4/18/2006 Charleston, SC Holly Auer Charleston,net Oral cancer survivor's cook book helps keep weight on with good food George Chajewski is a man who lives for food. From European chocolate to tropical fruit to roasted game meats, fine cuisine is both his life's work and his personal passion. But when he was diagnosed with oral cancer last winter, the flavors died. After doctors removed a 16 mm tumor (almost the diameter of a penny) from Chajewski's tongue, he was forced to trade his love for filet mignon for months of agony following surgery and radiation to his mouth. As the head catering chef for the Medical University of South Carolina, cans of Ensure just wouldn't do for Chajewski. He didn't mind the butter pecan flavor, but it still wasn't enough to keep meat on his bones. So he combined his skills in the kitchen with his newfound role as a cancer patient and created a cookbook that allows patients to eat well and stay healthy during treatment and recovery. Because South Carolina has long suffered from high rates of head and neck cancer, Chajewski has a captive audience of readers. The Palmetto State ranks third in the nation for deaths from these cancers, which take the lives of 3.8 out of every 100,000 state residents. Just as smoking fuels many of the state's other health woes - heart disease and diabetes among them - tobacco use is related to about 85 percent of head and neck cancers. Most often, the [...]

4/17/2006 Bangalore, India staff sify.com Biotech major Biocon today said it expected its drug for head and neck cancer to hit the market by the end of the current financial year. "It (the drug hitting the market) should hopefully be by the end of this year", Biocon Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw told reporters here. Mazumdar-Shaw said BIOMAb EGFR, a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of solid tumours of epithelial origin such as head and neck cancer, had gone through the required clinical development time-line. "It’s now for the regulators to look at the data and approve it. We are just in the process of compiling the data and filing it (before regulators for approval). We will file it in the next month", she said. According to Biocon officials, the drug is engineered to specifically target and block the epidermal growth factor receptor responsible for the proliferation of cancer cells. "BIOMAb EGFR will spearhead Biocon Pharmaceutical’s foray into proprietary products for cancer therapy", they said. "It is estimated that the incidence of new cancer cases in India is about 700,000 annually of which nearly 2,30,000 are tobacco-related and occur in the head and neck region". Earlier today, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram inaugurated Biocon Biopharmaceuticals, the company’s multi-product biologics facility on the city outskirts. Biocon said monoclonal antibodies are emerging as the fastest growing segment, especially in oncology and auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and lupus.

4/17/2006 Washington, D.C. staff MedGadget (www.medgadget.com) Attention all the connoisseurs of Copenhagen, Skoal, Beaver Chew and other snuff stuff! The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, is reporting that a novel device "allows dentists to visualize in a completely new way whether a patient might have a developing oral cancer." Moreover, the device seems to be pretty accurate, according to the NIH: "Testing the device in 44 people, the results of which are published online in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, the scientists found they could distinguish correctly in all but one instance between normal and abnormal tissue. Their diagnoses were confirmed to be correct by biopsy and standard pathology." This site, being on the side of chewing peasants and closeted snuff-using intellectuals, has obtained pictures of the Visually Enhanced Lesion Scope (VELScope) and the following description of the device from LED Dental Inc., a manufacturer out of Vancouver, Canada: LED Dental Inc. developed the VELscope in cooperation with the British Columbia Cancer Agency and its affiliated US partners. The VELscope is a portable device comprised of a light source, light guide, and a viewing hand-piece. The system includes a disposable protective end cap for use with each patient examination and a tissue retractor with measurement guide as needed. The VELscope was designed for optimal flexibility and placement within the operatory. Fluorescence technology can enhance oral mucosal screening. The VELscope technology platform is based on the visualization of tissue fluorescence and the [...]

