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 [...]

Suicide: A Major Threat to Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship

Source: www.jco.ascopubs.comAuthors: Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters, Eric Adjei Boakye, and Ronald J. Walker
, Mark A. Varvares TO THE EDITOR: The article by Ringash that was recently published in Journal of Clinical Oncology provided a compelling narrative of both the improvements made in head and neck cancer survivorship, as well as the challenges created by longer-term treatment and associated toxicities. There are currently at least 280,000 head and neck cancer survivors in the United States. As the article by Ringash stated, the upturn in head and neck cancer survivorship in the last three decades has coincided with the emergence of human papilloma virus-positive oropharyngeal cancer, as well as a decrease in tobacco use in the general population. These make it a challenge to isolate survival gains as a function of improved therapy from the natural prognostic value of a diagnosis of human papilloma virus-positive oropharyngeal cancer. Whatever the case, the fact that more than one-quarter million Americans are currently alive after a diagnosis of head and neck cancer means there needs to be a more deliberate effort in longer-term management of treatment-related toxicities, some of which are lifelong. We agree with Ringash’s conclusion that new models of care need to be developed in response to the significant quality-of-life issues faced by patients with head and neck cancer. The Institute of Medicine publication From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition, also cited by Ringash, called for a clear individualized survivorship plan for cancer patients. There is a serious need for this model to [...]

2016-03-24T15:06:02-07:00March, 2016|Oral Cancer News|

Having a partner increases cancer survival rates: Australian study

Source: www.theaustralian.com.au Author: Sean Parnell People diagnosed with cancer are more likely to die if they do not have a partner, according to a new Australian study. Researchers from Cancer Council Queensland and Queensland University of Technology examined 176,050 cases of the 10 most common cancers in Queensland, diagnosed between 1996 and 2012. They found the chance of death was 26 per cent higher for men who did not have a partner compared to those who did, and 20 per cent higher for women who did not have a partner, across all cancers. “The reasons for higher survival in partnered patients still remains unclear, but are likely to include economic, psychosocial, environmental, and structural factors,” CCQ professor Jeff Dunn said yesterday. “Having a partner has been linked to a healthier lifestyle, greater financial resources and increased practical or social support while undergoing treatment. “Support from a partner can also influence treatment choices and increase social support to help manage the psychosocial effects of cancer.” The increased risk varied depending on the type of cancer. For men without a partner, it ranged from 2 per cent for lung cancer to 30 per cent for head and neck cancer, while for women without a partner it ranged from 2 per cent for kidney and lung cancer to 41 per cent for uterine cancer. “Health professionals managing cancer patients should be aware of the increased mortality risk among unpartnered patients, and tailor follow-up treatment accordingly,” Professor Dunn said. Of the 176,050 patients analysed [...]

Depressed Head and Neck Cancer Patients Have Lower Survival and Higher Recurrence Risk

Source: www.OncologyNurseAdvisor.comAuthor: Kathy Boltz, PhD Depression is a significant predictor of 5-year survival and recurrence in patients with head and neck cancer, according to a new study published in Pyschosomatic Medicine (doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000256). These findings represent one of the largest studies to report on the impact of depression on cancer survival. Although depression can have obvious detrimental effects on a person's quality of life, its impact on cancer patients is more apparent, explained lead author Eileen Shinn, PhD, assistant professor of Behavioral Science at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston. Increasing evidence shows modest associations between elevated symptoms of depression and greater risk for mortality among patients with lung, breast, ovarian, and kidney cancers. The research team sought to clarify the influence of depression on survival, focusing their analysis on a single cancer type. By limiting the sample set and adjusting for factors known to affect outcome, such as age, tumor size, and previous chemotherapy, they were able to uncover a more profound impact of depression. The researchers followed 130 patients at MD Anderson with newly diagnosed oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a type of cancer in which the tumor originates at the back of the throat and base of the tongue. At the beginning of their radiation therapy, Patients completed a validated questionnaire at the beginning of their radiation therapy to identify symptoms of clinical depression. Researchers monitored the participants, all of whom completed treatment, until their last clinic visit or death, a median period of [...]

