Gastroenterology News and Research

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Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine where the digestive system and its disorders are studied.

Specific microRNA, called miR-21, helps liver cancer develop

New research shows how a particular small molecule blocks the activity of a cancer-suppressing gene, allowing liver-cancer cells to grow and spread.

2 Aug 2007

Colon cancer may benefit from hormone replacement therapy

Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found new evidence suggesting that colon cancer is actually a disease of missing hormones that could potentially be treated by hormone replacement therapy.

2 Aug 2007

Drugs designed to disable enzyme TOPK could have anti-cancer benefits

Working with human colorectal cancer cells, a University of Minnesota team, led by cancer biologists Zigang Dong and Ann Bode, has found the potential culprit among a network of enzymes that relay signals inside cells to regulate such functions as cell growth, cancer development and programmed cell death.

1 Aug 2007

Tips for relief from gastroesophageal reflux disease

Are you suffering from heartburn? Heartburn can be a symptom of a serious problem called "gastroesophageal reflux disease," also known as GERD.

1 Aug 2007

Biologic agents valuable treatment option for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

The use of biologic agents for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may benefit patients, but doctors need to consider the potential associated side effects in determining treatment course, according to a consensus paper published in this month's issue of Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

26 Jul 2007

Lentils good for dieting

You have a greater possibility of losing weight if you eat a diet that is high in foods like lentils that release energy slowly once they have been consumed, rather than one that is high in foods that rapidly release sugar into the blood stream such as white bread, a Cochrane Systematic Review has concluded.

18 Jul 2007

Tips and fact for belching, bloating, and flatulence

We've all experienced intestinal gas, some more than others.

18 Jul 2007

Researchers measure effect of hepatitis B on patients' quality of life

"Am I going to die? I have no future." "I feel depressed at times, fearful I may not see my children marry or be a grandparent." Such heart-rending statements from patients with chronic hepatitis B reveal the social and mental impact of this disease, which affects 350 million worldwide.

11 Jul 2007

Why males show a higher rate of inflammation than females in the same diseases

Production of a protein that promotes inflammation appears to be linked to the higher incidence of liver cancer in men than in women, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have determined in mouse studies.

9 Jul 2007

New ulcerative colitis gene found

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh have identified a previously unsuspected gene found to be associated with ulcerative colitis.

9 Jul 2007

New device rapidly diagnoses gastrointestinal disease by 'reading' the odour of biological fluids

A pioneering new device that could help over four billion adults and children who suffer from infectious diarrhoea in the developing world and reduce outbreaks of diseases such as clostridium difficile (C.Diff) in UK hospital wards is the winner of this year's University of Bristol's New Enterprise Competition.

4 Jul 2007

Polyethylene laxative safe for patients suffering from chronic constipation

A clinical trial including 50 medical centers and 304 patients has confirmed that polyethylene (PEG) laxative is safe for patients suffering from chronic constipation.

23 Jun 2007

Folic acid supplements do not reduce risk of precancerous colon tumors

Taking folic acid supplements does not reduce the risk of developing precancerous tumors in the colon and may even increase the risk, a new study has found.

16 Jun 2007

New wireless monitoring system to track esophageal reflux

UT Southwestern Medical Center doctors and UT Arlington engineers have developed a wireless monitoring system that uses electrical impulses to track esophageal reflux.

30 May 2007

Extracorporeal photopheresis may be effective in treating Crohn's disease

Results from an international multi-center Phase II clinical trial suggest that extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) may be effective in treating patients with clinically active (OR symptomatic) Crohn?s disease who cannot tolerate or are refractory to immunosuppressants and/or anti-TNF agents.

28 May 2007

New smart pill helps diagnose stomach problems

People with the chronic stomach condition known as gastroparesis, or slow stomach emptying, live in fear that eating will cause an episode of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

24 May 2007

Concentrated radio waves proide new approach to treating precancerous esophagus condition

The use of concentrated radio waves appears to be a safe and effective way to "burn" away abnormal cell growth in the esophagus that can be a precursor of cancer.

24 May 2007

Impact of lifestyle on GI health

According to new research presented at Digestive Disease Week 2007 (DDW), lifestyle factors like choosing your diet regimen or ordering an appetizer for dinner may have a significant impact on the gastrointestinal (GI) system, affecting your risk for certain diseases, weight and general GI-related activity.

22 May 2007

Discovery of chemical profiles for infectious diarrhoea

Academics from the Universities of the West of England and Bristol have found that faeces from healthy people and those with infectious diarrhoea differ significantly in their chemical composition and could be used to diagnose quickly diseases such as Clostridium difficile (C. Diff.).

22 May 2007

Bovine protein called lactoferrin aids in treatment of gastrointestinal disorder

Recent evidence suggests that therapy currently used to treat Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, a major cause of upper gastrointestinal disorders, is unsuccessful in around 25 percent of cases.

17 May 2007