4/16/2006 New York, NY DE Morse and AR Kerr J Am Dent Assoc, February 1, 2006; 137(2): 203-12 Background: The authors present statistics and long-term trends in oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) incidence, mortality and survival among U.S. blacks and whites. Methods: The authors obtained incidence, mortality and five-year relative survival rates via the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program Web site. Current rates and time trends for 1975 through 2002 are presented. Results: From 1975 through 2002, age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) and mortality rates (AAMRs) were higher among males than among females and highest for black males. By the mid-1980s, incidence and mortality rates were declining for black and white males and females; however, disparities persisted. During the period 1998-2002, AAIRs were more than 20 percent higher for black males compared with white males, while the difference in rates for black and white females was small. AAMRs were 82 percent higher for black males compared with white males, but rates were similar for black and white females. Five-year relative survival rates for patients diagnosed during the period 1995-2001 were higher for whites than for blacks and lowest for black males. Conclusions: Despite recent declines in OPC incidence and mortality rates, disparities persist. Disparities in survival also exist. Black males bear the brunt of these disparities. Practice Implications: Dentists can aid in reducing OPC incidence and mortality by assisting patients in the prevention and cessation of tobacco use and alcohol abuse. Five-year relative survival may be improved through early [...]

4/16/2006 New York, NY press release prnewswire (www.prnewswire.com) This week is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week and there is a new major league effort to help Americans get screened. This year more than 30,000 people will be diagnosed with cancers of the head and neck region. These cancers kill 7,000 each year, but, if caught early, they can be highly treatable. Retired Major Leaguer and cancer survivor Brett Butler is teaming up with MLB.com and the Yul Brynner Head And Neck Cancer Foundation to encourage the public to see a doctor or dentist to get screened for oral, head and neck cancer. The Yul Brynner Foundation is sponsoring a web page on MLB.com, featuring a videotaped message from Butler and information. It also has a directory of sites throughout the U.S. that will be offering free examinations by physicians and dentists on Friday, April 21st. The most effective prevention strategy is stopping risky behaviors like smoking, using chewing tobacco and drinking excessively. More than 85 percent of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use. The nationwide free exams are for anyone and are recommended especially for those at higher risk. Log on to www.headandneck.org or ybf.mlb.com to find the free screening site nearest to you.

4/6/2006 Los Angleles, CA Noh Jin Park et al. Clinical Chemistry 10.1373/clinchem.2005.063206 Background: We have previously shown that human mRNAs are present in saliva and can be used as biomarkers of oral cancer. In this study, we analyzed the integrity, sources, and stability of salivary RNA. Methods: We measured the integrity of salivary RNA with reverse transcription followed by PCR (RT-PCR) or RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). To study RNA entry sites into the oral cavity, we used RT-PCR analysis of salivary RNA from the 3 major salivary glands, gingival crevice fluid, and desquamated oral epithelial cells. We measured stability of the salivary -actin mRNA by RT-qPCR of salivary RNA incubated at room temperature for different periods of time. We measured RNA association with other macromolecules by filtering saliva through pores of different sizes before performing RT-qPCR. To assess RNA-macromolecule interaction, we incubated saliva with Triton X-100 for different periods of time before performing RT-qPCR. Results: In most cases, we detected partial- to full-length salivary mRNAs and smaller amounts of middle and 3' gene amplicons compared with the 5'. RNA was present in all oral fluids examined. Endogenous salivary -actin mRNA degraded more slowly than exogenous -actin mRNA, with half-lives of 12.2 and 0.4 min, respectively (P <0.001). Salivary RNA could not pass through 0.22 or 0.45 µm pores. Incubation of saliva with Triton X-100 accelerated degradation of salivary RNA. Conclusions: Saliva harbors both full-length and partially degraded forms of mRNA. RNA enters the oral cavity from different sources, and association with [...]

4/11/2006 Philadelphia, PA staff Biocompare (news.biocompare.com) Using transparent zebrafish embryos, researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have shown that a microscopic nanoparticle can help fend off damage to normal tissue from radiation. The nanoparticle, a soccer ball-shaped, hollow, carbon-based structure known as a fullerene, acts like an "oxygen sink," binding to dangerous oxygen radicals produced by radiation. The scientists, led by Adam P. Dicker, M.D., Ph.D., and Ulrich Rodeck, M.D., see fullerenes as a potentially "new class of radioprotective agents." Dr. Dicker, recently appointed Vice-Chair for Translational Research of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, is associate professor of radiation oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. Dr. Rodeck is professor of dermatology at Jefferson Medical College. They will present their team's results April 5, 2006 at the annual meeting of American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the standard treatments for cancer, they take their respective toll on the body. Radiation can damage epithelial cells and lead to permanent hair loss, among other effects, and certain types of systemic chemotherapy can produce hearing loss and damage to a number of organs, including the heart and kidneys. Some other side effects include esophagitis, diarrhea, and mouth and intestinal ulcers. To date, only one drug, Amifostine, has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, to help protect normal tissue from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Researchers would like to develop new [...]

