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American Morning

'Paging Dr. Gupta'

Aired January 20, 2004 - 08:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There was a very personal moment last night on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.
Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN RATHER, CBS NEWS: A recent examination of my skin detected several basal cell carcinomas, a very common and highly treatable form of skin cancer. The cells, on my face and nose, were removed during my recent absence from this broadcast. The healing process continues. A full recovery is expected, but it remains a humbling, learning experience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Now they were also urging viewers last night to get their own skin cancer examinations. He's drawn attention to it already. The mildest form of skin cancer, we're told, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta here to talk a bit more about the condition last night, not so much for Dan Rather, but also what millions of Americans can relate to -- nice to see you, Sanjay.

Good morning to you.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Yes, everything he said, just about true, you know, talking about the most common form of cancer, skin cancer; the most common form of cancer overall, as well, basal cell carcinoma. The name not that important, but about 800,000 cases a year. Almost never metastasizes, almost never spreads. This is the cancer to get if you have to get a cancer. Caused by chronic exposure to the sun. Rather, by the way, 72 years old.

Affects the face, ears, neck and scalp, slow growing, excellent prognosis for Mr. Rather.

HEMMER: Good news for him then.

GUPTA: Yes.

HEMMER: Again, bringing a lot of attention to the topic last night.

GUPTA: Yes.

HEMMER: Let's talk about Alzheimer's. We have a connection here with vitamins. If you take vitamins, it actually helps you...

GUPTA: This has been out for...

HEMMER: ... in the long-term?

GUPTA: This is interesting. This has been out for a while, talking about vitamins, specifically, the anti-oxidant effects and what that might have on Alzheimer's and other sort of neurodegenerative diseases. The interesting thing about here, though, we're not talking about multi-vitamins specifically. We're talking, rather, about supplements, high doses of these vitamins, sometimes several thousand units as opposed to 10 or 20 units, as the case often is.

Now, the study coming out of Hopkins. Dr. Peter Zandi looking at about 4,700 patients, none of them with Alzheimer's, all 65 age or older, and finding out how many of them developed Alzheimer's and why. About 200 developed Alzheimer's over the five year period. And what they found, this is the interesting part, is people who took the supplements -- and I think we have some numbers here, as well -- the people who took the supplements had a 78 percent lower risk of actually developing Alzheimer's; 78 percent with these supplements, high doses of the Vitamin E and Vitamin C together. They had a Phase 2 part of the study, as well. About 104 additional cases of Alzheimer's out of those 4,700 people, 64 percent lower risk.

So basically in a nutshell, Vitamin E and Vitamin C in high doses appears to have some sort of protective effect. Is it that these people are already healthy? I mean people who take high dose vitamins tend to live healthier lifestyles. Perhaps. But this warrants more study perhaps.

HEMMER: It's take into account the question. You're a neurosurgeon. You know all about this stuff. How is it that you take these supplements and actually improve your chances of fending it off?

GUPTA: You know, it's interesting, because you sort of look at why things develop, like Alzheimer's. Sometimes you find out the answer in the treatments. For example, in this case, anti-oxidants seem to offer some sort of benefit. Could it be that Alzheimer's Disease is actually caused, in part, by these free radicals sort of cruising around the brain and sort of causing a little damage to neurons? The vitamins in high doses sort of mop up those free radicals. People have been talking about this for a long time. And if you take high enough doses, could you actually get some benefit?

That's at least the theory here.

By the way, a lot of people are looking at the numbers, saying, you know, you're taking 1,000 units versus 22 units, which is usually what the FDA recommends. A lot of the doctors we spoke to says not a problem, usually not a toxic problem with taking really high dose vitamins.

HEMMER: Interesting, even that amount?

GUPTA: Even that amount.

HEMMER: OK.

Thank you, Sanjay.

Nice to see you.

GUPTA: Good to see you.

HEMMER: Next hour you won't be far, will you?

