What is GERD (acid reflux)? - Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD or acid reflux, is a condition in which the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates (backs up or refluxes) into the esophagus. The liquid can inflame and damage the lining (cause, cause esophagitis) of the esophagus although visible signs of inflammation occur in a minority of patients. The regurgitated liquid usually contains acid and pepsin that are produced by the stomach. (Pepsin is an enzyme that begins the digestion of proteins in the stomach.) The refluxed liquid also may contain bile that has backed-up into the stomach from the duodenum. (The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine that attaches to the stomach.) Acid is believed to be the most injurious component of the refluxed liquid. Pepsin and bile also may injure the esophagus, but their role in the production of esophageal inflammation and damage is not as clear as the role of acid.  Read More

Video: What Is Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease?

Video: Heartburn and Acid Reflux Testing - Endoscopy

What causes GERD? - The cause of GERD is complex. There probably are multiple causes, and different causes may be operative in different individuals, or even in the same individual at different times. A small number of patients with GERD produce abnormally large amounts of acid, but this is uncommon and not a contributing factor in the vast majority of patients. The factors that contribute to GERD are the lower esophageal sphincter, hiatal hernias, esophageal contractions, and emptying of the stomach.  Read More

What are the symptoms of uncomplicated GERD? - The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are primarily heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. Other symptoms occur when there are complications of GERD and will be discussed with the complications.  Read More

How is GERD diagnosed and evaluated? — The usual way that GERD is diagnosed—or at least suspected—is by its characteristic symptom, heartburn. Heartburn is most frequently described as a sub-sternal (under the middle of the chest) burning that occurs after meals and often worsens when lying down. To confirm the diagnosis, physicians often treat patients with medications to suppress the production of acid by the stomach. If the heartburn then is diminished to a large extent, the diagnosis of GERD is considered confirmed. This approach of making a diagnosis on the basis of a response of the symptoms to treatment is commonly called a therapeutic trial.  Read More

How is GERD treated? — One of the simplest treatments for GERD is referred to as life-style changes, a combination of several changes in habit, particularly related to eating.  Read More

What is a reasonable approach to the management of GERD? — There are several ways to approach the evaluation and management of GERD. The approach depends primarily on the frequency and severity of symptoms, the adequacy of the response to treatment, and the presence of complications. Read More

What are the unresolved issues in GERD? - The cause of GERD is complex. There probably are multiple causes, and different causes may be operative in different individuals, or even in the same individual at different times. A small number of patients with GERD produce abnormally large amounts of acid, but this is uncommon and not a contributing factor in the vast majority of patients. The factors that contribute to GERD are the lower esophageal sphincter, hiatal hernias, esophageal contractions, and emptying of the stomach.  Read More

What are the unresolved issues in GERD? - The cause of GERD is complex. There probably are multiple causes, and different causes may be operative in different individuals, or even in the same individual at different times. A small number of patients with GERD produce abnormally large amounts of acid, but this is uncommon and not a contributing factor in the vast majority of patients. The factors that contribute to GERD are the lower esophageal sphincter, hiatal hernias, esophageal contractions, and emptying of the stomach.  Read More

CHICAGO - Scientists reported promising gains Monday for treating colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver, showing that chemotherapy before and after surgery to remove liver tumors can help keep the disease in check.
The role of exercise in cancer is the subject of many studies and considerable debate at present. The cancer most studied for its relationship to cancer is colorectal cancer.
Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Health Research and Policy HRP Building, Stanford, California 94305–5092, USA.
While many poets believe the eyes are the windows to the soul, many acupuncturists and doctors of Oriental medicine believe that the tongue provides a window to the inner workings of the body.
Americans who do not smoke are more likely to die from colorectal cancer than any other type of cancer. There was a total of 132,000 cases colorectal cancer in America in 1998.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the decision to undergo colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) among low-income Hispanics living along the Texas–Mexico border. Although, colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among Latinos,
Sanoviv Medical Institute provides new hope to patients with Cancer.
People battling diabetes — a disease known to trigger heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and nerve damage — now have another problem to worry about: colon cancer.
 
