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When — and how — should you be screened for colon cancer?
Bladder & Bowel Archive
Articles
Colon cancer testing: What's in it for you?
Image: iStock
Being checked for hidden colorectal cancer is a smart bet, though it's hard to say whether it will ultimately extend your life span.
Recently, the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable—a national organization of medical groups, health care providers, government agencies, and patient advocates—launched the "80% by 2018" initiative. The goal is to convince more people to get screened for hidden colorectal cancer. Right now, about 65% of Americans do so.
Does the way I urinate make me more prone to UTIs?
Image: Thinkstock
Ask the doctor
Q. Your recent article on recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) didn't mention much about urination. One of my friends told me that it could influence my chance of getting a UTI. Is that true?
A. Actually, your urination habits are a good place to start if you're trying to prevent UTIs. When sitting on the toilet, make yourself as comfortable as possible in a relaxed seated position—not a squat. Start the stream of urine by relaxing your pelvic floor muscles, rather than straining to urinate. Allow enough time for your bladder to empty completely.
Easy ways to stay regular
Increasing fluids may help improve regularity. In general, healthy older adults should consume about 3 to 6 cups of fluid per day. |
Improve digestive health by addressing underlying causes of irregularity, as well as fluids, diet, and exercise.
Harvard researchers link coffee with reduced colon cancer recurrence
Image: Thinkstock |
You may drink coffee because it tastes good or helps you wake up. But the popular brew is also associated with health benefits, such as reducing the risk for heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Now a study from Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute published Aug. 17, 2015, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests that regular consumption of caffeinated coffee may be associated with a reduced recurrence of colon cancer, and even a reduced risk of death. The study included nearly 1,000 people with stage 3 colon cancer. They filled out questionnaires about their dietary patterns during chemotherapy, and then again six months after treatment was completed. People who drank four or more cups of coffee per day were 42% less likely to have cancer return than non-coffee drinkers, and were 34% less likely to die from cancer or any other cause.
This type of study doesn't prove that coffee drinking caused the lower chance of cancer recurrence and death. A randomized trial is needed to show cause and effect. But researchers are encouraged by the results. "Regular coffee intake has been associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and it may be that through a similar mechanism, coffee may also improve outcomes for people with advanced colon cancer," says Dr. Charles Fuchs, senior author on the paper.
Should all hemorrhoids be treated?
Ask the Doctor
Q. I had a colonoscopy recently and it detected hemorrhoids. I don't have any symptoms. Should I be doing something to get rid of them?
A. Like you, approximately 40% of people with hemorrhoids have none of the common symptoms—bleeding, anal itching, and pain. Their hemorrhoids may be found on a routine physical examination or during a test done for other reasons, such as a colonoscopy for colon cancer screening.
Frequent nighttime urination
Having to rise from bed to hit the bathroom even once can be bothersome if it disturbs your sleep rhythm. Image: Thinkstock |
Repeated nocturnal bathroom calls are bothersome, but self-help steps and targeted treatment offer relief.
5 ways to dodge incontinence
Most people take bladder control for granted — until the unintended loss of urine interrupts the ability to carry on an ordinary social and work life.
Often, the causes of incontinence are out of a person's control. For example, in women, incontinence is a common side effect of childbirth. For men, it's often a side effect of treatment for prostate problems.
When urinary tract infections keep coming back
Low-dose antibiotics can help women who are prone to UTIs. They can be used after sex, only when symptoms occur, or continuously.
Adding a diuretic to your blood pressure drug
Diuretics can augment the blood pressure-lowering effects of other drugs, such as ACE inhibitors. Image: Thinkstock |
It may boost the effect of your current medication.
Recent Blog Articles
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Concussion in children: What to know and do
What color is your tongue? What's healthy, what's not?
Your amazing parathyroid glands
When — and how — should you be screened for colon cancer?
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