2018 – Page 8 – Oral Cancer News

Global review confirms diabetes elevates cancer risk, especially in women

Source: www.ajmc.com Author: Mary Caffrey A review that covered nearly 20 million people has confirmed that people with diabetes face a higher risk of cancer, and that risk is higher among women than men. Findings published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, showed that women with type 1 of type 2 diabetes were particularly at risk for cancers of the stomach, mouth, and kidney. The authors reviewed articles appearing in PubMed through December 2016, and ended up including data from 106 articles in the study. This allowed the review to evaluate gender-specific effects of diabetes on overall cancer risk as well as 50 site-specific cancers. Results covered data from 47 countries. Authors called it “the most comprehensive analysis to date on the sex-specific effects of diabetes on cancer risk.” Overall, the review showed diabetes is a risk factor for most cancers, and that women with diabetes were 6% more likely than men with the disease to develop some form of cancer. Among people with diabetes, researchers also found: Women were 27% more likely to develop cancer than those without diabetes. Men faced a 19% higher risk of cancer. Of note, women faced an 11% higher risk of kidney cancer, a 13% higher risk of oral cancer, a 14% higher risk of stomach cancer, and a 15% higher risk of leukemia than men. Liver cancer was an exception: the risk for women with diabetes was 12% lower than that of men. Sanne Peters, PhD, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-23T07:19:00-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Health Insurers Are Vacuuming Up Details About You — And It Could Raise Your Rates

Source: National Public Radio Author: Marshall Allen To an outsider, the fancy booths at a June health insurance industry gathering in San Diego, Calif., aren't very compelling: a handful of companies pitching "lifestyle" data and salespeople touting jargony phrases like "social determinants of health." But dig deeper and the implications of what they're selling might give many patients pause: a future in which everything you do — the things you buy, the food you eat, the time you spend watching TV — may help determine how much you pay for health insurance. With little public scrutiny, the health insurance industry has joined forces with data brokers to vacuum up personal details about hundreds of millions of Americans, including, odds are, many readers of this story. The companies are tracking your race, education level, TV habits, marital status, net worth. They're collecting what you post on social media, whether you're behind on your bills, what you order online. Then they feed this information into complicated computer algorithms that spit out predictions about how much your health care could cost them. Are you a woman who recently changed your name? You could be newly married and have a pricey pregnancy pending. Or maybe you're stressed and anxious from a recent divorce. That, too, the computer models predict, may run up your medical bills. Are you a woman who has purchased plus-size clothing? You're considered at risk of depression. Mental health care can be expensive. Low-income and a minority? That means, the data [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-07-17T09:40:59-07:00July, 2018|OCF In The News|

Cancer: Can testosterone improve patients’ quality of life?

Source: Medical News Today Author: Maria Cohut Cachexia is a condition characterized by loss of body mass — including muscular atrophy — that is usually accompanied by severe weakness and fatigue. Many people who go through cancer experience this. Studies have noted that "[a]pproximately half of all patients with cancer experience cachexia," severely impairing their quality of life. It appears to be "responsible for the death of 22 [percent] of cancer patients." What exactly causes this condition — which appears in some patients but not in others — remains unclear, and options to manage and address it are scarce. But recently, researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston — led by Dr. Melinda Sheffield-Moore, from the Department of Health and Kinesiology — have been investigating the potential of administering testosterone in addition to chemotherapy in order to ameliorate the impact of cachexia. "We hoped to demonstrate these [cancer] patients [who received testosterone treatment] would go from not feeling well enough to even get out of bed to at least being able to have some basic quality of life that allows them to take care of themselves and receive therapy." Dr. Melinda Sheffield-Moore The researchers' findings — now published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle — confirm that administering testosterone to individuals experiencing cachexia can, in fact, improve their quality of life to some extent, by restoring some independence of movement. Adjuvant testosterone shows promise The most widely used approach to manage cachexia is special nutrition treatments, but [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-07-17T09:30:54-07:00July, 2018|OCF In The News|

