2015 – Page 14 – Oral Cancer News

Harnessing the immune system to fight cancer

Source: www.npr.org Author: staff When Barbara Marder was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago, she had part of her right lung removed, went through a round of chemotherapy and tried to move on with her life. "I had hoped that everything was fine — that I would not create difficulty for my children, that I would get to see my grandchildren grow up," says Marder, 73, of Arnold, Md. But a routine scan a year later found bad news: The cancer was back — this time in her other lung. "I was very disappointed," says Marder. She knew her prognosis was grim. "I decided at that point that ... I should think about the fact that perhaps this was going to advance rapidly at this point. And check and make sure: Is my will in order? What should I do so that my children aren't left with a mess to clean up in my house?" But Marder didn't give up. She started exploring her options, which eventually brought her to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where doctors are testing a new type of cancer treatment known as immunotherapy. "Immunotherapy for cancer means developing treatments to harness your immune system and using your own immune system to fight the cancer," says Dr. Julie Brahmer, an associate professor of oncology and Marder's doctor. Scientists have been trying to do this for decades. After all, our immune systems can fight off all kinds of health threats. So, why not cancer? But nothing seemed [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-02-11T08:10:05-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

New model proposed for predicting outcomes more accurately in HPV-related throat cancer patients

Source: www.news-medical.net Author: staff Researchers at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre are proposing a new model to enable doctors to predict outcomes more accurately for patients with throat cancers specifically caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The findings are published online today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Study investigators, Dr. Brian O'Sullivan, Lead, Head and Neck Cancer Site Group and Shao-Hui Huang, Research and Clinical Radiation Therapist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, have determined that a new model for classifying the most frequently seen throat cancers in our geographic location is needed. This classification incorporates individual patient factors including age and their smoking status with the traditional classification of the extent of disease, to offer a more personalized approach to predict outcomes and guide treatment. "Our study shows that the current model derived for smoking and alcohol related cancers is not suited for throat cancer caused by HPV, a burgeoning throat cancer population in the Western World, including Canada," says Huang. "This is the future of tumour staging. We need to consider the patient as a whole. Both individual factors, how extensive the disease is in the patient, and tumour biology should play a role in determining the best course of treatment." The purpose of a tumour staging system is to classify the disease into early, intermediate or advanced stage cancer. This classification helps determine treatment plans and can suggest what is likely to be the outcome. In recent years, it's been discovered that throat cancer caused by HPV behaves [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-02-11T07:56:14-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Integrative and Comparative Genomic Analysis of HPV-Positive and HPV-Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Source: http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/Authors: Tanguy Y. Seiwert, Zhixiang Zuo, Michaela K. Keck, Arun Khattri, Chandra S. Pedamallu, Thomas Stricker, Christopher Brown, Trevor J. Pugh, Petar Stojanov, Juok Cho, Michael S. Lawrence, Gad Getz, Johannes Brägelmann, Rebecca DeBoer, Ralph R. Weichselbau, Alexander Langerman, Louis Portugal, Elizabeth Blair, Kerstin Stenson, Mark W. Lingen, Ezra E.W. Cohen, Everett E. Vokes, Kevin P. White, and Peter S. Hammerman Abstract Purpose: The genetic differences between human papilloma virus (HPV)–positive and –negative head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) remain largely unknown. To identify differential biology and novel therapeutic targets for both entities, we determined mutations and copy-number aberrations in a large cohort of locoregionally advanced HNSCC. Experimental Design: We performed massively parallel sequencing of 617 cancer-associated genes in 120 matched tumor/normal samples (42.5% HPV-positive). Mutations and copy-number aberrations were determined and results validated with a secondary method. Results: The overall mutational burden in HPV-negative and HPV-positive HNSCC was similar with an average of 15.2 versus 14.4 somatic exonic mutations in the targeted cancer-associated genes. HPV-negative tumors showed a mutational spectrum concordant with published lung squamous cell carcinoma analyses with enrichment for mutations in TP53, CDKN2A, MLL2, CUL3, NSD1, PIK3CA, and NOTCH genes. HPV-positive tumors showed unique mutations in DDX3X, FGFR2/3 and aberrations in PIK3CA, KRAS, MLL2/3, and NOTCH1 were enriched in HPV-positive tumors. Currently targetable genomic alterations were identified in FGFR1, DDR2, EGFR, FGFR2/3, EPHA2, and PIK3CA. EGFR, CCND1, and FGFR1 amplifications occurred in HPV-negative tumors, whereas 17.6% of HPV-positive tumors harbored mutations in fibroblast growth factor receptor [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-02-05T14:34:06-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

How green tea can kill cancer cells: compound destroys disease while leaving healthy cells unscathed

