Washington, Sep 10 (ANI): The largest ever study on ‘Proton pump inhibitors’ (PPI)-the second most prescribed group of drugs for heartburn-has dismissed all fears about the cancer causing effects of the treatment.
PPI are the most commonly used treatment for chronic acid reflux, or ‘heartburn’, a painful burning sensation in the chest, neck and throat which is experienced by almost a third of people in developed countries.
Regular and prolonged heartburn is known to cause ‘benign oesophagitis’, a reversible inflammation of the gullet.
However if left untreated a condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus (BE) occurs in around 10 per cent of sufferers, which can in turn develop into a potentially fatal cancer called oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
While PPIs had an excellent safety record, it was unclear if long-term use of these drugs to reduce the discomfort of heartburn could increase the risk of developing either BE or the spread of the associated cancer.
But, the new research carried out at Queen Mary, University of London and Leicester Royal Infirmary, has given the most conclusive evidence yet that this is not the case.
Professor Janusz Jankowski, who co-authored the study, said: “This is one of the most detailed studies investigating both the laboratory and clinical side of proton pump inhibitor drugs. As a consequence we are now better able to inform patients of the good benefit/risk ratio of this commonly prescribed therapy.”
Tests carried out during the two-year study looked at tissue sampled from the oesophagus lining of ninety volunteers, each of whom were given PPI drugs at either a high or low dosage.
Researchers found that there was no difference in the rate at which BE developed, neither was there a change in the number of precancerous cells in either group.
Despite fears about how the treatments might affect people already suffering from BE, the study showed that there was no evidence that this led to any worsening of the condition or any extra incidences of cancer.
PPIs work by blocking the action of gastrin, a hormone that controls acid levels in the stomach, and is known to increase the normal movement of cells in the gastro-intestinal tract.
Since PPI therapy increases the levels of gastrin in the body, it had been thought this could cause expansion of BE affected tissue, but this was not found to be the case.
In fact, the scientists observed neither expansion nor contraction of the abnormal tissue.
The study has been published in the peer reviewed journal Gut. (ANI)
Oz experts’ panel questions Ponting’s tactics
Melbourne/Cardiff, July 13 (ANI): A panel of Australian cricketing experts, including Nick McArdle, Damien Fleming and Mark Waugh, have concluded that Australian captain Ricky Ponting’s tactics on the final day of the first Ashes Test at Cardiff, Wales, came up short, and this enabled England to salvage a draw.
Former Australia fast bowler Damien Fleming said he was mystified by Ponting’s decision to remove pace bowler Ben Hilfenhaus just after he had taken the crucial wicket of Graeme Swann to leave the hosts reeling at 8-221.
“I do not know,” Fleming said when asked why Ponting had taken Australia’s in-form quick out of the attack at such a pivotal moment.
“I would have liked to see Hilfenhaus and (Peter) Siddle bowl together for about half-a-dozen overs when they took that ninth wicket. That didn’t happen … I’m sure we will hear a fair bit from it in the next couple of days.”
Former middle-order bat Mark Waugh believes both teams would draw some confidence from the result, but felt that the Aussies are going to be “disappointed” after dominating the Test for large periods
Waugh said he wasn’t expecting a heap of changes from either side but he feels England still have “much more improvement in them”.
With the honours shared, the consensus among the panel appears to be that England might just have scored a decisive moral victory over their Aussie foes.
“Let’s hope we’re not regretting that come fifth Test time,” Fleming said.
Meanwhile in Cardiff, Fox Sports commentators Brendon Julian and Greg Blewett described the last hour of play as “gut wrenching” from an Australian point of view.
Though Australia were unable to finish the job, the panelists agreed that the form of off-spinner Hauritz was an encouraging sign for the rest of the series. (ANI)