2015 – Page 6 – Oral Cancer News

Professor creates a tool to help diagnose certain cancers early

Source: www.portsmouth.co.uk Author: staff Professor Peter Brennan from Portsmouth has been appointed as the 2016 president of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He has been given a £30,000 president fund, and has chosen to use the cash to benefit not only patients in Portsmouth, but around the country. He is writing a book and online tool which will be sent to every GP practice in England. It will assist GPs in spotting warning signs and symptoms of head and neck cancer and other tumour issues that could be fatal. Prof Brennan, a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, explained: ‘It can be very hard for non-specialists to detect and diagnose problems, including cancer, in the head and neck. I know that a tool like this will be really beneficial for doctors. ‘I’m delighted to have been elected as president of the surgical association for next year, and I thought long and hard about what to use the grant for. ‘It is designed to be used for the advancement of a speciality, and I wanted to use the money in a way which would have the biggest impact on patients. ‘I’m confident that this will make a real difference, and am looking forward to seeing it being rolled out across the country.’ The scheme has the approval of the Royal College of General Practitioners, the professional body for family doctors in the UK. Professor Brennan added: ‘The feedback that I had from RCGP is that [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-08-13T07:34:28-07:00August, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

The case for funding the HPV vaccine for boys

Source: www.thespec.com Author: Camilla Cornell, Hamilton Spectator If Tiffany Bond could have had her 25-year-old son inoculated against the human papilloma virus (HPV), she'd have done it in a heartbeat. After all, Bond knows well the pain HPV virus can cause. Eight years ago, at age 39, Bond flicked back her long hair and touched a lump in her throat. Her doctor's diagnosis? Bond had oral pharynx cancer — a type of throat cancer caused by the HPV virus. Worse, the cancer had spread into her lymph nodes. She began a seven-week regimen of radiation and chemotherapy treatments so intense that Bond couldn't eat a thing. She was fed through tubing in her stomach for months and lost about a third of her body weight. "I was sick to my stomach every day for seven weeks," Bond says. "There came a point where I just gave up — I wanted to die. It was horrific for my son to watch." The good news, says Joanne Di Nardo, a spokesperson for the Ontario branch of the Canadian Cancer Society: There is an HPV vaccine that is 100 per cent effective against many forms of HPV. The bad news? Although all provincial governments administer the vaccine free to girls, in many provinces boys don't have the same privilege. Only Alberta, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and P.E.I. (either currently or will soon) offer the vaccine free to boys. "We really need to do some catching up here in Ontario," says Di Nardo. "Boys [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-08-11T12:17:53-07:00August, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

AstraZenica, Inovio strike deal to find HPV cancer vaccine

Source: www.philly.comAuthor: David Sell Local drugmakers - big and small - struck a deal to try to develop a vaccine to prevent a form of cervical, head and neck cancer. MedImmune, which is the biologics and research division with AstraZeneca, said Monday it will collaborate with Inovio Pharmaceuticals to develop an early stage cancer vaccine designed to treat human pappilomavirus. AstraZeneca will pay Inovio $27.5 million upfront. If the compound reaches development and commercial milestones, Inovio could get up to $700 million, along with "double-digit tiered royalties" on product sales. However, sales are a long way off because the compound is only in phase I and phase II of what is normally a three-phase clinical trial process. AstraZeneca is moving its headquarters from London to Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and has operations in Wilmington and Fort Washington. The MedImmune division is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. Inovio is based in Blue Bell and its basic scientific premise is to use DNA to develop vaccines. unlike most current vaccines. The companies have worked together before. The compound at the heart of the latest deal is called INO-3112. The early clinical trials are examining cervical and head and neck camcers and the compound tries to generate "killer T-cell responses that are able to destroy HPV 16- and 18- driven tumors. These HPV types are responsible for more than 70 per cent of cervical pre-cancers and cancers, " according to the statement. The full statement from AstraZeneca is here. *This news story was [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-08-10T12:01:54-07:00August, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Riders raise awareness for oral cancer

