Gastrointestinal Cancer News

ORLANDO — Evidence of successful efforts in colon cancer prevention exist; however, the increasing incidence among a younger population is alarming and continued efforts are needed to combat the incidence and mortality associated with this devastating disease, according to a lecturer at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A simple, no-cost text message service at a cancer center in Detroit has helped keep families of surgical patients informed and reduce their anxiety, according to a presenter at the Association of Community Cancer Centers National Oncology Conference.

Uninsurance rates among patients newly diagnosed with cancer dropped one-third during the Affordable Care Act’s first year of implementation, according to study results.

ORLANDO — Patients with Barrett’s esophagus who have a first-degree relative with esophageal adenocarcinoma are at 5.5-fold increased risk for progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma, according to a presenter here.

ORLANDO — An ethanol-free protocol for pancreatic cyst ablation followed by a combined paclitaxel and gemcitabine regimen for pancreatic neoplasia was effective and led to significant reductions in adverse events, according to research presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017.

ORLANDO — Though up to 17% of early-onset colon cancers carry genetic markers for Lynch syndrome, only 30% of patients diagnosed with colon cancer younger than age 50 will receive genetic testing, partly due to lack of understanding about which physician should order the test, according to a poster presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017.

ORLANDO — Patients with young-onset colorectal cancer commonly presented with physical symptoms such as rectal bleeding, pain and bloating and nearly 70% presented with left-side disease. Younger patients were more likely to have hypertension and diabetes and less likely to have ever smoked, according to research presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017.

Oncology leaders who participated in an American Association for Cancer Research webinar this afternoon highlighted several advances in cancer research and emphasized the importance of robust medical research funding.

The prevalence of oral HPV infection was higher among men than women in the United States, with approximately 11 million men and 3.2 million women affected nationwide, according to recent data published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

ORLANDO — Endoscopic therapy was equally effective in patients with Barrett’s esophagus who had intramucosal carcinoma or high-grade dysplasia, according to research presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017.