The incidence of surgical site infections after an operation is an important quality indicator for hospitals. An overview from six European countries published in 2017 documented increased costs and, in some cases, significantly poorer surgical outcomes due to SSIs. The European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) and authorities in the U.S. have therefore defined criteria […]
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Genotoxic E. coli implicated in causing colorectal cancer ‘caught in the act’
Escherichia coli bacteria are constitutive members of the human gut microbiota. However, some strains produce a genotoxin called colibactin, which is implicated in the development of colorectal cancer. While it has been shown that colibactin leaves very specific changes in the DNA of host cells that can be detected in colorectal cancer cells, such cancers […]
Liquid biopsy for colorectal cancer could guide therapy for tumors
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis demonstrates that a liquid biopsy examining blood or urine can help gauge the effectiveness of therapy for colorectal cancer that has just begun to spread beyond the original tumor. Such a biopsy can detect lingering disease and could serve as a guide for […]
FIT Aids Triage for Possible Colorectal Cancer
MONDAY, Nov. 2, 2020 — Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) results can be used to prioritize patients for investigation of suspected colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Gut. Nigel D’Souza, M.B.B.S., from Imperial College London, and colleagues assessed whether FIT could be used to select patients with suspected CRC symptoms […]
Better surgical outcomes for colorectal cancer patients in hospitals with high case loads
Patients with colorectal cancer have a greater chance of survival if they are operated in hospitals with a high case load. This is because complications that can occur after surgery can be better managed there. tumors of the colon, so-called colorectal carcinomas, are the second to third most frequent tumors in women and men in […]
Aspirin appears to curb colorectal cancer recurrence and tumor growth, study finds
The benefits of a daily aspirin may extend beyond heart health to colorectal cancer treatment, say City of Hope researchers who have found aspirin appears to reduce tumor growth and inhibit recurrence of the disease. The trick now, researchers say, is to determine the right dosage of aspirin that can be used as a daily […]
Providing more testing choices does not increase colorectal cancer screening rates
Offering patients the choice between home screening or in-office colonoscopy does not increase participation in colorectal cancer screening, according to a new Penn Medicine study. However, the framing of choice did impact patient decision-making, as the proportion of colonoscopies—the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening—fell when the home screening option was presented as an available […]
Mailing colorectal cancer screening kit found effective, regardless of financial incentive
Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the United States, and just six out of 10 adults in the age range recommended for routine screening—50 to 75—reported having it done in 2015. When patients do not keep up with screening, the risk of death is substantially higher, so Penn Medicine researchers, investigating a new […]
Immunotherapy may become new first line treatment in some metastatic colorectal cancers
Immunotherapy with nivolumab and low-dose ipilimumab could become a new first line treatment in patients with some metastatic colorectal cancers following late-breaking results from the CheckMate-142 trial reported at the ESMO 2018 Congress in Munich. The drug combination shrank tumours and had beneficial effects on survival in patients with microsatellite instabiliy (MSI)-high metastatic colorectal cancer. […]