Silent no more: Woman lends voice to hope after cancer

Source: health.ucsd.edu Author: Yadira Galindo Singing hymns in church has always brought Cynthia Zamora joy. Today, her once sharp intonation has given way to a raspy voice. But Zamora is thankful that she has a voice at all after spending three months without the ability to utter even one syllable. “I miss going to church and singing with people,” said Zamora. “Although, if I am in the back I'm still singing. I'm just hoping they don't hear what sounds like a 13-year-old pubescent boy back there, because that's how I sound. I know God thinks it's beautiful, so I don't worry about it. I just go on with life.” In 2017, Zamora bit her tongue while sleeping, splitting her tongue nearly in half. She was referred to a specialist when her wound would not heal. They found a 5.4-centimeter tumor that enveloped more than half of her tongue. To save her life, her surgeon, Joseph Califano, MD, delivered grim news: Zamora would have to undergo a glossectomy — the surgical removal of all or part of the tongue. “By the time I saw her she was really having a hard time speaking and swallowing,” said Califano, director of the Head and Neck Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health. “With Cynthia that was a difficult discussion because it was unclear how much tongue we would save and how good the function would be with the remaining tongue that would be preserved.” A multidisciplinary team of experts that included medical oncology, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-10T10:03:53-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Smoking warning labels could need a refresh to inform public of new health risk discoveries

Source: www.abc.net.au Author: Tegan Taylor When it comes to the health risks associated with smoking, most people know about lung cancer and heart disease. But less than a third of Australians realise it can also cause conditions such as acute leukaemia and rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study, raising the question around whether current graphic cigarette warning labels need to be refreshed. The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, asked 1,800 Australians about whether they thought smoking increased the risk of 23 conditions shown to be associated with tobacco use, such as lung cancer, stroke and diabetes. While more than eight in 10 participants knew lung, throat and mouth cancers, heart disease and emphysema were linked to smoking, much fewer were aware it was associated with erectile dysfunction, female infertility, diabetes and liver cancer. The results showed the current warning labels were doing their job, and that it might be time to expand them, said Michelle Scollo from Cancer Council Victoria, which ran the study. "It was predictable and pleasing that smokers knew about the health effects that have been highlighted in the current sets of warnings and media campaigns," Dr Scollo said. "[But] fewer than half realised it could reduce your fertility, and that could have a really major impact on the course of people's lives … There's a lot that people need to appreciate. Part of the reason the link between smoking and some of the conditions surveyed aren't well known is because research into [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-09T08:38:49-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Changes in cancer staging: what you should know

Source: health.clevelandclinic.org Author: staff When you learn you have cancer, you want to know what to expect: How will doctors treat your illness? How effective is treatment likely to be? Much depends on the way doctors first classify, or “stage,” your cancer, using the official staging manual from the American Joint Committee on Cancer. Staging guidelines continue to evolve as knowledge about individual tumor growth and innovative technologies come into play. An ever-evolving system “Historically, we staged cancers according to tumor size, lymph node involvement and the presence of metastases,” says oncologist Dale Shepard, MD, PhD. “The latest staging manual incorporates new findings on the importance of changes in molecular DNA and tumor genomic profiling. This will affect many patients going forward.” Among those most impacted by changes in staging are people newly diagnosed with breast cancer; head and neck cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV); or sarcoma. How staging works “Staging allows us to stratify patients into groups based on anatomic and other criteria. It gives us a framework for understanding the extent of disease,” Dr. Shepard explains. Cancers are staged clinically and pathologically: The clinical stage is determined during the initial workup for cancer. The pathologic stage is determined by studying a surgically removed tumor sample under the microscope. Adds Tumor Registry Manager Kate Tullio, MPH, MS, “Staging helps physicians and other researchers to compare patients with the same types of cancer to each other in a consistent way — so that we might learn more about these cancers and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-05T07:45:14-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

New mouthwash formulation may help to relieve symptoms of dry mouth, study finds

Source: sjogrenssyndromenews.com Author: Iqra Mumal Individuals with dry mouth, including those with Sjögren syndrome, may benefit from using a moisturizing mouthwash with cetylpyridinium chloride, a new study shows. The study, “A randomized controlled study to evaluate an experimental moisturizing mouthwash formulation in participants experiencing dry mouth symptoms,” was published in the journal Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. Dry mouth is a common problem and has been reported by up to 47 percent of people at some point in their lives. Dry mouth tends to have a higher prevalence in older individuals and is more likely to occur in women. Many factors can cause dry mouth, including Sjögren syndrome. However, many people, particularly those with Sjögren syndrome, may underestimate their levels of oral dryness and may never seek professional help. Sipping water can temporarily help patients relieve the sensation, but it has limited effectiveness. Researchers in this study set out to determine if symptom relief can be obtained from a newly developed moisturizing mouthwash. While the formulation used to make this mouthwash is similar to those previously available, a different preservative system that incorporates cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) instead of parabens was used. Researchers recruited patients with self-reported dry mouth, some of whom had Sjögren syndrome. To determine the mouthwash’s effectiveness, researchers used questionnaires both before and after use. The product performance and attributes questionnaire (PPAQ) previously has been validated as an appropriate tool to determine the efficacy of dry-mouth products. Participants were randomized to receive either the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-05T07:20:13-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Aussie researchers discover way to reverse drug resistance in major cancer

