Cancer Archive

According to a new guideline, testing should start at age 45, but not everyone needs to have a colonoscopy. Other tests are also available.

Colon cancer screenings for people at average risk for the disease should start at age 45 instead of 50, says a new guideline from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The change to the screening recommendation, which was published in the May 30 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, was made because the number of colon cancer cases among adults under age 55 rose 51% from 1994 to 2014, and colon cancer deaths in this age group rose 11% from 2005 to 2015.

Rates of the two most common skin cancers have more than doubled over the past decade. Here's how to protect yourself.

When it comes to skin cancer, there's good news and bad news. First, the bad news. A report published in the June 2017 Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) skin cancers have risen 263% and 145%, respectively, over the past decade.

The good news? BCC and SCC are rarely life-threatening and they're usually easy to treat if they're caught early. Plus, there are simple ways to prevent them.

Ask the doctors

Q. I recently read about the decision by the state of California to require cancer warnings on coffee. I drink a cup a day. Should I be concerned?

A. The recent decision by a California judge to require cancer warning labels on coffee stemmed from concerns about a specific substance found in coffee, acrylamide, which is a chemical that is produced when coffee is roasted. Coffee isn't the only food or beverage that contains acrylamide. Acrylamide is produced during the high-temperature cooking process used for numerous common foods, including cookies, crackers, and potato chips, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). But before you panic, while there definitely is acrylamide in coffee, scientists have yet to conclusively prove that this chemical causes cancer, according to the ACS. Most of the research on humans hasn't found any increased risk of cancer in people who eat foods containing acrylamide. Other studies looking at specific types of cancers have produced mixed results but found no conclusive links, according to the ACS. In addition, there is evidence that drinking coffee can bring some health benefits, such as reductions in the risks for stroke and liver disease. A 2015 study in Circulation also found that moderate coffee drinkers (defined as those having less than five cups a day) had lower risks for heart disease and neurological disease, according to the American Heart Association. So, the final message is this: if you are healthy and drink coffee moderately, there is no evidence that it's going to raise your risk of developing cancer.

In the journals

Having a low blood level of vitamin D may be linked to a higher risk of developing some cancers, suggests a study published online March 7, 2018, by The BMJ. However, taking extra vitamin D to raise already normal levels does not appear to offer more protection.

Vitamin D is made by the skin from sunlight exposure and can also be obtained through fortified foods like cereal and milk, as well as from supplements. Researchers analyzed data from the Japan Public Health Center–based Prospective Study, involving 33,736 people ages 40 to 69. The people gave blood samples and were classed into four groups, ranging from the lowest to highest levels of vitamin D. They were then monitored for an average of 16 years, during which time 3,301 new cases of cancer were recorded among the participants.

News briefs

Prepackaged, processed foods are typically high in fat, salt, and sugar. If that's not enough to make you put down a cookie or resist a frozen dinner, consider an observational study published online Feb. 14, 2018, by The BMJ. It analyzed dietary questionnaire answers of 105,000 middle-aged men and women in France for five years. Foods were grouped according to degree of processing — that is, the amount of change the ingredients go through as food makers improve flavor, coloring, and shelf life. For example, dehydrated soups, baked goods, sugary cereals, processed meats, biscuits, and sauces were considered ultra-processed foods. Less processed foods included canned vegetables, cheeses, and freshly made unpackaged bread. Every 10% increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 12% higher risk for cancer in general and an 11% increased risk for breast cancer. No significant link was found to prostate or colorectal cancer. The study doesn't prove that ultra-processed foods cause cancer, but researchers say the cumulative effects of food additives remain largely unknown.

Sometimes the emotional part of cancer is the toughest test.

Any kind of cancer diagnosis is life-changing. There suddenly are many decisions to make about treatments, possible surgery, and recovery. It can be a lot to deal with. But one part of the cancer process that often gets pushed aside is the psychological aspect — how do you manage the many emotions that come with it?

"The natural response to hearing 'cancer' is to feel a surge of anxiety and negative thoughts like 'I'm going to die,'" says Dr. John Peteet, head of the psychosocial oncology fellowship at the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "Yet many men are reluctant to admit this and keep their feelings inside, so it's tough to know when they need help with this part of a cancer diagnosis."

In the journals

Certain foods may trigger inflammation in the body that can increase a person's risk for colon cancer, suggests a study published online Jan. 18, 2018, by JAMA Oncology.

Researchers followed the diets of more than 121,000 people (46,800 of whom were men) for 26 years. Participants recorded what they ate, and their diets were scored based on the amount of foods consumed that are linked to inflammation, such as red and processed meats, sugary beverages, and refined grains.