June 2011 – Oral Cancer News

The Value of Vaccines

Source: Medscape.com Vaccines Decrease Rate of Bacterial Meningitis A recent, retrospective study revealed that the incidence of bacterial meningitis decreased by 31% over 10 years, likely the result of vaccinations (Thigpen et al. 2011). In addition, the median age of those infected increased from 30.3 to 41.9 years, evidence that vaccinating the young has protected them from infections while leaving older, unvaccinated people more vulnerable. The authors analyzed data on bacterial meningitis from 1998-1999 to 2006-2007 in 8 surveillance areas of the Emerging Infections Programs Network, which includes 17.4 million people. The 5 most common pathogens for bacterial meningitis were Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), Streptococcus pneumonia, group B streptococcus (GBS), Listeria monocytogenes, and Neisseria meningitides. Cerebrospinal confirmation of the clinical diagnosis was required. The beneficial effect of vaccines during the surveillance period is striking. The incidence of bacterial meningitis from Haemophilus influenza decreased by 35%. For strains of bacterial meningitis from Streptococcus pneumonia included in the PCV7 vaccine, infections decreased by 92%. Conversely, rates of meningitis from group B streptococcus, for which there is no vaccine, did not change. Deadly Choices In a recent Medscape One-on-One video interview, Eli Adashi, MD, discussed the dangers of the anti-vaccine movement with Paul Offit, MD, Chief of Infectious Disease at Children's Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Offit is a pediatrician and author of Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All, Basic Books, 2011. It's a Conspiracy... According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Unfounded claims can cause harm [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-29T09:50:20-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

What Really Killed Farrah Fawcett?

Source: Empowher.com In a recent interview between CNN’s Piers Morgan and Ryan O’Neal, O’Neal claimed that the stress resulting from his family turmoil may have contributed to Farrah Fawcett’s death. He stated,“…we really don’t know what causes cancer…” When it comes to anal cancer, the disease that took Fawcett’s life in June of 2009, we certainly do know the cause. More than 90 percent of anal cancers are the result of Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This is the same virus responsible for cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile and oral cancers. The list of cancers resulting from HPV continues to grow, with oral cancer (mainly affecting men) as the latest on the ongoing list. It has been known for quite some time, however, that HPV is responsible for anal cancer. Over the past three decades, anal cancer has risen among women by 78 percent, and it has risen among men by 160 percent. Those figures were taken from a study done in 2004 by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. It has been another seven years, and still, little is done to inform the public of this rapidly growing trend and the vaccine that can prevent the two most aggressive strains of HPV known to cause anal cancer. When Fawcett’s documentary regarding her diagnosis and treatment for anal cancer aired in 2009, anal cancer survivors and others with HPV watched intently. They wanted to see if there would be a public service announcement at the end of the documentary to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-28T11:29:19-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Philip Morris sues Australia over cigarette packaging

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/ Author: Bloomberg News Philip Morris International said it had started legal action against the Australian government over the nation’s plans to allow the sale of cigarettes only in plain packages. The company filed a notice of claim against the government saying that the proposals violate terms of Australia’s Bilateral Investment Treaty with Hong Kong, according to an e-mailed statement on Monday from Philip Morris’s Asian unit. A copy of the court document was not immediately available. Australia, which has already banned the public display of tobacco products in retail outlets, wants to outlaw logos on cigarette packs and force them to be sold in plain dark-olive packaging, carrying health warnings instead of company logos. Cigarette brand names will appear on the packages in the same size and style of printing. The legislation, if passed by Parliament, would come into force in 2012. “The forced removal of trade marks and other valuable intellectual property is a clear violation of the terms of the bilateral investment treaty between Australia and Hong Kong,” Anne Edwards, a spokeswoman for Philip Morris Asia, said in the statement. “We believe we have a very strong legal case and will be seeking significant financial compensation for the damage to our business.” The government raised tobacco taxes by 25 percent last year as it sought to curb smoking, which is the nation’s largest single preventable cause of death, according to the nation’s health minister, Nicola Roxon. “We don’t believe that taking that action is in breach [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-27T06:06:24-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Can HPV vaccine stop throat cancer?

