4/29/2004 Dr Thomas Stuttaford The London Times WORDSWORTH’S early romantic experiences were not confined to admiring daffodils. But the results of these experiences were not as transient as the beauty of the daffodils fluttering in the breeze by a lake. After Cambridge he went on a walking tour of the Continent before living for a time in France, where he fell for a French woman. When he returned to England, he had a nasty dose of chlamydia. The infection spread to his eyes and gave him life-long trouble. The additional lights he needed to follow a church service can still be seen on his pew. It is not only the eyes that may be damaged by sexually transmitted diseases. There is a suggestion that infection with the human wart virus — HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) — which is the cause of cervical cancer, may also be one of the reasons why oral cancer is becoming more common. Springtime love might have a surprising and unpleasant sequel, for the type of cell involved in cancer of the mouth and the cervix is the same. Two years ago Professor Saman Warnakulasuriya, of King’s College London, presented findings on oral cancer to the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Seventy five per cent of the patients had lifestyles that included well-known risk factors for mouth cancers. In the past it was customary to attribute these to rotten or broken teeth, but either changing circumstances, or greater knowledge, has shown that the great risks [...]

4/29/2004 Ralph W. Moss, PhD CancerDecisions.com An article of great importance has appeared in Fortune magazine. It is titled "Why We're Losing the War on Cancer." The author, Clifton Leaf, is Executive Editor of the magazine and is himself a survivor of adolescent Hodgkin's disease. So he is no stranger to cancer or to the potential of modern treatment to cure some of its less common manifestations. Leaf recognizes that he himself was extraordinarily lucky in surviving. But he still has the courage to ask, "Why have we made so little progress in the war on cancer?" He readily acknowledges the flood of recent favorable publicity for drugs such as Gleevec, Herceptin, Iressa, Erbitux and most recently Avastin. "The cure has seemed closer than ever," he says. "But it's not," he continues. "Hope and optimism, so essential to this fight, have masked some very real systemic problems that have made this complex, elusive, relentless foe even harder to defeat. We are far from winning the war. So far away, in fact, that it looks like losing." Leaf gives some facts about cancer that are well known to insiders but will come as a shock to many readers: --More Americans will die of cancer in the next 14 months than have died from every war that the US has fought...combined. --Cancer is about to replace heart disease as the number one US killer. It is already the biggest killer in many age groups. --Even adjusting for age, the percentage of Americans [...]

4/24/2004 Jennifer Warner Consumer Reports Issues List of Potentially Dangerous Supplements Despite known hazards, many potentially dangerous dietary supplements are readily available for purchase in stores and on the Internet, according to a new report from Consumer Reports. Today, the magazine released its "dirty dozen" list of dietary supplements that it says are too dangerous to be on the market. The list includes yohimbe, bitter orange, chaparral, and andro. But researchers say the supplements are sold under many names, which makes it hard for consumers to know what they're getting. Many of the supplements that made the list have already been banned in other countries. But researchers say regulatory barriers created by Congress have prevented the FDA from taking similar actions to protect consumers in this country. The announcement coincides with a report on supplement safety issued today by the Institute of Medicine, which suggests that the FDA should take action against potentially hazardous dietary supplements and asks Congress to ease restraints on the agency. Dirty Dozen of Dietary Supplements Researchers from the consumer magazine say the supplements that made its "dirty dozen" list may cause cancer, severe liver or kidney damage, heart problems, or even death. For example, they say the herb aristolochia has been conclusively linked to kidney failure and cancer in China, Europe, Japan, and the U.S. Yohimbe, a supplement marketed as a sexual stimulant and herbal Viagra, has been linked to heart and respiratory problems. The supplement bitter orange, whose ingredients have effects similar to those [...]

