It has long been recognized that depression can lead to GI symptoms. But do all GI symptoms in the setting of depression mean only depression? A recent study by Jonathan Blackwell et al at St George’s University of London found that depression, in the absence of prior GI symptoms, is not associated with subsequent development
Oprah Winfrey advises of the 6 most important questions to ask if you are having a procedure at an out of hospital facility. See the article at Oprah.com here. This is not an endorsement by Oprah, these are answers from our facility to the questions she recommends you ask. Wherever you have your procedure, ask
Seth (Chicago) – 12:47 PM:Are there any downsides to screening? Can it do more harm than good in any instances? Dr. Manoj Mehta Any screening test is only worth its trade-offs. That’s why we select the patients, and do not just do it on everyone. We call the threshold a “pre-test probability”. So, if you
Jose (Chicago, Illinois) – 12:40 PM:Is surgery the only way to cure colon cancer? Dr. Manoj Mehta Well, the transition from polyp to cancer is a gradual one, so we do sometimes see what we call “cancerous polyps”. They are on the edge between a polyp and an invasive cancer. By removing these polyps, we
Jim (Buffalo Grove, IL) – 12:44 PM:You mention a virtual colonoscopy. How does this procedure work and is it a viable option to the traditional colonoscopy? Dr. Manoj Mehta A traditional colonoscopy has the ability to not just identify polyps but remove them. So they are not really equivalent. A virtual colonoscopy is more like
James (Morton Grove, IL) – 12:30 PM:I have family history of polyps but no colon cancer. My family has had several other types of cancer (brain, breast, non-smokers lung). Does this put me in the high-risk category? Dr. Manoj MehtaYes. There are some cancer-family syndromes to be aware of. Breast cancer is fairly common, and
It has long been noted that rates of IBD increase as nations develop. What drives this increase in “developing” nations, and what factors keep inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) rates high in the West? Gilaad G. Kaplan, MD, of the Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, discusses the epidemiological stages of IBD and reviews how disease
Dan (Arlington Heights) – 12:26 PM:Thank you for your response. Could you elaborate on what is involved with the preparation? Dr. Manoj Mehta Unfortunately, any bowel exam will require a prep. Even newer modalities on the horizon such as a virtual colonoscopy will still require a prep. The quality of your prep is proportional to
Andrea (Glenview) – 12:34 PM:What prompts the development of polyps in the first place? Does it have anything to do with the types of foods people eat? Dr. Manoj Mehta Colon polyps develop from a wide variety of factors. Part, of course is genetic, and has to do with our ability to repair local genetic
Jose (Chicago, Illinois) – 12:18 PM:What are the different stages of colon cancer? Dr. Manoj Mehta There are a number of staging systems, but generally 1-4 would be a traditional scale. Stage 1 is confined to the colon lining, 2 and 3 deeper through the lining, and 4 spread to distant organs. It is important