Source: children.webmd.com Author: Daniel J. DeNoon, WebMD Health News (Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD) HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines protect against the sexually transmitted strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. The same HPV strains -- spread by kissing and by oral sex -- cause oropharyngeal (OP) cancer, the form of head and neck cancer that affects the back and sides of the throat, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils. There's strong evidence that HPV vaccines prevent cervical cancer. There's no direct proof that these vaccines prevent throat cancer, but the rapid rise in cases among young people has some experts wanting to vaccinate first and get proof later. "We don't need to wait until all these molecular events are understood," Dong Moon Shin, MD, of Emory University's Winship Cancer Center, tells WebMD. "The time is now. For the HPV vaccine, cost is the only issue as side effects are minimal. Routine HPV vaccination has to be implemented very soon, for both boys and girls." In the U.S., that recommendation is made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP now recommends routine HPV vaccination only for girls and young women in order to prevent cervical cancer. It permits vaccination of boys who want protection against HPV-caused genital warts. For two years, the ACIP has been mulling whether to recommend the HPV vaccine for boys. This would help prevent cervical cancer in unvaccinated women. It also would prevent HPV-related anal cancer and genital warts in both men [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-25T08:44:16-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer vaccines make progress in combating disease

Source: http://www.masshightech.com/ Author: Lori Valigra, Mass High Tech correspondent Sen. Edward Kennedy’s death two years ago from the deadly form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), refocused attention on how slowly treatments have progressed since former President Richard Nixon declared the war on cancer in 1971. But a new form of treatment that goes beyond oncology drugs and surgery is now coming of age: cancer vaccines. At the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago — a major forum for cancer researchers — several companies and research groups reported progress on cancer vaccines, including a New England company with a shot for GBM. Agenus Inc. of Lexington reported its Prophage G-200 almost doubled the longevity of patients with recurring GBM to 11 months. That’s good news to patients with that particularly aggressive form of cancer, which also killed composer George Gershwin and music synthesizer legend Robert Moog. Vaccines represent a relatively new approach to fighting the spread of cancer, having appeared in the last decade. The basic concept is similar to a vaccine for a disease like measles: an injection in the arm induces an immune response that helps the body fight a particular pathogen, in this case, a cancer. An effective immune response would then shrink tumors and extend lives. Research and Markets estimates that the relatively new market for cancer vaccines could rise sharply to top $7 billion by 2015. The research company looked at six main categories of cancer vaccines: antigen/adjuvant, DNA, vector-based, tumor [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-25T08:36:46-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Cigarette ads, packages must include oral cancer warnings, says FDA

Source: http://www.healthcanal.com/ Author: Craig Palmer, ADA News staff The Food and Drug Administration will require use of a “cancerous lesion on lip” image in cigarette advertising and packaging for its potential to motivate positive behavioral change, influence youth and young adults in particular and inform the public that cigarettes cause oral cancer. Flexing its regulatory muscle on the second anniversary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed into law June 22, 2009, the FDA unveiled nine graphic health warnings to be placed on all cigarette packs, cartons and ads no later than Sept. 22, 2012. “The nine new health warning statements and the accompanying graphic images selected by FDA convey information that is factual and uncontroversial,” the agency said in the regulatory notice. The FDA simultaneously announced a public inquiry and request for comments on the public health impact of modified risk tobacco products sold or distributed for use to reduce harm or the risk of tobacco-related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products. The FDA scheduled a public forum Aug. 25-26 to obtain information on “the scientific issues associated with assessment and ongoing review of MRTPs.” These include smokeless and other products promoted as alternatives to cigarette smoking. The Association supported the 2009 tobacco control law, and has advised the FDA on using the law to shape public tobacco policy. “Dentists are the first line of defense in the war against oral cancer and many other tobacco-related diseases,” the Association told the FDA in [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-25T08:30:12-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Cannabis use and oral diseases

Source: Nature.com Questions: What is the effect of cannabis usage on the oral environment? Data sources Medline and the Cochrane Central register of controlled trails (CENTRAL). Study selection Randomised Controlled Trials, Controlled Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies conducted on humans investigating cannabis usage were included. Screening was performed independently by two reviewers. Only English language studies were included. Case reports, letters and historical reviews were excluded. Data extraction and synthesis A narrative synthesis was conducted. Results Seven studies were included and a range of cannabis-associated oral side effects identified. Conclusions Based on the limited data, it seems justified to conclude that with increasing prevalence of cannabis use, oral health care providers should be aware of cannabis-associated oral side effects such as xerostomia, leukoedema and an increased prevalence and density of Candida albicans. This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-24T11:50:07-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

