MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Six-year-old Marisa Peck is one of 50 cases of whooping cough reported in Hennepin County so far this year. That puts the county on close to a record pace. Now, health officials are warning parents to keep an eye out for whooping cough.

“I was coughing a lot at night and one night I needed to come out of bed and have a cough drop and just walk around,” said Peck.

That’s her take on the cough. Her mom, Paula Engelking, tells it a little differently.

“The coughing was horrible. I mean, just horrible. We went to the doctor. Nobody thought it was this. They just thought it was something going around like a cold,” said Engelking.

Tests showed Peck had whooping cough, which is also known as pertussis. Peck was put on antibiotics and has had to stay home from school for five days to make sure she isn’t contagious. The medicine doesn’t help the cough get better, but it keeps it from spreading.

“We ended up sending letters to the girl scouts and another one to the boy scouts. And I’ve been racking my brain. Anyone my kids have been around in the last month, I’ve tried to call,” said Engelking.

Hennepin County is on pace to have more than 200 cases of whooping cough this year, which is far more than the 86 reported last year.

“Hennepin County, this may be their year to kind of be a big county for pertussis,” said Kris Ehresmann of the Department of Health.

The Department of Health recommends that kids get five doses of the vaccine by the time they are six, but it isn’t 100 percent effective. It also has waning immunity, meaning kids need a booster called “Tdap” when they are 11 or 12 years old. Because whooping cough can be life-threatening to babies, it’s recommended that parents get a booster, too.

“The reason it is a concern is because we have infants that are born each year who are vulnerable. And we want to get this under control so that we don’t see transmission to the most vulnerable populations,” said Ehresmann.

Whooping cough is also known as the “100-Day Cough” and doctors say it can last that long.

The first symptoms are similar to a cold, but after a couple weeks it becomes a severe cough, when coughing spells go on without a break. Some children make a high-pitch “whooping” sound when breathing-in after a cough attack.

If your child has any of these symptoms, experts recommend that they see a doctor.

This is an update to a Dimension story WCCO first aired November 18, 1996.

MAHTOMEDI (WCCO) — In high school, fitting in is difficult enough. Many teenagers just want to be like “everyone else” and not to be labeled as “different.” But imagine navigating those years without sound.

Every day, the soft spoken, shy Mahtomedi High School Senior finds her voice in the alto section of Mr. Pontious’ choir class.

“And the home of the brave …,” she sings as the class practices the Star Spangled Banner.

The songs are a measure of Andria’s bravery, when you consider she was once a girl who was never supposed to hear a sound.

WCCO-TV first met Andria on her second birthday, when she understood music and words only through sign language.

“I’ll never forget, hearing the doctor say, ‘she is profoundly deaf. She has no hearing and will probably never speak,’ and I can truly feel it like it was yesterday,” said mother Laure Warner.

That’s when her parents, Laure and Gene Warner, made what was once a controversial decision to change Andria’s future.

WCCO followed back in fall of 1996 when they brought her to the University of Iowa to receive a cochlear implant. At the time, some in the deaf community disapproved. Opponents told the Warner family a child should be old enough to choose the life altering procedure on their own, but Laure and Gene saw the tiny device as opportunity.

A cochlear implant has two parts: first, a microphone worn outside the ear through a magnet picks up sound.

It transmits the signals to a surgically placed receiver inside, converting the signals to electrical impulses down to an electrode implanted in the cochlea of the ear. Finally, the brain registers the sounds.

Andria’s first sounds were her own cries, and finally laughter. An implant doesn’t restore normal hearing, but gave her the means to hear her environment, and understand speech.

The National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders tracks the number of cochlear implants in the US and says, “according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as of December 2010, approximately 219,000 people worldwide have received implants.” In the United States, roughly 42,600 adults and 28,400 children have received them.

The Rochester Mayo Clinic and University of Minnesota Medical Center report that their teams each place cochlear implants in about 100 patients a year, and each hospital has placed approximately 1,000 cochlear implants to date. Patients range from 6 months old all the way to people in their 90s.

Today, many receive implants in both ears, when back in 1996, Andria received the implant in one ear.

As Andria began to navigate her new world with an implant, reality also pierced her silence.

“She asked me, ‘why do I have to wear this?’ And I said, ‘when you were born, your ears were broken,’” said Gene Warner, fighting tears. “That was the beginning of her understanding she was different.”

When Andria received her implant, Gene and Laure didn’t know their youngest daughter Talia, who was just a baby at the time, was also deaf.

Talia received cochlear implants just a year and a half after Andria. She’s now 16 years old.

“I feel like it’s a light switch, kind of. That’s how I explain it,” said Talia, referring to the change when her implant is on or off.

Andria best describes life without her implant as lonely.

“When I turn it back on, it’s kind of like sound, like flowers, I don’t know,” she said.

As teenagers, they also admit they sometimes prefer to turn their listening abilities off.

“On a day off of school Talia will spend probably 80 percent of her day with her implant off and we’ll get frustrated, we will call her and she won’t answer and then we know,” said Laure.

“Sometimes, when I am mad, I’m like, ‘you guys will never understand,’” said Talia.

“Sometimes they don’t understand what we are going through, like at school, stuff like that,” said Andria.

That’s why Andria and Talia’s bond is also their safety net. The girls play high school hockey together, and on the rink, only want to only be recognized for their athletic ability.

‘To be quite honest, I didn’t even know they were hearing impaired, until I was told,” said John Akins, their school guidance counselor and hockey coach. “I think they are a great example. I see them at school quite a bit, walking the halls and they are just like any other kid in school.”

The girls set goals together in study period, walk side by side in the hallways. Andria and Talia say they need their eyes to listen, such as to read lips, especially in crowds. For example, the girls say in the noise of the lunchroom they would struggle to hear someone call their name.

“That is the hardest part, being different or needing that extra help at school. We try to be as normal as possible, fit in, like our friends or whatever,” said Andria.

Despite the constant challenges, both succeed academically, just as their big sister, Natale Mooney, dreamed all those years ago.

“I look at them today and they are truly miracles, and they have accomplished more than some other peers their age. They are true example of perseverance and just what it’s like to overcome a challenge. I mean, we could all learn something from them. And they’ve done it with such grace,” Natale said.

In choir, Mr. Pontious wrote a college recommendation letter for Andria, and in a last second decision, decided not to mention her cochlear implant. Among all her achievements, he says, it seems irrelevant.

“She is amazing. For her to match pitch at the level she matches pitch, it’s a big deal. Every day, I am amazed that she can sit in my choir, with these other groups. We do difficult repertoire here, and she can stand up and do it with everybody else. I think that’s miraculous,” he said.

Andria does stand out after all, not because of her implant, but what else is inside. It’s the quiet determination and resounding courage of a girl who can no longer remember when her world was once silent.

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What is laparoscopic surgery?

Laparoscopic or “minimally invasive” surgery is a specialized technique for performing surgery. In the past, this technique was commonly used for gynecologic surgery and for gall bladder surgery. Over the last 10 years the use of this technique has expanded into intestinal surgery. In traditional “open” surgery the surgeon uses a single incision to enter into the abdomen. Laparoscopic surgery uses several 0.5-1cm incisions. Each incision is called a “port.” At each port a tubular instrument known as a trochar is inserted. Specialized instruments and a special camera known as a laparoscope are passed through the trochars during the procedure. At the beginning of the procedure, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to provide a working and viewing space for the surgeon. The laparoscope transmits images from the abdominal cavity to high-resolution video monitors in the operating room. During the operation the surgeon watches detailed images of the abdomen on the monitor. This system allows the surgeon to perform the same operations as traditional surgery but with smaller incisions.

