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What you need to know about life-saving screenings, symptoms of colorectal cancer Many of us hear advertisements during Colon Cancer Awareness month each March, or have heard a primary care provider suggest the often-dreaded colonoscopy as part of a wellness regimen. Despite the warnings and messages, many people don’t think they need to bother. Eric Carbaugh was 49 when he decided he needed to take the warnings seriously. His brother, who was 53 at the time, had a gall bladder surgery turn into the discovery of a tumor. He went through surgery and chemotherapy to treat the stage three cancer. Around the same time, Carbaugh took a genetic test that determined he was predisposed to developing cancer. And then there was a physical symptom he had been ignoring for about a year, blood in his stool. Given the symptom, plus his brother’s experiences, he decided it was time to call in an expert. Dr. C.P. Choudari, a gastroenterologist who leads Meritus Hagerstown Gastroenterology scheduled a colonoscopy. The test confirmed Carbaugh had rectal cancer. To save his life, his colon was removed. It’s a drastic step that many can avoid with regular screenings and earlier detection. “If you have a change in bowel habits, if you have any bleeding, even if you think it’s a hemorrhoid, and it doesn’t go away, just get a colonoscopy,” Choudari said. “It can be life-saving.” How often are colorectal cancer cases found in younger patients? Early onset colorectal cancer now accounts for approximately 10 percent of all new diagnoses of the disease, Dr. Choudari said. And since 1994, cases of early onset colorectal cancer have increased by 51 percent. In the next decade, it is estimated 25 percent of rectal cancers and 10 to 12 percent of colon cancers will be diagnosed in people younger than 50, he said. Due to these statistics, screening recommendations have changed. It is now recommended that adults get their first coloscopy by age 45, unless they have family history or other risk factors that would begin their screenings earlier. Choudari noted that only 15 to 20 percent of colorectal cancers found in those younger than 50 have family history or genetic predisposition. “That means 80 percent are sporadic,” he said. What is life like after colorectal cancer? Carbaugh, a farmer, had surgery to remove the cancer on Oct. 5, 2021. While it is a serious surgery, he recovered well and is grateful to enjoy his life, with a positive prognosis. “I am very, very active,” he said. “I don’t see any reason that I couldn’t live for a long length of time, into my 80s.” But Carbaugh still laments not consulting a doctor as soon as he started seeing his own symptoms. He’s sharing his story so others will pay attention to awareness messages and recommendations from their physicians. “My message to you is that regular colonoscopies need to be started before age 50,” he said. “And people need to pay attention to their own symptoms, especially blood in your stool. Don’t fool around. “Just do what you’ve gotta do,” he said. “Life is going to be OK.” To learn more about colorectal cancer or to schedule a colonoscopy, visit www.meritushealth.com/locations/meritus-hagerstown-gastroenterology or call 240-513-7072.
