High-Fiber Diet Might Lower Risk for Colon Polyps

TUESDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) -- People who regularly eat legumes, brown rice, cooked green vegetables and dried fruit have a reduced risk of colon polyps, a precursor to colon cancer.

That's the finding of California researchers who analyzed data from 2,818 people who were followed for 26 years. During that time, 441 cases of rectal/colon polyps were detected among the participants.

The risk of polyps was 40 percent lower among those who ate brown rice at least once a week and 33 percent lower among those who eat legumes (a class of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils) at least three times a week, the Loma Linda University team found.

Eating dried fruit three times or more a week, compared to less than once a week, was associated with a 26 percent reduced risk. Eating cooked green vegetables once a day or more, vs. less than five times a week, was associated with a 24 percent reduced risk, according to the report published online in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.

"Eating these foods is likely to decrease your risk for colon polyps, which would in turn decrease your risk for colorectal cancer," study author Dr. Yessenia Tantamango, a postdoctoral research fellow, said in a university news release.

"While a majority of past research has focused on broad food groups, such as fruits and vegetables, in relation to colon cancer, our study focused on specific foods, as well as more narrowed food groups, in relation to colon polyps, a precursor to colon cancer. Our study confirms the results of past studies that have been done in different populations analyzing risks for colon cancer," Tantamango said.

"Legumes, dried fruits and brown rice all have a high content of fiber, known to dilute potential carcinogens," Tantamango noted. "Additionally, cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, contain detoxifying compounds, which would improve their protective function."

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about colon polyps.

SOURCE: Loma Linda University, news release, Aug. 2, 2011

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Scientists ID Gene Linked to Syndrome Behind Elephant Man Disease

WEDNESDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've identified the gene mutation that causes the same condition that Joseph Merrick, the 19th century Englishman famously known as "The Elephant Man," was thought to have had.

Proteus syndrome causes different parts of the body to grow faster and larger than other parts. Only about 500 cases are known in the developed world.

The new findings, published in the July 27 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, could help in the tricky diagnosis of this disorder (many of these patients are born normal), as well as eventually lead to treatments.

"This gives us a therapeutic target," said study senior author Dr. Leslie Biesecker, chief of the genetic disease research branch at the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

For people whose lives have been affected by Proteus syndrome, there is a deeper, more personal meaning in the new research.

"Understanding what we have here is huge for families," said Kim Hoag, founder of the Proteus Syndrome Foundation, whose son, Alex, died from a pulmonary embolism, one complication of the disorder, at 9 years of age. "When you have a kid with Proteus syndrome, there's no rhyme or reason to what he has. It's so scary."

Added Tracey Whitewood-Neal, chairwoman of the Proteus Syndrome Foundation UK and the mother of Jordan, a child with Proteus syndrome who is now 16 and preparing to enter college: "For me and other families, this is so much more than a scientific breakthrough. This is personal and this is real. This is the light at the end of the tunnel and the glimmer of hope we've been waiting for all these years."

Proteus syndrome is what's known as a mosaic disorder, meaning that some cells in the body have the hallmark genetic mutation and some don't.

The mutation, which is genetic yet not inherited, occurs spontaneously some time after an embryo has already formed. This accounts for the great degree of variability in the condition, because the earlier the mutation occurs in embryonic development, the more widespread the overgrowth in tissue and bone.

According to the University of Kansas Medical Center, some of the common signs of Proteus syndrome include: partial enlargement of the hands and/or feet; overgrowth of one side of the face, body, or limbs; an enlarged head; discolored skin that can be rough; and tumors.

Although research on Proteus syndrome at NHGRI started in 1996, geneticists had to wait for the advent of next-generation gene sequencing to start testing tissue they had been banking over the years.

The researchers eventually were able to compare tissue samples from affected parts of the body in 29 Proteus syndrome patients with tissue from unaffected parts of the body.

Twenty-six of the patients had the exact same point mutation in the AKT1 gene. A point mutation is a single "misspelling" in the billions of letters that make up the human genome. The researchers hypothesized that the three patients who tested negative may have had low levels of the gene or had the gene in tissues that weren't biopsied.

The good news is that the mutation also creates an oncogene, which can drive the uncontrolled cell division normally associated with cancer. Research is already under way to find drugs to battle that mutation as it occurs in tumors.

Treatments for Proteus syndrome may be able to piggy-back on these advances.

"It may become possible to treat those with Proteus syndrome with a drug originally developed for cancer," Biesecker said at a Wednesday teleconference. "This allows us to leapfrog a number of steps. But, Proteus syndrome is not an overgrowth syndrome so we would have to adapt cancer treatments."

The research team is now working with the Royal London Hospital, where Merrick died in 1890 at the age of 27, to test his skeleton for the mutation.

"We will answer the more than century-old question of the cause of his condition," said Biesecker at the news conference. "It's not an easy study because of the way the skeleton was degraded and prepared. We hope to be able to announce an answer in the coming months."

More information

To learn more visit the Proteus Syndrome Foundation.

