2009 – Page 34 – Oral Cancer News

Smoking debate has become nicotine-delivery debate

Source: www.godanriver.com Authors: David Ress & John Reid Blackwell, Media General News Service Federal regulators are cracking down on a cigarette substitute that uses technology similar to devices that Philip Morris USA researchers have focused on in recent years. Meanwhile, Virginia Commonwealth University is studying how much nicotine — the addictive compound in tobacco — the “electronic cigarettes” deliver, under a grant from the National Cancer Institute to look at nicotine products. Since the start of the year, the Food and Drug Administration has issued “Import Alerts” advising staff working alongside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers that they can seize “electronic cigarettes” made by three Chinese companies, federal court records show. The FDA has refused to let at least 17 shipments of electronic cigarettes into the country, saying they are unapproved drug-delivery devices, spokeswoman Karen Riley said. The devices are cigarette-shaped tubes that hold a heater that vaporizes a mix of nicotine and a kind of alcohol for the smoker to inhale. The nicotine and alcohol — usually propylene glycol, used as a moisturizers in cosmetics and in antifreeze — are contained in a replaceable cartridge inserted into the device, which also contains electronic controls that allow it to deliver a puff-of-smokelike dose of nicotine. The vaporizer and control units typically cost $100, while cartridges cost about $2 to $3 each and are supposed to be equivalent to a pack or two of cigarettes. Cigarettes routinely sell for more than $4.50 a pack in Virginia. “The FDA is not [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-10T06:41:54-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

‘Poor knowledge’ on cervical cancer

Source: The Press Association Author: Staff More than one in three girls does not know the causes of cervical cancer despite the "Jade Goody effect", a new poll suggests. A total of 38% of girls said they were unaware of the causes even though Goody - a former Big Brother star - raised the profile of the disease. Goody died in March aged 27 after a battle with the cancer, which had spread around her body. Anecdotal evidence from across the NHS suggests the number of women attending cervical screening has shot up as a result of her story. The poll of girls aged 12 to 18 was carried out for GlaxoSmithKline, which makes the Cervarix vaccine to protect against Human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical cancer. Of the 255 girls questioned, 5% thought "sexual promiscuity" caused cervical cancer. Another 11% said "a type of virus" caused it but only 6% knew the HPV virus did. When the findings were compared with a survey of 139 girls aged 16 to 18 carried out before Goody was diagnosed, 40% said they did not know what caused the disease and 6% pointed to HPV. This could suggest that knowledge about HPV has not increased despite Goody's diagnosis. The more recent survey also found that 40% of girls thought a family history of the disease was a major factor in getting cervical cancer. Girls aged 12 to 13 are currently being vaccinated against HPV as part of an NHS campaign. [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-06-08T17:11:12-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Oral Cancer Survivor To Expose Dangers Of Chew Tobacco

Source: Middlesex-London Health Unit Author: Staff For Gruen Von Behrens, an encounter with chewing tobacco on a camping trip nearly two decades ago led to an addiction that not only changed his life, but the lives of hundreds of thousands of teens across North America who have heard his story. Today, the 31 year-old from Illinois tours the continent, using his life story as the backdrop for what can happen when teens get hooked on "Chew". Once a talented young baseball player with dreams of cracking a big league lineup, Von Behrens, has undergone more than 40 surgeries to rebuild his face and jaw, all necessary after he developed squamous cell carcinoma at 17, all consequences of his addiction to chewing tobacco. x-London Health Unit, its Youth Action Alliance, the One Life Crew, the Thames Valley District School Board and the London and District Catholic School Board are pleased to be hosting Von Behrens as he brings his "How Chew Tobacco Gave Me Cancer" presentation to London and Middlesex County next week. Von Gruen’s schedule will see him in London on Monday and Tuesday, then Strathroy on Wednesday and Thursday; a complete schedule of presentations follows this news release. While most of the presentations Gruen Von Behrens will make are specifically aimed at the student body at local high schools, the community will be able to hear his message on Thursday, June 11th at 7:00 p.m. at A. B. Lucas Secondary School in London. Sports teams are encouraged to attend this [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-06-08T09:56:52-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

