Organ Transplants And Colorectal Cancer Risk

An interesting study.

Solid organ transplant recipients have increased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We assessed CRC risk among transplant recipients and identified factors contributing to this association. The US transplant registry was linked to 15 population-based cancer registries (1987-2010). We compared CRC risk in recipients to the general population by using standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and identified CRC risk factors by using Poisson regression. Based on 790 cases of CRC among 224 098 transplant recipients, the recipients had elevated CRC risk (SIR 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04 to 1.20). The increase was driven by an excess of proximal colon cancer (SIR 1.69, 95% CI 1.53 to 1.87), while distal colon cancer was not increased (SIR 0.93, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.07), and rectal cancer was reduced (SIR 0.64, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.76). In multivariate analyses, CRC was increased markedly in lung recipients with cystic fibrosis (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 12.3, 95% CI 6.94 to 21.9, vs. kidney recipients). Liver recipients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and inflammatory bowel disease also had elevated CRC risk (IRR 5.32, 95% CI 3.73 to 7.58). Maintenance therapy with cyclosporine and azathioprine was associated with proximal colon cancer (IRR 1.53, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.23). Incidence was not elevated in a subgroup of kidney recipients treated with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil, pointing to the relevance of the identified risk factors. Transplant recipients have increased proximal colon cancer risk, likely related to underlying medical conditions (cystic fibrosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis) and specific immunosuppressive regimen

Therefore, certain organ transplant patients have an increased risk of proximal colon cancer dependent upon certain comorbidities as well as the type of immunosuppressant(s) they are taking to maintain their transplant and prevent rejection.

Social stress and teenagers

I just read "Teaching Teenagers to Cope With Social Stress", and found it useful since there is not too much advice for teenagers on how to handle social stress. And yet, the teenage years are highly formative and may reflect on almost everything that happens in adulthood. 

I will definitely share the article with my teenage daughter.

Another documentary about sugar

There are several great documentaries about the dangers of sugar consumption.  I may have watched them all, several times. However, I just found yet another one, Sugar Crash - Documentary about Sugar and Disease (2016). 

It is an Irish production, but the background really does not matter - the deadly story of sugar unravels the same way everywhere in the world. Watch it, learn and protect yourself and your family.

The images of the decaying teeth, the necrotizing tissues of the diabetics and the fatty liver should be a sufficient impulse to stop you from eating sugar. Print these images from the Internet, paste them in your kitchen, carry some of them as a reminder in your purse or wallet. May be it will help?

New Colonoscopy Prep In Testing

Here is a possibly good news: better-tasting colonoscopy preps are under development and are in the testing stage.  My own personal experience has been that the prep I used ranks among the most foul-tasting things I have ever consumed, and I honestly couldn't finish every bit of it toward the end.  Luckily, taking 95% of it was sufficient for a good preparation, but I really struggled to keep it down and was always on the verge of throwing up.  If these new preps under development solve that problem, that's great, and perhaps the competition will stimulate existing brands to attempt some much-needed improvement.  And if this raises adherence to CRC screening, so much the better.

Apple Varieties

Eating more fruits and vegetables is an important component of a healthy diet. Adopting such a diet would be easier, if people fully explore the varieties of different fruits and vegetables available, to find those most appealing to their individual taste, or just to have some variety and avoid "taste boredom."

For example, there is a large variety of apples, that differ in sweetness, tartness, crispiness, etc. The image here shows many, but certainly not all, of the varieties. Most people think of apples as "Red Delicious" and, if they are somewhat more adventurous, "Golden Delicious" or "Granny Smith," but there are other varieties as well, and you should at least try some of them, and see what you think.
 

The same principle applies to other plant-based foods, but apples are a good place to start, since there is such a wide variety, and apples have a relatively long "shelf-life" at room temperature, so one can take time trying them out.

