colorectal cancer prevention benefit was limited to nonsmokers, as green tea consumption appeared to have no beneficial effect on colorectal cancer risk among men who smoked. Among nonsmoking men, the regular consumption of green tea was associated with a very impressive 46 percent reduction in the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Importantly, higher reported levels of green tea intake were associated with correspondingly greater reductions in colorectal cancer risk (but, once again, only in nonsmokers). This “dose-response” relationship is a very important consideration, because any true cancer prevention effect by green tea should, indeed, exhibit this kind of dose-dependent impact on cancer risk reduction. While only a large-scale prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical research trial can definitively prove whether or not regular green tea consumption can prevent colorectal cancer, the results of this very large prospective public health study suggest that green tea may indeed have an important role to play in colorectal cancer prevention.
For a comprehensive guide to living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle, order your copy of my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race. For the price of a cheeseburger, fries, and a shake, you can purchase this landmark new book, in both paperback and e-book formats, and begin living an evidence-based cancer prevention lifestyle today! For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million,Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores! On Thanksgiving Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was ranked #6 among all cancer-related books on the Amazon.com “Top 100 Bestseller’s List” for Kindle e-books! On Christmas Day, 2010, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race was the #1 book on the Amazon.com “Top 100 New Book Releases in Cancer” list! Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, cancer researcher, oncology consultant, and a widely published author For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (More than 1.2 million health-conscious people visited Weekly Health Update in 2010!) As always, we enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can.
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Curcumin and Colorectal Cancer Risk
April 10, 2011 by admin
Filed under Aberrant Crypt Foci, Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Nutrition, Weekly Health Update, colon cancer, curcumin, diet, health, rectal cancer
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Vitamin D Significantly Reduces Colorectal Cancer Risk
March 14, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Nutrition, Vitamin D, Weekly Health Update, colon cancer, diet, health, rectal cancer
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Vitamin D and Death Due to Colorectal Cancer
February 20, 2011 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Nutrition, Vitamin D, Weekly Health Update, colon cancer, death, diet, health, mortality, rectal cancer
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Low Dose Aspirin Reduces Colorectal Cancer Risk
November 20, 2010 by admin
Filed under Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Colorectal Cancer, Weekly Health Update, aspirin, health
Welcome to Weekly Health Update“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers”
LOW DOSE ASPIRIN REDUCES COLORECTAL CANCER RISK Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-associated death in the United States (and in many other countries around the world). Diet, obesity, and other lifestyle factors are known to play a significant role in colorectal cancer risk, as I discuss in detail in my new book, A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, have been shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Unfortunately, the majority of non-aspirin NSAIDs have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and so these drugs are seldom used, today, for colorectal cancer prevention. (In most cases, their use for this purpose has become largely restricted to patients with inherited gene mutations that place them at extremely high risk for developing colorectal cancer.) While high daily doses of aspirin have been shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, this form of cancer prevention therapy also has significant risks, including serious GI tract bleeding and kidney damage. Until very recently, there has been very little high quality research data available regarding the effectiveness of low-dose aspirin therapy on colorectal cancer risk. Now, a newly published study in the prestigious journal, The Lancet, indicates that low-dose aspirin therapy can, indeed, significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. This report actually combines the long-term results from four large prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical research studies (the Swedish Aspirin Low Dose Trial, UK-TIA Aspirin Trial, the Thrombosis Prevention Trial, and the British Doctors Aspirin Trial). Altogether, a whopping 14,033 patient volunteers were studied in these research trials, and the average duration of patient follow-up was a very impressive 18.3 years. Overall, the use of 75 milligrams (mg) of aspirin per day, for 5 years or longer, dramatically reduced the risk of cancer in the upper colon, by about 70 percent. While the incidence of lower colon cancer was not significantly reduced by low-dose aspirin therapy, the risk of rectal cancer was reduced by a very significant 42 percent. Moreover, increased daily doses of aspirin (above 75 mg) did not result in any further decrease in the risk of colon cancer or rectal cancer. The findings of this very large clinical research study represent a very significant breakthrough in our understanding of the role of aspirin in colorectal cancer prevention and, especially, in the optimization of daily aspirin dosing to maximize this drug’s cancer prevention benefit while simultaneously reducing the known (and sometimes serious) adverse side effects of chronic aspirin therapy. As always, I must remind readers that they should first consult with their doctor prior to beginning aspirin therapy, as some health conditions may be associated with an increased risk of severe side effects when taking aspirin.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. For a groundbreaking overview of cancer risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce your risk of developing cancer, order your copy of my new book, “A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race,” from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Vroman’s Bookstore, and other fine bookstores!
Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to seek the advice of your physician before making any significant changes in medications, diet, or level of physical activity
Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, a professor of surgery, a cancer researcher, an oncology consultant, and a widely published author
For a different perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link:
I and the staff of Weekly Health Update would again like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 100,000 health-conscious people, from around the world, who visit this premier global health information website every month. (As of 9/16/2010, more than 1,000,000 health-conscious people have logged onto Weekly Health Update so far this year!) As always, I enjoy receiving your stimulating feedback and questions, and I will continue to try and personally answer as many of your inquiries as I possibly can. |
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