Source: www.xinhuanet.com Author: staff Australia's University of Queensland researchers on Thursday said they have discovered a way to reverse drug resistance in skin and mouth cancers, by adding a new drug to an existing treatment. The squamous cell carcinoma form of skin and mouth cancer "was curable when diagnosed early but difficult to eradicate once the cancer spread," the university's Associate Professor Nicholas Saunders said in a statement. The cancer kills about 1,400 Australians each year, he said. "The drugs used to treat squamous cell carcinomas that have spread to other parts of the body only work for a small fraction of patients. "In our study, we successfully added a new drug to an existing treatment to make squamous cell carcinomas responsive to treatment," said Saunders. The researchers found that a particular protein was controlling drug resistance in the affected cells and by administering a drug that helps keep it in the relevant cell nucleus, the cancer cells would react to existing chemotherapeutic treatments, said Saunders.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-06-28T07:58:55-07:00June, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Doctors push HPV vaccine, Merck asks FDA to expand Gardasil 9 age range

Source: www.drugwatch.com Author: Michelle Llamas, Emily Miller (editor) Doctors, national cancer organizations and 70 nationally recognized cancer centers banded together in June to increase HPV vaccinations and improve cervical cancer screening. But they’re not the only ones pushing for more vaccinations. HPV vaccine maker Merck requested the FDA expand the recommended age range for Gardasil 9. Gardasil 9 is currently the only HPV vaccination available in the U.S. Nearly 80 million Americans get HPV infections each year. Of those people, about 32,500 get HPV-related cancers, according to the CDC. Studies show the HPV vaccine is effective in protecting against the human papilloma virus. The virus can lead to several cancers. These include cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile or throat cancers. HPV vaccination rates in the U.S. remain low. Doctors and cancer centers say low vaccination rates are a public health threat. “HPV vaccination is cancer prevention,” Dr. Deanna Kepka, assistant professor in the University of Utah’s College of Nursing, said in a statement. “It is our best defense in stopping HPV infection in our youth and preventing HPV-related cancers in our communities.” Right now, the vaccination rate among teens ages 13 to 17 is 60 percent. Doctors are pushing for an 80 percent HPV vaccination rate in pre-teen boys and girls. “[Vaccination] combined with continued screening and treatment for cervical pre-cancers … could see the elimination of cervical cancer in the U.S. within 40 years,” Dr. Richard Wender, chief cancer control officer for the American Cancer Society, said in a [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-06-23T08:31:54-07:00June, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

State not allowed to investigate death at cancer center

Source: kdvr.com Author: Rob Low Lakewood, Colo. - When 80-year-old Virginia Cornelius died at a Rocky Mountain Cancer Care Centers' location in Lakewood on February 27, the on-site doctor insisted it must've been a heart attack. But the adult children of Cornelius aren't convinced and tell the FOX31 Problem Solvers their efforts to find the truth have been stymied, partly because cancer centers generally aren't regulated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Cornelius was receiving radiation treatment for cancer of the larynx in her throat. But her daughter, Susan Hutt, says her mother's general health on February 27 was fine. "They took her vital signs. They were better than mine," Hutt said. She said she was later told by a radiation tech that her mother was having trouble swallowing just before the procedure began but the treatment was allowed to continue anyway, when something went very wrong inside the patient room. "All the sudden the door flies open and a curtain and the therapist is screaming in the hall, somebody call 911, somebody find the doctor," remembered Hutt. Hutt and her brother Gary Cornelius always sat in a waiting area next to the radiation room for all of their mother's treatments having no idea that during every procedure their mother's hands were strapped to a bed. "We walk in and there is our mother on the table, hands restrained, the mask for radiation therapy with the oxygen that goes into it is up on a table, is [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-06-22T07:59:49-07:00June, 2018|Oral Cancer News|