Source: Millard County Chronicle ProgressAuthor: Doug Radunich Two traveling rodeo riders helped raise awareness for oral cancer at the Days of the Old West rodeo in Delta June 11-13. As a non-profit seeking to spread awareness of oral cancer and the dangers of starting terrible tobacco habits, the foundation teamed up with bareback bronco rider Cody Kiser, of Carson City, Nev., and barrel rider Carly Twisselman, of Paso Robles, Calif., in an effort to spread the word among the Rodeo circuit, which is one of the biggest arenas of tobaccos-using patrons. While others are focused on getting users to quit, the Oral Cancer Foundation is encouraging young people to avoid the habit that they may see one of their rodeo heroes engage in. The message of the foundation is simple and not confrontational: "Be Smart. Don’t Start". This message was displayed at the recent rodeo in Delta. Also at the Delta rodeo, Kiser and Twisselman sported Oral Cancer Foundation logos and wording on their clothes and riding gear, while handing out free buttons, wristbands and bandanas. Both riders also gave autographs, talked and had pictures taken with young fans. Both riders, who will promote the message at different rodeos across the country, also competed in their respective riding events while in Delta. “It’s an awesome opportunity to use our platform, and it’s for a good cause and to put good message out there,” Twisselman said. “There are family members and friends and peers out there who chew tobacco, and in the [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-08-10T11:19:45-07:00August, 2015|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Baseball and tobacco are a deadly mix

Source: www.bostonglobe.comAuthors: Dr. Howard Koh & Dr. Alan C. Woodward Unhealthy as it looks: David Ortiz spat out his “chew” after flying out against Tampa Bay in Game 3 of the 2008 ALCS at Fenway Park. Search the web for the phrase “tobacco and baseball” and you’ll find an association that dates back almost to the beginning of the sport. In the late 1800s, tobacco companies debuted baseball cards in cigarette packs. By the early 1900s, Bull Durham was advertising its chewing tobacco product on outfield fences. Today, cigarette smoking is prohibited or restricted in all Major League parks. Still, players, coaches, and others use smokeless tobacco, often referred to as “chew” or “dip,” in virtually every stadium across the country. But tobacco that is “smokeless” is not “harmless.” It contains at least 28 carcinogens and causes oral, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer, along with serious health problems such as heart disease, gum disease, tooth decay, and mouth lesions. The longstanding link between tobacco and baseball has led to tragic outcomes, for players and young fans alike. Baseball legend Babe Ruth died at age 53 of throat cancer after decades of dipping and chewing. Last summer, former Red Sox pitching great Curt Schilling announced that he had been treated for oral cancer, which he attributed to three decades of chewing tobacco. Sadly, his news came shortly after the death of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, at age 54, after a lengthy fight with salivary gland cancer. Gwynn, too, attributed his [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-08-06T10:44:44-07:00August, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Mayor Walsh Wants Ban On Chewing Tobacco At All City Ballparks

Source: www.wbur.orgAuthor: Philip Marcelo Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and mouth cancer survivor Curt Schilling, pictured here at Fenway Park in 2012, was on hand Wednesday as Mayor Marty Walsh proposed banning smokeless tobacco products from all city professional and amateur athletic venues. (Winslow Townson/AP) From storied Fenway Park to youth baseball diamonds across the city, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh is calling for a ban on dip, snuff and chewing tobacco. With former Red Sox pitcher and mouth cancer survivor Curt Schilling at his side, the mayor on Wednesday proposed banning smokeless tobacco products from all city professional and amateur athletic venues. “Kids shouldn’t have to watch their role models using tobacco, either at a neighborhood park or on TV,” Walsh said, standing at home plate of a South Boston baseball diamond. “Ballfields are places for mentoring and healthy development. They’re no place for cancer-causing substances.” Schilling, who revealed earlier this year he was diagnosed with mouth cancer after decades of using chewing tobacco, described his battle with the illness, which he said is in remission. “It was more painful than anything you could imagine,” he said, addressing the dozens of school-age kids in attendance. “I couldn’t swallow. I had to eat from a tube. I was sick every single day. And if it came back, I don’t know if I would go through the treatment again. It was that bad.” The 48-year-old ESPN analyst acknowledged Walsh’s proposal will likely meet resistance from major league players, but he [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-08-05T16:30:17-07:00August, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Testimony by otolaryngologists in defense of tobacco companies 2009–2014

Source: www.onlinelibrary.wiley.comAuthor: Robert K. Jackler, MD Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis To examine expert testimony offered by otolaryngologists in defense of the tobacco industry and to assess whether opinions rendered were congruent with evidence in the scientific literature. Methods Data sources include publically available expert witness depositions and trial testimony of board-certified otolaryngologists employed by the tobacco industry in defense of lawsuits brought by smokers suffering from head and neck cancer. The cases, adjudicated in Florida between 2009 and 2014, focused on whether smoking caused the plaintiff's cancer. Results The study includes nine legal cases of upper aerodigestive tract cancer involving six otolaryngologists serving as expert witnesses for the tobacco industry. Cancer sites included larynx (5), esophagus (2), mouth (1), and lung (1). Five of the six otolaryngologists consistently, over multiple cases, offered opinions that smoking did not cause the plaintiff's cancer. By highlighting an exhaustive list of potential risk factors, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), alcohol, asbestos, diesel fumes, salted fish, mouthwash, and even urban living, they created doubt in the minds of the jurors as to the role of smoking in the plaintiff's cancer. Evidence shows that this testimony, which was remarkably similar across cases, was part of a defense strategy shaped by tobacco's law firms. Conclusions A small group of otolaryngologists regularly serve as experts on behalf of the tobacco industry. Examination of their opinions in relation to the scientific literature reveals a systematic bias in interpreting the data relating to the role played by smoking in head and neck [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-31T14:00:43-07:00July, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

