Latest news with #diverticulitis
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Australians urged to ‘check their poo' amid ‘deadly' cancer rise
A mum-of-two has detailed how a change in her toilet habits revealed she had developed a 'deadly' cancer that is on the rise in Australia. Natalie Hunter, 45, started having stomach issues four years ago, but didn't think much of it. Eventually, the situation worsened, so she went to visit a doctor and was diagnosed with diverticulitis, a condition where pouches in the colon become inflamed. A year on, she had a plethora of blood tests done where it was discovered she had low iron levels — again, she didn't think it was anything to worry about. But, six months later she began to notice a change in her bathroom habits. 'My stools had started to thin out, and had gone really dark — this was around Christmas time,' she told 'It was late in the year, and I was celebrating more and eating extra things so I thought my tummy just wasn't happy. 'But after being constipated for about five days, I went to the GP and he gave me a medication they use for colonoscopies.' The Sunshine Coast woman said the medication made her stomach feel like it was shifting, but didn't result in her being able to go to the toilet, so, she went to the GP where the same thing happened again. By this point, she was 'beside herself' in pain, and it landed her in the emergency room where a scan was performed and a tumour that was blocking her bowel was discovered. Doctors diagnosed her with stage four bowel cancer, explaining that the tumours had spread to her liver, and one was size of her palm. In a split second, the mum-of-two's life completely changed. While the disease, also known as colorectal, colon and rectal cancer, is more common in older people, new data shows that Australia has the highest rates of bowel cancer in people aged under 50 in the world. The spike in those aged 25–49 developing the condition has been described as 'alarming' by experts, with people in that age group warned to pay attention to their bodies. For Ms Hunter, the thinning and the darkness in her stool was an indicator that her bowel was narrowing and bleeding, she said. But common signs include blood in stools, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss, and unexplained tiredness. Not even 24 hours into being in hospital, Ms Hunter was fitted with a stoma bag so she could go to the bathroom, which helped relieve her pain. Her kids, who were 11 and 14 at the time, were unaware of what was going on as she wanted to make sure she first had a clear treatment path. 'It just threw everything in turmoil. Work-wise, I ran my own business, and I had to cancel clients for like a year out because we didn't know how long it was going to take,' she said. Her treatment started three weeks after she was diagnosed, with chemotherapy being used in order to shrink the tumours so doctors could operate. Then she had her first liver resection, a procedure where part of the liver is moved to prevent the cancer from spreading, but she had to wait for it to grow back to have the same procedure again. 'All up they had removed 70 per cent of my liver and I ended up being really sick for months afterwards,' she said. 'I was in and out of hospital every other day and having to do weekly stays because I kept getting infections. 'My body was just really struggling and then all of a sudden I turned a corner.' But the good news didn't last long for the Bowel Cancer Australia advocate, who started getting bowel obstructions yet again, but this time it was due to the scar tissue. Then, during a routine follow up scan in September 2024, doctors discovered the cancer had spread to her lungs. Now, she's currently on a course of 'heavy duty' chemotherapy. Ms Hunter is sharing her story to make other Australians aware of the symptoms — such as fatigue, abdominal pain, weight loss and changes in bowel habits — as she herself had no clue, or any family history of the illness. She also wants to show that bowel cancer isn't something that only impacts older people. As part of her advocacy work, Ms Hunter is taking part in a campaign with Kleenex and Bowel Cancer Australia to help Australians learn more about symptoms of the potentially deadly disease. It encourages Aussies to 'check their poo'. The products will feature a link to find more information about it and support. Adam Carpenter, mill manager at Kimberley-Clark Australia, said: 'Bowel cancer is the country's second-deadliest and most deadly cancer for Australians aged 25-54, but is 99 per cent treatable if detected in the earliest stage. 'Knowing the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer is key to early detection, including noticeable changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss or tiredness, and blood in the stool. 'However a lack of symptom awareness and the stigma and taboos around checking your poo are a major barrier in catching the disease early.' Ms Hunter said many people are embarrassed to bring up what happens in their bathroom, but it's 'as normal as breathing'. 'We have to check our poos,' she said.
Medscape
12-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Does Eating Nuts, Seed, Corn Raise Diverticulitis Risk?