SOURCES: Leslie Biesecker, M.D., chief, genetic disease research branch, U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Md.; Kim Hoag, founder, Proteus Syndrome Foundation, Colorado Springs, Colo.; July 27, 2011, news conference with Biesecker and Tracey Whitewood-Neal, chairwoman, Proteus Syndrome Foundation UK; July 27, 2011, New England Journal of Medicine

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Smart Food Choices Key to a Healthy Barbeque

SATURDAY, Aug. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Choosing healthy foods to barbeque -- and even barbequing with marinades instead of high-fat sauces -- can help reduce your risk of heart disease as well as stroke, experts say.

Many common barbeque favorites, such as pork, ribs and even corn on the cob, are often slathered with rich sauces that are high in calories, fats and salt. There are, however, healthier ways to barbeque that are also delicious, according to Dr. Vivienne Halpern, a member of the Society for Vascular Surgery.

"Grilling lean meats and vegetables without heavy sauces are wonderful for the barbeque," explained Halpern in a society news release. "These can become your family's new favorites." A fresh salad and watermelon for dessert will make the meal complete, she suggested.

When firing up the grill, instead of barbequing hot dogs and hamburgers, Halpern suggested choosing lean proteins that are lower in fat, calories and cholesterol, such as chicken, fish, turkey, sirloin, turkey, buffalo or veggie burgers. Halpern also pointed out that olive oil-based marinades and lemon juice are healthier ways to add flavor to grilled meats and vegetables.

"It's true that we are what we eat," added Halpern. "Our food choices affect our caloric intake, cholesterol and sodium."

Halpern's recommendations underscore the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The guidelines urge Americans to eat more of the following:

Fruits and vegetablesWhole grainsLow-fat milk productsLean meats, beans, eggs, nutsFishFoods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugar

Americans can also control their blood pressure and cholesterol, Halpern added, with moderate exercise (such as walking 30 minutes each day), not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight.

More information

The U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has more about heart and vascular diseases.

SOURCE: Society for Vascular Surgery, news release, Aug. 1, 2011

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Stomach Cancer Tumors Have Genetic Differences: Researchers

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Stomach cancer tumors have genetic differences, which determine how they respond to treatment, researchers have found.

In identifying two distinct versions of the disease, scientists found that a certain regimen of chemotherapy is more effective on one tumor type, while another drug works best on the other. The study authors said their findings would help doctors more effectively treat gastric cancer patients.

"Our study is the first to show that a proposed molecular classification of gastric cancer can identify genomic subtypes that respond differently to therapies, which is crucial in efforts to customize treatments for patients," study senior author Dr. Patrick Tan, associate professor in the Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program at the Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Graduate Medical School, said in a university news release.

A microscopic pathology test developed in the 1960s, known as the Lauren classification, is a general description (either intestinal or diffuse) of how well the tumor cells clump together. The Singapore-based team at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, however, was able to distinguish gastric cancer tumors where the Lauren test could not.

"There is a general assumption in the field that intestinal and diffuse gastric cancers [as classified by Lauren] represent two very different versions of gastric cancer, and now genomic data confirms this by demonstrating that the two genomic subtypes have very different molecular patterns," said Tan.

In profiling 37 stomach cancer cell lines, the researchers found two distinct patterns. Moreover, in accurately defining these tumor subtypes, they were also able to observe differences in how well each responded to chemotherapy.

"The exact mechanistic reasons for this difference are currently unclear, and this is an area that we are actively working on," noted Tan, adding that the researchers are working to find more specific vulnerabilities to drugs.

The researchers said they plan further research in which gastric cancer tumors will be genetically profiled to determine the most effective treatment.

The study findings were published in the Aug. 1 edition of Gastroenterology.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about stomach cancer.

SOURCE: Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, news release, Aug. 1, 2011

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Urine Test Might Help Predict Prostate Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- A new urine test might help doctors detect prostate cancer and better evaluate a patient's treatment options, researchers say.

"This is a tool that men and their physician can use to help them decide whether it's appropriate to get a biopsy now or delay that decision," said lead researcher Dr. Scott Tomlins, a pathology resident at the University of Michigan Health System.

The test looks for two genetic markers associated with prostate cancer. The first, called TMPRSS2:ERG, is caused by two genes changing places and fusing together; it is thought to cause prostate cancer. Since the gene fusion is only seen in about half of cancer patients, the test also looks for another marker, called PCA3.

"We are exploiting some new bio-markers to try to refine the PSA [prostate-specific antigen] test," Tomlins said.

The PSA test can indicate prostate cancer, but it is unreliable, often producing false positives and false negatives, Tomlins said. "You can have low PSA and have cancer, or high PSA and not have cancer," he said.

The two genetic markers may be more reliable indicators of prostate cancer, he said. One of them, TMPRSS2:ERG, is only seen in cancer, he added.

Together, they can be used "to stratify men into saying, 'You have a high chance of having cancer, and you should get a biopsy now, or if you are in a lower risk group you have a much lower risk of cancer and perhaps you could delay the biopsy,'" Tomlins said.

However, Tomlins cautioned that the test is not perfect. "It's hard to recommend that someone not get a biopsy, because there is always a chance you are going to miss a cancer that doesn't have either of these two markers," he said.

