October 2017 – Oral Cancer News

Understanding personal risk of oropharyngeal cancer: risk-groups for oncogenic oral HPV infection and oropharyngeal cancer

Author: G D’Souza, T S McNeel, C Fakhry Date: October 19, 2017 Source: Academic.oup.com Abstract Background Incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal cancer is increasing. There is interest in identifying healthy individuals most at risk for development of oropharyngeal cancer to inform screening strategies. Patients and methods All data are from 2009 to 2014, including 13 089 people ages 20–69 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), oropharyngeal cancer cases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER 18) registries (representing ∼28% of the US population), and oropharyngeal cancer mortality from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Primary study outcomes are (i) prevalence of oncogenic HPV DNA in an oral rinse and gargle sample, and (ii) incident oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer. Results Oncogenic oral HPV DNA is detected in 3.5% of all adults age 20–69 years; however, the lifetime risk of oropharyngeal cancer is low (37 per 10 000). Among men 50–59 years old, 8.1% have an oncogenic oral HPV infection, 2.1% have an oral HPV16 infection, yet only 0.7% will ‘ever’ develop oropharyngeal cancer in their lifetime. Oncogenic oral HPV prevalence was higher in men than women, and increased with number of lifetime oral sexual partners and tobacco use. Men who currently smoked and had ≥5 lifetime oral sexual partners had ‘elevated risk’ (prevalence = 14.9%). Men with only one of these risk factors (i.e. either smoked and had 2–4 partners or did not smoke and had ≥5 partners) had ‘medium risk’ (7.3%). Regardless of what other risk factors participants had, oncogenic oral HPV prevalence [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-02-06T14:59:06-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

3 Lessons From An Alarming Case Of Mistaken Cancer Gene Test Results And Surgery

Date: October 28, 2017 Source: Forbes.com Author: Elaine Schattner A horrifying story broke last week about a 36-year-old Oregon woman who had elective surgery to remove her uterus and breasts. Elisha Cooke-Moore underwent a prophylactic total hysterectomy and bilateral mastectomy, with nipple-sparing reconstruction and implants, after medical practitioners informed her she had cancer-causing genes. Only later, she learned she didn’t have the abnormality about which she’d been informed. There’s a lawsuit. As reported in The Washington Post, Cooke-Moore expressed concerns to a doctor about her family’s cancer history before getting tested for mutations in BRCA-1, BRCA-2 and related genes in 2015. A nurse practitioner reviewed the results and erroneously told her she had Lynch syndrome because of an MLH1 mutation. BRCA testing was “negative.” It’s not clear if any doctor directly reviewed the lab report. An obstetrician-gynecologist informed Cooke-Moore that her chances of developing breast cancer were 50% and for uterine cancer up to 80%. In 2016, at least two surgeons operated. Cooke-Moore discovered the mistake while looking over her medical records: The MLH1 result was “negative,” she noted in 2017. “I am damaged for the rest of my life,” Cooke-Moore told The Washington Post. Never mind the specifics. While it sounds like the plaintiff received egregious care, and I am sympathetic, I see this as a larger story of confusion over genetic test results leading to irreversible harm. My aim here is not to probe Cooke-Moore’s results or the circumstances of her decisions, but to consider the lessons for other patients and doctors. This case [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-02-06T15:02:34-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Number of metastatic nodes a predictor for survival in oral cancer

Source: www.onclive.com Author: Jason Harris The presence of metastatic lymph nodes was directly correlated with poorer survival in patients with oral cancer. Mortality risk rose continuously with the number of metastatic nodes without plateau, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Investigators found that the effect was most pronounced with up to 4 lymph nodes (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.29-1.39; P < .001). Extranodal extension (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.20-1.65; P <.001) and lower neck involvement (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.27; P <.001) were also predictors for increased mortality. Citing the need for more precise staging metrics and treatment stratification, the investigators assessed the effect of quantitative metastatic nodal burden in a large population of patients with oral cavity cancer. Researchers selected oral cavity cancers because of their surgical treatment paradigm with more complete pathologic nodal data. “Metastatic nodal burden is a central predictor of mortality in patients with oral cavity cancer, with each additional metastatic lymph node conferring escalated risk of mortality,” first author Allen S. Ho, MD, Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and co-investigators wrote. “Classic factors such as lymph node size and contralateral nodal metastasis lack independent prognostic value when accounting for number of metastatic nodes.” “Our data suggest that deeper integration of quantitative nodal burden could better calibrate the wide spectrum of risk that staging systems presently capture. Such adjustments would be a promising means to more effectively articulate patient prognosis, tailor clinical trial design, and ultimately advance clinical decision [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-25T14:05:01-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Oral sex increases men’s risk of cancer, new study finds

