Read the full episode transcript on the Upstate Medical University website.
About one in five people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer today are under the age of 55. And, colon cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women under age 50.
Colorectal surgeon Joseph Valentino director of the colorectal cancer program at Upstate, goes over the possible reasons colorectal cancer is showing up in people at younger ages on this week's "HealthLink on Air." He also tells about the importance of colonoscopy in detecting cancers at early stages, the common treatments, and what to expect as a patient in the colorectal cancer program at Upstate.
Also on the show, a researcher at Upstate is seeking the origins of amyloidosis, which can attack the kidneys, heart and liver, aided by a $3.1 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health. Stewart Loh, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Upstate, explains his work to understand amyloidosis and its mysterious factor of protein misfolding in the blood. Loh and his collaborators hope their work ultimately leads to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes for patients.
Listen to Healthlink on Air every Sunday at 6 a.m. on WRVO.