HPV Persistence Predicts Poor Prognosis in Head/Neck Cancer

Source: www.medscape.comAuthor: Roxanne Nelson, RN, BSN Among patients with human papillomavirus–positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC), persistence of HPV following treatment is associated with a poorer prognosis. Results of a new study show that the persistence of HPV16 DNA, detected in oral rinses after treatment has ended, may be predictive of disease recurrence. In a cohort of 124 patients with HPV-OPC, HPV16 DNA was detected in oral rinses from 54% (n = 67) of patients at the time of their diagnosis. Following treatment, it was detected in only six patients after treatment, including five patients with persistent oral HPV16 DNA that was also detected at diagnosis. All five patients with persistent HPV16 experienced disease recurrence, with three eventually dying of their cancer. Conversely, only nine of 119 patients without persistent oral HPV16 DNA developed recurrent disease. "Our findings indicate that persistent HPV16 DNA in oral rinses may be a useful early marker of disease that has either recurred or never fully responded to treatment," said first author Eleni Rettig, MD, of the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. "In the clinical setting, this could one day be a part of routine surveillance after treatment for HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers, in addition to clinical examination and imaging," she told Medscape Medical News. The study was published online July 30 in JAMA Oncology. Biomarker Potential? In an accompanying editorial, Julie E. Bauman, MD, MPH, and Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, both of the University of Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-30T17:19:55-07:00July, 2015|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

MD Anderson Team wins NIH grant to uncover novel head, neck cancer drug targets

Source: www.genomeweb.com Author: staff The National Institutes of Health this month awarded MD Anderson Cancer Center researchers a four-year grant to bioinformatically and functionally investigate genomic alterations as novel therapeutic targets for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In recent years, genomic studies have identified numerous genetic alterations in HNSCC, but such alterations "are dominated by tumor suppressor genes and untargetable oncogenes," MD Anderson's Jeffrey Myers, who is leading the research, wrote in the grant's abstract. "Nevertheless, we hypothesize that novel molecular therapeutic targets are present in HNSCC and that these targets exist in parts of the data that have not been effectively analyzed." With the support of the NIH grant, administered by the National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research and worth $971,667 in its first year, Myers and his colleagues plan to examine existing genomic data using a combination of computational and functional approaches to identify candidate drug targets. The most promising targets will be tested in a high-throughput in vivo screening system in HNSCC lines with known genotypes, with validated targets further tested for genotype co-dependencies. Known drug targets will be studied in preclinical xenograft models. For targets that are currently undruggable, the researchers will computationally and experimentally analyze their pathways for additional targets that can be functionally tested. Through the work, the MD Anderson investigators aim to generate a broad list of functionally validated novel targets for HNSCC as candidates for drug development.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-30T07:20:41-07:00July, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

NYU’s Bluestone Center Receives a $369,250 High Priority, Short Term Project Award from NIDCR to Study Oral Cancer Pain

Source: www.nyu.edu/newsAuthor: Christopher James Drs. Yamano and Schmidt have developed a novel non-viral gene delivery method, and the proposed studies are designed to test whether this could be used to treat cancer pain effectively and safely. Up to 90% of cancer patients suffer from pain, with oral cancer ranked consistently as one of the most painful cancers. The quality of life for oral cancer patients is the lowest of any patients suffering from cancer because the intense uncontrolled pain interferes with necessary oral functions including eating, talking and swallowing. “Oral cancer pain is more severe, and the opioid requirement is higher, than pain from any other cancer,” said Dr. Brian L. Schmidt, DDS, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and director of NYU’s Bluestone Center for Clinical Research and the NYU Oral Cancer Center. “And in the end, pharmacological agents used to treat cancer pain often lack anatomical specificity and produce off-target effects that create additional suffering.” “Gene therapy is emerging as an exciting prospect and alternative to opioids for the treatment of cancer pain,” said Dr. Seiichi Yamano, DDS, PhD, DMD, MMSc, assistant professor of prosthodontics at NYU College of Dentistry. “We seek to eliminate oral cancer pain by reversing epigenetic changes using gene therapy and set the stage for a new class of medicines that selectively disrupt nociceptive signaling with limited off-target effects.” To further their research, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-29T10:45:41-07:00July, 2015|Oral Cancer News|