VELscope named one of top 100 products

Source: www.oralhealthjournal.com Author: press release LED Dental Inc. announced today that its VELscope system was named one of Top 100 Products of 2009 by Dentistry Today. Ralph Green, D.D.S., M.B.A., president and CEO of LED Dental's parent, LED Medical Diagnostics, said, “When you consider that there are over 50,000 products in the dental industry, to be named one of the top 100 products for three consecutive years is quite an honor." Since its introduction, over 4,500 systems have been sold worldwide, and over 4.5 million VELscope examinations have been conducted. LED Dental estimates that over 3 million examinations will be conducted in 2009 alone. The tissue fluorescence visualization technology platform on which the VELscope system is based is the culmination of over $50 million in research funded by the National Institutes of Health and other respected institutions and conducted by such leading organizations as the British Columbia Cancer Agency and the University of Texas's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The VELscope system also helps clinicians discover precancerous lesions and many other types of oral mucosal abnormalities. Independent surveys of dental practices using the VELscope system indicate extremely high satisfaction among clinicians and patients alike. Clinicians report satisfaction levels of 90% and higher for the VELscope system’s ability to detect lesions that otherwise would have been missed, for ease of incorporation into the practice, and for patient comfort and convenience. Surveys also indicate that VELscope exams take only 2-to-3 minutes, and that patients appreciate the fact that no distasteful rinses or messy [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-05T05:57:01-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer more deadly for blacks

Source: www.postandcourier.com Author: Yvonne Wenger Jim Etheredge got his wake-up call in 1979. He wants yours to come today: Blacks in South Carolina who are diagnosed with prostate, oral or female breast cancer die from the diseases at nearly twice the rate of whites. Researchers at the University of South Carolina revealed the findings of the groundbreaking study Tuesday, but it's old news to Etheredge, an African-American who lost his parents to cancer 30 years ago. His parents saw their country doctor in rural Leesburg only if they were feeling sick, so by the time they were diagnosed with cancer, the disease was ready to claim their lives, Etheredge said. Although the study may seem to send a dismal message, Etheredge said it is laced with good news. "You don't have to die from cancer any more," he said. Etheredge works as coordinator for the cancer disparities program at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. He said turning around the findings of the study begins with men and women in the community relying on the resources that are available to help. James Herbert, the study's lead author and a professor at USC's Arnold School of Public Health, said the findings don't provide any answers for the disparity. Continued research and community participation are necessary to saving lives, he said. Herbert is seeking grants to continue the work. "What this is telling us is, after you've had a cancer diagnosis, if you're black and you live [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-03T13:48:10-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Tobacco Regulation Bill Advances In Senate Test Vote

Source: CNNMoney Author: Patrick Yoest WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- The U.S. Senate took a step forward Tuesday toward debate of a bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco, as senators showed strong support for the measure in a procedural vote. The Senate voted 84-11 to limit debate on whether to consider the tobacco bill. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., an outspoken opponent of the bill, is expected to pull out the stops by forcing numerous procedural votes on the bill. The bill, introduced by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would give the FDA limited authority to monitor smoking products. It would impose strict controls on advertising that restrict ads to black and white, and stop the use of terms " mild" and "low tar." A similar bill passed the House in April. The Senate is unlikely to debate amendments to the bill until later this week. Burr said Tuesday he wants to introduce an alternative to the bill that would create a new agency within the Health and Human Services Department to regulate tobacco. Burr said he hopes to stretch debate into next week on the tobacco regulation measure. Tobacco producers have a large presence in North Carolina, Burr's home state. Reynolds American Inc.(RAI) and Lorillard Inc. (LO), two leading tobacco companies, are based in North Carolina. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., is also opposed to the tobacco regulation legislation in the Senate. But Altria Group, Inc. (MO), the parent company of tobacco producer Philip Morris USA, announced its support in March for the House bill allowing FDA regulation of tobacco. [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-06-03T10:21:41-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Career choice determines cancer risk, study finds

Source: www.yle.fi Author: staff A new study shows that cancer risk could depend on a person’s job description. A recently released Nordic study shows how different careers contribute to different forms and incident rates of cancer. Lifestyle factors that are linked to specific careers are often a major influence on who gets cancer and who does not. For example the study found that male bar workers had the highest incidents of developing cancer. Workers in the restaurant and bar industry were most likely to get cancer of the larynx, mouth, tongue, liver, lung, urinary tract and colon. It is more acceptable for workers to smoke and drink alcohol at a bar or restaurant than for example at a school, the study found. The study found that tobacco, asbestos and alcohol – especially in combination with each other – are the biggest cancer-causing factors. Male plumbers who have been exposed to asbestos have a 20 percent higher risk of developing some form of cancer than, for example, farmers. Lung cancer is six times more common in women who work as machine operator compared with their female farming counterparts. Incidents of breast cancer are highest among women who go through long years of education to reach career goals. For example, many female doctors and dentists wait longer than other groups before having children, which itself raises the risk of breast cancer. Not only workers at risk But it is not merely the employed and educated that see an increased risk. Unemployed men [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-03T04:54:13-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Oxygen and MRI may determine best cancer treatment