In certain situations a surgeon may choose to use a special type of port that is large enough to insert a hand. When a hand port is used the surgical technique is called “hand assisted” laparoscopy. The incision required for the hand port is larger than the other laparoscopic incisions, but is usually smaller than the incision required for traditional surgery.

What are the advantages of laparoscopic surgery?

Compared to traditional open surgery, patients often experience less pain, a shorter recovery, and less scarring with laparoscopic surgery.
What kinds of operations can be performed using laparoscopic surgery?

Most intestinal surgeries can be performed using the laparoscopic technique. These include surgery for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, cancer, rectal prolapse and severe constipation.

In the past there had been concern raised about the safety of laparoscopic surgery for -cancer operations. Recently several studies involving hundreds of patients have shown that laparoscopic surgery is safe for certain ¬colorectal cancers.

How safe is laparoscopic surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is as safe as traditional open surgery. At the beginning of a laparoscopic operation the laparoscope is inserted through a small incision near the belly button (umbilicus). The surgeon initially inspects the abdomen to determine whether laparoscopic surgery may be safely performed. If there is a large amount of inflammation or if the surgeon encounters other factors that prevent a clear view of the structures the surgeon may need to make a larger incision in order to complete the operation safely.

Any intestinal surgery is associated with ¬certain risks such as complications related anesthesia and bleeding or infectious complications. The risk of any operation is determined in part by the nature of the specific operation. An individual’s general heath and other medical conditions are also factors that affect the risk of any operation. You should discuss with your surgeon your individual risk for any operation.

To find a Colon and Rectal Surgeon near you please visit www.fascrs.org.

© 2008 American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons

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By Andrew Spiegel, Esquire
Chief Executive Officer, Colon Cancer Alliance

When is the last time you talked about colon cancer? It’s a disease no one wants to talk about, yet it is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. A lot of work has gone into bringing awareness to this disease, but because it deals with part of the body that our society is uncomfortable talking about, many suffer needlessly because they postponed a colonoscopy or neglected it altogether.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and a great opportunity to openly discuss the disease and learn how we can prevent it. Understanding risk factors, symptoms, and screening options will not only help in avoiding the disease, but could mean the difference between life and death.

Many believe that if they have no symptoms, they are in the clear, but this kind of thinking can be deadly. Colon cancer most often has no symptoms until it has already progressed to later stages, making it much more difficult to treat. The good news is that a routine colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 50 for most individuals could help save thousands of lives in this country every year because polyps can be found and removed before they have a chance to turn into cancer.

It is important to realize that colon cancer doesn’t just affect those over the age of 50 nor does it affect just men. In fact, statistics show that colon cancer affects both genders equally. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 150,000 people will be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer this year with women accounting for 70,000 new cases. Everyone should be aware of the risk factors. Knowing your family health history is imperative. If someone in your family battled colon cancer OR had colon polyps, you probably need to be screened earlier and should talk to your doctor right away. Also, if you suffer from Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis or Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you are at an increased risk of developing this disease.

The results of screening are undeniable. Screening can reduce colon cancer deaths by up to 90%. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable diseases and is a very curable cancer…if it’s caught early. Sadly, too many cases are diagnosed in the later stages of the disease when treatment is challenging.

The Colon Cancer Alliance is working hard to change the way people talk about colon cancer, encouraging frank and open discussions at events across the country. On March 2nd, Dress in Blue Day will sweep across the nation, uniting survivors and families and spreading the message that this is a disease we can do something about – if we take action and get screened. Why blue? Much like the pink ribbon for breast cancer, the blue star of hope is the universal symbol for colon cancer. Participants in the Dress in Blue Day program spearhead educational and fundraising events in their offices, schools and communities.

One in 19 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, but you have the power to change that by starting a simple conversation with your family and friends and making sure you’re taking care of YOU. But I hope you won’t stop there. If you’d like to join the fight against this disease, the Colon Cancer Alliance has a multitude of volunteer opportunities. Please visit www.ccalliance.org to find out how you can help.

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Andrew Spiegel is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), the leading national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing screening rates and survivorship. The CCA provides hope and support to patients and their families, while saving lives through screening, access, awareness, advocacy and research.

To learn more, visit www.ccalliance.org.

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In many cases, colorectal cancer can be prevented. Still, it’s one of the 5 most common cancers in men and women in the United States. Colorectal cancer is also one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States. Don’t let these 5 common myths stop you from getting the lifesaving tests you need, when you need them.

Myth: Colorectal cancer is a man’s disease.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is just as common among women as men. Each year, about 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and about 50,000 die from the disease.

Myth: Colorectal cancer cannot be prevented.

Truth: In many cases colorectal cancer can be prevented. Colorectal cancer almost always starts with a small growth called a polyp. If the polyp is found early, doctors can remove it and stop colorectal cancer before it starts. These tests can find polyps: double contrast barium enema, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy).

To help lower your chances of getting colorectal cancer:

• Get to and stay at a healthy weight.
• Be physically active.
• Eat a diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and less red or processed meat.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
• Don’t use tobacco in any form.

Myth: African Americans are not at risk for colorectal cancer.

Truth: African-American men and women are diagnosed with and die from colorectal cancer at higher rates than men and women of any other US racial or ethnic group. The reason for this is not yet understood.

Myth: Age doesn’t matter when it comes to getting colorectal cancer.

Truth: More than 90% of all colorectal cancers are found in people who are 50 and older. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends you start getting checked for this cancer when you are 50. People who are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer — such as those who have colon or rectal cancer in their families — may need to begin testing when they are younger. Ask your doctor when you should start getting tested.

Myth: It’s better not to get tested for colorectal cancer because it’s deadly anyway.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is often highly treatable. If it is found and treated early (while it is small and before it has spread), the 5-year survival rate is about 90%. But because many people are not getting tested, only about 4 out of 10 are diagnosed at this early stage when treatment is most likely to be successful.

To find out if you are at an increased risk for colorectal cancer and what you can do to try to keep from getting this disease, please read Colorectal Cancer Early Detection.

Last Medical Review: 05/10/2011
Last Revised: 05/10/2011

Learn more about colon cancer at cancer.org/colon.

© American Cancer Society

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Why should there be a postoperative follow-up program?

Surgery is the most effective treatment for colorectal cancer. Even when all visible cancer has been removed, it is possible for cancer cells to be present in other areas of the body. These cancer deposits, when very small, are undetectable at the time of surgery, but they can begin to grow at a later time. The chance of recurrence depends on the characteristics of the original cancer and the effectiveness of chemotherapy, if needed, or other follow up treatment. Patients with recurrent cancers – if diagnosed early – may benefit, or be cured, by further surgery or other treatment.

Another good reason for postoperative follow up is to look for new colon or rectal polyps. Approximately one in five patients who has had colon cancer will develop a new polyp at a later time in life. It is important to detect and remove these polyps before they become cancerous.

How long will my follow-up program last?

Most recurrent cancers are detected within the first two years after surgery. Therefore, follow up is most frequent during this period of time. After five years, nearly all cancers that are going to recur will have done so. Follow up after five years is primarily to detect new polyps, and can, therefore, be less frequent but advisable for life.
What might I expect at my follow-up visit?

Your doctor will examine you approximately every two or three months for the first two years, and discuss your progress. A CEA blood test can be done, as a method of trying to detect recurrence of cancer. Because this test is not totally reliable, other follow up examinations may be advised. These examinations may include flexible sigmoidoscopy (an examination of the rectum and lower colon with a flexible, lighted instrument), colonoscopy (examination of the entire colon with a long flexible instrument), chest x-rays, and sometimes CT scans or ultrasound tests.

