2009 – Page 18 – Oral Cancer News

Initial COIN study results presented at European Oncology Congress

Source: Drugs.com Author: Staff • Results inconsistent with data from all Erbitux pivotal studies • Further analyses planned by the Medical Research Council that conducted the independent COIN study Berlin/Darmstadt, Germany, September 23, 2009 – The Medical Research Council (MRC), a UK-based, publicly-funded organization dedicated to improving human health, today presented the initial results of the independent Phase III COINa study, which did not meet its primary endpoint of overall survival (OS).1 These findings were presented today at the joint 15th Congress of the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO) and 34th Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in Berlin, Germany. The COIN study was designed to evaluate whether the addition of Erbitux® (cetuximab) to one of two oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimens significantly improved outcomes in previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with KRAS wild-type tumors. The median OS was not statistically significant at 17.0 months in the Erbitux treatment arm compared to 17.9 months for the chemotherapy-alone group (hazard ratio [HR] 1.038; p=0.68).1 “Imbalances in the chemotherapy administered between the different study arms were reported previously in the interim safety analysis,” explained Dr. Wolfgang Wein, Executive Vice President, Oncology, Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Further analysis of the dose intensity and 2nd-line treatment, and other factors, such as the advanced disease of patients in the study, are ongoing to determine why the COIN results are not aligned with existing evidence from the other randomized, 1st-line studies, including the significant increase in overall survival achieved with the CRYSTAL study.” Results [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-09-24T16:48:29-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

A different camel is back in the glossies

Source: nytimes.com Author: Andrew Adam Newman The two largest tobacco companies in the United States voluntarily stopped advertising cigarettes in magazines, with Philip Morris, whose brands include Marlboro, ceasing in 2005 and R. J. Reynolds, whose brands include Camel, at the beginning of 2008. Now the Camel logo is back prominently in major glossies, including Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated and Maxim — but not to advertise cigarettes. R. J. Reynolds is advertising Camel Snus, a tobacco packet that wedges in the upper lip and, unlike chewing tobacco, is promoted as “spitless” because low salt content spares users the unpleasantness of public expectoration. Although snus is popular in Sweden, this is the first time it has been marketed in the United States by a major American tobacco company. The campaign, by Quaker City Mercantile in Philadelphia, pitches Camel Snus (pronounced snoose) as a way around smoking bans. The ads cater to specific magazine audiences, with a recent issue of Rolling Stone promoting snus as “sweaty outdoor festival friendly” and one in Sports Illustrated declaring it “extra inning friendly.” Others call snus “your flight just got canceled friendly,” “ridiculously long conference call friendly” and “fancy hotel friendly.” David Howard, an R. J. Reynolds spokesman, said that the company had not reversed its magazine policy, but that this was a Camel of another color. “We do not advertise cigarettes in print right now and have not done that for a couple years, but Camel Snus is not a cigarette,” Mr. Howard said. “This [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-23T13:54:31-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Charting the path from infection to cancer

Source: www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin Author: Eleanor Mayfield Few people associate infection with cancer, but close to one-fifth of all cancers in the world are caused by infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria, and other microbes. In developing countries, the number is higher—about one in four—while in industrialized countries, such as the United States, it is about one in 12. Infectious agents that can cause cancer are extremely common, infecting millions of people around the world. Yet it is rare and takes a long time for an infection to develop into cancer. “You need a lot of things to happen, or not happen, to get from an infection to cancer,” said Dr. Douglas R. Lowy, chief of NCI’s Laboratory of Cellular Oncology and a leader in the molecular biology of tumor viruses. The microbes responsible for most of the global burden of infection-associated cancer are: the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which causes gastric cancer; cancer-causing strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which cause cervical cancer and other cancers; and the hepatitis B and C viruses, which cause liver cancer. These four microbes alone cause more than 15 percent of all cancers worldwide. Other cancers known to be associated with infectious agents include leukemia and lymphoma; anal, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancer; and tongue and throat cancers. Last week, researchers reported new evidence linking aggressive prostate tumors to a virus. Role of the Immune System Microbes can lead to cancer by a variety of mechanisms that are not yet fully understood, explained Dr. Allan Hildesheim, chief [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-23T08:59:07-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Flavored cigarette ban takes effect 9/22