Fall garden 2016 - October 8

Zucchini soufflé

You will need:
1-2 lb zucchini or summer squash, 5 eggs, 2 cups of yogurt, 1 tsp of baking soda,1 cup of whole wheat flour, ½ cup olive oil, 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese, 2 cups of grated Cheddar cheese (or any other cheese), dry winter savory, chopped dill, black pepper, garlic to taste. Feel free to change the amounts and proportions. Even I do not precisely adhere to my recipes; my kitchen is my lab, and I like to experiment.

How to:
Wash, peel, cut and grate the zucchini. Leave the grated zucchini in a sieve to drain for 15 minutes or longer. After squeezing as much liquid as possible from the zucchini, place them in a large bowl and mix them up with the flour, oil, and all spices. Separately, mix the yogurt with the baking soda, eggs, feta cheese, and 1 cup of Cheddar cheese. Mix all together, pour into an oiled pan and bake at 400ºF for 20-30 minutes. Spread the remaining cup of Cheddar cheese on top and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes (until the mixture has settled and the crust is reddish-brown). I used slightly more than 2 lb of summer squash this weekend, and took me more than one hour to bake the soufflé.

Have a nice weekend, and enjoy the fall flowers!

 

A Connection Between Male Pattern Baldness And Colorectal Cancer?

A thought-provoking study:

BACKGROUND:

Male pattern baldness is positively associated with androgens as well as insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insulin, all of which are implicated in pathogenesis of colorectal neoplasia.

METHODS:

From 1992 through 2010, we prospectively followed participants in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Hair pattern at age 45 years was assessed at baseline with five image categories (no baldness, frontal-only baldness, frontal-plus-mild-vertex baldness, frontal-plus-moderate-vertex baldness, and frontal-plus-severe-vertex baldness). Cancer analysis included 32 782 men and used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted to men who underwent at least one endoscopy over the study period, adenoma analysis included 29 770 men and used logistic regressions for clustered data to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs.

RESULTS:

Over the mean follow-up of 15.6 years, 710 cases of colorectal cancer (478 for colon, 152 for rectum, and 80 unknown site) developed. Significantly increased risks associated with frontal-only baldness and frontal-plus-mild-vertex baldness relative to no baldness were observed for colon cancer with respective HR being 1.29 (95% CI, 1.03-1.62) and 1.31 (95% CI, 1.01-1.70). Over the 19-year study period, 3526 cases of colorectal adenoma were detected. Evidence for an increased risk of colorectal adenoma relative to no baldness was significant with frontal-only baldness (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26) and borderline insignificant with frontal-plus-severe-vertex baldness (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.98-1.33).

CONCLUSIONS:

Subtypes of male pattern baldness at age 45 years were positively associated with colorectal neoplasia. Future studies are warranted to confirm our results and to determine the predictive value of male pattern baldness to identify those at high risk for colorectal neoplasia.

Certain types of male baldness is associated with androgen and growth factor levels and therefore may be associated with an increased risk of types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. As always, consult with your physician, and follow their instructions on preventive diagnostics.

Do not drink this...

As I have previously written, do not drink anything else but water (this is valid for children and adults). 

"Naked" juices and smoothies by PepsiCo is only one item in the series of revelations on how bad for your health all drinks are.

Homemade crackers

You will need:
1 cup oatmeal, ½ cup chopped walnuts, 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour, 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp yogurt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, optional spices (e.g., turmeric, caraway seeds, cayenne pepper, etc.). 

How to:
Mix the oatmeal, walnuts, and flour together. To the yogurt add baking soda, salt, eggs, oil, and any spices. Combine the yogurt mix with the oatmeal-flour, knead and spread in an oil-sprayed pan. Press down the dough to ¼ of an inch or less in thickness and bake for 10 minutes at 400F, then turn the sheet of dough upside down and bake another 10 minutes to golden-brown color and crisp texture. Break into pieces, enjoy!
Next time I will try the same recipe without the eggs.