Gastroenterology News and Research

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

Liver fibrosis will be treated by a potential target

The outcome of hepatitis is either self recovery or its development into liver fibrosis or, further, liver cirrhosis.

17 Oct 2007

Is the spleen able to prohibit tumor cell proliferation?

Primary and metastatic tumors of the spleen are described as unusual, excluding involvement by lymphoma.

17 Oct 2007

Low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in HIV-positive patients

Helicobacter pylori has been extensively studied and proven to be the main cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer in the HIV-negative population.

17 Oct 2007

First colonoscopy a real lifesaver

The scientists from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's department of epidemiology and biostatistics in New York City, say this first clean out of precancerous polyps significantly reduces deaths from colon cancer even if there are no follow-up examinations.

17 Oct 2007

Use of NSAIDs underreported

Patients underreported their use of common but potentially dangerous over-the-counter pain medications known as NSAIDs, according to research presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

16 Oct 2007

Nutritional deficiencies after gastric bypass surgery

Two studies by a group of researchers at Washington Hospital Center highlight potential postoperative nutritional deficiencies among patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery to treat obesity.

16 Oct 2007

Researchers specifically manipulate tumor angiogenesis gene

Angiogenesis is a common process that is essential for tumor growth beyond 2 mm. Although numerous growth factors are involved, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), particularly VEGF-A, has been shown to play an important role in tumor angiogenesis.

16 Oct 2007

African-Americans have a high overall incidence of colorectal cancer - study emphasizes importance of screening

New research presented at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology emphasizes the importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among racial and ethnic minorities, who have a higher incidence of colorectal cancer compared to Caucasians.

16 Oct 2007

Study evaluates safety, efficacy and tolerability of probiotics for irritable bowel syndrome

A new analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating probiotics in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has found that Bifantis, Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, the sole ingredient in Align (manufactured by Procter & Gamble), is the only probiotic currently able to demonstrate significant improvement in IBS symptoms based upon a properly designed research study.

16 Oct 2007

Obesity strongest risk factor for colorectal cancer in women

Research presented at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology found that obesity, among other important risk factors, was the strongest risk factor for colorectal cancer in women.

16 Oct 2007

Nighttime acid reflux and sleep

According to results of a survey presented at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, nighttime acid reflux, along with some of the less typical manifestations or symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is associated with significant sleep impairment.

16 Oct 2007

Night-time acid reflux can impact sleep

16 Oct 2007

New analyses of long-term LIALDA (mesalamine) data presented at ACG

Post-hoc and other analyses of secondary endpoints of a long-term safety and tolerability study of Shire plc's ulcerative colitis (UC) drug LIALDA (mesalamine) provide further data on LIALDA in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

16 Oct 2007

Mesalamine linked to cancer protection for high risk inflammatory bowel disease patients

Researchers found that mesalamine use among patients with inflammatory bowel disease was associated with a decrease in incidence of colorectal cancer when comparing cases and controls.

16 Oct 2007

Gastrointestinal disorders and work-related absenteeism

Those who suffer from common functional gastrointestinal disorders face work productivity losses and impairments in daily activity that amount to the loss of at least one day of work in a 40-hour workweek, according to a new study presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

16 Oct 2007

Gastric bypass surgery may cause post-op nutrient deficiencies

Two studies by a group of researchers at Washington Hospital Center highlight potential postoperative nutritional deficiencies among patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery to treat obesity.

16 Oct 2007

First colonoscopy with removal of polyps linked to reduction in colon cancer death

Using a model to predict reductions in death from colorectal cancer, epidemiologists and clinical researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering looked at the relative effect of an initial screening colonoscopy which clears pre-cancerous polyps from the colon versus surveillance follow-up colonoscopy.

16 Oct 2007

Eating raw fish raises potential health concerns

Two case studies from Japan presented at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology point to a potential health problem in the United States, as more Americans consume raw fish in the form of sushi and sashimi. Anisakiasis (round worm) is a human parasitic infection caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood containing Anisakis larvae.

16 Oct 2007

Colorectal cancer screening improves survival in seniors

As people get older, their risk of developing polyps and colorectal cancer increases. Currently, there is no clear evidence or established guideline for the upper age limit for colorectal cancer screening by colonoscopy.

16 Oct 2007

Capsule endoscopy finds undiagnosed Crohn's disease

A small capsule that takes "snapshots" of the small intestine as it moves through the digestive tract helped doctors spot cases of Crohn's disease that had gone undiagnosed for up to 15 years, according to researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

16 Oct 2007