African-Americans – Oral Cancer News

ACS awards $1.7M to study racial disparities in HNC patients

Source: http://www.drbicuspid.com/ Author: DrBicuspid Staff The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded a $1.7 million grant to Philadelphia researchers to investigate factors that may contribute to the racial disparities seen among those diagnosed and treated for head and neck cancers (HNC) -- specifically head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). While head and neck cancers account for only 3% of all cancers in the U.S., a disproportionately high number of African Americans are affected. Recent research has shown that other biological factors, and tobacco and alcohol use, may have a role in the development of these cancers. Other studies suggest that low socioeconomic status and poor healthcare access are the main contributors to this disparity. "Studies on genes involved in tobacco and drug metabolism and efflux suggest an association of genetic variants with head and neck cancer risk and survival in populations of European and Asian ancestries," stated Camille Ragin, PhD, an associate professor at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and the study's principal investigator, in a press release. "Genetic variants associated with the survival disparity of head and neck cancer in African-derived populations, however, is not yet clear." An accumulation of cancer-causing compounds occurs when products from tobacco smoke enter the body's cells, in some cases enabled by alcohol, and are broken down by proteins. Variations in the genetic code that generate these proteins can lead to differences in their function and could affect the way disease may develop or respond to drug therapy. In many cases, the genetic [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-07-12T08:41:56-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

African Americans more likely to develop keloid after head and neck surgery

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/ Author: staff African Americans are seven times more likely than Caucasians to develop an excessive growth of thick, irregularly shaped and raised scarring on their skin - known as a keloid - following head and neck surgery, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. This finding, however, is much lower than that previously reported in medical literature, where rates of keloid development have been shown to be up to 16 percent in African Americans. Unlike regular scars, keloids do not subside over time and often extend outside the wound site. Keloids also may be painful to the touch and itchy. "Many African American patients are afraid to have head and neck surgery or any facial cosmetic procedures for fear of developing keloids at the incision sites," says Lamont R. Jones, M.D. vice chair, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Henry Ford. "We hope our study helps to eliminate that fear by showing that keloid development on the head and neck following surgery is actually much smaller than other reports." Much of the uncertainty surrounding keloids is rooted in there being no known cause for their development. But Dr. Jones and his research team at Henry Ford hope to eliminate that unknown. They are embarking on another keloid study to find a new technique to identify the genes that may be responsible for keloid development. By identifying the genetic cause, it may be possible to develop better treatments for keloids in the near future. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-03-07T15:24:01-07:00March, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

What accounts for racial differences in head/neck cancer?

Source: www.drbicuspid.com Author: DrBicuspid Staff Why are African-Americans more likely than Caucasians not only to be diagnosed with head and neck cancer, but also to die from the disease? While the answer isn't a simple one, differences in lifestyle, access to care, and tumor genetics may be partly to blame, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital. The study, which was presented September 14 at the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation's annual meeting in San Francisco, also found that African-Americans are more likely to be past or current smokers, one of the primary risk factors for head and neck cancer. "We're really trying to understand why African-Americans with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma do so poorly," said lead author Maria Worsham, PhD, director of research in the department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Henry Ford, in a news release. "Using a comprehensive set of risk factors that are known to have some bearing on the disease, we're able to gain a better understanding of what contributes to racial differences and work to help improve patient care." This year alone, it's estimated that 52,140 new cases of head and neck cancer will be diagnosed, and roughly 11,460 will die in 2011 from oral cavity and pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers, she and her team members noted. African-Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and have a worse five-year survival rate than Caucasians. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-19T19:21:47-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Wrong way to go smoke-free

Source: Newsobserver.com By: Joseph G.L. Lee CHAPEL HILL -- So, now R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company wants to help smokers "break free" from tobacco? That statement should make parents, health care providers and smokers nervous. Last month, Reynolds promoted its Camel Snus (a "spit-free" tobacco pouch) with advertisements in national magazines that read "If you've decided to quit tobacco use, we support you," under a large "2011 Smoke-free Resolution" banner. Reynolds then offered its smoke-free snus as the solution. For smokers, the majority of whom try to quit every year, the message should be to quit tobacco use, not to substitute one form of cancer for another. No safe form of tobacco use exists. Smokers who try tobacco snus products are at high risk of becoming addicted to both cigarettes and snus, thus continuing or even adding to their risk for lung, bladder, breast, cervical, oral and pancreatic cancer. In addition to running these misleading ads in People, Time and Rolling Stone, R.J. Reynolds is continuing a long-standing practice of targeting vulnerable populations such as young people, African-Americans and gays and lesbians. Last year, research in the medical journal Pediatrics implicated Reynolds' "Camel No. 9" campaign in an increase in smoking among young teenage girls. The tobacco industry has long targeted African-Americans by focusing on marketing and so-called "corporate social responsibility" strategies to buy favor with civil rights organizations. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco estimated that the approximately $25 million in tobacco industry corporate philanthropy that funded African-American [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-02-03T12:09:00-07:00February, 2011|Oral Cancer News|