4/24/2004 MONTREAL,Canada CNW Telbec Although it is one of the deadliest cancers and kills almost one Quebecer every day, 61% of people still know little about oral cancer. In addition, 20% of those surveyed were unable to name a single possible cause of the disease, and 36% named other causes, probably incorrect ones. These were the findings of a huge survey of 1,000 adult Quebecers by the SOM-R firm, commissioned by the Ordre des dentistes du Québec (ODQ), and conducted from March 24 to 31 this year. "It just goes to show that we have to make an effort to inform people about this disease," said Dr. Robert Salois, ODQ President, who was attending a screening clinic held today at Carrefour Laval. The ODQ and members of dental societies have been holding all sorts of oral cancer awareness and screening activities across the province, in fact, since early April. Causes that could be better known Aside from a general lack of knowledge about oral cancer, Quebecers are ill informed about its causes. It seems that 63% of those surveyed mentioned smoking as the main cause, 7% cited poor nutrition, 6% said alcohol, and 36% gave other causes. One person in five (20%) was unable to name a single cause. The ODQ reminds everyone that heavy smoking and drinking are the main risk factors for oral cancer. Although separately they can both cause this type of cancer, when combined they multiply the risk. "A heavy smoker is 18 times more likely [...]

4/22/2004 Austin, Texas Recent preclinical studies provide new insight into the molecular pathways by which p53, the active component of Introgen Therapeutics’ (NASDAQ: INGN) Advexin therapy, kills tumor cells. These preclinical studies were undertaken in order to provide additional molecular data supporting the clinical benefit observed during the clinical development of Advexin, now in phase 3 trials for the treatment of head and neck cancer. The studies were conducted by Introgen’s collaborators at Okayama University in Japan and at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and were published earlier this year in an issue of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Introgen has previously sponsored studies in Japan which include a phase 1-2 trial in non-small cell lung cancer and a phase 2 trial in esophageal cancer. These recently reported findings add substantially to our knowledge of the timing and expression levels of p53 and genes that are activated by p53 protein after the delivery of Advexin therapy. The p53 protein and gene functions as a tumor suppressor by arresting cell growth, inducing programmed cell death, causing cancer cells to differentiate, and inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels required to support tumor growth. Preclinical and early clinical studies with Advexin have shown that delivery of the p53 gene to cancer cells can provide therapeutic benefit by reducing tumor volume, halting tumor growth, and improving survival. The current study provides additional information regarding the specific pathways that mediate the observed therapeutic effects of Advexin. Lou Zumstein, Ph.D., Introgen’s director of [...]

4/20/2004 Dr. D. R. Sawyer, Dr. M. Pyle, Case Western Reserve University's School of Dental Medicine In one of the first national surveys of dental hygienists about their knowledge and screening practices for oral cancers, researchers at Case Western Reserve University's School of Dental Medicine found indications that while dental hygienists view screening for oral cancer an important component of their practice and possess comparable oral cancer knowledge with the general dentist in the private practice, they often do not carry out oral cancer screenings. Early oral cancer is often asymptomatic and if not caught during its earlier stages, the chances of surviving the disease diminish significantly, according to Dr. Danny R. Sawyer, professor and chairman of Case' department of oral diagnosis and radiology and assistant dean of didactic education. He conducted the study along with Dr. Marsha Pyle, Case associate dean for dental curriculum; Meredith Bailey, a second-year Case dental student; and Maureen Vendemia, professor of dental hygiene from Youngstown State University. The 25-question survey from Case was mailed to 2,000 randomly selected dental hygienists nationwide, with 575 individuals responding to questions about their oral cancer knowledge and oral cancer screening practices. The survey findings were presented at the 2004 annual research meeting of the American Dental Education Association and were compared to an oral cancer survey of dentists presented by the authors at the 2003 ADEA's annual meeting. Some of the findings from the dental hygienist survey were: * Most dental hygienists place a high level of importance [...]

4/20/2004 Case Western Reserve University In one of the first national surveys of dental hygienists about their knowledge and screening practices for oral cancers, researchers at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Dental Medicine found indications that while dental hygienists view screening for oral cancer an important component of their practice and possess comparable oral cancer knowledge with the general dentist in the private practice, they often do not carry out oral cancer screenings. Oral cancer impacts people. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 28,900 people were diagnosed in 2002 with oral cancers and 7,400 people would died as result of their disease. The overall five-year survival rate was 56 percent. Early oral cancer is often asymptomatic and if not caught during its earlier stages, the chances of surviving the disease diminish significantly, according to Dr. Danny R. Sawyer, professor and chairman of Case’ department of oral diagnosis and radiology and assistant dean of didactic education. He conducted the study along with Dr. Marsha Pyle, Case associate dean for dental curriculum; Meredith Bailey, a second-year Case dental student; and Maureen Vendemia, professor of dental hygiene from Youngstown State University. The 25-question survey from Case was mailed to 2,000 randomly selected dental hygienists nationwide, with 575 individuals responding to questions about their oral cancer knowledge and oral cancer screening practices. The survey findings were presented at the 2004 annual research meeting of the American Dental Education Association and were compared to an oral cancer survey of dentists presented by the [...]

