Another Reason To Sleep In: Colon Cancer
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Sleep deprivation has long been linked to obesity, heart disease and diabetes, but a new study says now you can add colon cancer to the list.
Researchers at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that people who averaged less than six hours of sleep at night had an almost 50 percent increase in the risk of colorectal adenomas.
These benign tumors are often a precursor to cancer tumors, and turn malignant if left untreated.
Former Chief of Staff at Santa Monica/UCLA Medical Center Doctor David Barron tells KNX 1070's Tom Haule it's a risk that's definitely not worth taking.
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The study calls the link to sleep deprivation a "significant risk" — about the same as having a first-degree relative with a history of colon cancer.
Dr. Barron warns that since there are no recognizable symptoms of colon cancer, those who feel they are at risk would benefit from more frequent colonoscopy procedures.
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