Source: www.deccanchronicle.com Author: staff An alarming new study found men who have performed oral sex on five or more partners are at risk of head and neck cancer related to HPV, according to a report by the Daily Mail. Johns Hopkins researchers warn men may not be aware of this risk, particularly if they smoke. "Among men who did not smoke, cancer-causing oral HPV was rare among everyone who had less than five oral sex partners, although the chances of having oral HPV infection did increase with number of oral sexual partners, and with smoking," lead author Dr Amber D'Souza, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told the Daily Mail. For the study, data was analysed of 13,089 people part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and tested for oral HPV. That information was compared to data with federal figures on oropharyngeal cancer diagnoses. The results indicated that men had a higher risk of developing the disease compared to women. The new study's findings suggest it is crucial for boys to get the HPV vaccine. While there are 100 different kinds of HPV, only few cause cancer. HPV strains 16 and 18 trigger most cervical cancer. HPV16 also causes oropharyngeal cancer. Identifying who is at risk is will help curb the disease. "For these reasons, it would be useful to be able to identify healthy people who are most at risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer in order to inform potential screening strategies, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-20T08:11:22-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

7 million American men carry cancer-causing HPV virus

Source: www.nytimes.com Author: Nicholas Bakalar The incidence of mouth and throat cancers caused by the human papilloma virus in men has now surpassed the incidence of HPV-related cervical cancers in women, researchers report. The study, in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that 11 million men and 3.2 million women in the United States had oral HPV infections. Among them, 7 million men and 1.4 million women had strains that can cause cancers of the throat, tongue and other areas of the head and neck. The risk of infection was higher for smokers, for people who have had multiple sex partners, and for men who have sex with men. Frequent oral sex also increased the risk. The rate was higher among men who also had genital HPV. (Almost half of men aged 18 to 60 have a genital HPV infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) Neither age nor income made a difference in high-risk oral infection rates, but rates among non-Hispanic blacks were higher than other races and ethnicities. HPV vaccination is recommended starting at age 11 or 12 and is effective, said the senior author, Ashish A. Deshmukh, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, and “it’s crucial that parents vaccinate boys as well as girls.” The lead author, Kalyani Sonawane, also at the University of Florida, said that behavioral change is important, too, particularly smoking cessation. “The difference in oral HPV infection between smokers and nonsmokers is staggering,” she said.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-17T07:31:08-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Should women older than 18 get the HPV vaccine?

Source: www.washingtonpost.com Author: Erin Blakemore About half of American teenagers have been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Should adult women follow suit? Yes, says Lauri Markowitz, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention medical epidemiologist who has worked with the advisory committee that makes national vaccination recommendations. “Women 18 to 26 should be vaccinated.” There’s good reason to follow that recommendation. According to the American Cancer Society, about 12,820 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women this year and more than 4,000 will die of the disease. HPV is thought to be responsible for more than 90 percent of all cervical and anal cancers in men and women. The virus also causes vaginal, vulvar and throat cancers and genital warts. Although the majority of HPV infections do not cause cancer — most people with an infection never show any symptoms, and infections usually go away on their own — some strains are particularly dangerous. Gardasil 9, the newest HPV vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration, protects against nine such strains and, researchers say, may be able to prevent up to 90 percent of cervical cancers. (Older vaccines protect against fewer strains of HPV.) However, confusion about the way HPV vaccines protect against infection can deter some women. Gardasil 9 is approved for women up to age 26. Like other vaccines, it spurs the body’s immune system to defend itself against a virus. The [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-16T14:19:10-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Complex cancer decisions, no easy answers

Source: blogs.biomedcentral.com Author: Jeffrey Liu With the many different options now available for the treatment of cancer, it can be very difficult for both clinicians and patients to decide on the best possible treatment strategy, particularly when faced with a complicated cancer. In this blog, Dr Jeffrey C. Liu reflects on the challenges encountered in cancer decision making, particularly when presented with difficult cases. When treating cancer, sometimes the treatment decisions are straightforward and unambiguous. For example, surgery is the treatment of choice for an early, uncomplicated tongue cancer. However, many times, the recommendation for cancer treatment is not straightforward and requires combination treatment – one or more of surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. As a head and neck cancer surgeon, I work with a team to make these treatment decisions, and usually team consensus is achieved. However, when we are faced with the choice of multiple treatments that all have the same chance of cure available, it seems to result in a never ending discussion amongst our team. Take for example an advanced tonsil cancer. These cancers can sometimes be removed first with surgery, a process which removes both the primary cancer and the lymph nodes in the neck. Then, depending on the pathology results, patients may need radiation treatment, chemoradiation or sometimes no further treatment at all. Meanwhile, chemoradiation alone, and no surgery, is an excellent option. Whether the patient receives surgery or no surgery, the chance of cure is pretty much the same. However, based on the need [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-16T14:13:43-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Is alcohol really good for your health? What the research reveals may surprise you