Women who consumed nuts, seeds, or corn had no increased risk for diverticulitis, contrary to historical data suggesting these foods may trigger the condition. METHODOLOGY: Although prior research has challenged the historical assumption that intake of nuts, seeds, and corn precipitates diverticulitis, it was conducted exclusively in men and did not control for overall diet quality. Researchers analyzed data from 29,916 women aged 35-74 years enrolled between 2003 and 2009 in an ongoing prospective cohort study. All participants were free of inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, and cancer at baseline. Diverticulitis was self-reported, and food frequency questionnaires were used to calculate dietary index scores and intake of nuts, seeds, and corn. Associations between dietary factors and diverticulitis risk were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographic and health covariates. TAKEAWAY: After a mean follow-up of 13.9 years, 1531 incident cases of diverticulitis were identified. Women with diverticulitis tended to have older age, current or former smoking habit, heavy alcohol usage, and overweight. Intake of peanuts, nuts, and seeds was not associated with an increased risk for diverticulitis (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] for highest vs lowest quartile, 1.07), nor was intake of fresh fruits with edible seeds (aHR, 1.06). Corn intake was inversely associated with diverticulitis risk, with those in the highest quartile having a lower risk (aHR, 0.86). Women in the highest quartile of adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet had a 23% reduced risk for diverticulitis (aHR, 0.77), with similar reductions for the Healthy Eating Index (aHR, 0.78) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (aHR, 0.81), and a nonsignificant trend for the Alternative Mediterranean diet (aHR, 0.91). No association was found between any dietary component or pattern and the risk of developing diverticulosis. IN PRACTICE: 'Our findings refute the widely held belief that dietary intake of particulate matter should be avoided to prevent diverticulitis,' the authors wrote. 'Diets with widely documented health benefits are also associated with a reduced risk for incident diverticulitis.' SOURCE: The study, with first author Trevor Barlowe, MD, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was study published online in Annals of Internal Medicine . LIMITATIONS: The study was observational and could not establish causality. Diverticulitis diagnoses were self-reported, introducing risk for misclassification. Although the analyses were adjusted for multiple confounders, the presence of bias from unmeasured confounders is possible. DISCLOSURES: Study funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health. The authors disclosed having no relevant conflicts of interest. Credit Lead image: Pakhnyushchyy/Dreamstime Medscape Medical News © 2025 WebMD, LLC Cite this: Does Eating Nuts, Seed, Corn Raise Diverticulitis Risk? - Medscape - May 12, 2025.
Health Line
10-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Nuts, Seeds and Healthy Diet May Help Lower Risk of Diverticulitis
New research has found that nuts and seeds do not increase the risk of diverticulitis. The findings confirmed that four key dietary patterns, including the DASH diet, help reduce the risk of diverticulitis onset. The findings were consistent with a similar study previously conducted in males, refuting current recommendations about foods to avoid to prevent diverticulitis. Diverticulitis develops when small pockets in the large intestine become inflamed. It causes uncomfortable digestive symptoms and often requires dietary modifications and restrictions. Now, new research has confirmed that nuts and seeds, previously thought to trigger diverticulitis symptoms, could be back on the menu for people at risk for the gastrointestinal condition. The study examined the effects of females with diverticulitis who followed four dietary patterns known to promote overall health: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet Healthy Eating Index (HEI) Alternative Healthy Eating Index (aHEI) Alternative Mediterranean diet The participants consumed nuts and seeds, and the researchers also calculated how well they adhered to those four dietary patterns. The results, published on May 6 in Annals of Internal Medicine, showed that females who followed these eating patterns had a reduced risk of diverticulitis. The researchers concluded that nuts and seeds were not associated with an increased risk of the condition. The findings are consistent with a 2008 study that found the same outcomes for males, which could lead to a shift in dietary recommendations for people at risk for the condition. 'We included fresh fruit with edible seeds (raw tomatoes and strawberries) in our analyses because patients still commonly report avoiding these nutritious foods,' the study authors wrote. 