What about my family?

Close relatives of patients with colon and rectal cancer (parents, brothers, sisters, children) are at increased risk for the disease. Because of this, periodic examination of the lining of the colon, using a colonoscope to detect small polyps, is advised. If polyps are promptly detected and removed, cancers cannot develop. Other factors which increase the risk of developing polyps or cancer include cancer occurring at an early age, and a personal history of breast or female genital cancer.

To find a Colon and Rectal Surgeon near you please visit www.fascrs.org.

© 2008 American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons

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By Andrew Spiegel, Esquire
Chief Executive Officer, Colon Cancer Alliance

One in three people 50 years or older has not been screened for colon cancer, yet screening could help save their lives. This statistic is just one of the troubling findings of a national study by the Colon Cancer Alliance, the leading national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing screening rates and survivorship, and Quest Diagnostics, a leading diagnostic testing company. The two organizations recently teamed up to uncover the barriers that prevent people from being tested for colon cancer (also known as colorectal cancer), the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the U.S.

Screening by colonoscopy, fecal immunochemical tests and other methods help identify colon cancer in early stages when it is still highly treatable. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends screening for every man and woman of average risk, beginning at age 50. African Americans, smokers and anyone who has a family history or other risk factors should be tested even earlier. Yet, the Colon Cancer Alliance study found that many people 50 and over are not being screened. Moreover, the barriers to screening ranged from the lack of recommendation for screening by a healthcare professional to time and cost constraints. The study also suggested that fear of the bowel preparation, side effects and anesthesia typically associated with colonoscopy are additional barriers.

“Any death from colon cancer due to a failure to screen is a tragedy that could have been prevented,” said Andrew Spiegel, chief executive officer of the Colon Cancer Alliance. “I encourage people to talk to their health care providers about the importance of colon cancer screening, their risk factors for colon cancer, and the different screening tests available. With increased screening rates, deaths from colon cancer may one day be a thing of the past.”

Colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in America, and worldwide. About 50,000 Americans and over 600,000 people worldwide die each year from what is a very preventable disease. The Colon Cancer Alliance recently partnered with its European equivalent, EuropaColon to form an international colon cancer advocacy organization, Global Colon Cancer Alliance. The goal of the Global organization is to teach people worldwide how to advocate for colon cancer screening programs and share some of the successes learned in the US and Europe.

Colon cancer is the most preventable major cancer through screening. There are no excuses for not undergoing a simple screening test to prevent a very deadly disease which takes the life of an American every 9 minutes. We encourage all to talk to their doctor about whether a colon cancer screening test is appropriate for them. 1 in 19 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, but you have the power to change that by starting a simple conversation with your family and friends and making sure you’re taking care of YOU. But I hope you won’t stop there. If you’d like to join the fight against this disease, the Colon Cancer Alliance has a multitude of volunteer opportunities. Please visit www.ccalliance.org to find out how you can help.

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Andrew Spiegel is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), the leading national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing screening rates and survivorship. The CCA provides hope and support to patients and their families, while saving lives through screening, access, awareness, advocacy and research.

To learn more, visit www.ccalliance.org.

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By Durado Brooks, MD, MPH

Embarrassing! Painful! Disgusting!!

These are some of the words that come to mind for lots of folks when they think about getting tested for colorectal cancer. Let’s face it – this involves a part of the body and bodily functions that people don’t talk about in polite conversation. Hopefully I can convince you that they (and you) need to get past this attitude and get on with testing.

Cancers of the colon and the rectum (the last sections of the digestive system) are extremely common. In fact, they’re the third most common cancer in US men and women. The good news is the rates of this disease have been falling steadily over the past 20 years, and a big part of the decrease is directly related to testing for colorectal cancer. You see, not only can testing help find the disease early, when it’s highly treatable, but testing can actually help to prevent the disease! That’s because most colorectal cancers start as a small, non-cancerous growth called a polyp. Finding and removing these polyps stops cancer before it starts.

You’d think that with these proven benefits people would be lining up to get tested – yet 4 out of every 10 adults who should get tested are missing out on this possibly life-saving opportunity. Why? There are a lot of myths about colorectal cancer that people use as excuses to avoid getting tested. The following are some of the myths about testing, as well as the facts people need to know.

Myth/Excuse: “No one in my family had colorectal cancer, so I don’t need to get tested.”

Fact: Most people who get colorectal cancer DO NOT have a family history of the disease. The most common reason for getting colorectal cancer is simply getting older. Risk starts to go up around age 50 and continues to rise for the rest of your life. If you have a family history of the disease your risk is even higher, but, family history or not, everyone 50 and older should get tested.

Myth/Excuse: “I’m not having any symptoms so I don’t need to worry.”

Fact: Many people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer have no symptoms, and people with polyps rarely have symptoms. If you wait to get tested after symptoms develop you might miss the chance to prevent the disease or to find it before it grows and spreads.

Myth/Excuse: “If I have cancer there is nothing they can do about it, so why bother getting tested?”

Fact: Colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer. When the disease is found at an early stage (before it spreads outside of the colon) most people can be treated very successfully and go on to live long, full lives. Regular testing increases the chance that the disease will be found at this early, most treatable stage.

Myth/Excuse: “The tests are embarrassing and painful!”

Fact: There are actually a number of different tests for colorectal cancer. The most common tests are stool tests and the colonoscopy. Stool tests are used to look for small, invisible amounts of blood passed in a bowel movement that might indicate a polyp or cancer. These simple tests are performed in the privacy of your home. A colonoscopy is done by a specialist in a hospital or outpatient center. The test is done in a private room with no other patients around. A thin lighted tube is inserted into the rectum and allows the doctor to view the inner lining of your colon. Many people fear that this test will be painful. In fact, people who are having a colonoscopy are given medicine to help them relax; many people sleep through the exam.

Most of the complaints about colonoscopy actually are not about the test, but instead are about preparing for the test. In order for the doctor to get a good look at the colon lining the colon has to be cleaned out with strong laxatives, so people spend a lot of time in the bathroom during the evening before the test. This is not convenient and it’s not comfortable, but it’s a small price to pay for a test that may save your life.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. Take this opportunity to talk about it! If you haven’t been tested, talk to your doctor. If you’ve been tested, talk to your family and friends. Make sure they know the facts and encourage them to get tested. Accept No Excuses!

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Dr. Brooks is director of prostate and colorectal cancers for the American Cancer Society.

Get more insights from the experts at the American Cancer Society at cancer.org/expertvoices.

© American Cancer Society

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – School lunches for kids are about to get a lot healthier.

The government is announcing new nutrition standards for school meals. First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack went to lunch at an Alexandria, Va., school on Wednesday to announce the new guidelines.

They include serving fruits and vegetables every day of the week, more whole grains and less salt and fat. Schools will also have to serve low fat milk, and limit calories by controlling portion size.

“When we send our kids to school we have a right to expect that they won’t be eating the kinds of fatty, salty, sugary foods that we’re trying to keep from them when they are at home,” Obama said.

These new rules are the first major changes to school nutrition in 15 years. They aren’t as aggressive as the Obama administration wanted. Congress blocked some changes that would have limited french fries and pizzas.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — We all want our kids to do good in school. Now, a new study shows If you want your child to get better grades you may want to make sure they’re getting physically active.

Researchers in the Netherlands analyzed 14 studies from the United States, Canada and South Africa and found strong evidence of a relationship between physical activity and academic performance.