Source: www.consumerreports.org Author: Julia Calderone W e’ve long been told that a little wine with dinner may help prevent heart disease and perhaps offer other health benefits. But some researchers are now questioning whether the perks of moderate drinking—one drink per day for women, two for men—really outweigh potential downsides. We know that in older adults, too much alcohol can exacerbate high blood pressure, increase the risk of falls and fractures, and lead to strokes, memory loss, and mood disorders. And in this group, alcohol problems, such as the uncontrollable urge to drink, shot up 107 percent between 2001 and 2013, according to a study published in August in JAMA Psychiatry. Even small amounts of alcohol can interact with medication (see chart here for a list of which ones), and contribute to cancer risk and potentially cognitive decline. Here’s the latest research and tips on how to ensure that you’re not going overboard: Benefits and Risks More than 100 studies have found that a drink or two per day is linked to a 25 to 40 percent reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiac-related problems, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Another study published in August, one that followed more than 333,000 people for 12 years, found that light to moderate drinkers were 21 to 34 percent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. But no studies have yet proved directly that alcohol boosts human health. Most research in this area has looked at [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-11T12:39:30-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Penn surgeons become world’s first to test glowing dye for cancerous lymph nodes

Source: www.phillyvoice.com Author: Michael Tanenbaum, PhillyVoice Staff Surgeons at the University of Pennsylvania have achieved a global first with the use of a fluorescent dye that identifies cancerous cells in lymph nodes during head and neck cancer procedures. The study, led by otorhinolaryngologist Jason G. Newman, seeks to test the effectiveness of intraoperative molecular imaging (IMI), a technique that illuminates tumors to provide real-time surgical guidance. More than 65,000 Americans will be diagnosed with head and neck cancers in 2017, accounting for approximately 4 percent of all cancers in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 75 percent of these cancers are caused by tobacco and alcohol use, followed by human papillomavirus (HPV) as a growing source for their development. Common areas affected by these cancers include the mouth, throat, voice box, sinuses and salivary glands, with typical treatments including a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Lymph nodes, which act as filters for the immune system, are often among the first organs affected by head and neck cancers as they spread or resurface. Initial surgeries may leave microscopic cancerous cells undetected in the lymphoid tissue, heightening the risk that a patient's condition will return after the procedure. “By using a dye that makes cancerous cells glow, we get real-time information about which lymph nodes are potentially dangerous and which ones we can leave alone,” Newman said. “That not only helps us remove more cancer from our patients during surgery, it also improves our ability to spare [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-10-11T12:33:52-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Lindsey Stirling Honors Her Late Father with Moving Routine on Dancing with the Stars: ‘I Felt Like I Was Dancing with My Dad’

Author: Karen Mizoguchi Source: People.com Date: October 9, 2017 Lindsey Stirling has had an incredibly tragic year. The violinist is mourning the loss of her father, Stephen, who died of throat cancer. And on Monday night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars, she honored him with her routine for Most Memorable Year Week, choosing 2017. “I am the woman I am today because of you and I love you so much,” she said on the reality dancing competition series. To celebrate her dad’s life, Stirling and pro partner Mark Ballas — who wore her father’s hat and scarf as part of his costume — performed a touching Viennese Waltz. “I felt like I was dancing with my dad,” said Stirling, who was awarded a 26/30 by judges. “I feel like I got to thank my dad in a way I’ve never been able to before. I was really looking forward to this dance, I was terrified to do it and I’m really happy,” she said. “When you’re dancing about something that is so important that means so much to you doing something I’ve never done before, I just wanted it to be so special. And I feel like it was.” In January, the YouTube star announced the sad news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, writing, “My dad passed away early this morning. There is nothing to say that could express my gratitude for this amazing, selfless man.” She added, “But I love you daddy. I’m the woman I am today because of you.” Along with the loving message, the America’s [...]

Charlotte Parker2017-10-29T20:10:43-07:00October, 2017|Oral Cancer News|