$1 Million Donated for Head and Neck Cancer Research at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Source: Ohio State University- James Cancer Center COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two siblings are honoring their deceased parents by pledging $1 million to create an endowed chair in head and neck cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC– James). Ron Alford of Westerville, Ohio, along with his sister Barb Cantlin and her husband Mike of Newark, Ohio, have pledged the additional funding over the next four years. Their $1 million pledge adds to the original $500,000 donation made by John Alford to create the first research endowment at The James shortly after the free-standing cancer hospital opened in July 1990. After his wife died of stomach cancer in 1987, John Alford chose to honor her memory by creating the Mary E. Alford Cancer Research Endowment Fund for cancer research at The James. When John Alford died of esophageal cancer in 1996, his children donated an additional $500,000 to create the Mary E. and John W. Alford Cancer Research Endowment Fund at The James. With the latest gift pledge, once the fund reaches $2 million it will be renamed the Mary E. and John W. Alford Research Chair in Head and Neck Cancer. “The level of support shown by the Alford family through the years to The James is a testament to their lifelong mission of trying to improve and enhance the lives of others,” says Dr. Michael Caligiuri, director of Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-24T08:59:43-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Can HPV Vaccine Prevent Oral Cancer?

Source: WebMD.com June 23, 2011 -- Can HPV vaccines stop the explosive rise of HPV-related head and neck cancer? HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines protect against the sexually transmitted strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. The same HPV strains -- spread by kissing and by oral sex -- cause oropharyngeal (OP) cancer, the form of head and neck cancer that affects the back and sides of the throat, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils. There's strong evidence that HPV vaccines prevent cervical cancer. There's no direct proof that these vaccines prevent throat cancer, but the rapid rise in cases among young people has some experts wanting to vaccinate first and get proof later. "We don't need to wait until all these molecular events are understood," Dong Moon Shin, MD, of Emory University's Winship Cancer Center, tells WebMD. "The time is now. For the HPV vaccine, cost is the only issue as side effects are minimal. Routine HPV vaccination has to be implemented very soon, for both boys and girls." In the U.S., that recommendation is made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP now recommends routine HPV vaccination only for girls and young women in order to prevent cervical cancer. It permits vaccination of boys who want protection against HPV-caused genital warts. For two years, the ACIP has been mulling whether to recommend the HPV vaccine for boys. This would help prevent cervical cancer in unvaccinated women. It also would prevent HPV-related anal cancer and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-24T08:50:47-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Global Rise in Cancer Cost $300 Billion in 2010, Harvard Economist Says During Press Briefing Hosted by the American Cancer Society and the United Nations

23 June 2011 United Nations — Newly diagnosed cancer cases cost the global economy $300 billion in 2010, as illnesses once believed to be largely confined to wealthier countries took hold in developing nations, a Harvard University economist said during a press briefing hosted by the American Cancer Society Global Health Programs and the United Nations Department of Public Information. Tobacco use, alcohol intake, obesity and decreased physical activity have grown in poorer countries, causing the rise of cancer and diabetes, said David E. Bloom, professor of economics and demography at Harvard’s School of Public Health in Boston. Bloom and other researchers held a briefing today in advance of the United Nations High Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases. The Sept. 19-20 meeting will be the first gathering of the UN Assembly dealing with cancer, cardiovascular illness, chronic lung conditions and diabetes. These diseases cause 60 percent of deaths worldwide, killing 36.1 million people annually, according to an April report by the World Health Organization. “Noncommunicable diseases will evolve into a staggering economic burden in the coming years,” Bloom said. “It’s a huge impediment to the mitigation of poverty.” Bloom said treating newly diagnosed cancer cases cost $300 billion globally in 2010, and obstructive pulmonary disease -- often correlated with smoking tobacco -- costs $4 billion a year. Not Confined to Health “Economic policy makers like ministers of finance and ministers of planning see noncommunicable diseases as an issue confined to the health sector,” a misperception that needs to be addressed, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-24T08:42:35-07:00June, 2011|Oral Cancer News|