Source: MSN.com Author: Karen Pallarito New federal law may help deter young smokers, health advocates say TUESDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Young people who enjoy a hint of vanilla, berry or chocolate when they light up are about to have their favorite smokes snuffed out. A new federal law banning fruit- and candy-flavored cigarettes takes effect Sept. 22. The prohibition is part of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, legislation that grants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products. President Barack Obama signed the measure into law June 22. Studies show that flavored cigarettes, which have been around for about a decade, disproportionately appeal to America's youth. Thus, banning the manufacture and sale of kid-friendly flavored cigarettes is a critical step toward deterring young smokers, health advocates said. "Almost 90 percent of adult smokers start smoking as teenagers. These flavored cigarettes are a gateway for many children and young adults to become regular smokers," FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg said in a news release. "The FDA will utilize regulatory authority to reduce the burden of illness and death caused by tobacco products to enhance our nation's public health." Gregg Haifley, associate director of federal relations for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network in Washington, D.C., said, "Banning candy and fruit flavorings in cigarettes can have a significant effect on the reduction of initiation of smoking among youth, as well as reducing the number of youth who go on to regular, [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-09-22T16:48:58-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Prospective analysis of outcomes and complications of 300 consecutive microvascular reconstructions

Source: Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2009;11(4):235-239 Authors: Michael J. Nuara, MD; Cara L. Sauder, MA, CCC-SLP; Daniel S. Alam, MD Objective: To prospectively follow up patients requiring microvascular reconstruction of head and neck defects to determine preoperative factors predictive of surgical complications. Methods: A prospectively collected database comprising 300 consecutive microvascular head and neck reconstructions performed by a single surgeon (D.S.A.) in a tertiary care hospital over a 6-year period was reviewed in a retrospective manner. Data collected included preoperative medical and surgical history (presence of documented cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension) and previous cancer treatment (surgery or radiation therapy). Postoperative data, including early or late complications, hematocrit during hospitalization, and functional status, were also collected. A multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of surgical complications and secondarily crossed to determine the strength of the prediction. Statistical significance was set at P = .05. Results: Patients were stratified into 4 groups based on (1) previous radiation therapy, (2) previous surgery, (3) no previous radiation therapy or surgery, and (4) both previous radiation therapy and previous surgery, with an increased predictability of complications with both. Diabetes also added to the predictability of complications, with a smaller effect. Cardiac disease and hypertension were not predictive. Conclusions: Previous radiation therapy and surgery are positive predictors for wound complications after microvascular reconstruction. Diabetes may add further risk in this setting. Author Affiliations: Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (Drs Nuara and Alam); and Division of Otolaryngology, University of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-22T06:16:25-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration for the assessment of cervical metastases

Source: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2000;126:1091-1096 Authors: Marco Knappe, MD et al. Objective: To assess the value of ultrasonography (US) combined with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology for the investigation of lymph node metastases in patients with head and neck cancer. Design: Comparison of clinical examination (palpation) and preoperative US-FNA examination results of cervical nodes in a sample of patients with head and neck cancer. The histological features of the neck dissection specimens are used to validate these 2 variables. Setting: A head and neck oncology service in a tertiary referral hospital. Patients: A consecutive sample of 56 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, first seen between April 1, 1996, and July 30, 1998, who had neck dissections performed after the US-FNA examination. Intervention: Cervical US-FNA preoperatively, followed by elective or therapeutic radical modified or selective neck dissection. Main Outcome Measures: The histological examination results of subsequent neck dissection specimens are used to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US-FNA for individual nodes. Second, the results of node staging by clinical examination and US-FNA examination are compared. Results: The sensitivity was 89.2%; specificity, 98.1%; and accuracy, 94.5%. Correct node stages were obtained in 52 (93%) of the patients using US-FNA compared with 34 (61%) using palpation. Conclusions: Ultrasonography combined with FNA is a highly accurate technique for the investigation of cervical lymph node metastases. A more accurate diagnosis may result in more appropriate treatment, particularly in a setting with limited resources. Retropharyngeal nodes, micrometastases, and lymph nodes [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-22T06:11:47-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Head, neck cancer treatment often not completed

