Could hepatitis C treatments help prevent virus transmission?

“Interesting read.”

— Dr. Dale

Could hepatitis C treatments help prevent virus transmission?

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-05/uob-chc051816.php

An international team of researchers has shed light on the potential impact of new drugs for hepatitis C virus (HCV).

HCV is an important cause of liver cancer and is transmitted through blood to blood contact. People who inject drugs (PWID) and men who have sex with men (MSM), who are also infected with HIV, are key risk groups for HCV infection in UK.

New HCV treatments are highly effective, with cure rates often better than 90 per cent, but treatment is expensive and patients with severe liver disease are being prioritised by NHS England.

The team, supported by funding from the NIHR and NIH, including researchers from the University of San Diego, University of Bristol, Public Health England as well as collaborators from London, Cambridge, Scotland, and Australia, has published a series of studies assessing the potential of HCV treatment in preventing HCV transmission, as well as future liver disease.

In a study looking specifically at HCV infection rates in HIV-positive gay men, the researchers found the proportion of HIV positive gay men with HCV increased slightly from 2004 to 2011, and that current treatment rates were unlikely to reduce HCV transmission over time. Professor Peter Vickerman, from the University of Bristol's School of Social and Community Medicine, said: "Our results, based on modelling, suggest a combination of scaling up HCV treatment and behaviour modification may be required to have a substantial impact on HCV transmission among gay men."

Using an economic model, the team also examined which patients should be prioritised for early HCV treatment. Professor Vickerman said: "The model suggests that in most settings in the UK, the most cost-effective group to treat early were people who inject drugs with moderate or mild disease, due to the prevention benefit of reducing onward infection. For example, if chronic HCV infection was 20 per cent among PWID, then for every one PWID treated for HCV, two new HCV infections are averted. In contrast, if the risk of re-infection is high then HCV treatment should be delayed."

Dr Natasha Martin, from the Division of Global Public Health at the University of California in San Diego said: "We also studied the cost-effectiveness of HCV case finding among prisoners. That study suggested that increasing testing could be cost-effective with shorter duration HCV treatments, especially if HCV treatment rates were increased. The prevention benefit in the community of HCV treatment increases the cost-effectiveness of case-finding in prisons.

"Earlier analyses had suggested that HCV testing in prison was unlikely to be cost-effective, because continuity of care between prison and community couldn't be guaranteed, as most prison sentences would exceed the average duration of treatment with traditional therapies."

The team's final study showed that HCV treatments need to be increased in order to reduce the number of cases of End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) or HCV-related cancers or deaths. Strategies that target people with severe disease are unlikely to have any impact on reducing HCV transmission; while strategies that target people with mild disease, which is necessary to reduce HCV transmission, will have virtually no impact on ESLD within short to medium term.

Professor Matthew Hickman, from the School of Social and Community Medicine, said: "The studies collectively show the potential benefits of HCV treatment for prevention. They are not intended, however, to question the targeting of scarce resources - while drug treatments remain expensive -- for people with serious HCV related disease."

"Reversing trends in HCV-related mortality and morbidity should be the priority. "However, our studies raise important hypotheses on the use of HCV treatment as prevention in combination with other interventions, which should be tested in order to guide future clinical and public health policy and practice. There is good evidence that HCV treatments have very high cure rates, but we need better evidence through research that HCV treatment also can reduce the incidence of disease."

Colon cancer is preventable. Check these signs and symptoms to stay healthy.

“Good to know.”

— Dr. Dale

Colon cancer is preventable. Check these signs and symptoms to stay healthy.

http://ktar.com/story/1057665/get-checked-for-colon-cancer/

Last year, more Arizonans died from colon cancer than car crashes.

No butts about it, the numbers are staggering. Colon cancer is the number two cancer killer in this country—only second to lung cancer.

Here’s the good news: colon cancer is unique because it is one of the few cancers you can do something about. In fact, it’s almost entirely preventable with timely screening.

The key here is timing; knowing your family’s health history and knowing your body. National guidelines state all people should be screened by age 50, and many who are high risk—including those with a family history of cancer or polyps, certain genetic conditions and ethnicities like African Americans—should be checked earlier. Some common symptoms such as:

A change in bowel habits – Including diarrhea, constipation, a change in the consistency of your stool or finding your stools are narrower than usual

Persistent abdominal discomfort – Such as cramps, gas, or pain and/or feeling full, bloated or that your bowel does not empty completely

Rectal bleeding – Finding blood (either bright red or very dark) in your stool

Weakness or fatigue – Can also accompany losing weight for no known reason, nausea or vomiting

If you’re having symptoms, talk to your doctor immediately. Colon cancer is up to 90 percent beatable when found early. Check out our What’s My Risk? Quiz and calculate when to start talking to your doctor about getting screened.

Unfortunately, many people avoid being screened because of apprehensions about colonoscopies. But, these days, a colonoscopy isn’t your only option. Cologuard is a new, non-invasive colon cancer screening method that looks for certain DNA mutations. There are also other at-home screening tests for Arizonans to choose and even virtual colonoscopies. Ask your doctor about finding the screening test that is right for you.

What’s a polyp and are they all cancerous?

Colon polyps are growths that may turn into colon cancer over time. While not every colon polyp turns to cancer, it is difficult to know which ones will. Almost every colon cancer begins as a small non-cancerous polyp. The good news is that during a colonoscopy, polyps can be identified and removed, preventing a possible colon cancer diagnosis.

It’s important to know, not all polyps are created equal. There are four types of polyps that commonly occur within the colon:

Inflammatory – Inflammatory polyps are most often found in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Often called “pseudopolyps” (false polyps), they are not true polyps, but just a reaction to chronic inflammation of the colon wall. They are not the type that turns to cancer.

Tubular adenoma or adenomatous polyps – These are the most common type of polyp and are the ones referred to most often when a doctor speaks of colon or rectal polyps; about 70 percent of polyps removed are of this type.

Villous adenoma or tubulovillous adenomas – Villous and tubulovillous adenomas polyps account for about 15 percent of the polyps that are removed. These are the most serious type of polyps with a very high cancer risk as they grow larger.

And while we can all agree colonoscopy prep can be a pain in the you-know-what, it’s not usually as bad as people make it out to be. Colon cancer is no laughing matter, but humor is one of the easiest ways we’ve found to make the test (and the prep) a bit more palatable. Knowing tips and tricks from people who have ‘been there, done that’ such as using diaper rash ointment and avoiding meat a few days prior will make the process a little easier to bear.

Food: Walnuts can help prevent colon cancer, say South Korean researchers

Food: Walnuts can help prevent colon cancer, say South Korean researchers

http://atimes.com/2016/05/food-walnuts-can-help-prevent-colon-cancer-say-south-korean-researchers/

A new research has found that walnuts can save you from colon cancer.

A study conducted in South Korea showed that the lipid extracts from walnuts may affect the self-renewal capacity of cancer stem cells that lead to colon cancer.

The research team, headed by Prof Yuri Kim of the department of nutritional science and food management at Ewha Woman’s University, studied the effects of walnut lipid extracts on colon cancer cells.

“Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of death with limited therapeutic options for treatment, which is why these study findings are significant to the nutrition academic society,” Kim said in a press note.

This was the first study conducted by California Walnut Commission (CWC) in South Korea. Its CEO Dennis A Balint said that CWC will continue to invest in cancer research to establish stronger evidence about the benefits of walnuts’ benefits.

Geetu Amarnani, nutritionist and health consultant said, “Consuming a diet comprising walnuts is the key to healthy living. They contain a powerhouse of important nutrients that contributes to many health benefits.”