CT Colonography Finds Cancers Outside the Colon

Looking at more than 10,000 screening CT colonography or virtual colonoscopy exams, doctors found cancers in 1 in every 200 patients, but more often those cancers were not colorectal cancer, but unsuspected cancer found outside the colon.

The tests found 22 colorectal cancers (1 in every 500 patients examined) and 36 other cancers (1 in every 300 patients.)  More than half were found at an early stage I.  After an average follow-up time of 30 months, only 3 patients had died of cancer.

Renal cell cancer was the most frequent extracolonic cancer, discovered in 11 patients who didn’t have symptoms.  Eight lung cancers were also found along with six cases of non-Hodgkins lymphoma and eleven cancers in other sites.  More specific information about patients, their cancers, and their survival is part of the report in Radiology. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on April 2nd, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: CT colonography, extracolonic cancers, virtual colonoscopy

President’s Medical Exam Includes Colorectal Cancer Screening

This morning, President Barack Obama completed his first routine periodic physical examination as President at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.  The President’s exam included a colorectal cancer screening test.  Dr. Jeff Kuhlman, a Navy captain and Physician to the President, Chief White House Physician and Director of the White House Medical Unit examined the President.  Dr. Kuhlman, issued the following report following the exam:

“The President completed all age-appropriate screening tests, to include colorectal cancer screening.  A CT-colonography was performed with normal results.  Follow-up colorectal cancer screening is recommended in 5 years for routine colon cancer screening.”

Screening is just one important way to prevent colorectal cancer.  Take a few minutes to read more about preventing colorectal cancer.

Posted by Catherine Knowles on February 28th, 2010
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »
Tags: CT colonography, President Obama

CT Colonography Effective in Older Adults

CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) found more than twice the rate of large polyps or cancer in patients 65 and older compared to everyone being screened for colorectal cancer using the radiology-based test.

About one in six older patients was referred for an optical colonoscopy based on findings from the scans.

There were no major complications including colon perforations or bleeding, from either the CT procedure or the follow-up colonoscopy. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on January 28th, 2010
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: CT colonography, elderly

Colorectal Cancer News in Brief: May 23

Research this week finds that people with severe cancer weight loss get less benefit from fentanyl pain patches and explores why people with Down Syndrome have less cancer.

In other headlines, shut-down of a Canadian nuclear reactor threatens the supply of medical isotopes used in many cancer tests.  Free drug samples may do more harm than good, and CT colonography finds cancers and other serious conditions outside the colon in about 2 or 3 out of 100 tests.  Finally, we provide a link to a Cancer.Net podcast with information about what to expect from your colonoscopy. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 24th, 2009
Posted in: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tags: cachexia, CT colonography, Down Syndrome, free drug samples, medical isotopes

ACS’s Brawley Disappointed by CMS CT Colonography Denial

American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Otis W. Brawley, M.D., says that he is disappointed in the decision by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services not to cover CT colonography screening for elderly Americans on Medicare.

Dr. Brawley points out that randomized clinical trials have shown the CTC option as effective as traditional optical colonoscopy in finding early cancers and precancerous polyps.  He also concerned that there is not a sufficient supply of trained specialists providing colonoscopy to meet the need for screening and that new options are needed.

The American Cancer Society believes, Brawley says, that a full battery of testing for colorectal cancer screening should be available, particularly to the Medicare population who are at higher risk of developing and dying from colorectal cancer. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 21st, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »
Tags: american cancer society, CMS, CT colonography, CTC