The pathology results are in -- the five small polyps removed from President Bush's colon on Saturday are not cancerous.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow announced today that microscopic evaluations of the five polyps confirm the preliminary diagnosis: tubular adenoma -- or as Snow called them: "garden variety polyps."

Nearly two-thirds of all polyps are adenomas, the vast majority of them tubular adenomas. It is not uncommon to find these polyps in routine colonoscopies.

President Bush is keeping up with his colon cancer screenings. Good thing -- because five small growths were found and removed during his latest scan on Saturday.

The polyps found inside his large intestine were all less than one centimeter in size and did not appear suspicious. Still, they were sent to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., to be microscopically examined for signs of cancer. Polyps can turn into cancer, so finding them early is the best way to prevent the disease and improve the odds of surviving it. It takes 48 to 72 hours for pathology reports to come back, but the majority of polyps this size are unlikely to be cancerous.

Bush is no stranger to polyps. In 1998, after a similar scan, two polyps were found. In 1999, two more surfaced. And while none were found during his 2002 screening, he has become a prime candidate for regular examinations. For the general population, colonoscopy tests are recommended every 10 years.

You may not have known it but actor Sean Connery has been fearing cancer for the past two decades.

The Scottish Connery, 76, has been seeing doctors for 20 years so growths in his throat could be monitored. Fearing the worst -- cancer -- Connery wanted to stay on top of things.

Results from a recent medical appointment reveal Connery has been given the all-clear, according to his brother Neil who is also plagued by throat polyps.

Some were concerned about Connery's absence from a New York Tartan Week charity show he was scheduled to host two weeks ago. Apparently, there was nothing to worry about. He was just just getting his check-up, and he later assured fans he is in good health.

"It is something which needs to be followed through," says his brother. "You have to have yearly checks and that is why Sean went to the hospital, just to make sure everything was all right."

Connery's father died of throat cancer at age 69. Connery himself was rushed home from filming in Africa in 1993 due to throat problems. He later received radiotherapy treatment.

It's March. And that means it's the national month for Brain Injury Awareness, Endometriosis Awareness, Nutrition Awareness, Eye Health and Safety Awareness, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness, Sleep Awareness, Problem Gambling Awareness and my favorite, for the purposes of The Cancer Blog -- Colorectal Cancer Awareness.

Colorectal cancer -- cancer of the colon or rectum -- is a disease that affects both men and women and is preventable nearly 90 percent of the time.

Starting at age 50, men at women at average risk for the disease should get screened. Those with increased risk, like African-Americans who typically develop colorectal cancer at younger ages, should be screened even earlier.

Screening -- by way of fecal occult blood test (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy -- is critical because colorectal cancer often occurs with no symptoms. Symptoms do sometimes present themselves in the later stages of the disease and include rectal bleeding, bright red blood in or on the stool, change in bowel habits, stools that are narrower than usual, general stomach discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, frequent gas pains, unexplained weight loss, constant fatigue, and vomiting. Persistence of any of these symptoms for more than two weeks warrant an immediate visit with a health professional.

Treatment for this disease, which strikes about 153,000 people and causes about 52,000 deaths each year, includes surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

In the spirit of this National Colorectal Awareness Month, experts recommend remembering these important points:

• Colorectal cancer can be prevented.
• Screening for the disease can identify polyps -- grape-sized growths in the colon and/or rectum -- that can be removed to prevent cancer from developing.
• The magic age for screening is 50 -- unless you have an increased risk for the disease.
• Colorectal cancer is treatable.
• Regardless of your age, know the risk factors, know the symptoms, and know your family history.
• Talk with your health professional about colorectal cancer and your own risk for the disease.

One in 18 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer during their lifetimes -- that translates into more than 150,000 people diagnosed and more than 52,000 colorectal cancer deaths each year, securing the disease as the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Fortunately, mortality rates for this disease have been declining due to earlier screenings, awareness of symptoms, removal of polyps, and improved treatments through advances in research discoveries -- like today's genetic breakthroughs.

In a recent study, researchers identified a cell pathway critical in the development of colon cancer and also lung and stomach cancers.

STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) is the newest discovery and is a target regulated by PRPRT (receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase T), already identified to be mutated in these cancers.

"The role of protein tyrosine phosphatase in cancer is still an under-explored area," says Zhenghe John Wang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Case Comprehensive Cancer Center.

"Our study shows that receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase T regulates an important signaling pathway that is critical in cancer development. This identification will allow new approaches to pharmacological designs and facilitate alternative approaches for cancer treatment."

This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS Online Edition Feb. 20-23, 2007), provides new hope for the development of drugs that will target this potentially deadly disease.