Source: www.ajc.com/health Author: staff Incomplete and interrupted radiation treatment is a common problem among Medicare patients with head and neck cancer, a new study has found. Researchers analyzed data from 5,086 Medicare patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer between 1997 and 2003 and found that nearly 40 percent of them experienced interruptions in radiation therapy or failed to complete the course of therapy. People who had surgery before radiation treatment were more likely to complete the treatment without interruption than were those who did not have surgery (70 percent versus 52 percent). People with co-existing illnesses, those who had undergone chemotherapy and those whose disease had spread to surrounding lymph nodes were less likely to do so, the study found. The findings are in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery. "Surgical patients may be more likely to complete radiotherapy for several reasons," wrote Megan Dann Fesinmeyer, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and her research colleagues. "First, characteristics that make patients good candidates for surgery may also make them more likely to complete radiotherapy. Because comorbidities are known to decrease survival in patients with head and neck cancer, healthier patients may be chosen by surgeons to complete more rigorous treatments (e.g., surgery in addition to radiotherapy)." The study authors added that people "willing to undergo major surgery to treat their disease may also be more motivated to complete a full course of uninterrupted radiation therapy, despite any toxic effects of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-22T06:05:35-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Speaking, eating possible after tonsil cancer surgery with reconstruction

Source: www.eurekalert.org Author: press release A new technique for reconstructing the palate after surgery for tonsil cancer maintained patients' ability to speak clearly and eat most foods, a new study shows. The technique, developed at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, is described in the September Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. "This is the area that triggers swallowing, that separates the mouth from the nasal cavity. It affects speech and eating – typically, patients have difficulty eating when they have this kind of tumor and undergo surgery. We can remove the cancer, but there are major quality of life issues," says study author Douglas Chepeha, M.D., M.S.P.H., associate professor of otolaryngology head and neck surgery and director of the microvascular program at the University of Michigan Health System. Tonsil cancer develops in the back of the throat, which means surgery could include parts of the palate, the tongue and the jaw. Traditional reconstruction efforts have meant taking a large, round piece of tissue to plug the hole left when the tumor is removed. But this impairs the way the palate and tongue function, and does not restore the complex components of the throat that allow a person to speak and swallow. With the new technique, surgeons first create a tube from the remaining palate by attaching the palate to the back part of the throat, next to where the tumor was removed. This tube separates the mouth from the nasal cavity and closes during swallowing, allowing [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-22T06:01:18-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Smoking ban heart gains ‘massive’

Source: news.bbc.co.uk Author: staff Bans on smoking in public places have had a bigger impact on preventing heart attacks than ever expected, data shows. Smoking bans cut the number of heart attacks in Europe and North America by up to a third, two studies report. This "heart gain" is far greater than both originally anticipated and the 10% figure recently quoted by England's Department of Health. The studies appear in two leading journals - Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Heart attacks in the UK alone affect an estimated 275,000 people and kill 146,000 each year. Big impact Earlier this month it was announced that heart attack rates fell by about 10% in England in the year after the ban on smoking in public places was introduced in July 2007 - which is more than originally anticipated. But the latest work, based on the results of numerous different studies collectively involving millions of people, indicated that smoking bans have reduced heart attack rates by as much as 26% per year. Second-hand smoke is thought to increase the chances of a heart attack by making the blood more prone to clotting, reducing levels of beneficial "good" cholesterol, and raising the risk of dangerous heart rhythms. Dr James Lightwood, of the University of California at San Francisco, led the Circulation study that pooled together 13 separate analyses. His team found that heart attack rates across Europe and North America started to drop immediately following implementation of anti-smoking laws, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-22T05:10:54-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Zila completes merger with Tolmar

Source: www.earthtimes.org Author: press release Zila, Inc. today announced the completion of the merger with a subsidiary of Tolmar Holding, Inc. Pursuant to the merger agreement between the companies, at the effective time of the merger all outstanding shares of Zila’s common stock were converted into the right to receive $0.45 per share in cash. As a result of the transaction, Zila has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Tolmar Holding, Inc., which also owns Tolmar, Inc., a U.S. based privately held, pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing and commercial operations company. Tolmar Holding, Inc. expects Zila to continue as a stand alone business unit. Effective with the close of trading today, Zila’s common stock has ceased to be traded on the Nasdaq Market.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-21T06:03:07-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|