Inflammatory bowel disease raises risk of melanoma

[Igor_Passau]

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at higher risk of melanoma, a form of skin cancer, report researchers at Mayo Clinic. Researchers found that IBD is associated with a 37 percent greater risk for the disease. The findings were presented at the Digestive Disease Week 2013 conference in Orlando, Fla.

More than 1.5 million Americans have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (UC), the most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease. Both conditions inflame the lining of the intestine, leading to bouts of watery diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal cramps and pain, fever and weight loss.

"Based on this data, we are suggesting that physicians appropriately counsel IBD patients about the risk of melanoma. Sun-protective measures are very effective in preventing this cancer," says study author Siddharth Singh, M.B.B.S, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist.

Researchers determined this increased risk by performing a comprehensive search of all published studies on IBD over the last seven decades. They analyzed 172,837 patients with IBD (92,208 with Crohn's disease; 79,360 with UC) to find the 179 cases of melanoma after an IBD diagnosis.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/mc-mci051713.php

 

[Beach]

It can be confusing when looking into melanoma risks. Some will say the sun plays a part in this type of cancers. Others will say that is not the case, a little sun exposure can even help prevent this cancer. Melanoma can show up on parts of the body that see sun exposure little, if ever. Additionally melanoma rates have gone up since the campaign began years ago to have us avoid all sun rays from touching our skin. (From what I've read that is likely due in part to new microscopic diagnosis methods.)

I personally will get a little bit of sun exposure, during the summer, when I can. I'll typically sun bath for 10 to 15 minutes a few times a week. I avoid being burnt. Apparently there are around a dozen other substances created in the skin from UV exposure, that have benefits, that can not be obtain from a pill. Maybe someday these items will be sold from what I've read, but to this point that hasn't happened.

The science isn't settled I suppose it could be said. Understanding moderate sun exposures benefits or negatives is still evolving.

As an example of health science still evolving last week news came out from an influential organization saying that lowering salt intake might not be of benefit in lowering blood pressure. Lowering salt intake a great deal might instead have negative effects. This of course goes against salt warnings that have been given for decades.

"It’s Raining Salt! Hallelujah!"

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/05/15/its-raining-salt-hallelujah/

snippet:

Good news for fans of salt: a new study has found that there are no health benefits to cutting down on salt. Though national dietary guidelines have set recommended salt levels for many Americans at just half a teaspoon a day, levels that low can actually increase the risk of heart attack. The NYT reports:

[T]he new expert committee, commissioned by the Institute of Medicine at the behest of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there was no rationale for anyone to aim for sodium levels below 2,300 milligrams a day. The group examined new evidence that had emerged since the last such report was issued, in 2005.

“As you go below the 2,300 mark, there is an absence of data in terms of benefit and there begin to be suggestions in subgroup populations about potential harms,” said Dr. Brian L. Strom, chairman of the committee and a professor of public health at the University of Pennsylvania. He explained that the possible harms included increased rates of heart attacks and an increased risk of death....

Also for diagnosis help, one technology that looks interesting is this new app for taking pictures and analysis for skin issues. I have not used it yet, but figure as some point I'll give it a trial.

"Med Tech Roundup: The Amazing Accidential Apple Health Care Revolution"

http://blogs.the-american-interest....ing-accidential-apple-health-care-revolution/

snippet:

While policymakers and DC wonks were debating top-down reforms to our health care system, a health care revolution was quietly taking place. Daily Finance reports on how Apple technology, while not originally designed with health care applications in mind, has already begun to transform the industry:

Use of Apple’s products goes beyond serving as a reference tool, though. An application that allows radiologists to view MRIs as well as CT, PET, and SPECT scans on iPhones and iPads received FDA approval in 2011. More recently, the FDA cleared the way for privately held Welch Allyn to connect its portable ophthalmoscope to an iPhone for doctors to view retinal images using the company’s app [...]

Another app, SkinVision, allows individuals to take pictures of moles and other skin conditions and receive an instant analysis of risk using an algorithm that dermatologists helped develop. SkinVision helps the person find a dermatologist if needed.

The key point here is the way in which Apple, and similar companies, are developing techs that will radically transform the delivery of health care services. The tenor of our national conversation on health care makes it seem like the most important thing to figure out about health care is who pays, and how. That matters. But the delivery of services also matters. It’s in large part because our current delivery system is so dysfunctional that costs are so high.

To get a sense of how radically delivery could be altered in the future by Apple, read this piece from the AP on how smartphone physicals are become a real possibility:

By hooking a variety of gadgets onto a smartphone you could almost get a complete physical — without the paper gown or even a visit to the doctor’s office. Blood pressure? Just plug the arm cuff into the phone for a quick reading. Heart OK? Put your fingers in the right spot, and the squiggly rhythm of an EKG appears on the phone’s screen. Plug in a few more devices and you could have photos of your eardrum (Look, no infection!) and the back of your eye, listen to your heartbeat, chart your lung function, even get a sonogram.

 

[kiny]

Are these people on treatment or not though. 6mp is a danger for skin cancer.