Colorectal cancer screening prevents more deaths due to early detection than breast or prostate cancer screening. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center recently published a report on the 12 myths about colon cancer and getting to know them could save your life and the lives of your family and friends. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and the number one cause of cancer death among non-smokers.

Symptoms of colon cancer can include severe abdominal pain, blood in the stool or rectal bleeding, unexplained loss of weight, or major changes in bowel habits (recurrent constipation or diarrhea). But, these symptoms often do not occur until the cancer is in its more advanced stages. An absence of symptoms does not mean an absence of cancer. In fact colon cancer is often referred to as a "silent killer" because of the lack of symptoms until it is in advanced stages. A colonoscopy is the only method that can actually help prevent you from developing colon cancer in the future because during the screening colonoscopy, if the doctor finds polyps, they can remove them from your colon as part of the procedure, preventing the polyps from ever having the chance to develop into cancer. If the polyps found in your colon happen to already be cancerous, they can often be removed during your colonoscopy and treatment can begin right away.

When colon cancer is caught early, it has a 95 percent survival rate. That's why screening is so important. Once colon cancer has spread to the liver, it's usually deadly, with only a 9 percent survival rate. Colonoscopy screening is recommended for men and women beginning at age 50, unless other risk factors exist such as family history, obesity, smoking, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

In the January issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, findings were published that says calcium seems to protect high-risk people from developing polyps in the colon. Polyps are growths in the colon and some can become cancerous over time.

Patients, who had a history of benign polyps, either took 1,200 milligrams of calcium in supplement form or received a placebo daily for four years. In this study it showed that calcium use was associated with a 17 percent lower risk for polyp recurrence.

"It really does look like calcium interferes with carcinogenesis in the large bowel" researcher John A. Baron, MD, tells WebMD. "The fact that this reduction in risk persisted for years after people stopped taking calcium is amazing".

Baron also stated that it is still not clear if the benefits outweigh the risk since some studies have linked calcium treatment with an increase in prostate cancer risk.

On the flip side a University of Arizona epidemiology professor Maria Elena, PhD, worries that the findings will make people think that all they need to do to protect themselves from colorectal cancer is to increase their calcium intake, which in men high doses can be dangerous.

The best way to prevent colon cancer is to get a colonoscopy when you turn fifty and make sure you have follow-ups. That is not as easy as popping a pill but its true.

The American Cancer Society recommends that adults aged 19 to 50 take in 1,000 milligrams per day of calcium and that those over 50 get 1,200 milligrams. The guidelines stress that the calcium should come primarily from food sources and not supplements.

A report in the October issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology states that capsule endoscopy can aid in the identification and management of small bowel tumors. Capsule endoscopy lets your doctor examine the lining of the middle part of your gastrointestinal tract. Your doctor will use a pill sized video capsule called an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source and will view the images on a video monitor.

Capsule endoscopy helps your doctor evaluate the small intestine. This part of the bowel cannot be reached by traditional upper endoscopy or by colonoscopy. The most common reason for having this procedure is to search for cause of bleeding from the intestine. It may also be used to detect polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers and tumors of the small intestine.

Dr. Adam Bailey from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney says "Capsule endoscopy has the potential to achieve earlier diagnosis of small bowel malignancies offering a greater chance of cure. It should be used early in the course of investigation of suspected small bowel disease, avoiding the delay that has let to many patients having advanced disease at diagnoses.

According to the findings of a study done by researchers from Indiana University, five years after a colonoscopy which detected no precancerous growths or polyps, the risk of having a potential cancer is very low.

The results of the study were presented at the 71st Annual Scientific meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). The study also found that the risk of advanced adenomas, a type of colon polyp more likely to become cancerous, while still low, was higher in men than in women. These findings suggest that a longer follow up screening may be safe.

Among the 2,436 patients in the screening program, 1,256 returned for screening after five years. No cancers were found in any of the patients. ACG recommends that for average risk individuals, colorectal cancer screening tests should begin at age fifty. For high risk individuals however, screening colonoscopy should begin earlier and be performed more frequently. For both average and high risk individuals, all potential pre-cancerous polyps must be removed.

Virtual colonoscopies, using a three-dimensional computed tomography colonography, is a non-invasive procedure for colorectal cancer screening and as accurate as the traditional very invasive procedure, according to the conclusion of a study conducted by University of Wisconsin researchers.

"Virtual colonoscopy produces precise and detailed 3-D fly-through images of the entire colon's interior without having to insert a scope -- there is essentially no risk of bleeding or of perforating the colon," stated Dr. Perry J. Pickhardt.

Virtual colonoscopies take an estimated ten minutes to perform, as the patient passes through a scanning machine. The researchers suggest that this new way of testing might bring more reluctant patients -- who avoid the invasive and uncomfortable colonoscopies available now -- in to be screened. Oh, ya think? Virtual colonoscopy is the screening test I would choose. Who wouldn't? Of course, if polyps or cancers are found, they must be removed by optical colonoscopy.

