September 2008 – Page 5 – Oral Cancer News

Study says smoking may hurt women more than men

Source: apnews.myway.com Author: Maria Cheng Women who smoke may develop heart disease at almost the same age as male smokers, wiping out the natural difference between the sexes, doctors said Tuesday. In research presented to the European Society of Cardiology, Norwegian researchers said that women who smoke have heart attacks nearly 14 years earlier than women who don't smoke. For men, the figure is about six years. "This is not a minor difference," said Dr. Silvia Priori, a cardiologist at the Scientific Institute in Pavia, Italy. "Women need to realize they are losing much more than men when they smoke," she said. Priori was not connected to the research. Dr. Morten Grundtvig and colleagues from the Innlandet Hospital Trust in Lillehammer, Norway, looked at data from 1,784 patients admitted for a first heart attack at a hospital in Lillehammer. They found that the men on average had their first heart attack at age 72 if they didn't smoke, and at 64 if they did. The women had their first heart attack at age 81 if they didn't smoke, and at age 66 if they did. After adjusting for other heart risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, researchers found that the difference for women was 14 years and for men was six years. Previous studies looking at whether there is a difference between the genders in the risks of smoking have been inconclusive. Doctors have long suspected that female hormones protect women against heart disease. Estrogen is thought to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-02T08:20:07-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

The neglected epidemic and the Surgeon General’s report: a call to action for better oral health

Source: www.redorbit.com Author: Myron Allukian The first US surgeon general's report on oral health will be released soon. Oral diseases have been called a "neglected epidemic," 1-4 because, although they affect virtually the entire population, they have not been made a priority in our country. The surgeon general's report can help educate and sensitize policymakers and health leaders about the importance of oral health and the need to make oral health an integral component of all health programs. In the words of former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, "You're not healthy without good oral health." We must seize this unprecedented opportunity to ensure that the mouth becomes reconnected to the rest of the body in health policies and programs. It makes no sense that children, diabetic persons, or senior citizens with an abscess on their leg can receive care through their health insurance or a health program, but if the abscess is in their mouth, they may not be covered. For vulnerable populations and the "have-nots," the barriers to dental care are even greater. Although we have made much progress in improving oral health since the 1970s as a result of fluoridation, fluorides, new technology, changing attitudes, and increased use of services, oral diseases are still a neglected epidemic. The facts speak for themselves. Seventy-eight percent of 17-year-olds have had tooth decay, with an average of 7 affected tooth surfaces (C. M. Vargas, unpublished estimates, Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2000), and 98% of 40- to 44-year-olds have [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-02T08:12:45-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Make oral cancer exams a priority

Source: www.dentaleconomics.com Author: Louis Malcmacher Oral cancer. These are two words that every dentist hopes he or she will never have to say to a patient. Oral cancer kills one American every hour of every single day. There have even been a number of famous people that have become victims of oral cancer. They include Babe Ruth, Sigmund Freud, Bill Blass, and Jack Klugman. As dental professionals, we know that when a lesion is found in the mouth that may be squamous cell carcinoma, there is a 50% to 70% chance that the patient may not live past the next five years. When you look at other cancer awareness programs, some organizations have done an outstanding job at creating a very high awareness for certain types of cancer. Every woman knows how to do a breast cancer self-exam and have routine mammograms, and everyone over the age of 50 knows it's time for a colonoscopy. These types of self-exams and screenings have helped save many lives. An established self-exam for oral cancer would be a huge help in finding abnormalities or incipient oral cancer lesions early. This kind of self-exam, much like a breast or skin exam, is easy to do, does not require any special equipment, and will help familiarize people with their own mouths. The primary benefit is early detection of any unusual lesions in the patients' mouths, and the secondary benefit is consumers becoming more familiar with their mouths, which encourages them to receive treatment for oral [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-02T16:54:24-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Piramal Life to start phase-2 trial for cancer molecule

Source: www.thehindubusinessline.com Author: staff Piramal Life Sciences, which has developed a Cancer molecule P276 for treatment of head and neck cancer, will shortly begin Phase 2 clinical trials in India. “This week, we will start the Phase 2 clinical trial of our head and neck cancer molecule following the Drug Controller's approval,” Piramal Life Sciences Executive Director, Ms Swati Piramal said. The molecule has undergone successful Phase 1 clinical trial in Canada. Phase 1 trial is the first stage of testing in humans. This phase includes trials designed to assess the safety and tolerability of a drug. Phase-2 trials are performed on a larger group and are designed to asses how well the drug works as well as to continue Phase 1 safety assessments on a larger group of volunteers and patients. “We have been ready since February to start Phase 2 trial, but the go ahead came just now,” Ms Piramal said. In developed countries, approvals come in 28 days, she said, adding that in India, it has taken six months.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-02T06:57:29-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Radiation treatment breaks and ulcerative mucositis in head and neck cancer

Source: The Oncologist, Vol. 13, No. 8, 886-898, August 2008 Authors: Gregory Russo et al. Unplanned radiation treatment breaks and prolongation of the radiation treatment time are associated with lower survival and locoregional control rates when radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy is used in the curative treatment of head and neck cancer. Treatment of head and neck cancer is intense, involving high-dose, continuous radiotherapy, and often adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy. As the intensity of treatment regimens has escalated in recent years, clinical outcomes generally have improved. However, more intensive therapy also increases the incidence of treatment-related toxicities, particularly those impacting the mucosal lining of the oral cavity, pharynx, and cervical esophagus, and results in varying degrees of ulcerative mucositis. Ulcerative mucositis is a root cause of unscheduled radiation treatment breaks, which prolongs the total radiation treatment time. Alterations in radiotherapy and chemotherapy, including the use of continuous (i.e., 7 days/week) radiotherapy to ensure constant negative proliferative pressure, may improve efficacy outcomes. However, these approaches also increase the incidence of ulcerative mucositis, thereby increasing the incidence of unplanned radiation treatment breaks. Conversely, the reduction of ulcerative mucositis to minimize unplanned breaks in radiotherapy may enhance not only tolerability, but also efficacy outcomes. Several strategies to prevent ulcerative mucositis in radiotherapy for head and neck cancer have been evaluated, but none have demonstrated strong efficacy. Continued investigation is needed to identify superior radiation treatment regimens, technology, and supportive care that reduce unplanned radiation treatment breaks with the goal of improving clinical outcomes in [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-01T09:36:49-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|