“Increased circulation to the brain, it may have some positive effects in terms of the neurotransmitters, the chemicals that are responsible for behavior and learning and even in terms of attention span,” said Dr. Andrew Adesman.

Most of the studies focused on the physical activity kids got at school, from gym class to sports clubs. But many school systems are cutting sports and physical education programs to save money.

Pediatricians hope these new findings will put an emphasis back on exercise.

“What we can’t do is continue to cut physical activity from the schedule of children in grade school with the thought that it’s going to improve their academics. In fact it may work against us,” Adesman said.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Many Minnesotans are told to take Vitamin D in the winter due to a lack of sun. But is that enough?

New research weighs in on whether the vitamin is effective at preventing bone fractures or cancer.

Watch the report above for more!

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Taking part in sports may not be enough to keep young people from being overweight, according to a University of Minnesota study.

The study shows nearly half of overweight kids, ages 12 to 17, also take part in organized physical activities.

The researchers say they’re findings show activity alone may not be enough to combat obesity.

They say the problem is what they call the high-calorie culture in youth sports.

Researchers blame snacks during games, sugary drinks, concession stands at games, and post-game fast food trips. They say all that junk food counteracts the physical activity.

More evidence is linking newer birth control pills to a higher risk of serious blood clots. In Health Watch, a new study by Israeli researchers focused on pills like Yaz and Yasmin.

Watch the report above.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — In Health Watch, there are new guidelines out about cervical cancer screening. And, for many women, it will mean fewer trips to the doctor’s office.

Watch the report above!

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The University of Minnesota brought together a couple of brain cancer patients with very similar stories, but with one major difference. John Huls is a man and Piper is a Golden Retriever.

They are both part of the same Glioma treatment group.

On Monday, Piper was a special guest at the University. She was back for her final shot of a vaccine, which is made from the cells found in the tumor a veterinary surgeon cut out of her brain.

“What we’re trying to do with the vaccine is to turn on the body’s immune system,” said Dr. Elizabeth Pluhar, a veterinary surgeon at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center.

In many ways, Huls owes his life to Piper and her doctor.

The treatment worked so well on Piper and 49 other dogs that a similar vaccine is being tested on eight people. WCCO-TV introduced you to Zach and Batman about a month ago, and, on Monday, the University introduced Piper and Huls to each other.

“I’ve always been a dog lover,” said Huls, a retired stockbroker and Air Force pilot from St. Cloud.

Huls had his tumor removed two years ago at the Mayo Clinic. In July, he started the experimental treatment at the University,

“I’ve never felt better,” he said. “I have good stamina, vitality and my cognitive functions are as good as they ever were.”

“I just had twin boys last year,” said his daughter, Becky. “They’re 15 months old now, so if that original prognosis, you know, turned out, he wouldn’t have even met them. And now … we’re just up at the cabin together.”

“To hear how good he feels,” said Pluhar, “I just can’t even express how wonderful that makes me feel, that we started here with, you know, the dogs.”

Dr. John Ohlfest leads the human trial. He said since the vaccine seems to work without surgery, the next trial will focus on children with tumors in their brain stems, where they can’t even try surgery.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The University of Minnesota attracted an enormous delivery Wednesday morning — 39,000 pounds of magnets.

The magnets, weighing between 6,000 and 18,000 pounds, were delivered to the Biomedical Nuclear Magnetic Resonance facility on the Minneapolis campus.

Giant cranes had to place the three high-powered magnets, which will assist in molecular research. The University brought in three specialized engineers from other countries to oversee the placement of the magnets.

The University says the magnets will help advance research done to fight HIV, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — America has seen a 77-percent increase in cosmetic procedures over the past decade. And that’s just the beginning.

Trend experts say 70 million baby boomers have no intention of acting — or looking — their age. It’s estimated that by 2015, the quest to stay young will grow to a $114 billion annual industry — a leap of nearly 50 percent in spending.

Facelifts, tightening, tugging and laser-zapping our way to smoother skin are just some of the options. Botox injections top the list of popular interventions at 5.5 million procedures yearly.

“They’re very helpful to improve the look of a face without dramatically changing it with surgery,” said Dermatologist Malinee Saxena.

She said healthy lifestyles and healthy attitudes really are the place to begin.

“It is nothing that you need. It is not medically necessary,” Saxena said. “If it’s something that really bothers you every day and you need to change your self-esteem, then it’s a reasonable thing to look into.”

Saxena said one of the best things you can do for your skin is free. It’s called shade. Find some. You can also find it in a bottle. Sometimes they label it as sunscreen.

“So the No. 1 thing that will help prevent aging skin is sunscreen and sunscreen every day. If you’re in your car, you’re in the sun and people forget that,” she said.

Saxena said sunscreens should have at least a 30 SPF and cover UVA and UVB light. Next, she says, don’t smoke. It’s terrible for your tissues — inside and out. Also, exercise and healthy eating really do translate into a more youthful look and feel.

So, don’t be shy if you have a cosmetic question for a specialist but experts say if you’re happy with who you see in the mirror, that’s a good reflection on you, too.

“Well, you know, more power to ‘em. I agree. But sometimes you just have to grow old, gracefully,” said Jennifer Wesley.

Saxena recommends that we do a little homework when choosing our doctors and look for those who are board certified in their specialties.

She also said over-the-counter skin creams with retinol are one of the cheapest products you can buy that work.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Two years ago a dog named Batman made a fairly miraculous recovery from a killer cancer. What doctors learned from Batman is now showing real promise at helping save people.

One year after being treated for a tumor that kills most dogs within 30 days of diagnosis, Batman, a 12-year-old pooch, was cancer-free.

University of Minnesota veterinary surgeon Liz Pluhar cut out most of the tumor. To mop up the scattered cancer cells, Batman was given a custom cancer vaccine.

Under a research grant, nine dogs had the procedure and all of them had their brain cancers shrink or disappear.

“We did it in mice and we cured mice. Then we did it in dogs and we cured dogs,” said pediatric neuro-oncologist Dr. Chris Moertel. “Now it’s a matter of proving the practicality in human beings.”

Seventeen-year-old Zach Mathieu is helping put the cancer vaccine to the test. Until last October, the world knew Zach as dynamite wakeboarder, an A-student and all-around great kid from a big, loving family.

Then he was told he had eight months to live.

“I was falling a lot,” Zach said.

“He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, stage four, multi-forming,” said Zach’s mother, Jennifer Mathieu. “It’s a very nasty, aggressive form of brain cancer.”

After chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, Zach was out of options, so his family brought him to the University of Minnesota where Zach was accepted for the first round trial of the cancer vaccine.

The trial led to some very good news.

“This is phenomenal that you’re at week eight and you have a completely stable to smaller tumor,” Zach was recently told at a check-up.

Moertel said the process begins with tumor cells in the lab.

“We grown that in a selective culture so that it expresses the characteristics of what we call brain tumor stem cells,” said Moertel. “And we combine that with cells from the patient’s immune system that we harvest those in a process we call phoresis.”

Moertel said they’re much more reluctant to use the word “cure” when talking about human patients, but the nine volunteers enrolled in this first phase of the human clinical trial, including Zach, can hope to achieve a better quality of life.

“We’re still fairly early, but we’re gratified to see that Zach has had no tumor progression at all,” said Moertel.

“I consider Dr. Moertel a hero,” Zach said.

There are lots of heroes in this story at the University of Minnesota Veterinary College, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital, the volunteers and Moertel’s team.

“He’s given us hope. That’s a great thing,” said Zach’s mother.

