2018 – Page 2 – Oral Cancer News

Call for closer links between GPs and dentists

Source: www.onmedica.com Author: Adrian O'Dowd GPs must work more closely and liaise better with dentists if the rising number of patients with oral cancer are to be helped properly, according to a new action plan. The action plan launched by trade union the British Dental Association (BDA) calls for better coordination between health professionals, checks to ensure patients have regular dental check-ups, and better detection and prevention of the disease. The document Oral Cancer: A Plan for Action was launched in Edinburgh by BDA Scotland at a Stand Up to Oral Cancer event held to coincide with Mouth Cancer Action Month in November. New cases of oral cancer in the UK have reached 8,302 per year and this has increased by 49% in the last decade. Cancer Research UK estimates that incidence rates for oral cancers will rise by a further 33% in the UK by 2035. In the UK last year, 2,722 people died after developing oral cancer. The 10-year survival rate is between 19% and 58%, depending on where the cancer strikes and how early it is diagnosed. The plan focuses on prevention, early detection and having better referral pathways to ensure good links between dentists, GPs and pharmacists. It follows the publication of the Scottish Government’s Oral Health Improvement Plan (OHIP) earlier this year, which proposed extending the dental recall interval for some patients to 24 months – a move strongly opposed by the BDA. Anas Sarwar MSP (member of the Scottish Parliament) has tabled a motion [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-16T09:39:39-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Standard chemotherapy treatment for HPV-positive throat cancer remains the most effective, study finds

Source: www.eurekalert.org Author: press release, University of Birmingham A new study funded by Cancer Research UK and led by the University of Birmingham has found that the standard chemotherapy used to treat a specific type of throat cancer remains the most effective. The findings of the trial, which aimed to compare for the first time the outcomes of using two different kinds of treatment for patients with Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive throat cancer, are published today (November 15th) in The Lancet. Throat cancer is one of the fastest rising cancers in Western countries. In the UK, incidence was unchanged between 1970 and 1995, then doubled between 1996 and 2006, and doubled again between 2006 and 2010. The rise has been attributed to HPV, which is often a sexually transmitted infection. Most throat cancers were previously caused by smoking and alcohol and affected 65 to 70 year old working class men. Today, HPV is the main cause of throat cancer and patients are middle class, working, have young children and are aged around 55. HPV-positive throat cancer responds well to a combination of cisplatin chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and patients can survive for 30 to 40 years, but the treatment causes lifelong side effects including dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, and loss of taste. The De-ESCALaTE HPV study, which was sponsored by the University of Warwick, compared the side effects and survival of 164 patients who were treated with radiotherapy and cisplatin, and 162 who were given radiotherapy and cetuximab. The patients were enrolled [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-16T09:36:03-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Researchers evaluate efficacy of salivary biomarkers for early detection of oral cancer

Source: www.news-medical.net Author: staff, reviewed by Kate Anderton, B.Sc. Over 90% of malign tumors in the head and neck are originated from carcinomas of squamous cells that appear in superficial areas of the oral cavity. Their detection with salivary biomarkers can contribute to their early treatment, before they transform into tumors. Researchers of the Oral Microbiology Research Group of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU UCH) in Valencia, Spain, have conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the salivary markers that show the highest efficacy for the early detection of oral cancer in different clinical trials. The results have just been published in the Journal of Oral Pathology and Medicine, the official magazine of the International Association of Oral Pathogens in the field of Dentistry, Oral Surgery and Medicine. According to Verónica Veses, head researcher of the Group and professor at the Biomedical Sciences Department of the CEU UCH, "detection of this type of squamous cell cancer in the surface of the mouth essentially depends of the visual examination on behalf of oral health professionals. This is why it is important to find new diagnostic methods to help with accurate early detection. Specially if we take into account that oral cancer is the most common of the tumors in the head and neck, and which is increasingly prevalent among the young population due to the consumption of tobacco and alcohol". Three types of biomarkers The research team headed by Dr. Veses has conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-15T07:30:36-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Early detection, treatment helps conquer oral cancer

