July 2014 – Page 2 – Oral Cancer News

Antioxidants May Cause More Harm Than Good in Cancer Patients

Source: medscape.comAuthor: Zosia Chustecka While alternative health gurus often encourage increasing antioxidants in the diet and the taking of antioxidant nutritional supplements such as beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, and selenium, new research findings suggest that antioxidants could do more harm than good, especially in cancer patients. The idea is discussed in a perspective article on the promise and perils of antioxidants for cancer patients in the July 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Coauthor David Tuveson, MD, PhD, professor and deputy director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cancer Center in New York, explained in an interview with Medscape Medical News that the idea that antioxidants could be useful in cancer goes back to Linus Pauling, and is based on observations that oxidation within cells is needed for cell growth. "As cancer cells growth rapidly, a cancer cell would have more oxidation within it than a normal cell," he added, and the hope was that antioxidants would interfere with these cellular oxidative processes and would suppress the growth. "Although some early preclinical studies supported this concept," the authors write, there have now been several clinical trials that have shown no effect of antioxidants on reducing the incidence of cancer, and there have even been suggestions of harm in persons who are at risk for cancer. Dr. Tuveson noted a clinical trial from Scandinavia in the early 1990s, which found that high doses of antioxidants, particularly beta-carotene, were associated with more lung cancer rather than less as had been hoped for. There was [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-07-14T15:04:19-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Salivary gland cancers rare, but sometimes deadly

Source: articles.baltimoresun.com Author: Andrea K. Walker Professional baseball great Tony Gwynn Sr., also known as Mr. Padre, died last month of salivary gland cancer, which he believed was caused by years of using smokeless chewing tobacco. The cancer is a rare form that begins in any of the salivary glands in the mouth, neck or throat. Two adults in 100,000 are diagnosed with salivary gland cancer each year. The chances of survival drop if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Dr. Patrick K. Ha, with Johns Hopkins Head and Neck Surgery at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, says new types of treatments and therapies are in the works to treat the disease. What is salivary gland cancer and how common is it? Salivary gland cancers are a diverse group of rare malignancies that can involve any of the major salivary glands (the parotid, submandibular and sublingual) or minor salivary glands, which are found within the lip, palate, tongue base, nasal cavity or sinuses. There are numerous different cancers that may arise from the salivary glands, and these may behave differently based on their cell of origin. What causes it, and who is more likely to get it? Little is known about the causes of salivary gland cancers. Unlike the more common head and neck cancers, which have a clear association with smoking, drinking or even the human papillomavirus (HPV), salivary gland cancers do not have such strong associations. There may be a link between significant radiation exposure (i.e., treatment [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-07-12T08:55:49-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

An effective and well-tolerated strategy in recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer: successive lines of active chemotherapeutic agents

Source: 7thspace.com Author: staff The combination platinum, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cetuximab is the standard first-line regimen of recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Due to the toxicity of this treatment, alternative therapies are often offered to patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall survival obtained with a first line chemotherapy adapted to patients functional status and the administration of all active drugs within successive lines of chemotherapy. Methods: This series included a total of 194 patients with recurrent and/or metastatic HNSCC treated from 2006 to 2011 in a single institution where the administration of successive lines of chemotherapies has been the standard clinical approach. Treatment was administered according to clinical practice guidelines. Results: Most patients received at least two treatment lines. Only 11 patients (6%) were treated with a combination of cisplatin, 5-FU and cetuximab in front line, but most patients received at least one platinum-based regimen (n = 154 patients, 78%); 162 (82%) received taxanes, 36 (18%) received 5-FU, 27 (14%) received capecitabine, 67 (34%) received methotrexate and 134 (68%) received cetuximab. The median overall survival was 9.8 months (95% CI: 8.1-11.4 months) and reached 13.1 months among the subgroup of 131 patients eligible for inclusion in a clinical trial. Conclusion: The survival outcomes of patients treated in the first-line setting with chemotherapy regimens adapted to their functional status, followed by several subsequent regimens were comparable with published outcomes of patients treated by platinum, 5-FU and cetuximab. Credits/Source: BMC Cancer 2014, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-07-12T08:48:52-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