Source: www.allheadlinenews.com Author: David Goodhue A combination of a basic magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, test and breathing oxygen may determine the best course for treating some cancer patients, University of Texas, Southwestern researchers said. Researchers have demonstrated before that the amount of oxygen present in a tumor can be a predictor in its response to treatment. Tumors with little oxygen typically grow stronger and are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. But the only way to measure the oxygen level in tumors was to insert a large needle directly into the growth. Dr. Ralph Mason, a professor of radiology at the University of Texas, Southwestern, said a technique known as a blood oxygen level dependent, or BOLD, MRI, can detect oxygen levels in tumors noninvasively. The patient only has to breathe oxygen when undergoing the MRI, according to a UT Southwestern press release. "The patient simply inhales pure oxygen, which them circulated through the bloodstream, including to the tumors," Mason said in a statement. A report of Mason and his colleagues' research will appear in a future edition of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. BOLD MRIs are not new to the medical profession. They have been used extensively in studying brain function. Doctors at UT Southwestern have begun using them to treat patients with cervical, prostate and head and neck cancers.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-03T04:48:29-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

FDA bad news for snus?

Source: www.cspnet.com Author: staff The subject of putting tobacco under the control of the federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has divided the industry. Such regulation may also end product innovation, according to Forbes magazine. The report cites Reynolds American Inc.'s Camel Snus, the spit-free flavored pouch of pasteurized tobacco sold chilled in tins, as an example of the kind of innovation may be the last of its kind after this year's tobacco regulation bill, sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), turns into law. The legislation is expected to easily pass through the Senate on Tuesday or Wednesday, after getting cleared by the House in April, and then quickly get a presidential signature. After test runs in Columbus, Ohio, and Portland, Ore., three years ago, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, N.C., now sells Camel Snus in 100,000 locations nationwide. A tin of 15 costs $4.50. (Click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage.) The bill has divided the industry. Altria Group Inc., which makes market-leading Marlboro cigarettes though Phillip Morris USA, Richmond, Va., helped write the bill, which critics say will institutionalize that company's market share. The No. 2 tobacco maker, Reynolds American, which makes Camels through RJR, has been waging the battle against it. Altria is testing Marlboro Snus in Dallas and Indianapolis. (Click here for previous CSP Daily News coverage of Altria's other tobacco products strategy.) Kennedy's bill would allow the FDA to play gatekeeper to tobacco products like snus and newer smokeless tobacco lozenges and sticks. The [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-02T20:50:28-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

DNA therapy for head and neck cancer

Source: Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology 6, 302 (June 2009) Author: Mandy Aujla Researchers have developed an antisense EGFR sequence to target EGFR, and found that this approach was safe and effective in patients with advanced squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Standard treatment for this type of cancer is suboptimal. Various drugs have been developed to block this increased signaling, such as cetuximab and erlotinib. These agents, however, have had limited success when used as monotherapy in treating squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Despite encouraging preclinical data these agents produce low response rates and are associated with toxic effects. Therefore, alternative approaches that target EGFR are needed. In this phase I trial, Lai and colleagues evaluated the safety and toxicity of EGFR antisense DNA therapy in 20 patients with advanced squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. All patients included in the study had advanced disease that was unresponsive to standard therapies. The researchers tested six levels of the antisense EGFR at doses ranging from 60 to 1,920 g per injection, with three patients in each dose tier. The antisense EGFR was injected into the most accessible single tumor lesion once a week for 4 weeks. A biopsy was performed within 2 weeks of the final injection. A total of 17 patients completed the treatment course and were available for assessment. Of the five patients who achieved a clinical response, two had a complete response and three achieved a partial response. Two other patients had stable disease. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-06-02T17:45:23-07:00June, 2009|Oral Cancer News|