Official Scientific Title: An expanded-access study of the safety of Avastin in patients with colorectal cancer
INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer is the third cause of cancer-related death in the world, with 468,000 estimated deaths in 1993. In some countries mortality rates have started to decline, and survival rates have increased.
When elderly Medicare (search) patients are diagnosed with colon cancer (search), it’s often the first time they’ve ever been tested for the disease. That defies screening guidelines, say the Cleveland researchers who report the finding.
Oct. 23, 2006 - New cases of colon cancer have dropped as screening for the disease has become more common, according to a study presented yesterday at the American College of Gastroenterology's annual scientific meeting in Las Vegas. Colon cancer is America's third most common cancer, excluding non-melanomamelanomaskin cancerskin cancer.
Recently, Paul experienced symptoms that made him nervous. A serious guy when it comes to his health, Paul followed his doctor’s advice right away when he recommended Paul see a University of Michigan gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. Paul went to the new East Ann Arbor facility. Treated with kindness and compassion, Paul considers himself lucky to have had access to the expert care of a U-M physician and a highly skilled staff.
Nov. 13, 2006 -- Most U.S. veterans aren't getting the best colon cancer screening test, a nationwide survey shows.
Colorectal cancer includes cancers of the colon, rectum, appendix, and some anal cancers. Colorectal cancer is the number two cancer killer in the United States.
Colon cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women. But the great news is that colon testing can save your life and even prevent colon cancer.
The relative merits of colonoscopy versus sigmoidoscopy in colon cancer screening has been a source of ongoing debate.
Colorectal cancer is usually found in people age 50 or older, and the risk of getting it increases with age. Medicare covers colorectal screening tests to help find pre-cancerous polyps (growths in the colon) so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Treatment works best when colorectal cancer is found early.
A less invasive method of screening for colon cancer could become more common, if results from a newly published clinical trial are borne out by further research.
In a study of people at average risk for colorectal cancer, a screening technique known as virtual colonoscopy was just as accurate as traditional colonoscopy at detecting potential signs of colon or rectal cancer, and was less invasive.
The Ontario government launched on Tuesday a $193.5-million colorectal cancer screening program for people most at risk — a move sought by cancer experts and patient advocacy groups.
When elderly Medicare (search) patients are diagnosed with colon cancer (search), it’s often the first time they’ve ever been tested for the disease.
The large bowel is a leading site for cancers in developed countries whereas small bowel cancers are rare worldwide. The incidence rates of both large and small bowel cancer are low in India, and rectal cancer is more common than colon cancer.
India is a developing country with one of the most diverse populations and diets in the world. Cancer rates in India are lower than those seen in Western countries, but are rising with increasing migration of rural population to the cities, increase in life expectancy and changes in lifestyles.
Experts in Hong Kong warn that the human strain of the H5N1 bird flu that surfaced in Vietnam is showing resistance to the antiviral drug Tamiflu. Countries around the world are stockpiling Tamiflu to ward off a looming flu pandemic that could kill millions of people.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Doctors have removed a small, malignant growth from presidential spokesman Tony Snow's abdomen, but they determined the cancer had spread to his liver, the White House said Tuesday.
Tony Snow, press secretary to President Bush, has a message for people with cancer: “Don’t think about dying. Think about living.” It is a snappy sound bite from a man accustomed to delivering them, but in this case, there is added poignancy to it. Last month, Mr. Snow learned that his colon cancer had recurred and spread to his liver.
Research is always under way in the area of colorectal cancer. Scientists are looking for causes and ways to prevent colorectal cancer as well as ways to improve treatments.
Bethesda, MD, March 21, 2005 – Physician experts from the American College of Gastroenterology have issued new recommendations to healthcare providers to begin colorectal cancer screening in African Americans at age 45 rather than 50 years.
Bethesda, MD, March 21, 2005 – Physician experts from the American In time for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology is encouraging people to get educated about the disease by updating its colorectal cancer patient brochure.
(WebMD) In the future, getting screened for colon cancer may be as simple as taking a pill.
Colon cancer is the second most common type of cancer. Although it may not have attracted as much media attention as other cancers, the medical community is making efforts to better understand its causes and to discover possible cures, and their efforts have paid off in the form of new treatment options and screening methods.
WASHINGTON--President Bush said he will briefly transfer the powers of the presidency to Vice President Dick Cheney today while Bush undergoes sedation for a colon screening.
Several months ago, President Bush was put under anesthesia for a highly publicized colonoscopy—a procedure that involves using a long, thin tube with a video camera and a light on the end to look inside the entire length of the colon.
(CBS) Carolyn Chichester is a 53-year-old single woman whose 84-year-old mother is dying from colon cancer. But it didn't have to be that way, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric reports.
The US government is moving towards requiring that health insurers cover the cost of routine screening for bowel cancer, making the tests more widely available to the general public.
WASHINGTON - Sam Monismith was prepped and ready to begin his colonoscopy when health workers brought the university professor awkward news: His insurance wasn’t going to cover the colon cancer check.