Tuesday April 1 / 2008

12:10: The Health Roundup with Jay McQueen.

12:13-12:30: It’s time to go back…..back inside the mind of the teenage brain.
Guest Dr. Jean Clinton, Renowned Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, McMaster University.

12:35: A major Canadian-led global study has found that a new blood pressure medication is effective in reducing cardiovascular death, with fewer side effects than the current standard of care.
Guest: Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, professor of medicine, clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, and director of the division of Endocrinology & Metabolism at McMaster University. 905-521-2100, ext. 73371


12:45: Rexall Radio Health Matters segment.
Guest: Hilton
Colon Cancer
What is colorectal cancer ?
Most colorectal cancers start in the cells that line the inside of the colon or the rectum. The colon and rectum make up the large intestine (large bowel). The large intestine is the last part of the digestive system. Organs of the digestive system change food into energy and help pass waste out of the body. Food is digested in the stomach and the small intestine. As nutrients are removed from food, it changes into a watery mass. The watery mass passes through the small intestine into the colon. The colon absorbs the water and the semi-solid waste and then continues to the rectum. This waste material is known as feces or stool. The stool is stored in the rectum. When you have a bowel movement, the stool leaves the body through the anus. Colorectal cancer usually grows slowly and in a predictable way. It is curable when diagnosed at an early stage. There is no single cause of colorectal, but some factors appear to increase the risk of developing it.

• Age ( after the age of 50)
• Having polyps
• Family history
• Having familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• High fat diet
• Alcohol consumption
• Smoking
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity
• Ethnic background – peoples of Ashkenazi ( Eastern European Jewish) descent

A diet high in vegetables and fruit is known to lower risk. A diet in fiber and low in animal fats also seems to decrease risk. Recommendations for women and men over the age of 50 should have a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) at least every 2 years. FOBT blood testing helps identify polyps early before they become cancerous. Follow-up for a positive test could include a colonoscopy, double contrast barium enema (an x-ray of the large intestine) and sigmoidoscopy. Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer may vary or not cause any signs in its early stages.

Symptoms may include:
• A change in bowel habits
• Blood in the stool, bright red or very dark
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Stools that are narrower than usual
• General abdominal discomfort ( frequent gas pains, bloating fullness or cramps)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Felling very tired
• Vomiting

Having any of the above symptoms may not mean that you have colorectal cancer; they could be caused by other medical conditions. Check with you MD to be sure. If you do not have a physician, Rexall now offers the Colon Cancer Check.
The Ministry of Health and Long-term Care in collaboration with the Cancer Care Ontario, has launched the Colon Cancer Check program to expand screening. If patients are over the age of 50 and wish to be checked for colorectal cancer, they are invited to be screened using the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) and when the participant does not have a primary care provider, they can provide his/her results and with a follow-up referral when required.
Your ColonCancerCheck Program can be picked up @ pharmacy !

Nadine Janacek
Rexall Blog Reporter #0202