For the study, published in the Aug. 3 issue of Science Translational Medicine, Tomlins' team studied urine samples from 1,312 men who had high PSA levels and had had a prostate biopsy or surgery to remove the prostate.

The researchers specifically looked for the two markers and used them to slot the men into high-, intermediate- or low-risk groups for prostate cancer. They then compared their results with the results from biopsies, which are done with a needle in a physician's office for detection of any cancer cells.

Based on the biopsies, cancer was found in 21 percent of the men in the low-risk group, in 43 percent of the intermediate-risk group and in 69 percent of the high-risk group.

The researchers said the findings of the urine tests correlated with tumor size and the cancer's aggressiveness. In the low-risk group, only 7 percent had aggressive cancer, compared with 40 percent of the men classified as high-risk, they found.

One limitation of the study is that most patients were Caucasian, so further studies are needed to see whether the findings extend to all men, the researchers noted.

Although not yet available to the public, the test soon will be offered at the University of Michigan, Tomlins said.

The test is licensed to Gen-Probe, a San Diego maker of genetically based diagnostic tests. Mike Watt, a company spokesman, said the test is still in the early stages of development and has not been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval. The company has no firm idea of the test's cost should it be approved, Watt added.

Study funding was supported in part by Gen Probe, and the University of Michigan and Brigham and Womens Hospital have obtained a patent on the detection of ETS gene fusion in prostate cancer, in which four co-authors are listed as co-inventors.

A prostate cancer expert, Dr. Anthony D'Amico, chief of radiation oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said the test is "a step forward, but we still have a ways to go."

"On average the risk is higher in people with both markers and lowest in people who have neither, but that's on average," D'Amico said.

If a patient has indications of an aggressive prostate cancer, the test can add more to that diagnosis, D'Amico said. But for men who potentially have cancer, a low-risk determination based on this test shouldn't preclude biopsy, he said.

"It adds fuel to the fire when you suspect something bad, but I don't think it takes you out of the woods when these markers are not present," D'Amico said.

More information

For more information on prostate cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.

SOURCES: Scott Tomlins, M.D., Ph.D., pathology resident, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor; Anthony D'Amico, M.D., Ph.D., chief, radiation oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; Mike Watt, spokesman, Gen-Probe, San Diego, Calif.; Aug. 3, 2011, Science Translational Medicine

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Growing Up Near Livestock Tied to Blood Cancers

THURSDAY, July 28 (HealthDay News) -- Children raised on livestock farms are at significantly greater risk of developing blood cancers -- such as leukemia, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- later in life, a new study contends.

The researchers pointed out that further studies will be needed before a definitive cause and effect can be established, but they suggested that exposure to particular viruses during childhood may modify the immune system response and result in a higher risk for blood cancer in adulthood.

In conducting the study, published in the July 28 online edition of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers compiled information from 114,000 death certificates for people between 35 and 85 years of age who died between 1998 and 2003 in New Zealand.

The study found that over the five-year period, more than 3,000 deaths were attributed to blood cancers. Moreover, the researchers revealed that growing up on a livestock farm was linked to a higher risk. They noted, however, that people who were raised on farms with crops were not more likely to develop blood cancer.

Overall, the risk of developing a blood cancer was 22 percent higher for those who grew up on a livestock farm than those who did not, according to Andrea 't Mannetje, of the Centre for Public Health Research at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, and colleagues.

Being raised on a poultry farm carried the greatest risk, the researchers noted. Those who had spent their childhood living on a poultry farm were three times more likely to develop a blood cancer than others.

On the flip side, growing up on a crop farm came with a nearly 20 percent lower risk of developing blood cancer, the investigators found.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information on blood cancers.

SOURCE: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, news release, July 27, 2011

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Study of Bone Cancer in Dogs May Improve Treatment in Kids

MONDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The discovery of a gene pattern that distinguishes highly aggressive bone cancer in dogs from a less aggressive form may help improve treatment of bone cancer in children, according to researchers.

Other than humans, dogs are the only species that develops bone cancer spontaneously with any frequency. Dogs are more likely than humans to develop bone cancer, but human and dog forms of bone cancer are very similar, explained study team leader Dr. Jaime Modiano, a comparative medicine expert at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.

The newly discovered gene pattern in dogs is an exact match with humans and may assist in treatment planning for children with bone cancer, according to the report in the September issue of the journal Bone.

"Our findings pave the way to develop laboratory tests that can predict the behavior of this tumor in dogs and children at the time of diagnosis," Modiano said in a university news release. "This allows us to tailor individualized therapy to meet the patient's needs. Patients with less aggressive disease could be treated conservatively, reducing the side effects and the risks associated with treatment, while patients with more aggressive disease could be treated with more intense therapy."

The course and aggressiveness of bone cancer can vary from patient to patient and is difficult to predict. Some patients respond well to conventional treatment and live for decades without recurrence, while others have a poor response and experience a rapid return of bone cancer, the release noted.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about bone cancer.

SOURCE: University of Minnesota, news release, July 28, 2011

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