k but smoked were each an average of 5.2 years younger at cancer diagnosis than those who neither smoked nor drank. The effect of smoking appeared to be particularly larger for women. Women who smoked but never drank developed cancer 6.3 years younger than those who never drank or smoked, compared with 3.7 years in men. Also, current alcohol and tobacco consumption was associated with an increased likelihood of distal colorectal cancer, although women in all categories were less likely to have distal cancer than men.

"Our report provides compelling evidence that smoking and alcohol consumption are associated with an earlier age of diagnosis and likelihood for distal colorectal cancers," said Dr. Roy. "This data underscores the need for tobacco and alcohol cessation as an integral part of a colon cancer prevention program."

These findings also suggest that women who do not smoke or drink may be at increased risk for proximal colon cancer and may want to consider undergoing a colonoscopy instead of flexible sigmoidoscopy. "In the future, we envision the development of risk scores with exogenous factors to tailor an individual's colorectal cancer screening program," said Roy.

'"/>

Contact: Amy Ferguson
AFerguson@enh.org
847-570-3146
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare
24-Mar-2006

Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Colorectal cancer screening promotion fails to increase use by physician organizations
2. Conventional prognostic factors fail to explain better prostate cancer survival in most Asian men
3. Survival differences by race most apparent in advanced stages of breast cancer
4. Stomach cancer rate set to fall further 25 percent over next decade
5. MRI finds breast cancer before it becomes dangerous
6. Investigators uncover intriguing clues to why persistent acid reflux sometimes turns into cancer
7. New cause of tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer cells discovered at Lombardi
8. Pathway links inflammation, angiogenesis and breast cancer
9. Using MRI for diagnosis could help prevent breast cancer progression
10. Electric fields have potential as a cancer treatment
11. Shining light on pancreatic cancer