Zach will get his custom vaccine once a month for a year. Just as the research in dogs now helps people, researchers say what is learned in people could be used to save more dogs.

It could also speed up the progress of medicine far faster than what could be accomplished in the lab alone.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (WCCO) — Normandale Community College in Bloomington announced a win-win for job seekers Thursday: Course work in a field with jobs that are in demand.

In July, Minnesota lost 19,800 jobs, sending its unemployment rate up slightly to 7.2 percent. Despite these figures, the college found a national shortage of 51,000 Health IT workers.

“Clinics and hospitals are actually scrambling to find people,” says Dr. James Welters from Northwest Family Physicians, “Having someone you can turn to to just do it, allows me and my partners and my staff to get back to work and taking care of patients.”

So, the $500 class crams two years worth of classes related to the field into six months. It’s cheap because of an $800,000 Federal Stimulus Grant, but the school must also enroll 150 people.

Students who graduated last Spring in the school’s first class say the payoff was immediate.

“Demand for this type of work is going to be very high,” said graduate Paul Jorgenson. “Actually, starting Monday I have a consulting job I’m going to do.”

Instructors say it’s open to anyone who either has a background in “working in” or “working with” jobs in Healthcare or IT.

“It’s all via internet, so if you lived outstate, you could take the program. If you live right here, you can take the program,” says Sunny Ainley.

It’s also open to all ages.

“Peers in my class the age range average was 49 or 50 years old,” says Paul Jorgenson. “So, a lot of us were nervous going back to school.”

With a job about to begin, however, Jorgenson’s nerves have turned to excitement.

With doctors’ offices across the country having to be 100 percent digital by 2014, demand for these jobs should only increase.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — It’s been shown that lower flu vaccination years tend to have worse disease outbreaks. So, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is pushing the message earlier this year: Get vaccinated.

The hard numbers from the CDC make flu vaccination sound like an easy decision. Approximately 65 million Americans get the bug annually, which leads to a projected 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths.

With unused vaccine left over last season, the CDC hopes more people will get immunized and protected if it’s available earlier. Virtually everyone over 6 months old is encouraged to get immunized against the flu.

Target launched its flu vaccine program at all of its stores and clinics with an emphasis on convenience. Most insurance coverage is accepted.

When insurance doesn’t cover the cost, Target’s price is $25 for the shot and $36 for the flu mist.

“No appointments, so guests are able to get it fairly easily and get it at a lower cost,” said Desri Rogstad, a Target Pharmacist.

If the there is a rush on vaccines once the flu season begins, Target prepared by getting immunization certification for pharmacists at its 1,650 stores.

The CDC announced the three virus strains to be covered in this year’s flu vaccine in mid-July. It determined that H1N1, H3N2 and an influenza B virus are most likely to be circulating this fall and winter.

The very young, very old and chronically ill are most at risk from complications of the flu.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A new autism study found that siblings of children with autism have a much greater risk of developing the disorder than first thought.

Researchers followed 664 babies who had a sibling with autism and found that those babies had a 20 times greater chance of having autism as well.

“Our finding indicate … the recurrence of autism within families is at least double what we thought it was previously,” said Dr. Ted Hutman, of the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment.

With the risk even higher now, experts say doctors will use the new findings to counsel parents of children with autism who want to have more kids.

It’s already known that autism is more common in boys than girls, and in the study, boys with siblings with autism had a 26 percent risk of autism compared to 9 percent risk for girls.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — There’s a new type of surgery that can stop heartburn — without an incision.

The surgery, designed by Dr. Miguel Burch, works by strengthening a person’s valve so food can go down, and not back up.

“What changed is the valve at the end of the esophagus probably started off weak an just got weaker over time,” said Burch, who works at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. “We put an endoscope down and through it a sewing machine, it allows us to shape the stomach.”

Doctors do point out that this surgery should be done as a last resort. Heartburn can be lessened by losing a few pounds or by cutting out caffeine.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the individual was hospitalized in Minnesota after traveling through western states, including North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. Laboratory analysis in Minnesota confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax.

The MDH is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the investigation. Because anthrax can be used as a bioterrorism agent, the FBI was involved in the investigation, but since there is no evidence suggesting it was a criminal or terrorist act, they are no longer actively investigating the incident.

Health officials say that this case does not represent an increased risk of anthrax to the public.

“All evidence points to this case of anthrax being caused by exposure to naturally occurring anthrax in the environment,” said Minnesota State Epidemiologist Ruth Lynfield.

In rare cases, individuals can become sickened by anthrax if they handle infected animal carcasses or ingest contaminated soil or meat from infected animals. The individual apparently had exposure to soil and animal remains.

Because these cases are so rare, health officials are not discouraging people from traveling to areas where anthrax can be found naturally in the environment.

More information on anthrax, symptoms and treatment, visit the MDH website.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – More than 100 medical devices have been recalled after a report showed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) process of approving them is flawed.

Some of the recalled devices have caused serious harm to patients, even death.
Katherine Ayers had one of those recalled devices implanted into her body.

She had hip replacement surgery five years ago, and she was doing great until her implant was recalled.

Metal from the hip transplant started eroding in her body, and she had to undergo a second surgery six months ago.

“Having to have a bigger incision and have more things cut into again… it just was a lot longer recovery,” Ayers said.

Ayer’s implant was approved through the FDA’s 510 (K) process, a program the Institute of Medicine now finds flawed.

Devices get approved faster in the FDA process, because companies just need to show their devices are similar to ones already on the market.

A recent study shows more than 100 devices were recalled between 2005 and 2009, affecting tens of thousands of patients.

The Advanced Medical Technology Association, whose members produce medical devices, disagrees with the report and says abandoning the current program would be a disservice to patients and public health.

Leaders of the Minnesota Nurses Association bargaining committee are recommending nurses reject the offer.

Peter Danielson, a member of the union bargaining team, says issues include safe staffing levels and management’s proposed concessions from nurses on health-care and pension plans.

Sanford Bemidji Chief Operations Officer Joy Johnson says Sanford has presented “a fair plan based on current economic realities.”

The MNA represents more than 230 nurses at Sanford Bemidji. The two sides have been negotiating since April. The current contract expired on Feb. 28.

Sanford Health recently bought the Bemidji hospital, previously known as North Country Regional Hospital.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

PLYMOUTH, Minn. (WCCO) – While watching 3-year-old Jacqueline at a Plymouth daycare, one would never know she has a condition that about one in 3,000 children is born with. It is a condition more common in children than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease combined, and you have probably never heard of it.

It is neurofibromatosis, nicknamed NF, a genetic condition that causes tumors to grow along the nerves. Until Jacqueline was diagnosed, her mother, Joanne Pastel, had never heard of NF.

Pastel is a Twin Cities children’s author who writes “Bur Bur & Friends,” which features young characters with disabilities and medical conditions. But, to accomplish more for Jacqueline and other children with NF, Pastel joined the board of the Children’s Tumor Foundation, a group dedicated to “ending neurofibromatosis through research.”

“I feel so lucky that, so far, [Jacqueline] seems to have a milder case of it,” Pastel said. “But I want to be able to help everyone, and hopefully we can help find a cure for it.”

The University of Minnesota has one of the largest research centers in the world dedicated to understanding neurofibromatosis. While there is no cure yet, they have already made progress in managing the complications caused by the condition.

Dr. Christopher Moertel, a pediatric neuro-oncologist, said that the U of M’s research has made progress in managing the bone disorders caused by NF as well as the malignancies that might emanate from it.