GUPTA: I'll be right here.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 20, 2004 - 08:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There was a very personal moment last night on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather.
Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN RATHER, CBS NEWS: A recent examination of my skin detected several basal cell carcinomas, a very common and highly treatable form of skin cancer. The cells, on my face and nose, were removed during my recent absence from this broadcast. The healing process continues. A full recovery is expected, but it remains a humbling, learning experience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Now they were also urging viewers last night to get their own skin cancer examinations. He's drawn attention to it already. The mildest form of skin cancer, we're told, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta here to talk a bit more about the condition last night, not so much for Dan Rather, but also what millions of Americans can relate to -- nice to see you, Sanjay.

Good morning to you.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Yes, everything he said, just about true, you know, talking about the most common form of cancer, skin cancer; the most common form of cancer overall, as well, basal cell carcinoma. The name not that important, but about 800,000 cases a year. Almost never metastasizes, almost never spreads. This is the cancer to get if you have to get a cancer. Caused by chronic exposure to the sun. Rather, by the way, 72 years old.

Affects the face, ears, neck and scalp, slow growing, excellent prognosis for Mr. Rather.

HEMMER: Good news for him then.

GUPTA: Yes.

HEMMER: Again, bringing a lot of attention to the topic last night.

GUPTA: Yes.

HEMMER: Let's talk about Alzheimer's. We have a connection here with vitamins. If you take vitamins, it actually helps you...

GUPTA: This has been out for...

HEMMER: ... in the long-term?

GUPTA: This is interesting. This has been out for a while, talking about vitamins, specifically, the anti-oxidant effects and what that might have on Alzheimer's and other sort of neurodegenerative diseases. The interesting thing about here, though, we're not talking about multi-vitamins specifically. We're talking, rather, about supplements, high doses of these vitamins, sometimes several thousand units as opposed to 10 or 20 units, as the case often is.

Now, the study coming out of Hopkins. Dr. Peter Zandi looking at about 4,700 patients, none of them with Alzheimer's, all 65 age or older, and finding out how many of them developed Alzheimer's and why. About 200 developed Alzheimer's over the five year period. And what they found, this is the interesting part, is people who took the supplements -- and I think we have some numbers here, as well -- the people who took the supplements had a 78 percent lower risk of actually developing Alzheimer's; 78 percent with these supplements, high doses of the Vitamin E and Vitamin C together. They had a Phase 2 part of the study, as well. About 104 additional cases of Alzheimer's out of those 4,700 people, 64 percent lower risk.

So basically in a nutshell, Vitamin E and Vitamin C in high doses appears to have some sort of protective effect. Is it that these people are already healthy? I mean people who take high dose vitamins tend to live healthier lifestyles. Perhaps. But this warrants more study perhaps.

HEMMER: It's take into account the question. You're a neurosurgeon. You know all about this stuff. How is it that you take these supplements and actually improve your chances of fending it off?

GUPTA: You know, it's interesting, because you sort of look at why things develop, like Alzheimer's. Sometimes you find out the answer in the treatments. For example, in this case, anti-oxidants seem to offer some sort of benefit. Could it be that Alzheimer's Disease is actually caused, in part, by these free radicals sort of cruising around the brain and sort of causing a little damage to neurons? The vitamins in high doses sort of mop up those free radicals. People have been talking about this for a long time. And if you take high enough doses, could you actually get some benefit?

That's at least the theory here.

By the way, a lot of people are looking at the numbers, saying, you know, you're taking 1,000 units versus 22 units, which is usually what the FDA recommends. A lot of the doctors we spoke to says not a problem, usually not a toxic problem with taking really high dose vitamins.

HEMMER: Interesting, even that amount?

GUPTA: Even that amount.

HEMMER: OK.

Thank you, Sanjay.

Nice to see you.

GUPTA: Good to see you.

HEMMER: Next hour you won't be far, will you?

GUPTA: I'll be right here.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com