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: Lizzie Parry A compound in green tea has been found to kill mouth cancer cells while leaving healthy cells undamaged. While it was known the drink could help fight the disease, scientists say they have now worked out why. The breakthrough involved identifying the process by which the substance attacks cancer cells. This, it is hoped, will lead to new treatments for oral cancer, as well as other forms of the disease. A compound found in green tea has been found to kill off oral cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells undamaged. Scientists at Penn State have now identified how the process targets the disease Scientists at Penn State University, in the US, explored the specific mechanism by which the green tea compound is able to target the diseased cells. Earlier studies have shown that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, killed mouth cancer cells without harming normal cells. But researchers did not understand the reasons behind the substance's ability to kill the cancer cells. Scientists now believe EGCG may trigger a process in the mitochondria - the powerhouse of a cell that produces energy - that leads to cell death. Professor Joshua Lambert, a specialist in food science and co-director of Penn State's Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health, said: 'EGCG is doing something to damage the mitochondria. 'That mitochondrial damage sets up a cycle causing more damage and it spirals out, until the cell undergoes programmed cell death. 'It looks [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-02-04T08:23:54-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Researchers discover genetic fingerprint of HPV virus in some head and neck cancers

Author: StaffSource: cancerreasearchuk.orgA large US study(link is external) has pinpointed genetic errors that mark out head and neck cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). If confirmed in further studies this could be used to develop potential new treatments. Head and neck cancers include tumours of the throat, mouth, nasal cavity, larynx, salivary gland among other tissues and organs. Some are linked to tobacco or alcohol use, while others are caused by infection with HPV, more commonly associated with cervical cancers. Rates of HPV-linked head and neck cancers are on the increase. The US study, published in the journal Nature, was carried out as part of The Cancer Genome Atla (TCGA) project. Using cutting-edge DNA analysis, the team found several similarities between the DNA from head and neck tumour cells and other cancer types - as well as new subtypes of smoking-related head and neck cancer. The US team studied samples from 279 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) from untreated patients, around eight in 10 of whom were smokers. Most of the samples were oral cavity cancers and larynx cancers (61 per cent and 26 per cent respectively). The researchers found that specific alterations in genes called FGFR3 and PIK3CA – which produce important protein molecules that help cells grow – were common in many patients with HPV-related cancers. These genes are also present in a wider set of faults found in smoking-related tumours. But faults in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene, which produces another important growth molecule, were rare among HPV-positive cancers, despite being frequently [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-01-30T10:22:47-07:00January, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

How Anti-Vaxxers Ruined Disneyland for Themselves (and everyone else)

Source: io9.comAuthor: Robbie Gonzalaz "The Happiest Place On Earth" is ground zero for a recent measles outbreak centered in California. Now, unvaccinated people are being warned to avoid visiting Disneyland parks. No Infants In Disneyland There are now 67 confirmed cases of measles in an ongoing outbreak centered in California. According to the California Department of Public Health, 59 of the cases are in-state. Among the 34 California patients for whom vaccination status is known, 28 were unvaccinated and one had received partial vaccination. Only five were fully vaccinated. Forty-two of the California cases have been linked to an initial exposure at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park, and while cases were originally tied to people who visited the park in mid-December, state health officials now note other cases visited Disney parks in January. According to the CDC, the majority of measles cases reported so far during 2015 have been part of the "large, ongoing outbreak" connected with these parks. Last year, there were 644 measles cases documented in 27 states – the biggest annual numberin close to a quarter century. For those hoping to avoid seeing similar infection rates in 2015, the year is off to an inauspicious start. Unvaccinated people are now being warned to avoid visiting Disneyland parks. The reasoning is simple: Most people who get measles are unvaccinated, and the disease spreads easiest when when it reaches a community where large groups of people are unvaccinated. Limiting the number of unvaccinated people in the park therefore not only protects them from themselves, it protects [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-01-26T17:52:27-07:00January, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Inherited factors linked to head and neck cancers in young adults

Source: www.news-medical.net Author: Oxford University Press An article published online today in the International Journal of Epidemiology pools data from 25 case-control studies and conducts separate analyses to show that head and neck cancers (HNC) in young adults are more likely to be as a result of inherited factors, rather than lifestyle factors such as smoking or drinking alcohol. Approximately 550,000 new cases of HNC are diagnosed worldwide annually, with an increased incidence in young adults (YA) also being reported. In particular, reports indicate an increase in tumours affecting the tongue and oropharynx among young adults in Europe, the United States, India, and China. Dr Tatiana Natasha Toporcov and colleagues pooled data from 25 studies from the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium to compare the role of major risk factors and family history in HNC for YA (45 years of age or younger) and older adults (over 45 years of age). Participants were surveyed about their history of cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and diet, as well as family history of cancer. In total, there were 2,010 cases and 4,042 controls in YA, and 17,700 cases and 22,704 controls in older adults. The attributable fraction (an estimate of the proportion of cases which could be avoided if the exposures were eliminated) for smoking on the risk of HNC was 20% in young women, 49% in older women, 46% in young men, and 64% in older men. The attributable fraction for drinking alcohol on the risk of HNC was [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-01-25T10:21:44-07:00January, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Keratinization may be prognostic in certain head and neck cancers