I cannot imagine anyone who would forego a colonoscopy if they can be offered the virtual colonoscopy screening. I certainly hope this becomes a standard in every part of the country.

To learn more about virtual colonoscopies, visit Viatronix.

Red wine consumption is associated with a reduced risk of various forms of cancer--leukemia, breast and prostate, in animal studies and in real life. A new study found that drinking more than three glasses of red wine a week reduced the incidence of abnormal growths and cancers of the intestinal tract by two-thirds.

Red wine has something that white wine does not have. A compound found under the skin of the grape called resveratrol. Resveratrol content is higher in red wine than white wine because the grape skins are removed early in the fermentation process for white wines. Resveratrol interferes with all three stages of cancer formation--initiation, promotion and progression.

Dr. Joseph C. Anderson, an assistant professor of medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, says "I generally advise against drinking, but if your going to drink, drink red wine". Anderson's study included 1,741 people. The incidence of colorectal neoplasia, cancers and polyps that can become cancerous, was 9.9 percent in those that abstained from alcohol, 8.8 percent in those who drank three glasses or more of white wine a week and 3.4 percent in those that drank three glasses of red wine a week, a 68 percent reduction.

Whatever the cause of the protective effect, Anderson said he advises people against taking up the wine habit for health reasons.

John Hopkins Medical Institution investigators had a small but informative clinical trial using a pill that contained chemicals found in turmeric, a spice used in curries, and quercetin, an antioxidant in onions. The trial showed that the pill reduced both the size and number of precancerous lesions in the intestinal tract.

Curcumin is the chemical found in turmeric and is the key agent in the pill that the patients were administered. The amount of quercetin was similar to what normal people might consume on a daily basis. The curcumin administered in the pill was many times more what a person might eat in their daily diet.

A disorder that runs in families called familial adenomatous polyposis can lead to hundreds of colorectal polyps that could eventually lead to colon cancer.

The study showed that the patients taking the pill had an average number of polyps drop by sixty percent and the average size dropped to a little over fifty percent.

The current nonsteroidal anti-inflammory drugs (NSAIDS) have been used to treat patients but can cause significant side effects where the pill in this study had minimal if no side effects at all.

Screenings for colorectal cancer offer more than a chance for early treatment -- they offer the chance to avoid cancer completely. The disease usually starts with growths called polyps that can take a decade to turn cancerous. If polyps are found and removed, cancer can be avoided altogether. Yet many are avoiding the screening. And polyps that go undetected can turn to a cancer that can lurk silently in anyone -- especially during middle age and beyond. And black Americans are especially at risk.

Almost 42 million Americans over the age of 50 are not getting checked for colorectal cancer -- the nation's No. 2 cancer killer. Perhaps it's the financial burden that comes with the life-saving procedure. Now in five states, a government-funded program is offering free testing for the poor. But still, many will fall through the cracks in many states. And while Medicare pays for screenings, this federal program is for people 65 and older -- a long wait for someone at age 50 who needs the test but does not have insurance.

Perhaps it's the part of the body under study that steers people away. Perhaps it's the manner in which the test is performed -- a long, flexible tube is used to visually inspect the colon -- that turns heads in the wrong direction. While the financial burden is a valid deterrent, other worries or fears should be put to rest. The test is not all that bad, says one doctor who had a colonoscopy himself. The worst part of the whole experience may be the liquid mixture that is consumed prior to the test that cleans out the system -- minor discomfort really in the scope of the alternative. Cancer.

Colonocopies are recommended just once every 10 years. And nearly 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer can be prevented if each person over the age of 50 finds some way to make this screening happen. And if not this screening, there are other options -- like a fecal test that is done annually but is more more affordable and can be quite effective too. So consider your options. And make a choice.

We received an alert from friends of Lynne Smith about important news regarding the cost of a colonoscopy. While it does not make much sense that the same diagnostic procedure could differ in cost by thousands of dollars, depending on the insurance company and institution, that appears to be the case.

Having a colonoscopy is without a doubt one of the best strategies a person can choose to take in cancer prevention or early detection of cancer -- but unless you are aware ahead of time of having a colonoscopy scheduled how the billing system works, you might find yourself needlessly owing thousands of dollars.

This is what happened to two of Lynne Smith's siblings. One owed nothing -- the other owed $2,600 dollars. At the Lynne Smith Fund blog, you will find valuable tips on how to keep the costs at a minimum.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S. For men, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after prostate cancer and lung cancer. For women, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after breast cancer and lung cancer. The CDC has published Basic Facts on Screening available as a PDF document that includes a chart explaining the different screening procedures and estimated cost for each.

But first, visit the Lynne Smith Fund for advice on becoming an informed patient.