FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marie Kendra Tehonica (202) 973-1361 [email protected] Catherine Franklin (202) 973-5862 [email protected]
NEW SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY PRESENTED AT COLLEGE'S 62ND ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING
WASHINGTON, DC, October 16, 1997 -- Over 2,500 of the world's most eminent gastroenterologists will gather from October 31 - November 5 for the American College of Gastroenterology's 62nd Annual Scientific Meeting at the Chicago Hilton & Towers to discuss the latest advances in GI research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.
Two keynote addresses highlight the program. Distinguished Chicago gastroenterologist Joseph B. Kirsner, MD, will present the Baker Presidential Lecture, "The Impact of Research on Clinical Gastroenterology During the 20th Century," on Wednesday, November 5, 1997 at 10:00 a.m.
The newly endowed J. Edward Berk Distinguished Lecture, "Small Bowel Motility: Out of the Closet and Into the Clinic," will be delivered by David L. Wingate, MD of St. Bartholomew's & The Royal London School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, England. Dr. Wingate will address the assembled physicians on Tuesday, November 4, 1997 at 10:00 am in the International Ballroom at the Chicago Hilton.
Daily lunchtime media briefings are planned on the following topics:
Monday, November 3, 1997 12:00 PM "Preventing Colon Cancer: New Guidelines for Screening" Douglas K. Rex, MD, FACG Chair, Indiana University Hospital, Indianapolis, IN David A. Lieberman, MD, FACG, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR Randall Burt, MD, University of Utah Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT Moderator: Barbara L. O'Brien, MD, FACG, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
Tuesday, November 4, 1997, 12:00 PM "Cutting Edge Treatments for the Most Common GI Conditions: What's New in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Ulcers & Inflammatory Bowel Disease" Joel E. Richter, MD, FACG, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH Daniel H. Present, MD, MACG, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY Moderator: Christopher J. Gostout, MD, FACG, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Wednesday, November 5, 1997 12:00 PM "New Conceptual Approaches & New Technologies: Impact on Future GI Therapies" Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, FACG, Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL Richard Sampliner, MD, FACG, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ Charles Lightdale, MD, FACG, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY Moderator: Ray E. Clouse, MD, FACG, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Press Availabilities are planned with experts on:
Sunday, November 2, 1997, 1:00 - 2:00 PM and 5:00 - 6:00 PM "The Implications of Gender Differences in GI Disease Management, Research & Pharmacology" Florence Haseltine, MD, Editor, Journal of Women's Health, National Institutes of Health Robyn Karlstadt, MD, FACG, Philadelphia, PA Lillian Harvey, MD, FACG, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Tuesday, November 4, 1997 9:00 AM "Post Phen/Fen Controversies in Obesity Treatment - The Pill or the Knife?" Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, FACG, Johns Hopkins University Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD Louis Aronne, MD, New York Hospital, Cornell University Medical Center, New York, NY Moderator: Harris Clearfield, MD, FACG, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, Philadelphia, PA
Please contact Marie Kendra Tehonica Tehonica or Catherine Franklin to participate by teleconference.
Scientific presentations at the meeting will focus on new challenges in patient care faced by gastroenterology physicians and advances in the prevention and treatment of client system disorders. Highlights of topics to be addressed include:
Potential Complications from Common Pain Relievers More Likely in the Elderly, a study by J. Patrick Waring, MD, FACG that discovered that elderly patients taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were more likely than those under age 65 to suffer from peptic strictures.
Long Term Follow Up of Patients After Anti-Reflux Surgery, a presentation by Robert D. Marks, MD on his study that reviewed the long-term effectiveness of fundoplication, a surgical procedure that is part of the treatment options for severe gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Impact of Colorectal Cancer and Cancer Screening on Life Expectancy, a report by John Inadomi, MD on the lifesaving benefits of colorectal cancer screening. The report shows that without proper screening colorectal cancer decreases the average U.S. citizen's life expectancy by more than 8 months.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Increases the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Ulcerative Colitis Patients, reports on a study by Kirti Shetty, MD, found that patients with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, who also suffer from a liver disease known as primary sclerosing cholangitis have a significantly higher risk of developing fatal colorectal cancer.
Are Current Colon Cancer Screening Guidelines Appropriate for African Americans?, a new study by John E. Burney III, MD that compared the incidence, location, size, and histology of colorectal polyps between African American and Caucasian patients.
Esophageal Disease in Patients with H. pylori, a study by Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, FACG and David S. Loeb, MD that examined severe esophageal complications associated with H. pylori infection.
Overcoming Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening: Two New Studies Find Health Insurance Coverage A Major Factor in Screening Compliance, reports on findings from a study by V. Alin Botoman, MD, FACG that found compliance with colon cancer screening suffers because of a variety of factors, including lack of health insurance coverage and patient perceptions of the screening experience and on research entitled, Factors Which Influence Patient Continued Participation in Colon Cancer Screening, a survey by Ann DiPalma and Jack A. DiPalma, MD, FACG that screened participants in 1991 as part of an aggressively managed colon cancer screening registry which tracked patients with regular notices and reminders for annual stool blood tests and flexible sigmoidoscopy screenings.
Evidence Against Zoonotic Transmission of H. pylori from Domestic Felines, a poster supported by an ACG Research Grant that found that cats are not a carrier of H. pylori, the bacteria that causes ulcers, and therefore do not transmit the bacteria to humans.
Gene-Based Therapy Offers Potential Breakthrough in Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease, a multi-center study indicating promising early results for an experimental genetic treatment for Crohn's disease, which affects over 2 million people in the United States.
Characteristics of African American and Caucasian Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), research led by Jeffrie Kamean, MD provides data dispelling the common misperception that there are differences between African American and Caucasian IBD patients.
Surfing the Net May Be Hazardous to Your Health: Quality of GI Information on the Internet, a study led by J.F. Barry O'Conner, MD that evaluated the origin, nature, and validity of information and treatment recommendations found on the internet for four major GI diseases. The study found that ten percent of Internet sites offering treatment advice posted remedies that are of no proven benefit.
Consumers can get more information on GI diseases through the following ACG sponsored programs: *1-800-978-7666: GI Health Information Hotline. Callers receive free brochures on common GI disorders, including ulcers, colon cancer, gallstones and liver disease *1-800-HRT-BURN: ACG Heartburn Hotline. Callers receive a free brochure & video on GERD *http://www.acg.gi.org - ACG's Web site
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The American College of Gastroenterology was founded in 1932 to advance the scientific study and medical treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The College promotes the highest standards in medical education and is guided by its commitment to meeting the individual and collective needs of clinical GI practitioners.
For media registration, please contact Marie Kendra Tehonica or Catherine Franklin at (202) 973-5800.
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