ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120049
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
More colon cancer risk for relatives
BOSTON - People whose brothers, sisters or parents are found to have benign growths in their colons run twice the usual risk of developing colon cancer, a study found.
Experts already knew that colon cancer runs in families and that the benign growths studied, adenomatous polyps, can be a cancer warning sign. The study, published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, said the risk for siblings was highest if their relative's polyps were discovered before age 60.
- Associated Press
Elderly suicide rate up by 9 percent
ATLANTA - After declining for four decades, the suicide rate among elderly Americans climbed nearly 9 percent between 1980 and 1992, the government said Thursday.
Experts suggested that the increase results from people living longer with chronic illness and from the social isolation of the elderly. Society's growing acceptance of suicide also may play a role
- Associated Press
Parkinson's symptoms common
BOSTON - Symptoms similar to those of Parkinson's disease have been found to be surprisingly common among older Americans, afflicting perhaps one in five people over 65, according to a study in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers also found that people with these typical signs - shuffling walk, tremors, rigid movements and extreme slowness - face an unusually high risk of death, even if they have not been officially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
- Associated Press
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