2015-12-30T18:15:58-07:00December, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

U.S. death rate from cancer is dropping

Source: www.webpronews.com Author: Sean Patterson Though cancer hasn’t been completely cured, it’s clear that treatments for the disease have improved over the past two decades. A yearly report from the American Cancer Society has shown that the death rate from cancer in the U.S. is declining among all Americans and for the most common types of cancer. The report, published recently in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, shows that the death rate from all cancers combined has been falling since the early 1990. From 2000 to 2009, combined cancer death rates have fallen an average of 1.8% among men and 1.4% among women. Black men and black women saw the largest declines in cancer deaths from 2000 to 2009, though their cancer death rates from 2005 to 2009 were still highest when compared to other racial groups. Though death rates for cancers such as lung cancer , breast cancer, and colon cancer are declining, the rate of diagnoses for some cancers is increasing. The rate of new cases of pancreas, kidney, thyroid, liver, melanoma, and myeloma cancers have all increased in men from 2000 to 2009. For women, rates of new cases of thyroid, melanoma, kidney, pancreas, liver, leukemia, and uterus cancers increased during the same period. The report points out that excess weight and lack of physical activity are risk factors for many of these cancers. “The continuing drop in cancer mortality over the past two decades is reason to cheer,” said John Seffrin, CEO of the [...]

Study examines surgical outcomes after head and neck cancer at safety-net hospitals

Source: medicalxpress.com Author: staff Safety-net hospitals appear to provide head and neck cancer surgical care to a vulnerable population, without an increase in short-term mortality, morbidity, or costs, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery. "Safety-net hospitals provide a disproportionate amount of care to those who are uninsured or underinsured, including Medicaid beneficiaries and other vulnerable populations, compared with the average hospital," according to background information in the article. To determine the association between safety-net hospital care and short-term outcomes following head and neck cancer surgery, Dane J. Genther, M.D., and Christine G. Gourin, M.D., M.P.H., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, reviewed data from adults who underwent an ablative procedure (a surgical removal or excision) for a malignant oral cavity, laryngeal (larynx; or voice box), hypopharyngeal (hypopharynx; area where the larynx and esophagus meet), or oropharyngeal (oropharynx; oral part of the pharynx) neoplasm in 2001 through 2008. Safety-net burden was calculated as the percentage of patients with head and neck cancer who had Medicaid or no insurance. Overall, 123,662 patients underwent surgery from 2001 through 2008, and were included in the analysis. The authors found that high safety-net burden hospitals were associated with an increase in length of stay but were not associated with an increase in costs of care, after controlling for all other variables, including hospital volume status. Additionally, safety-net burden was not associated with in-hospital mortality, acute medical complications or surgical complications, after controlling for all other [...]

2012-11-20T19:06:44-07:00November, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Oral cancer deaths declining among well-educated

Source: www.reuters.com Author: Genevra Pittman Deaths from mouth and throat cancer have dropped since the early 1990s, according to a new study -- but only among people with at least a high school education. Researchers said that may be due to higher rates of smoking and other oral cancer risks among less educated, poorer Americans, and because they're also less likely to have access to timely health care. Similar trends have been shown in rates of death from lung and breast cancers, for example, they added. "We have a lot more to do in terms of (the fact that) socioeconomic status probably is a really significant factor in mortality from oral and oropharyngeal cancers," said Dr. Joseph Califano, who studies those cancers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore but wasn't involved in the new research. "Clearly access to health care to detect cancer in early stages is very important." The study, led by Dr. Amy Chen at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, included mouth and throat cancer data from 1993 through 2007 in 26 states. Among adults age 25 to 64, there were about 19,300 deaths during that period. Cancer deaths declined during the 1990s and 2000s by two to five percent every year, on average, researchers found. By the end of the study period, the cancers killed three out of every 100,000 white men, six out of every 100,000 black men, and one each of every 100,000 white and black women annually. [...]

