Peter Brennan, MD Archives | Cayuga Medical Center

Oct 12 Comments Off

Recurring Heartburn Can Lead to Serious Problems

Posted by jprobert

By Peter Brennan, MD

From time to time everyone experiences acid reflux. The typical scenario is on Thanksgiving when you’ve eaten too much, and you decide either to stretch out on the couch for a nap or play a family game of touch football to burn off some calories. As you lay your head on the pillow — or bend over to hike the football — that burning sensation that rises up in your throat is acid reflux. The pressure in your stomach from overeating has caused you to regurgitate stomach acid into the esophagus (the swallowing tube that leads from the back of your mouth to your stomach). It’s an unpleasant sensation, but not serious.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Posted by jprobert

By Peter Brennan, MD

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, following lung cancer. Unlike lung cancer, however, colorectal cancer is largely preventable through regular screening and early detection and treatment. And because the vast majority of colorectal cancers develop slowly over a period of years, screening need only occur every eight to ten years for the average adult with no identified risk factors.

Detecting and Curing Colon Cancer

Posted by jprobert

By Peter Brennan, MD

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. This is a good time to talk with your doctor about your risk factors for colon cancer and the benefits of regular screening. Colon cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death following lung cancer. However, unlike lung cancer, colon cancer can in most cases easily be detected in the early stages with regularly scheduled colonoscopies and very successfully treated.