“In the olden days, people could go blind developing optical gliomas in the context of neurofibromatosis,” he said. “Now, we’ve developed therapies that we can prevent those optic gliomas and save vision.”

There’s no newborn screening for NF. Café’ au lait birthmarks that appear in the first few months of life and get darker or more numerous are often a clue for diagnosis.

A NF forum, featuring specialists from around the country, will gather in the Twin Cities Thursday. For more information on the forum, click here.

The health and welfare spending bill signed into law earlier this week by Gov. Mark Dayton cuts or delays $435 million in payments to HMOs, which together have state contracts worth about $3 billion this year. The HMO cuts account for more than two-fifths of the spending reductions for health and welfare programs. The reductions were part of a budget deal that ended a 20-day government shutdown, the nation’s longest in at least a decade.

The pinch comes a few months after the Democratic governor put the plans on notice that his administration planned to extract savings through competitive bidding, stepped-up public scrutiny of their state contracts and an agreement to give back some of their profits of this year. During budget negotiations, Dayton’s focus on the health plans lined up with a GOP desire to rein in health and welfare spending as the state faced a $5 billion budget gap.

“Last year or the year before, they would have stonewalled all of this. This time, they knew they had to change,” GOP Rep. Jim Abeler, who heads the House health and human services spending panel, said Friday.

Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson, one of Dayton’s top advisers, said Dayton and Republicans both wanted to get a grip on rising medical costs.

Jesson said during the budget negotiations, her department received competitive bids from health plans for next year’s state contracts in the Twin Cities area, and used the information to help determine the size of the cuts. The new budget reduces projected spending on health plans by $277 million, while delaying another $135 million into the next budget cycle and holding back $23 million unless HMOs meet aggressive goals to reduce emergency room visits, hospitalizations and hospital readmissions by patients.

“We were not just blindly cutting rates — we were doing it knowing what the industry could bear,” Jesson said.

Jesson and Abeler both said they expect the state cuts to force plans to better manage patient care, including coordinating between various health care providers who treat the same person and coordinating medical care with social services.

Health plans still are working out how to handle the financial hit.

Eileen Smith, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, said the plans will need cooperation across the entire health care system in order to reduce real costs instead of shifting the burden to privately insured patients.

“Just reducing a premium or capping a premium or cutting what you’re going to pay doesn’t reduce the cost of health care,” Smith said. “It reduces the state’s cost, but health insurance is expensive because health care is expensive.”

Jesson said the new budget doesn’t just cut costs, but also aims to reshape the health care system to make it work better.

She added that Minnesota HMOs have profited more in recent years from state contracts than from private business.

“They shouldn’t be making the amounts of money they have on the public programs,” Jesson said. “I don’t think they will end up shifting costs. I think they can absorb these cuts without shifting costs.”

One of the affected plans is UCare, which earlier this year returned $30 million to the state from its reserves, prompting Dayton to press other plans to do the same. Instead, they agreed to cap profits from this year’s state contracts at 1 percent.

Ghita Worcester, senior vice president at UCare, said the budget cuts are substantial and will not be easy to manage. In particular, the goals for reducing hospital visits might be more than health plans can deliver.

“Minnesota isn’t high nationally in the utilization of those services, so getting the kind of reduction that this language calls for will really take a lot,” Worcester said, adding that the goals are “probably almost outside what I’d be comfortable to say what’s possible.”

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Doctors say the HPV is causing an epidemic of oral cancers in otherwise healthy young men. It’s estimated that HPV causes about 70 percent of cancers of the tongue and tonsils, and 80 percent of these cancers occur in men.

Experts say the cancer is spread through oral contact.

Doctors call it a shocking trend, saying it could be the start of a pandemic.

“To see a change in the demographic like this is concerning, because the patients coming in now are really these clean-living patients. Most of them are professionals. Very few of them have any tobacco history,” said DR. Eric Genden of Mount Sinai Medical Center.

The virus can also be spread through kissing; it can lie dormant for years before possibly developing into cancer.

(CBS) — Summer usually means fun in the sun and leisurely late nights. For some, however, it means more migraines.

“I definitely think I get more in the summer,” said Kristen Deubel, a migraine sufferer. “When they get really bad I do have to spend just hours or even a whole day in bed sometimes.”

Migraine sufferers like Kristen often have to cope with more frequent, debilitating and painful headaches this time of year. Doctors say the picnic menu at backyard barbecues and parties is partly to blame.

“Foods such as cold cuts, pastrami, salami, those are typically made with nitrates, as are hot dogs. So, people eat a lot more of those in the summer and those chemicals can trigger headaches,” said Dr. Juline Bryson, with the Roosevelt Hospital.

The weather itself is another culprit. Heat and humidity cause the body to sweat and lose a lot of water and sodium — that dehydration can spark headaches.

Summer storms with big dips in the barometric pressure can also bring on trouble.

“When the storm clouds are rolling in, when there’s a big “L” on the weather map, people need to be a little more cautious and pay more attention to their triggers,” said Bryson.

To prevent migraines, sticking to the routine is important. Doctors recommend eating and sleeping at the usual time, and taking it easy on the alcohol. Clear, dry alcoholic drinks are less likely to cause an attack.

Kristen tries to do all of that and more.

“It just wasn’t worth it to me anymore to eat those things or drink those things,” said Deubel.

Because she can’t control the weather, but she can control her triggers and enjoy her summer.

The university’s program is the first of its kind in the nation.

“They can do a filling. They can do certain types of crowns. They can do initial assessments on patients” said Ann Leja, Interim Dean at the school’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

WCCO’s Bruce Hagevik Interviews Ann Leja

These dental practitioners will serve areas where dentists are in short supply.

“So they’ll be working in places where people don’t have access or are under-served,” said Leja.

Studies show oral health care is one of the greatest unmet health needs in the nation.

The Minnesota Department of Health says about one third of the 3,000 practicing dentists in the state are 55 or older, and the number entering the profession is not keeping up with the number who are retiring.

The 2009 Minnesota legislature authorized creation of the new category of dental practitioner.

Commander Brian Mueller says three 100-gallon barrels of prescription drugs were collected on April 30 by people who voluntarily turned in unused or unneeded pills.

Mueller says that’s a significant amount of drugs that won’t fall into the wrong hands.

“I spend a lot of time working (on) our drug task force, and we do find that there’s a large scale diversion of a lot of these legitimately prescribed drugs.”

The haul included 1,100 grams of Oxycodone or Percocet, 1,800 grams of Hydrocodone or Vicodin, 650 grams of Codeine, and 550 grams of Amphetamine or Adderall.

Mueller says turning the drugs in to the proper authorities is safer than simply disposing of the pills yourself.

“A lot of these drugs are toxic,” Mueller says. “Simply flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away isn’t good for our environment. We take great precautions that these get disposed of.”

Mueller says they have another drug “take back” planned for the fall, and he says they hope to make it a more frequent occurrence.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Adam Carter Reports

In January 2003, I was 42 and completing my first year of my pediatric residency. My life was extremely busy; I was working 80 to 120 hours a week. When I first complained of being tired, it was attributed to my age and work schedule. Over the next eight months, my symptoms worsened; I became anemic and had blood in my stool.

In August 2003, I was admitted to the hospital. By the end of the week, I had my surgery and diagnosis – Stage IV colon cancer. I started chemotherapy, and during the next two and a half years, I had two recurrences. The first was in my liver and ovary, and the second in my abdominal lymph nodes and my pancreas.

Miraculously, I have been NED (no evidence of disease) since May 2006. I believe that one of the main reasons for my status is my vigilance in following through on my treatment and having my side effects appropriately managed.

