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Gastroenterology news

Colon cancer now top cancer killer for Americans under 50, study finds

Colon cancer is now the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in Americans under 50. It claimed that spot seven years earlier than previously projected. Colon cancer deaths among people under 50 have risen roughly 1% each year since ...

Discovery illuminates how inflammatory bowel disease promotes colorectal cancer

A chain of immune reactions in the gut—driven by a key signaling protein and a surge of white blood cells from the bone marrow—may help explain why people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a higher risk of colorectal ...

Exhaled breath may carry clues to gut microbiome health

The human gut is home to trillions of beneficial microbes that play a crucial role in health. Disruptions in this delicate community of bacteria and viruses—called the gut microbiome—have been linked to obesity, asthma ...

Video: The truth about detoxes—by a liver specialist

Every January, the same wave of "detox" promises rolls in. Juice cleanses, detox teas, charcoal capsules and liver "resets" all sell a familiar story: you overdid it over Christmas, your body is full of toxins, and you need ...

Good sleep starts in the gut

You might think good sleep happens in your brain, but restorative sleep actually begins much lower in the body: in the gut.

Fibulin-5: A potential marker for liver fibrosis detection

When damage to the liver caused by alcohol or viral infections persists, liver fibrosis progresses and replaces tissue with collagen fibers. This is especially a risk in chronic hepatitis C patients, where liver fibrosis ...

Why important genes 'go quiet' as we get older

The human gut renews itself faster than any other tissue: every few days, new cells are created from specialized stem cells. However, as we get older, epigenetic changes build up in these stem cells. These are chemical markers ...

Fighting Crohn's with algae—can it heal the gut?

The first week of December marks Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week. Since 1990, cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have nearly doubled. It has risen fastest among those aged 15–39. IBD is a chronic inflammation of ...

Alternative sweetener sorbitol linked to liver disease

Sweeteners such as aspartame, found in Equal packets, sucralose (Splenda), or sugar alcohols are often seen as healthier alternatives to food with refined sugar (glucose). But that assumption is being challenged with new ...