4/11/2006 Mississippi staff Biocompare (news.biocompare.com) University of Mississippi researchers say they have created the first-ever mammalian model of how alcohol consumption spurs tumor growth, showing that even moderate drinking resulted in larger and more robust tumors. The research provides the first mammalian model of the links between alcohol, VEGF, and tumor growth, said Wei Tan, the study's lead author. The study increases understanding of how alcohol over-stimulates production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -- a substance that the body needs, but which can be harmful when there is too much of it. The new mouse model could lead to a way to block VEGF over-production, a step that could reduce the incidence of cancer and has important implications for cancer education and prevention. Wei Tan, Megan Shparago, Amelia P. Bailey and Jian-Wei Gu of the University of Mississippi Medical Center will present "Moderate alcohol intake stimulates tumor angiogenesis and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a mouse model," at the Experimental Biology Conference 2006, April 1-5 in San Francisco. The study earned Tan a Caroline tum Suden/Frances A. Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award from the American Physiological Society (APS) for exemplary research. The presentation was part of the scientific program sponsored by APS. *Paper presentation: "Moderate alcohol intake stimulates tumor angiogenesis and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a mouse model," 12:45 p.m. - 3 p.m. Monday April 3, Angiogenesis and Vascular Growth, 462.3 /board # C264. On view 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Convention Center [...]

4/10/2006 Washington, DC press release NIH News (www.nih.gov/news) Researchers supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, report today their initial success using a customized optical device that allows dentists to visualize in a completely new way whether a patient might have a developing oral cancer. Called a Visually Enhanced Lesion Scope (VELScope), this simple, hand-held device emits a cone of blue light into the mouth that excites various molecules within our cells, causing them to absorb the light energy and re-emit it as visible fluorescence. Remove the light, and the fluorescence of the tissue is no longer visible. Because changes in the natural fluorescence of healthy tissue generally reflect light-scattering biochemical or structural changes indicative of developing tumor cells, the VELScope allows dentists to shine a light onto a suspicious sore in the mouth, look through an attached eyepiece, and watch directly for changes in color. Normal oral tissue emits a pale green fluorescence, while potentially early tumor, or dysplastic, cells appear dark green to black. Testing the device in 44 people, the results of which are published online in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, the scientists found they could distinguish correctly in all but one instance between normal and abnormal tissue. Their diagnoses were confirmed to be correct by biopsy and standard pathology. “The natural fluorescence of the mouth is invisible to the naked eye,” said Dr. Miriam Rosin, a senior author on the paper and a cancer biologist [...]

4/8/2006 Iowa City, IA staff CancerConsultants.com According to an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, therapy with low-dose isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) does not reduce the rate of developing subsequent cancers in patients with head and neck cancer. Approximately 40,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with head and neck cancer every year. Cancers of the head and neck comprise several types of cancers affecting the nasal cavity and sinuses, oral cavity, nasopharynx (upper part of throat, behind ear), oropharynx (middle part of throat, including soft palate, base of tongue, and tonsils), and other sites throughout the head and neck. In 2005 the American Cancer Society estimated that 11,000 people would die from head and neck cancer. Patients with early head and neck cancer, or cancer that has not spread far from its site of origin, may be susceptible to developing another cancer (second primary tumor) in the head and neck area or in another area in the body. Research continues in an effort to reduce these patients’ risk of developing a second primary tumor. Isotretinoin is a derivative of vitamin A. Results from studies evaluating high doses of isotretinoin have produced some encouraging results. These results prompted researchers from several medical institutions in the U.S. and Canada to conduct a trial to evaluate low doses of isotretinoin in patients with early head and neck cancer. This trial included 1,190 patients with early head and neck cancer who had been treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy. [...]