Health News
Rx Treats the Gut, but Upsets the Blood
Patients with ulcerative colitis can be treated effectively with a class of medications called thiopurines . But taking these medications over a long period of time can have some negative effects.
Gut Feeling About Cancer
In patients with celiac disease, the immune system attacks the patient's own body and causes damage to the lining of the gut. The disease has been linked to a higher risk of lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.
FDA Drug Safety Communication: TNF blockers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is informing the public that it continues to receive reports of a rare cancer of white blood cells (known as h epatosplenic T-Cell lymphoma or HSTCL ), primarily in adolescents and young adults being treated for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis with medicines known as tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) blockers, as well as with azathioprine , and/or mercaptopurine .
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cause inflammation of the digestive system. Common symptoms are pain in the abdomen, cramps, and diarrhea. Bleeding from the rectum, wei...