4/19/2004 Stephen Engroff, M.D., D.D.S. PR Newswire What did former president Ulysses S. Grant, baseball legend Babe Ruth, actor Yul Brynner and musician George Harrison all have in common? They were all diagnosed with, and died from, cancer of the head and neck. This form of cancer often gets little attention, but it remains a significant health-care problem. This disease is often missed in its early stages and, when diagnosed in its later stages, treatment becomes extensive and survival is often compromised. Most cancers of the head and neck begin in the mucosal lining and are termed squamous cell carcinoma. They frequently involve the mouth and throat and are commonly referred to as oral cancer. It is estimated that about 28,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States every year. Of the reported cases, 1,380 occur in Pennsylvania and about 350 Pennsylvanians die of this disease every year. Symptoms associated with oral cancer include white and red patches that persist for more than two weeks, non-healing ulcers, persistent sore throat, the feeling of a lump in the throat, loosening of teeth and pain that may radiate to the ear. The most commonly associated risk factors for development of oral cancer are tobacco (smoking and smokeless tobacco) and alcohol use. When these two things are combined, the risk increases substantially. Although a majority of oral cancer patients have these risk factors, there is a growing number who do not have any known risk behaviors. Treatment options depend on the stage of [...]

4/12/2004 New York Amy Norton Journal of Nuclear Medicine A standard post-surgery routine that can leave thyroid cancer patients feeling run-down for weeks may be largely unnecessary, new research suggests. The procedure, widely used for decades, calls for patients who have had their cancerous thyroid glands removed to go off of their normal hormone replacement therapy for six to eight weeks so that they can receive follow-up care. But in the new study, researchers found that just two weeks off of thyroid replacement was sufficient for about 90 percent of the 284 patients they assessed. This shortened time frame could cut the amount of time that patients suffer the side effects of stopping their normal hormone replacement therapy, according to the study authors. The thyroid is a gland in the neck that secretes hormones that help regulate metabolism. When thyroid hormone levels drop too low, a condition called hypothyroidism, metabolism slows, and symptoms such as fatigue, poor memory, weight gain and depression set in. So when the gland is removed due to cancer, patients must take synthetic replacement hormones for life. However, doctors have to temporarily stop patients' replacement therapy to give them radioactive iodine. Because the thyroid gland absorbs nearly all of the iodine that enters the body, radioactive iodine can be used to destroy cancerous thyroid cells. Alternatively, iodine can be given in a small amount to reveal on X-rays any residual cancer remaining after surgery. When patients stop their hormone replacement, the brain produces more thyroid-stimulating hormone [...]

4/12/2004 Columbus Associated Press Health care professionals hope new education programs will prevent teenagers from getting hooked on smokeless tobacco. Dentists say they're seeing more Ohio kids _ rural and suburban _ using the chewing tobacco and snuff generally associated with farmhands and baseball players. Some doctors predict a dramatic rise in oral cancers in the next several decades unless more is done to teach young people about the risks of smokeless tobacco. "It's not (an exaggeration) to say that it represents a little bit of a sleeping-giant health risk at this point in time," said Dr. David Schuller, director of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and a specialist in head and neck cancers. In many cases, users start in middle school and think smokeless tobacco poses little risk. A 2002 Ohio Department of Health study found that almost 12 percent of Ohio high school boys had dipped in the past month. About 1 percent of the girls had. In middle schools, about 5 percent of the boys and almost 2 percent of the girls had. And although 77 percent of teenagers recognize the danger of cigarettes, only 40 percent know chewing tobacco can hurt them, according to a survey by the U.S. surgeon general. To combat the problem, dentists and schools throughout the state are utilizing a new program called Operation TACTIC, for Teens Against Chewing Tobacco in the Community. It includes print materials and a video in which Tammy Smith and her son Tyler tell the sobering [...]