Colon Cancer
Question: What is the
best screening test for colon cancer?
Answer: Right now
there are three major screening methods that can be used to detect signs of
colon cancer. But what is the best test?
Researchers
now say that one commonly used screening method, the noninvasive fecal occult
blood test (FOBT) combined with sigmoidoscopy, may be of use, but not if it
isn't performed regularly.
The
options for cancer screening range from the relatively easy FOBT, for which a
person takes stool samples in the privacy of their home and then sends them to
a lab for analysis; to colonoscopy, where the entire bowel is examined by a
doctor and any precancerous areas that may be found are removed. Another
screening test is sigmoidoscopy, where only the lower portion of the intestine
is examined.
Question: Do statins really help prevent colon cancer? Are
there any clinical trials that I could join that are looking at this question?
Answer: It's possible that statins--drugs taken to
reduce cholesterol--may also reduce your risk of colon cancer. In studies with
heart patients, those who used statins to control cholesterol also had fewer
cases of colon cancer. Studies in animals confirmed the results seen in those
heart patients.
The drugs' protective effect against colon cancer was even greater
when they were given in combination with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
like aspirin.
It seems that statins' anticancer effect is separate from their
benefits for the heart. They seem to work against colon cancer by promoting a
process called apoptosis in which damaged cells (like cancer cells)
are forced to die.
More research is needed to make sure that these drugs are safe and
effective for heart-healthy people to take over a long period of time. If
you're interested in participating in a clinical trial studying the potential
benefits of these drugs, you should discuss your interest with your doctor.
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