Men in doubt still don’t get checked out!

Source: www.easier.com Author: staff Men are almost twice as likely to die from mouth cancer and statistics consistently show they are less likely to consult with a doctor than their female counterparts. But with rates of incidence and mortality rising at an incredible rate, men can no longer afford to ignore the increasing threat of a killer disease. Mouth cancer cases in the UK have almost doubled in the last decade, rising to 6,000 every year with almost 4,000 of those coming from men and although there are some clear early warning signs many postpone seeking professional advice, leaving fatality rates of the disease at 50 per cent. This is supported by data from the Office of National Statistics, which reveals that women are twice as likely to see their GP as men, visiting the doctors an average of six times a year compared to just three for men. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, puts this failing down to a lack of general cancer health knowledge in men and warns that ignoring the issue can lead to severe problems in future. Dr Carter said: "For almost all types of cancer, men will die more often than women. There's no biological reason that this should be the case so the reason must be purely down to the timing of diagnosis. Unfortunately, when men do go to their GP their condition may be at a far more advanced stage and therefore much more difficult to treat. [...]

2011-11-27T14:52:41-07:00November, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New optical oral cancer screening device should be developed

Source: worldental.org Author: staff Oral cancer is on the rise all around the world. According to the American Cancer Society there are almost 130,000 lethal cases that are attributed to this cancer disease annually. As such the need is every growing to better develop the methods for detecting oral cancer at an earlier stage. There is no satisfactory mechanism that currently exists to screen and detect early changes of the oral cavity in the general population. The situation is even more challenging in low resource areas and in developing countries, where a combination of the lack of expertise and the inadequate resources for oral cancer screening can mean even longer diagnosis delays, which can lead to higher mortality and morbidity. Oral cancer screening normally involves visual inspection of the entire tissue surface at risk under white light illumination. However, a number of oral cancer screening products have been designed to improve diagnostic outcomes have been commercialized and developed. Researchers continue to experiment with new and better ways to more accurately locate and distinguish potentially malignant lesions using advanced optical technologies. However, developing countries pose unique a challenge when it comes to a device that can be used by individuals with limited clinical expertise that is affordable. The goal is to provide a cost effective opportunity for oral cancer screening that will work with the persons available in those health systems. That means that you have to have a very low cost, battery powered device. No one has developed on yet [...]

Smoking-attributable cancer mortality in California, 1979–2005

Source: Tob Control 2010;19:i62-i67 doi:10.1136 Author: David W Cowling1, Juan Yang2 Background: The adult smoking prevalence has declined more in California than the rest of the US in the past 2 decades. Further, California has faster declines in cancer mortality, lung cancer incidence and heart disease mortality. However, no study has examined smoking-related cancer mortality between California and the rest of the US. Methods: The smoking-attributable cancer mortality rate (SACMR) from 1979 to 2005 in California and the rest of the US are calculated among men and women 35 years of age or older using the Joinpoint regression model to calculate the SACMR annual percentage change. The SACMR is the sum of the smoking-attributable death rates of 10 smoking-attributable cancers. Results: The SACMR has declined more in California (25.7%) than the rest of the US (8.9%) from 1979 to 2005. California men had a lower SACMR than the rest of the US over the entire study period, with the difference tripling from 7.4% in 1979 to 23.9% in 2005. The difference of female SACMR between California and the rest of the US went from 17.9% higher in 1979 to 13.4% lower in 2005. Conclusions: California's SACMR decrease started 7 years earlier than the rest of the US (1984 vs 1991), and California experienced an accelerated decline of SACMR compared to the rest of the US overall and among men and women from 1979 to 2005. Although the SACMR started declining before the creation of the California Department of Public Health, [...]

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