Source: www.newsbug.info Author: Bob Moulesong According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, almost 50,000 cases of oral cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2018. The American Cancer Society reports that 10,000 people will die from the disease this year. Half of all people diagnosed with oral cancer will be alive in five years, according to both sources. While those are disquieting statistics, Region physicians say routine checkups and early diagnosis improve the odds. Oral cancer Oral cancer includes cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, hard and soft palate, sinuses, saliva glands, and throat. “People we see usually come to us for a lesion or ulcer found in the mouth or throat,” says Dr. Akta Kakodkar, an ear, nose and throat specialist with Community Healthcare System. “Some of them experience no pain but notice a growth or patch of discolored tissue in their mouth, cheek or gum.” Kakodkar, who with her husband and fellow Community ENT physician, Dr. Kedar Kakodkar, treats oral cancer patients, is quick to point out that not every lesion, ulcer or mouth sore is cancer. “We see hundreds of nervous patients who have bacterial or fungal infections,” she says. “Treatment with antibiotics or antifungal medications clear up many of these lesions. There are also many white and red patches that clear up on their own.” The only way to know is a thorough examination. Types and risk factors “Most cases of oral cancer are linked to use of tobacco, alcohol and betel [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-01-04T20:02:56-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Research Update: Vaccine Plus Checkpoint Inhibitor Combos for HPV-related Cancers

Source: MedPage Today Author: Mark L. Feurst Two new studies show the profound impact of a combined vaccine and anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody approach in the treatment of human papilloma virus (HPV)-related cancers. HPV causes nearly all cervical cancers, as well as most oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal cancers. HPV16 and HPV18 are the leading viral genotypes that increase cancer risk. Given the viral cause of these cancers, immunotherapy has been considered a strong potential approach. Many patients with the HPV16 and HPV18 subtypes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have good outcomes from treatment that includes surgery or chemotherapy and radiation. Although anti-PD-1 therapy is approved for patients who do not respond to treatment or who develop metastatic disease, it benefits only about 15% of patients. The theory, therefore, is that a vaccine could potentially boost the immune systems of patients with HPV-related head and neck cancer, opening the door for better responses to other existing therapies. Vaccine + Nivolumab in Phase II Study In the first study, a phase II trial, a tumor-specific vaccine combined with the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab was found to shrink tumors in patients with incurable HPV-related cancers. "Ours are the first results with this particular approach," Bonnie Glisson, MD, of the Department of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, told the Reading Room. "The rates of response and survival are approximately double what have been observed with nivolumab given alone [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-11-08T13:07:57-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Cultural barriers still stand in the way of HPV vaccine uptake

Source: arstechnica.com Author: Cathleen O'Grady Every year, nearly 34,000 cases of cancer in the US can be attributed to HPV, the human papillomavirus . The CDC estimates that vaccination could prevent around 93 percent of those cancers. Yet HPV vaccination rates are abysmal: only half of the teenagers in the US were fully vaccinated in 2017. Cultural barriers play a role in that low rate. Vaccinating pre-teens against a sexually transmitted infection has had parents concerned that that this would encourage their kids to have sex sooner, with more partners, or without protection or birth control. And vaccine rates vary across different social and cultural groups: for instance, rural teenagers are less likely to be vaccinated than urban ones. Two recent studies explore different facets of the cultural barriers standing in the way of better HPV vaccine uptake. The first, a paper published last month in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, looks at the data on whether the vaccine encourages riskier sexual behavior and finds no evidence that it does. And the second, an early draft of a paper presented at an American Association for Cancer Research meeting this week, reports the results of a culturally-targeted intervention aiming to increase vaccine uptake among low-income Chinese Americans. The kids are alright Although the vaccine is now recommended for both boys and girls, the initial drive was to get teenage girls vaccinated, given the link between HPV and cervical cancer. That’s why girls are the focus of the recent study on risky [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-06T09:37:25-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Scientists untangle the evolutionary history of the world’s most common STI

Source: www.iflscience.com Author: Rosie McCall Scientists have analyzed the genomes of viruses to reveal the surprisingly complex evolutionary past of the human papillomavirus (HPV), exposing the salacious details of our ancestors' sexual history in the process. HPV comes in several flavors but HPV16 is the most common subtype worldwide – and it is the one most frequently identified in cervical cancer. Together HPV16 and HPV18 are responsible for 70 percent of all cases, accord to stats from the World Health Organization (WHO). The problem is, it isn't exactly clear how HPV strains contribute to cervical cancer (and other types, including cancer of the anus, the throat, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils). Or why the virus naturally clears in some people but not others. Researchers hope that studying the evolution of the virus will expose biological insights and point at mechanisms that might explain how cervical cancer develops. To try to untangle HPV16's thorny evolutionary past, scientists led by the Chinese University of Hong Kong isolated and examined oral, perianal, and genital samples in 10 adult female squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) and eight adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), half of whom were male and half of whom were female. They found that the virus strains with most in common came from the same part of the body – meaning the oral samples from the squirrel monkeys and rhesus monkeys had more in common than oral and genital samples from the same species, for example. This, the authors say, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-05T12:52:42-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

