Colitis & Crohn's Disease - News Headlines
Colonoscopy waits on the rise again
15/04/2013There has been sharp rise since the end of last year in the number of public patients waiting over three months for colonoscopies, according to latest figures.
According to the Department of Health's National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), there were only 24 patients awaiting a 'non urgent' colonoscopy for longer than three months at the end of December last.
However, this figure rose to 357 at the end of February and to 468 at the end of March.
Commenting on the figures, the Irish Cancer So... More
Irish team in bowel cancer breakthrough
18/01/2013Irish scientists have developed a new method of predicting which bowel cancer patients will respond effectively to chemotherapy.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the second most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in Ireland. More than 2,200 people are diagnosed with the disease here every year. It is also the second biggest cancer killer here.
According to the scientists from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Beaumont Hospital, in the future, this method... More
Bowel screening to begin shortly
21/10/2012Live testing of the country's new colorectal cancer screening programme - BowelScreen - is to begin this week to ensure that it is easy for members of the public to understand.
According to the National Cancer Screening Programme (NCSS), development of BowelScreen is at an ‘advanced stage' and it is due to begin before the end of 2012.
Colorectal (bowel) cancer is Ireland's second most commonly diagnosed cancer. More than 2,000 cases are newly diagnosed every year and it is the second... More
Drop in bowel cancer test waits
25/09/2012The Department of Health has reported a major reduction in the number of people waiting for a colonoscopy test, which is often used to check for bowel cancer.
The numbers waiting over three months for a 'non-urgent' colonoscopy dropped by 65% between the end of June and the end of August, latest figures show.
There were 849 on three month-plus waiting lists for colonoscopies at the end of August, compared to 2,443 two months beforehand, the Department told irishhealth.com
Of those waiting ove... More
Bowel screening scheme before year end
20/09/2012Health Minister James Reilly has said the planned national bowel cancer screening programme will be introduced by the end of the year.
The Minister told the Dail that plans for the implementation of a national colorectal screening programme are at an advanced stage within the HSE-National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) and the programme will be introduced on a phased basis in quarter four 2012.
When fully implemented, the programme will offer free screening to men and women aged 55-74... More
Concern on cuts to coeliac products
04/09/2012The Coeliac Society of Ireland has expressed concern at the HSE's removal of gluten-free food products from the medical card and drug reimbursement schemes.
The Society says while it is still seeking some clarification on the cuts from the HSE, it is working with the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland to strongly highlight the adverse health effects of these planned cuts on people with coeliac disease, who must use gluten-free products toavoiud becoming ill.
The HSE has now... More
HSE cuts gluten-free products
03/09/2012People suffering from coeliac disease will no longer be able get gluten-free products free of charge under State schemes as a result of a previously unannounced HSE cutback.
According to the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), due to cuts by the HSE, many gluten-free products will no longer be reimbursed under State schemes, including medical card patients and for those on the long term illness scheme.
The IPU says this means that coeliac patients, who rely on gluten-free products in their everyday... More
Iron link to bowel cancer
12/08/2012Researchers have found that having too much iron in your diet can raise your risk of getting bowel cancer.
Scientists in Scotland claim that high levels of iron in everyday food can damage an anti-cancer gene called APC, thereby upping the risk of getting cancer.
People who have this malfunctioning gene are three times more likely to get colo-rectal cancer. The faulty APC gene is beleived to be present in around eight out of 10 colo-rectal cancers.
Researchers at the Beatson Institute in Glas... More
Alarm at bowel cancer test backlog
19/06/2012The Irish Cancer Society has said it is seeking urgent answers from the Department of Health and the HSE on why so many patients are still having to wait more than three months for colonoscopies, which are often used to check for bowel cancer.
irishhealth.com revealed yesterday that the number of people waiting more than three months for colonoscopies is still reaching record levels despite a HSE initiative announced last autumn to deal with the test backlog.
At that stage, the numbers... More
Bowel test waits reach record levels
18/06/2012Exclusive
The number of people awaiting colonoscopies is still reaching record levels despite a HSE initiative to cut waiting times for these vital tests.
The initiative was launched last autumn when numbers waiting over three months for bowel tests reached 2,418 - then a record.
However, latest figures* provided by the Department of Health to irishhealth.com show that in spite of this, 2,552 people are currently waiting over three months for a 'routine' colonoscopy, which is often used to ch... More
DNA chip can diagnose early bowel cancer
29/05/2012A DNA chip can identify colon cancer quickly and reliability according to new research.
The study used DNA chips to analyse thousands of different genes in the body. It was found that the chips can tell if genes are cancerous or not with 95% accuracy.
Seven genes were found to make up a biomarker for colon cancer, and by using a mathematical model and a DNA chip, colon cancer can be detected.
In Europe only 42% of people with colon cancer survive and worldwide it is the third most common type... More