Cancer treatment can be difficult; therefore, it is important to aggressively manage any side effects in order to have the opportunity to complete treatment. I cannot stress enough how important this is. Aggressive side effect management increases your likelihood of completing treatment. The main reason that people don’t complete treatment is unpleasant side effects.

Everyone responds differently to treatment, and therefore, not every individual experiences all side effects to the same degree. Talk with your doctor about every pill you are taking, including supplements, as some may interfere with treatment. If a medication is not working, ask your doctor about other options. Be persistent!

Laura Potter

Here are some of the most common side effects of colorectal cancer treatment and how they can be managed or treated:

Nausea and Vomiting

It is important to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting early and aggressively. There are numerous prescription medications available for treating CINV. If a medication is not working, talk to your doctor about trying something else.

Diarrhea

After colon resection, it will take some time for your digestive system to adjust. By trial and error, you will discover which foods you can tolerate. Treatments include prescriptions such as Sandostatin®, a long-acting injection, and over-the-counter loperamide.

Fatigue

If you experience treatment-related fatigue, it is important to rest when you are tired. Plan activities for when you have the most energy. Ask for help from family or friends when fatigue interferes with daily activities. Fatigue may also be a result of depression, pain, or sleep problems. Let your doctor know if you have any of these symptoms.

Peripheral Neuropathy

This may involve tingling and pain in your hands and feet and an inability to tolerate cold. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy usually regress after treatment ends. However, up to 3.5 percent of people still have neuropathy four years after treatment ends. Some anti-epileptics, antidepressants, and creams are helpful in reducing the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. It is also helpful to ingest foods and liquids at room temperature and to keep a pair of gloves near the refrigerator so that you can wear them when getting items out of the fridge or freezer, as your hands will be sensitive to the cold.

Mucositis or Candidiasis

Mucositis, or candidiasis, is the painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract. It is commonly known as a yeast infection and is caused by a fungus. Symptoms include white patches or plaques and cold sores. Mucositis can be treated with Magic™ mouthwash, antifungal prescription medicines, local anesthetics, and analgesics. Do not use hydrocortisone, as it will exacerbate the mucositis. The infection can spread, so do not assume that your pain is a hemorrhoid. It could be candidiasis, and hemorrhoid cream will only worsen the condition. Transient lactose intolerance may also occur with mucositis.

Hand and Foot Syndrome

This involves blistering and peeling of the hands and feet; it also affects the nails. Treatment involves gently applying mild skin creams to the affected area. To prevent exacerbations, take cool showers, wear thick cotton socks, avoid constrictive shoes, avoid friction and heat, and stay well hydrated.

The goal is to complete treatment. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. However, by properly managing treatment-related side effects, you increase the likelihood that you will complete your recommended treatment.

This article was originally published in Coping with Cancer magazine, March/April 2010. Reprinted by permission of COPING® magazine, www.copingmag.com.

One of the keys to eradicating colon cancer is awareness. Being aware of risk factors, symptoms, family history and screening options will not only help in fighting the disease itself, but could mean the difference between life and death.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. A lot of work has gone into bringing awareness to this disease, but because it deals with part of the body that the general public is uncomfortable talking about, many suffer needlessly.

Andrew Spiegel (credit: Colon Cancer Alliance)

The stigma associated with this cancer still looms large. Colon cancer kills nearly 50,000 Americans yearly and almost 150,000 new cases of colon or rectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, according to the American Cancer Society.

A screening test such as a colonoscopy is a preventative measure that works. When you turn 50, get screened. If you have risk factors such as a family history of the disease, talk to your doctor. You may need to be screened earlier. The results are undeniable. Screening can reduce your risk of developing colon cancer by up to 80%. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable and curable cancers… if it’s caught early. Colon cancer doesn’t discriminate. It affects everyone, no matter your race or gender.

The Colon Cancer Alliance has developed a variety of local and national programs to help bring greater awareness to this disease. Our efforts are getting people talking and that’s a first step to making colon cancer a thing of the past.

No one expects to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, especially a former professional football player who takes pride in staying in good physical condition. Yet that’s exactly what happened to former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Vince Papale. Vince, 56, is now on a crusade to encourage men and women over age 40 to get screened for colorectal cancer.

“I am a big-time advocate of colorectal screening for people my age, especially men who might think it’s not macho, because it saved my life,” said Vince, a South Jersey resident. “My mission is to save lives. A single screening examination performed on people with no symptoms beginning at age 40 – 50 will greatly increase the chances of long-term survival from the disease or preventing it altogether.”

Married with two young children, Vince had no reason to believe he was ill. His yearly cardiovascular test results looked more like those of someone 10 or 20 years younger. Vince appeared to be the picture of health and vitality.

“As far as I was concerned, I was healthy as a horse,” recalled Vince, who defied the odds in 1976 to make the Eagles as a 30-year-old-rookie. (He still holds the record as the oldest rookie in NFL history who never played college football, excluding kickers.)

Yet Vince’s wife wisely suggested that, because of his age, he should undergo a full physical. Vince’s family physician detected blood in his stool and referred him to Dr. Scott Goldstein, a colorectal surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and a Fellow of American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS).

In April 2001, Dr. Goldstein performed a colonoscopy – an exam using a scope that views the entire colon – and found several polyps. During the procedure, Dr. Goldstein was able to remove all but one of the polyps, which were non-cancerous. A month later, he performed another colonoscopy and removed the remaining polyp, which was cancerous.

“The procedure was quite painless,” Vince explained. “I was given an anesthetic and was out for a few minutes.”

In June 2001, Dr. Goldstein performed laparoscopic surgery to remove 18 inches of Vince’s colon as a precaution to make sure the cancer had not spread. The procedure took 6 1/2 hours but went smoothly. Because the disease was caught early and had not spread, Vince did not need radiation or chemotherapy treatment.

“Vince is a classic example of how early screening before symptoms occur can prevent colorectal cancer from ever developing or becoming life threatening,” said Dr. Goldstein. “The possibility of curing patients after symptoms develop is only 50%, but if colorectal cancer is found and treated at an early stage before symptoms such as bleeding or abdominal pain develop, the opportunity to cure it is 80% or better.”

The laparoscopic surgery enabled Vince to recover extremely quickly. He was in the hospital for just four days instead of the expected 10 and went back to work after just a week after the procedure. Vince, who worked as a television and radio broadcaster after his football career, is now a senior account executive for higher education marketing at Sallie Mae, which offers federally guaranteed loans to students and universities.

“My recovery was extraordinary because of the procedure and my conditioning,” Vince said. “I worked out before the surgery and prepped myself like it was the Super Bowl. Three days after the surgery I was walking two miles in the hallway.”

Normally, it is recommended that patients follow up with their surgeons every three months for the first couple of years after surgery. But after examining Vince in October 2001, Dr. Goldstein said he would not have to see him again until May 2002.

In addition to being proficient in general surgery, colorectal surgeons like Dr. Goldstein have specialized training, knowledge, and surgical skill with regard to problems of the colon, rectum, anus, and small bowel. Studies have shown that patients treated by colorectal surgeons are more likely to survive colorectal cancer because of the surgeons’ additional education, training, and experience performing a high volume of colorectal surgeries.

This information is courtesy of the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS). Visit their website for more patient success stories.

Three years ago, 61-year-old Sharon Tschider from Bismarck, North Dakota, noticed she had bleeding with her bowel movements. Married and the mother of seven children, at first she thought the bleeding was coming from hemorrhoids resulting from her many pregnancies. But after the bleeding continued for two months, she went to her gastroenterologist. He performed a colonoscopy, an exam using a scope that views the entire colon, and found a rectal cancer.