A Look at Therapy Toxicities & Biology in Head & Neck Cancers

Source: journals.lww.com Author: Valerie Neff Newitt A measure of intrigue and discovery pertaining to head and neck cancer, spiked with compassion for patients struggling against treatment toxicities, helps quench the intellectual thirst of Yvonne Mowery, MD, PhD, Butler Harris Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. Splitting time between the clinic and laboratory, Mowery is actively engaged in patient care as well as preclinical, translational, and clinical research. “I hope to get a better understanding of the biology of head and neck cancer and determine pathways that we can target to reduce metastatic spread of the disease and improve responsiveness to available treatments,” she told Oncology Times. Long before reaching her current status as an award-winning investigator, Mowery grew up in Richmond, Va., in the midst of a “completely non-scientific” family. “I was an oddball,” she joked, while recalling her parents' patience with her backyard composting experiments that became so foul-smelling that the health department was contacted. As a kid, her idea of a great present was an encyclopedia of science, and the thing that caught her eye at the toy store was a junior chemistry set. Science was clearly her path when she headed to the University of Virginia. In her sophomore year, Mowery began working in a genetics lab. That's where the lure of fruit flies took hold. “I looked at the development of their reproductive system and found that very interesting,” she recalled. Nearing the completion of her undergraduate education, Mowery debated [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-04T07:47:45-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Forms of tobacco that give you cancer

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com Author: Zawn Villines, reviewed by Philip Gregory, PharmD, MS Nicotine is the primary substance in cigarettes that causes addiction, but most experts agree that it does not directly cause cancer. Most research points to cigarette smoke, not nicotine, as being the primary contributor to cancer among smokers. However, although most experts agree that nicotine does not directly cause cancer, some research suggests that nicotine may lead to a type of DNA damage that increases the risk of cancer. Research from 2015 reported in the Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology suggests that nicotine may increase the risk of cancer because it might damage DNA, initiate cancer and cause it to progress faster, and interact with cancer-causing chemicals. Research into the role of nicotine in cancer is ongoing. Many studies, however, do not differentiate between nicotine, tobacco, or smoking when they discuss cancer risk. This makes it difficult to determine which of them causes cancer. Even if nicotine does cause or lead to cancer, the risks of developing cancer through the use of nicotine-only products are much lower than the risks from smoking. Methods of consuming nicotine and their safety Nicotine is addictive and is the primary reason most people smoke. However, almost every other nicotine-based product is safer than smoking. No nicotine replacement product is completely safe for all people, but some of the less harmful alternatives include: Nicotine replacement therapy A person with a heart condition should speak to a doctor before undergoing NRT. Nicotine replacement [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-11-01T07:55:23-07:00November, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

No De-escalation of Therapy for HPV+ Throat Cancer

Source: www.medscape.com Author: Alexander M. Castellino, PhD Another trial has shown that de-escalating therapy does not work in patients with good prognosis human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma or throat cancers. Results from the De-ESCALaTE HPV study show that using the targeted drug cetuximab with radiotherapy does not improve side effects and, more importantly, has worse survival compared with the standard of care — chemotherapy with cisplatin and radiotherapy. The finding echoes the results from the US National Cancer Institute's Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 1016 trial, the top-line results of which were released earlier this year, and details of which were presented this week at the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2018 meeting. "Do not change your clinical practice of using cisplatin with radiotherapy in these patients," cautioned Hisham Mehanna, MBChB, PhD, chair of head and neck surgery at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, and lead investigator of the De-ESCALaTe study. He presented the results during a presidential session here at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 Congress (abstract LBA9). "Cetuximab did not cause less toxicity and resulted in worse overall survival and more cancer recurrence than cisplatin. This was a surprise — we thought it would lead to the same survival rates but better toxicity. Patients with throat cancer who are HPV+ should be given cisplatin, and not cetuximab, where possible," Mehanna said in a statement. Hope for Fewer Side Effects Cetuximab with radiation is already approved by the US Food and Drug [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-10-28T11:45:33-07:00October, 2018|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|