Posts

National Clinical Alert Part 3: Preventing Young Adult Colorectal Cancer

/in , /by

Health care providers can aid in young adult colorectal cancer prevention by taking steps to educate the public on the rising rate of colorectal cancer found in people under the age of 55. For example, patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer prior to the age of 55 are 58% more likely than older patients to be diagnosed with a more advanced stage of the disease. This is in large part due to a general lack of awareness of young onset colorectal cancer.

The following are important actions steps health care providers can take in preventing young adult colorectal cancer:

1. Be Informative About Basic Digestive Health

Educating patients on the basics of digestive health should be part of regular office visits, especially yearly exams. Patients should understand what and where the colon is and know to take symptoms seriously should they experience them. For example, rectal bleeding and blood in the stool is never normal. Such symptoms require further assessment by a doctor to determine the root cause.

2. Relaying the Risk Factors

Patients should also be made aware of the risk factors associated with having a family history of colorectal cancer and or advanced colorectal polyps. Assessing one’s family history is critical in determining one’s risk for developing colorectal cancer themselves. Those at an increased risk may be eligible for more frequent colorectal screenings at an earlier age than others.

3. The Importance of Early Assessments

Patients at any age that are presenting symptoms or signs of colorectal cancer should be referred for diagnostic evaluation immediately and be given an early assessment with their physical exam. If found and treated early, colorectal cancer has a 90% survival rate.

To schedule an appointment or refer a patient, contact the Gastro Health Partners location nearest you today.

 

Dr. Emori Carrara On Solving Gastroenterology Enigmas

/in , /by

Dr. Emori Carrara was recently featured in an MD-Update Magazine article where she is credited with treating her patients with both compassion and insight.

Dr. Carrara has been practicing gastroenterology and hepatology at Gastroenterology of Southern Indiana since 2010. As the Kentuckiana area is “one of the nation’s hot spots for obesity related epidemics such as colon cancer and non alcoholic liver disease,” Carrara treats a wide variety of patients and offers endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Common patient complaints include:

  • Acid Reflux
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Constipation and Diarrhea
  • Celiac Disease
  • Crohn’s/Ulcerative Colitis
  • Hepatitis C
  • Alcoholic Liver Disease
  • Fatty Liver Disease
  • Pancreatic Disease

Dr. Emori Carrara Specializes in Treating Susceptible Female Patients

As most women prefer a female doctor when it comes to these rather sensitive topics, Carrara’s patient base is mostly female. According to MD-Update, “Functional gastrointestinal diseases or conditions in which doctors can’t pinpoint a root cause, even after a thorough evaluation, are more common among women.” For example, a woman’s hormone levels have been known to complicate GI symptoms, and can even cause bowel movement issues. Carrara specifically treats the needs of pregnant women and has seen problems like gallstones and liver issues arise during pregnancy.

GI & The Psyche

When it comes to GI disorders, Carrara believes in taking note of one’s behavioral patterns and considering lifestyle changes before treatment. “Anxiety can contribute to nearly every gastrointestinal symptom and heighten each one,” says Carrara. IBS for example often stems from anxiety or depression. This is why Carrara recommends “stress reduction through exercise or engaging in hobbies as well as a healthy, balanced diet” in addition to medication.

Colon Cancer

In addition to participating in clinical trials and supporting the latest in preventive care, Carrara sees preventing colon cancer as one of the most important things she does as a gastroenterologist. “Colon cancer can be prevented with a colonsocopy as we are able to remove polyps before they can develop into colon cancer,” says Carrara.

To talk to your doctor about screening, contact us today.

Read the full article here:

Young Adult Colorectal Cancer National Clinical Alert: Part 1

/in , /by

The rate of young adult colorectal cancer has been on the rise in the United States since the mid-1980s. Adults born in the 1990s (now in their 20s) and beyond have double the lifetime risk of colon cancer, and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer, compared to adults born in the 1950s. Currently, approximately 20% of all colorectal cancer cases diagnosed in the United States are patients under the age of 55.

Unfortunately, patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer prior to the age of 55 are 58% more likely than older patients to be diagnosed with a more advanced stage of the disease (stage III or IV). This is due to a delay in diagnostic evaluation of symptoms and less access to medical care. Delays in diagnosis, late stage presentation, and limited access to care all contribute to an increase of mortality for young adult colorectal cancer patients. Both the increasing incidence and mortality of young adult colorectal cancer are in sharp contrast to the overall declines in incidence & mortality observed in people over the age of 55.

Patients with these symptoms and signs need to be referred for diagnostic evaluation. To schedule an appointment, contact the Gastro Health Partners location nearest you today.

Dr. Abdul Jabbar on Saving Lives with Colon Screenings

/in , /by

According to Gastro Health Partner physician Dr. Abdul Jabbar, “When you look at a colon cancer map of the USA, you’ll be surprised to see that along the Ohio river, specifically over Clark and Floyd county, there are significantly higher incidences of colon cancer.” This is due in large part to the region’s lifestyle. A lack of exercise, high obesity rates, excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use and a diet high in processed red meat and low in fibrous fruits and vegetables can lead to colorectal cancer. 

Having recently sat down with Baptist Health Floyd for one of their Health Topics episodes, Dr. Jabbar is quick to point out how colon screenings can save lives. “A colonoscopy is one of the best tools available,” he says. With timely colon screenings, the rate of colorectal cancer mortality in the area has decreased as much as 53%. 

What is a colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is done using a colonoscope which is a flexible tube with a camera attached to it. This allows physicians to look inside the organ without doing any surgery. A colonoscopy is minimally invasive with minimal sedation required, and can be completed within 10 to 30 minutes.

The procedure helps to identify polyps that either are cancerous or could potentially turn cancerous. These polyps are then removed and the patient’s care is expedited. To schedule a colonoscopy, contact the Gastro Health Partners location nearest you today.

Watch the full episode of Dr. Abdul Jabbar on Baptist Health Floyd’s Heath Topics here:

Dr. Abdul Jabbar joined Gastroenterology of Southern Indiana in 2006. He earned his medical degree from Nishtar Medical College in Pakistan. For one year he served as Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia before completing his Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at Columbia University teaching program in Summit, New Jersey. He received his dual Fellowship training in Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the University of Louisville, followed by additional training in hepatology and endoscopic ultrasound. Prior to moving to Southern Indiana, Dr. Jabbar served as Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Department of Gastroenterology at the University of Louisville. Dr. Jabbar is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.