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Preventing colorectal cancer

Pattaya City Expats Club member Gavin Waddell, also international marketing executive with Phyathai Hospital Sriracha, introduces the speaker, Dr. Jitlada Imharit, M.D.

Preventing colorectal cancer was the subject at the Pattaya City Expats Club’s July 24 meeting at the Amari’s Tavern by the Sea Restaurant. After the usual opening announcements, Master of Ceremonies Richard Silverberg called on fellow member Gavin Waddell, international marketing executive with Phyathai Hospital Sriracha, to introduce the speaker. After announcing that there was nurse from the hospital giving free blood pressure readings in the back alcove, Gavin introduced Dr. Jitlada Imharit, M.D., a specialist in colorectal cancer and other diseases of the stomach and liver.

Dr. Jitlada said that she would be talking about colorectal carcinoma which is a cancer of the colon or rectum. Her primary message was colorectal cancer can be prevented or detected in its early stages. Around the world, it is the third leading cause of cancer in men and the fourth leading cause in women. The frequency varies among populations. It is more common in the Western world and is rare in Asia and Africa. In countries where the people have adopted western diets, the incidence of colorectal cancer is increasing.

Dr. Jitlada spoke about colorectal carcinoma which is a cancer of the colon or rectum. Her primary message was colorectal cancer can be prevented or detected in its early stages. If everybody aged 50 or older had regular screening tests, as many as 60% of deaths from colon cancer could be prevented.

She recommended a low fat and high fiber diet to reduce the risk of colon cancer as well as quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake. But most importantly, if you are 50 years of age, get screened for colorectal cancer. But, if you have a family history of colorectal cancer or high risk factors, you should get screened earlier.

If everybody aged 50 or older had regular screening tests, as many as 60% of deaths from colon cancer could be prevented. Screening saves lives because it can find precancerous polyps - abnormal growths in the colon or rectum - so that they can be removed before turning into cancer.

Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure. About nine out of every 10 people whose colorectal cancer is found early and treated are still alive five years later.

Following the presentation and regular items, Richard Silverberg called on Roy Albiston to conduct the always informative and sometime humorous Open Forum.

Polyps are slow growing, so if you have a colonoscopy and no polyps were found, you can wait about 10 years before having another one. However, if polyps are found and removed, you should have another colonoscopy in another 3 to 5 years.

Dr. Jitlada also described some other screening methods, but explained why a colonoscopy was the most effective in detecting polyps. But, most importantly, during the procedure polyps can be removed before they can become cancerous.

She also described symptoms that can indicate you have colorectal cancer; but by the time symptoms appear, the cancer may have already existed for a long time. These symptoms can be varied and by themselves may not be the result of colorectal cancer. You should be alert for the following symptoms: change in bowel habits, narrow stools, diarrhea or constipation, red or dark blood in the stool, weight loss, and abdominal pain. There are other causes for these type symptoms, but if you have them, you should seek a medical diagnosis to rule out colorectal cancer.

Dr Jitlada and Gavin listen intently to a member’s question re the difference between colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy.

If cancer is found and it has not spread, the most common treatment is a resection of the bowels. Patients that have this surgery can experience long-term survival in excess of 80%. However, in patients with advanced colon cancer, where the tumor has penetrated beyond the bowel wall and there is evidence of metastasis (spreading) to distant organs, the five-year survival rate is less than 10%. In conclusion, she pointed out that screening and proper diet are the best preventative measures.

After Dr. Jitlada answered several questions from the audience, Richard Silverberg brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on Roy Albiston to conduct the always informative and sometime humorous Open Forum where questions are asked and answered about expat living in Thailand, recommendations for restaurants and movies are made, and perhaps a joke or two are told.
 


Socialites dress up with ‘50 Years of Italian Fashion’

The Italian ambassador Michelangelo Pipan cuts the ceremonial ribbon to open the event, along with his wife Laila, Thanpuying Varaporn Pramoj Na Ayudhaya, Yuwadee Chirathivat, Ongkorn Abhakorn na Ayuthaya, ML. Piyapas Bhirombhakdi, Lee Puengboonpra and Araya “Chompoo” A. Hargate and of course Giorgio Forni.

Elfi Seitz

Leading Italian fashion designers showed off 84 haute couture dresses designed to honor HM the King for his upcoming 84th birthday.

The 50 Years of Italian Fashion show, which ran through July 31 at Central Chidlom in Bangkok, showcased designs by 24 famed Italian fashion houses, including Armani, Balestra, Capucci, Camerino, Alberta Feretti, Gianfranco Ferre, Gucci, Valentino and Versace.

Attending the July 13 kick-off were Italian Ambassador Michelangelo Pipan and his wife Laila, Central Department Stores President Yuwadee Chirathivat, Thai socialites Varaporn Pramoj Na Ayudhaya, Piyapas Bhirombhakdi, Lee Puengboonpra and actresses Araya A. Hargate and Kullawit Laosuksri.

Of course Pattaya was represented at such an event. (L to R) Nittaya Patimasongkroh, Elfi Seitz, Ambassador Michelangelo Pipan, Laila Pipan and father Giovanni Contarin from the Camillian Center.

Pattaya’s Cindy Bishop-Burbridge, a former Miss Thailand World, was among the presenters.

A collaboration between Central and Siam Commercial Bank, the event also featured a lecture on the history of Italian glamour from Giorgio Forni, owner of the famous dress collection and president of the Sartirana Foundation.

Beautiful Cindy Bishop-Burbridge was the elegant presenter of the evening

Yuwadee said Central long has been a supporter of art and cultural education.

“This is why we believe this exposition of marvelous Italian designer dresses will inspire art and fashion students and fill fashion lovers with enthusiasm,” he said. “In addition to the 84 haute couture dresses that were once worn by queens and superstars, 12 high-society ladies from Thailand supported the show with some of their own Italian designer dresses.”

Pipan said the show not only shows off the quality of Italian design, but “also shows the great collaboration between Thailand and Italy.”

Forni said the exhibit was the most unique he’s seen and represents Italian fashion well.

Kullawit served as host, guiding guests through the exposition, followed by hundreds of journalists and other invited guests.


HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]

Preventing colorectal cancer

Socialites dress up with ‘50 Years of Italian Fashion’
 

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