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People love to talk about that great meal they’ve eaten or fancy cocktail they’ve tried. But they don’t always want to talk about where that food and drink goes in their bodies – until it’s too late. There are three major gastrointestinal issues that Vamshidhar Vootla, M.D., says he notices in patients: fatty liver disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome. The culprit behind these conditions, often, has to do with the patient’s lifestyle including diet and exercise, said Dr. Vootla, who recently started seeing patients in Hagerstown and Hancock. “Processed foods have a big role in your health in this area,” he said. “I tell patients they need to be careful with the diet they choose.” With fatty liver, the reason it’s so prevalent is because it often goes undiagnosed until it is too late. “We call this a silent disease,” he said. “This is the most common chronic liver condition and it’s generally asymptomatic. People have no clue until it becomes cirrhosis of the liver.” The condition can be hereditary, but can also be caused by poor diet and lack of exercise, as well as consumption of alcohol or by certain viral infections, such as hepatitis C. However in recent years, obesity, diabetes and elevated cholesterol have become the primary reasons for development of fatty liver, Dr. Vootla said. Studies suggest that approximately one-third of the population has gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD and often referred to as reflux, according to the American Gastroenterological Association, Dr. Vootla said. But it’s when the situation becomes chronic that the trouble starts. By chronic, we’re talking over 10 years. The reflux can start to impact the lining of the food pipe and that can lead to esophageal cancer resulting in symptoms like trouble swallowing, weight loss, vomiting and anemia. “Pay attention to the alarm symptoms,” Dr. Vootla said. “Using over-the-counter treatments to manage reflux is so common,” he said, “but there are side effects over the long haul. You should be screened if the problems persist.” Irritable bowel syndrome, commonly known by its initials IBS, is the most common condition that Dr. Vootla sees in his patients. The trouble is that it can’t be self-diagnosed. “It’s a diagnosis of exclusion,” he said. “There is no single test to diagnose it. So you have to rule out other conditions to arrive at this diagnosis.” The time to sound the alarm for doctors is when symptoms worsen or new symptoms crop up, including bleeding, vomiting and weight loss. “It is a chronic condition but can be managed,” he said of the disease. The bottom line for Dr. Vootla is that patients shouldn’t dismiss the warning signs of a potential problem, no matter the condition. Contact your healthcare provider at the first sign of symptoms. “They’re a tell-tale sign that there’s something going on,” he said. To learn more about issues that could impact your GI tract, go to Meritus Hagerstown Gastroenterology online at www.meritushealth.com/gastroenterology.
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HAGERSTOWN, Md. — For one James Buchanan High graduate, matching with the Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program is a chance to practice medicine where she grew up. Ashley Moats, who played volleyball for the Rockets before graduating in 2014, said she and her fiancé are looking forward to moving back to the tristate area after she graduates from Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine in North Carolina this spring. She worked at Meritus Medical Center briefly as part of her training, and knew it was right for her. “I could see myself working there as a resident in training for the next three years, and maybe longer,” she said March 15, known as Match Day for residency programs across the country. Each year, on the heels of graduation, medical students nationwide eagerly await announcement for where they “matched,” meaning where they will spend their next several years in residency. Medical residency programs serve as structured apprenticeships leading to board certification in a particular specialty. A resident is a physician who is enrolled in this apprenticeship or residency and is overseen by board-certified faculty physicians. The highly selective process results in six medical school graduates being matched with the family medicine program at Meritus. “We are honored to be able to help shape the next generation of compassionate family physicians,” said Dr. Brad Miller, Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program. “Our highly skilled faculty physicians and colleagues will oversee the next three years of apprenticeship for these six new graduates. Our faculty work closely with the resident physicians which means that our patients have a unique opportunity to participate in this journey.” In addition to Ashley, the Meritus Family Medicine Residency Program Class of 2027 includes graduates from Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina: • Meghana Annadata, American University of Antigua College of Medicine • Lawrence Barnoski, Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine • Ashika Chaluvadi, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine • Nancy Tran, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine • Thuy Vuong, Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine We invite you to find out more information on the services that Meritus Family Medicine offers for you and your family. Learn more at https://www.meritushealth.com/locations/meritus-family-medicine-robinwood.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The president and CEO of Meritus Health and the proposed Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine was recently named the chair of the University System of Maryland – Hagerstown (USMH) advisory board. Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., is the incoming chair of the Board of Advisors, which provides insight for the school’s student programs, scholarship funds and local community coordination. “I am deeply honored to take on the role of chair of the USMH Board of Advisors and support such a wonderful organization with all our committed and expert Board of Advisors,” Joshi said. Jacob Ashby, executive director of USMH and secretary of the advisory board, said Joshi is a perfect fit for his new role. "USMH and Meritus Health have been partners in the region for many years. I am very excited to have Dr. Joshi step into the role of Chair of our Board of Advisors,” Ashby said. “While serving as chair, I look forward to the opportunity to work with Dr. Joshi to help current students get on their career path and identify additional healthcare programs that could be offered at USMH. Given the expected growth in the industry and workforce shortages, in partnership, Meritus Health and USMH can continue to make a positive impact on the health of our community."
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