'Our findings refute the widely held belief that dietary intake of particulate matter should be avoided to prevent diverticulitis.' Nuts, seeds not associated with diverticulitis risk The new research included 29,916 questionnaires received from females with no previous history of diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer. The participants were enrolled in the Sister Study, a long-running project to learn more about those who are siblings of someone with breast cancer. Of those females, 1,531 cases of diverticulitis were identified. Beyond finding that nuts and seeds do not increase the risk of diverticulitis, the researchers also found that the healthy dietary patterns were not associated with any risk of underlying diverticulitis. Shabnam Sarker, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in the department of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said that the findings support patients and clinicians in finding the best ways to reduce the risk of symptoms. Sarker wasn't involved in the new study. 'I think this study kind of confirmed what we've been doing in our practice, or at least I've been doing in my practice for a long time,' Sarker said. 'So, I think earlier in our training, or years ago, we used to think that seeds were at risk of being trapped within diverticula… and we thought maybe that was a trigger on why some people had recurrent disease. And then through [further research] we've realized that a high fiber diet is really the best for overall colon health,' she noted. How is diverticulitis treated? Diverticulitis is a complication of diverticulosis, where diverticula, commonly known as pouches, develop within the colon. When these pouches become inflamed, pain, bloating, and the potential for more serious complications like abscesses, obstructions, and perforations may occur. Diverticulosis is common, particularly among older adults. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that around 30% of U.S. adults ages 50–59 develop diverticulitis, and more than 70% of adults 80 and older are diagnosed with the disorder. Sometimes called 'uncomplicated diverticulitis,' diverticulosis requires minimal intervention, such as antibiotics and monitoring. Diverticulitis, however, is much less common, affecting around 5% of people with diverticulosis. Complicated diverticulitis often leads to more intense treatment options, like surgery. Those involved in the study were found to have 1,531 cases of diverticulitis, less than a third of which required hospitalization. Of those 1,531 cases, 14% required surgery and 58% had two or more recurrences. Surgery is most often required when the condition creates perforations or abscesses that require intervention, much more common for those who have had diverticulitis multiple times. Shawn Khodadadian, MD, medical director of Manhattan Gastroenterology, told Healthline there are multiple avenues to treatment for those having to manage diverticulitis symptoms. Khodadadian wasn't involved in the new study. 'Generally, outpatients can be managed with pain control and oral analgesics as well as a liquid diet in the outpatient setting for uncomplicated diverticular disease,' he said. 'Oftentimes, especially in higher-risk patients, antibiotics are prescribed when indicated. Antibiotics are not always needed to manage uncomplicated outpatient diverticulitis in otherwise healthy, stable patients, but this should be left up to your doctor after a complete evaluation,' he continued. James Cox, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor at Texas Christian University, added that it's important for people with diverticulitis to understand the limits of preventive medicine regarding the condition. Cox wasn't involved in the new study. 'There's nothing patients can do to prevent the development of the diverticuli or diverticulosis,' he told Healthline. Diverticulitis may become severe One of the common surgeries to treat complicated diverticulitis is a colectomy, which involves removing a segment of the intestine and sewing it back together. In more serious cases, a temporary colostomy bag may be required to give the area time to heal before reattachment can occur. Cox noted the most serious complications are often perforations. 'If there's a perforation, then you have colonic content in the abdominal cavity, and that's bad. That's very hard to sew right back up. Patients will often need a temporary colostomy bag for a few months, let everything calm down, and then they get hooked up.' Sarker added that, for her patients, it can be helpful to explore options with a colorectal surgeon earlier rather than later. 'If they're interested, or would like to even speak to somebody as a consultation [like] a colorectal surgeon, I usually will set them up as a consultation. Even if they're not sure, just to have met someone and talk about the option for this, so that they feel like they're empowered, especially in a condition that seems very difficult to control,' she suggested. Underlying causes of diverticulitis not understood Sarker said that part of the patient-clinician relationship is building a space where conversations can flow about conditions like diverticulosis, the reason for which is largely unknown. Future research can investigate the different risk factors for a condition in which the underlying cause is not entirely understood. The questionnaire-based nature of the new study highlights the challenges of nutrition research. A double-blind study with a placebo, considered the gold standard in research studies, is very difficult to conduct with food. Cox is hopeful that further research into the gut and nutrition can help shed light on why diverticulosis happens. Khodadadian believes that more research can and should be done into the particulars of how diets can improve patients' outcomes. Sarker said she'd like to see more research that prioritizes women and the role nutrition has on the gut.
