Low Selenium Linked to Throat, Stomach Cancer

MAASTRICHT, the Netherlands—Low selenium levels were linked to an increased risk of throat and stomach cancer in a study published in the journal Gastroenterology (10.1053/j.gastro.2009.12.004). Researchers form the Maastricht University Medical Center found an inverse association between toenail selenium and risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cardia ...(215 words) ...

Lawsuit Filed Against Salix’ OsmoPrep

BURKE COUNTY, N.C.—Four plaintiffs filed a complaint Wednesday in Burke County alleging that Salix Pharmaceuticals’ bowel prep OsmoPrep caused kidney damage, according to a news release their lawyers issued.In late 2008 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration put a “black box” warning on OsmoPrep and another bowel prep, Visicol, claiming ...(68 words) ...

Breakthrough on Causes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NORTH TERRACE, Australia—New research by the University of Adelaide could help explain why some people are more prone to Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and other autoimmune diseases. A critical imbalance of the regulatory cells required to control the immune system has been revealed among people suffering inflammatory bowel disease.In a ...(553 words) ...

Colorectal Cancer Screening Eases Rising Chemo Costs

ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands—Controlling the rising costs of colorectal cancer treatments can be achieved through the use of cancer screening programs, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. To examine whether colorectal cancer screening would become cost saving with the use of more expensive ...(191 words) ...

N.Y. Healthcare Providers Establish Center for Digestive Care

NEW YORK—The Center for Digestive Care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has been established with a mission to provide high-quality patient care, research and education for all aspects of digestive disease. It offers innovative treatments and coordinated care for conditions ranging from gastrointestinal reflux and hepatitis C to colon ...(284 words) ...

New Screening Combo Increases Detection by 10 Percent

BETHESDA, MD.—The combination of sigmoidoscopy and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) detects advanced proximal (right-sided) tumors better than either test alone, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. African Americans, the elderly and women have a higher incidence ...(530 words) ...