ACS awards $1.7M to study racial disparities in HNC patients

Source: http://www.drbicuspid.com/ Author: DrBicuspid Staff The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded a $1.7 million grant to Philadelphia researchers to investigate factors that may contribute to the racial disparities seen among those diagnosed and treated for head and neck cancers (HNC) -- specifically head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). While head and neck cancers account for only 3% of all cancers in the U.S., a disproportionately high number of African Americans are affected. Recent research has shown that other biological factors, and tobacco and alcohol use, may have a role in the development of these cancers. Other studies suggest that low socioeconomic status and poor healthcare access are the main contributors to this disparity. "Studies on genes involved in tobacco and drug metabolism and efflux suggest an association of genetic variants with head and neck cancer risk and survival in populations of European and Asian ancestries," stated Camille Ragin, PhD, an associate professor at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and the study's principal investigator, in a press release. "Genetic variants associated with the survival disparity of head and neck cancer in African-derived populations, however, is not yet clear." An accumulation of cancer-causing compounds occurs when products from tobacco smoke enter the body's cells, in some cases enabled by alcohol, and are broken down by proteins. Variations in the genetic code that generate these proteins can lead to differences in their function and could affect the way disease may develop or respond to drug therapy. In many cases, the genetic [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-07-12T08:41:56-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Oscar Award winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto is diagnosed with Throat Cancer

Author: Jun HongoSource: blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime World-renowned Japanese musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto says he has throat cancer and has canceled his scheduled shows and activities. The Oscar-winning composer and anti-nuclear activist said Thursday that he was diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer at the end of June. “After much thought and consideration, I have decided to take time off of work in order to concentrate on treating it,” the 62-year-old said in a statement. “I promise to return after a full recovery.” According to his management agency Avex Music Creative Inc., Mr. Sakamoto will step down as one of the directors of the Sapporo International Art Festival 2014, scheduled to start next week. He will also cancel live shows including a performance at Park Hyatt Tokyo on July 30. Avex Music Creative said there is no time frame set for Mr. Sakamoto’s return, and that the artist will “dedicate all his time to treatment.” The agency declined to offer details on the current stage of Mr. Sakamoto’s cancer. The pioneering musician debuted as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978, playing a role in the emergence of electro pop and providing inspiration for a generation of electronic music and hip-hop producers. His creativity and prowess as a keyboard player, producer and composer extends to a large swath of genres and styles from pop rock to bossa nova. He won an Academy Award for composing the score music for Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1987 film “The Last Emperor,” a movie he also appeared in as an [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-07-11T10:03:25-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPChase Morgan, is diagnosed with throat cancer

Author: Jessica Silver-GreenbergSource: nytimes.com Jamie Dimon the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, has throat cancer and will begin treatment shortly at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he said in a note to the bank’s employees and shareholders late Tuesday. Doctors discovered the cancer at an early stage, Mr. Dimon, 58, said, noting that his condition was “curable.” After a series of tests, he said the doctors confirmed that the cancer had not spread beyond the “original site” and the adjacent lymph nodes on the right side of his neck. Mr. Dimon assured employees at JPMorgan, the nation’s largest bank, that the prognosis from the doctors was “excellent.” Mr. Dimon, who has held the dual roles of chief executive and chairman at the bank since 2006, has been atop JPMorgan longer than any other bank chief. The announcement of his diagnosis came on Mr. Dimon’s 10-year anniversary at JPMorgan. That tenure, which began when JPMorgan acquired Bank One, has been marked by triumph — the bank emerged from the financial crisis in better shape than its rivals — and by tumult. The bank has worked to mend its frayed relationships with regulators — a painful reconciliation that cost it roughly $20 billion. In November, JPMorgan reached a record $13 billion settlement with a range of government authorities over its sale of questionable mortgage-backed securities in the lead-up to the financial crisis. The bank also reached a $2 billion settlement over accusations that it failed to sound alarms about Bernard L. Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. JPMorgan has [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-07-02T10:20:35-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|