“It was devastating news,” says Sharon, who found her hometown of 75,000 praying for her and sending her hundreds of get well cards. “I’d never been sick, and I’m a high-energy, positive thinking, type-A personality.”

Her gastroenterologist referred Sharon to Bruce Wolff, MD, a colorectal surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In addition to being proficient in general surgery, colorectal surgeons like Dr. Wolff have specialized training, knowledge and surgical skill with regard to problems of the colon, rectum, anus, and small bowel. Studies have shown that patients treated by colorectal surgeons are more likely to survive colorectal cancer because of the surgeons’ additional education and training and experience performing a high volume of colorectal surgeries.

Dr. Wolff determined that the cancer was low in the rectum, the organ that stores stool. “A cancer like Sharon’s takes seven to 10 years to develop from a benign polyp,” explains Dr. Wolff. “If patients like Sharon come to me early for a routine check-up, I perform a colonoscopy and can detect and remove their polyps before they become cancerous. By the time Sharon reached me, her tumor was fairly large and her best option was low anterior resection surgery to remove the tumor, with the possible addition of radiation and chemotherapy.”

“Sharon’s surgery involved removing the cancerous tumor near her rectum, and then performing a coloanal anastomosis, with the addition of a ‘colonic J-pouch’ to improve frequency,” describes Dr. Wolff. “To do this, I turned the colon around on itself and created a pouch shaped like a ‘J’ that would eventually prevent the need for a colostomy bag.” The “colonic J pouch” procedure is a recent advance in colorectal surgery that enables patients to have less frequent bowel movements after removal of the rectum. A temporary loop ileostomy was performed to allow the J-pouch to heal before using it.

Sharon’s surgery went smoothly, and she recovered at home. “I can’t recommend more the importance of home health care,” states Sharon. “I needed to be with family and friends; it was really important to my healing.”

Sharon bounced back to her old busy life: three months after her surgery she took a trip to Hawaii. “I even went snorkeling, jumping ten feet off the side of a boat, with my ileostomy bag tucked under my bathing suit,” says Sharon, with a laugh.

When the ileostomy was removed, her trips to the bathroom were reduced to four to six times a day, down significantly from the 50 times a day she counted pre-surgery. Now at age 64, Sharon has had her annual colonoscopy, and she won’t need another exam for two years.

“Timing is everything,” sums up Sharon. “If the tumor had penetrated the rectal wall it would have been all over – I never could have had this life-saving surgery. The whole painful ordeal changed my life. But today I have a very good life.”

This information is courtesy of the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS). Visit their website for more patient success stories.

What exactly is the colon and what is its function? Read this article to learn the answers to these questions, and more.

What is the Colon?

The colon is also known as the large bowel or large intestine. It is an organ that is part of the digestive system (also called the digestive tract) in the human body. The digestive system is the group of organs that allow us to eat and to use the food we eat to fuel our bodies.

What Does the Colon Do?

The colon plays a very important role in how our bodies use the food we eat. Here is how food travels through the body.

1. Food begins in the mouth where it is chewed by the teeth into smaller

pieces. The salivary glands release juices to help, and the tongue and saliva turn the food into even smaller pieces that will fit into the fit into the esophagus. The esophagus is a 10-inch-long tube that connects to the stomach. Muscles in the esophagus move food into the stomach.

2. In the stomach, gastric juices—protein substances called enzymes— break down the food into smaller bits. The stomach has powerful muscles that churn up the food until it’s a creamy liquid. This material moves into the small bowel.

3. In the small bowel, the food particles get even smaller. More juices from the pancreas, liver and gallbladder mix together in the small bowel. Here is where all the important vitamins and nutrients in food move through the blood vessels that are in the lining of the small bowel. The blood takes the nutrients to other organs in the body. The nutrients are used to help repair cells and tissue.

4. What is left over, which is mostly liquid, then moves into the colon. The water is absorbed in the colon. Bacteria in the colon break down the remaining material. Then the colon moves the leftover material into the rectum.

5. The rectum is like a storage-holder for this waste. Muscles in the rectum move the waste, called stool, out of the body through the anus.

Healthy eating is good for your overall health, but having a low-calorie, high-fiber diet that includes many fruits and vegetables is important to a healthy colon. A healthy colon will rid your body of the leftovers it no longer needs. Your stool is filled with bacteria, so it is important to pass this out of your body. If your colon isn’t working the way it should, you will experience problems such as bloating, gas and pain.

Talk with your health care provider about colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is preventable, and is easy to treat and often curable when detected early. Ask your health care provider what kind of screening test you should have and when.

This information is courtesy of the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS). Visit their website for the latest information on colorectal cancer.

What is colorectal cancer? What’s a polyp? What causes the deadly disease? Here are some answers to the questions you may have about colorectal cancer.

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon and rectum that begins with the development of non-cancerous polyps on the lining of the colon and rectum.

What is a polyp?

Polyps are mushroom-like growths that form when cells lining the colon grow, divide and reproduce in an unhealthy, disorderly way. Polyps can become
cancerous over time, invading the colon wall and surrounding blood vessels, and spreading to other parts of the body.

What causes colorectal cancer?

The exact causes of colorectal cancer are unknown, but the disease appears to be caused by both inherited and lifestyle factors. Lifestyle factors – such as cigarette smoking, lack of physical exercise, and obesity – may increase the risk of developing the disease. Genetic factors may determine a person’s
susceptibility to the disease, whereas dietary and other lifestyle factors may determine which at-risk individuals actually go on to develop the disease.

How common is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in the United States, and the third most common cancer overall. This year, more than 56,000 Americans will die from colorectal cancer and more than 140,000 new cases will be diagnosed. In fact, more women over the age of 75 die from colorectal cancer than from breast cancer. Eighty to 90 million Americans (approximately 25 percent of the U.S. population) are considered at risk because of age or other factors.

Who is at risk for colorectal cancer?

Men and women aged 50 or older are at almost equal risk of developing colorectal cancer, and those who have a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps are at high risk of developing the disease. Anyone who has a long-term personal history of inflammatory bowel disease also is at high risk.

How can you prevent colorectal cancer?

See your doctor for yearly screenings if you are aged 50 or older. Be sure to maintain a diet low in animal fat and high in fruits, vegetables and fiber. Get
regular exercise and avoid cigarette smoking. Keep alcohol consumption in moderation.

What are the screening options for detecting colorectal cancer?

Screening tests are the best way to find and remove polyps before they become cancerous, or to find an early cancer, when treatment can be most effective.
Several screening options exist. These include the fecal occult blood test (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy, double contrast barium enema, and colonoscopy. Patients should talk to their colorectal surgeon or other healthcare provider to find out which screening method is right for them.

This information is courtesy of the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS). Visit their website for the latest information on colorectal cancer.

In the following maps, the U.S. states are divided into groups based on the rates at which people developed or died from colorectal cancer in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The rates are the numbers out of 100,000 people who developed or died from colorectal cancer each year.

Rates of Getting Colorectal Cancer by State

The number of people who get colorectal cancer is called the colorectal cancer incidence. In the United States, the risk of getting colorectal cancer varies from state to state.

Colorectal Cancer Incidence Rates,* by State, 2007^†

(credit: www.cdc.gov)

*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

^†Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2007 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2010. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.

Deaths from Colorectal Cancer by State

Rates of dying from colorectal cancer also vary from state to state.

Colorectal Cancer Death Rates,* by State, 2007^†

(credit: www.cdc.gov)

*Rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

^†Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2007 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2010. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.