Source: www.healio.com Author: T. Cooper Keratinization may be prognostic for patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, according to results of a retrospective, cross-sectional study. The greatest prognostic value may be among patients who have p16-negative and nonbasaloid tumors, as well as those who are smokers, results showed. Keratinization may result histologically following hematoxylin-eosin staining that is associated with adverse outcomes in head and neck cancers, particularly oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Hadi Seikaly, MD, FRCSC, professor of surgery and divisional director and zone section head for otolaryngology – head and neck surgery at the University of Alberta, and colleagues assessed the prognostic value of keratinization in a large cohort of patients. Subgroup analyses evaluated results based on p16 status, basaloid differentiation and smoking status. The researchers used a prospectively collected database to identify 208 patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed and treated at a single tertiary cancer center between 2002 and 2009. The mean age of the patients was 58.4 years (range, 32-95 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 3.4 to 1. The analysis included 146 smokers, 59 nonsmokers and three participants for whom smoking data were not available. Tissue microarrays were generated from each patient’s specimens stained with hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical markers. Each image was scored for the presence of keratinization and/or basaloid differentiation, as well as p16 status. Five-year disease-specific survival based on keratinization served as the primary outcome measure. Of the 208 samples, 112 were nonkeratinizing. The 96 patients with keratinizing samples were more likely to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-01-25T08:45:52-07:00January, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Why the “Cancer Due to Bad Luck” Story Needs Revising

Source: medscape.comAuthor: Zosia Chustecka UPDATED January 16, 2015 // There has been quite a backlash to the recent news that many cancers are due to "bad luck" of random mutations, which was proclaimed in headlines around the world, and based on a report published in the January 2 issue of Science. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's specialized cancer agency, put out a press release to say that it "strongly disagrees with the conclusion," and warning that the message could harm cancer research and public health. "We already knew that for an individual to develop a certain cancer there is an element of chance, yet this has little to say about the level of cancer risk in a population," explained IARC director Christopher Wild, PhD. "Concluding that 'bad luck' is the major cause of cancer would be misleading and may detract from efforts to identify the causes of the disease and effectively prevent it." As previously reported by Medscape Medical News, the researchers, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, reported that in about two-thirds (22 of the 31) of cancer tissue types they had investigated, the cancer could be largely explained by the bad luck of random mutations that arise during DNA replication in normal noncancerous stem cells. However, many of the news stories reported a distorting simplification of the findings, and stated that two-thirds of all cancers are due to bad luck. There has been fierce criticism of the way that the media reported the story, but an expert argues that journalists were [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-01-20T11:45:10-07:00January, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Patients undergoing radiation therapy benefit from animal assisted therapy

Source: radiationtherapynews.com Author: staff According to a recent study published in the Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology, therapy dogs can help improve the emotional state of some cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The study, developed by Mount Sinai Beth Israel researchers, found that cancer patients who are undergoing intensive multi-modal concomitant radiation therapy together with chemotherapy for gastrointestinal, head and neck cancers, benefited from therapy dog’s visits in terms of their emotional well-being and life quality, even during therapy phases where physical decline was more pronounced. This research was funded by The Good Dog Foundation, a provider of professionally trained therapy dogs, Zoetis, an animal health company and the Pfizer Foundation. “This study is the first such definitive study in cancer, and it highlights the merits of animal- assisted visits using the same scientific standards as we hold for the cancer treatment itself. It shows the importance of an innovative environmental intervention during cancer treatment,” Stewart B. Fleishman, MD, principal investigator and Founding Director of Cancer Supportive Services at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, said in a news release. “Having an animal-assisted visit significantly improved their quality of life and ‘humanized’ a high-tech treatment,” he said. “Patients said they would have stopped their treatments before completion, except for the presence of the certified Good Dog Foundation therapy dog and volunteer handler.” “Thanks to this rigorously designed study, we now have strong evidence that pet therapy is an effective tool to help cancer patients get through challenging treatments,” added Gabriel A. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-01-17T12:32:13-07:00January, 2015|Oral Cancer News|