Researchers discover that patients who have at least one first degree relative with colon cancer were 25% less likely to die from the disease during 5.6 years of follow-up than those with no close relatives with colon cancer. The risk of dying was even lower (51%) for those with two or more relatives with colon cancer. It is, as yet, unclear why this is the case. The scientists have ruled out likely causes, such as healthier lifestyle habits and more frequent screening among those with a family history positive for the disease. The study is published in the most recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Full story.
June 5, 2008
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.