2019 – Page 5 – Oral Cancer News

Light therapy could prevent cancer treatment-related oral mucositis

Source: www.healio.com Author: Jennifer Southall Light therapy appeared to be an effective intervention for the prevention of painful oral mucositis associated with cancer treatment, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis. “Many patients [with cancer] can now benefit from this treatment,” Praveen R. Arany, DDS, PhD, assistant professor of oral biology and biomedical engineering at University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, said in a press release. “The staggering breadth of clinical application for photobiomodulation therapy, or light therapy, has been both a boon and a bane for the field. Several anecdotal clinical reports have been plagued with questionable rationales and inconsistent outcomes, often relegating this treatment to a pseudoscience.” Arany and colleagues systematically reviewed published literature in an effort to update the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the use of photobiomodulation — including laser and other light therapies — for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis among patients with cancer. Patients underwent treatment with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, head and neck radiotherapy, or head and neck radiotherapy plus chemotherapy. Study findings supported the use of photobiomodulation therapy for the prevention of oral mucositis among certain patients with cancer. HemOnc Today spoke with Arany about the research and the clinical implications of the findings. Question: What prompted this research? Answer: The current forms of cancer treatment are all essential to reduce cancer burden. Unfortunately, complications from these treatments include oral mucositis pain. This not only has a significant impact on quality of life, but also often requires [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-09-07T07:38:49-07:00September, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Cases of Vaping-Related Lung Illness Surge, Health Officials Say

Source: New York Times Date: 09/06/19 Author: Matt Ritchel & Denise Grady Indiana announced a third death linked to the illness on Friday, and Minnesota a fourth. State and federal health officials are working urgently to understand the causes. Medical experts and federal health officials on Friday warned the public about the dangers of vaping and discouraged using the devices as the number of people with a severe lung illness linked to vaping has more than doubled to 450 possible cases in 33 states. The number of deaths linked to vaping rose to four from two on Friday. The Indiana Department of Health announced the third death, saying only that the victim was older than 18. Hours later, officials in Minnesota confirmed that a fourth person had died. The patient, who was 65, had a history of lung disease, but state officials said his acute lung injury was linked to “vaping illicit T.H.C. products.” The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health was investigating a possible fifth death, saying on Friday afternoon that the fatality was “associated with the use of e-cigarettes, also known as vaping.” “There is clearly an epidemic that begs for an urgent response,” Dr. David C. Christiani of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health wrote in an editorial published on Friday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The editorial called on doctors to discourage their patients from using e-cigarettes and for a broader effort to increase public awareness about “the harmful effects of [...]

Charlotte Parker2019-09-06T13:31:19-07:00September, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Minority, low-income individuals less likely to receive oral cancer screening

Source: medicalxpress.com Author: staff Despite a recent dental visit, more individuals of a minority race/ethnicity and low socioeconomic status report not receiving an oral cancer screening exam, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Avni Gupta, B.D.S., M.P.H., from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from individuals aged 30 years or older who received a dental visit in the previous two years. The likelihood of intraoral and extraoral cancer screening exams was assessed, while adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, poverty income ratio, health insurance, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption. Overall, 37.6 and 31.3 percent of individuals reported receiving an intraoral and extraoral cancer screening exam, respectively. The researchers found that the likelihood of having received intraoral or extraoral cancer screening exams was lower for minority racial/ethnic groups versus white, non-Hispanics; those with less education versus more education; those who were uninsured and Medicaid-insured versus privately insured; and low-income versus high-income participants. The likelihood of being screened did not differ based on smoking status, while the likelihood was increased for alcohol consumers. Less-educated and low-income subgroups were less likely to be screened. "Efforts to both educate patients about requesting oral cancer screening in dental offices and adequately train dental professionals on culturally sensitive communications might be an effective means to increase oral cancer screening exams among minority high-risk populations," the authors write

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-08-21T17:32:29-07:00August, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Palbociclib plus cetuximab shows antitumor activity among head and neck cancer subset

Source: www.healio.com Author: Adkins D, et al. A combination of palbociclib and cetuximab demonstrated substantial antitumor activity among patients with platinum- or cetuximab-resistant HPV-unrelated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, according to results of a multigroup phase 2 trial published in The Lancet Oncology. “Currently, effective therapeutic options for patients with cetuximab-resistant HNSCC are few. Traditional chemotherapy has marginal activity, with 6% of patients or fewer achieving a tumor response,” Douglas R. Adkins, MD, professor in the oncology division of the department of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues wrote. “The most effective therapy for these patients might be pembrolizumab [Keytruda, Merck] or nivolumab [Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb], which have resulted in responses in 11% to 16% of patients and median OS of 6.9 months to 8 months. Novel treatment strategies are needed for patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC.” The combination of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (Ibrance, Pfizer) and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor cetuximab (Erbitux, Eli Lilly) appeared safe and tolerable in the phase 1 portion of the multicenter trial, conducted across eight U.S. university sites. For phase 2, Adkins and colleagues divided 62 patients with HPV-unrelated HNSCC (median age, 66 years; interquartile range [IQR], 58-70; 71% men) into two groups: those who were platinum-resistant (group 1; n = 30) and those who were resistant to cetuximab (group 2; n = 32). Primary tumor sites included the oral cavity (42%) and larynx (29%), and 81% of patients had received one [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-08-21T17:26:46-07:00August, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Israeli researchers find new way to eliminate drug-resistant cancerous tumors

Source: www.xinhuanet.com Author: Wu Qin Israeli researchers have found a way to deal with cancerous tumors that have developed drug resistance, Israel's Ben-Gurion University (BGU) reported on Tuesday. The study was conducted by researchers from BGU and the Soroka Medical Center - both located in the southern city of Beer Sheva - and published in the journal JCI Insight. The researchers were able to suppress a drug-resistant protein found on the wall of head and neck cancer cells, resulting in shrinkage and even disappearance of the tumors. Head and neck cancer is considered deadly, with low survival rates, while the efficacy of existing treatments is inadequate. One of the new treatments currently being given to patients is a drug called BYL719, which inhibits a signal transmission pathway in the cells. This pathway, called phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K), is increased in head and neck cancer patients and leads to the rapid progression of the disease. The first clinical study using the drug indicated an improvement in patients' condition; however, many of the cancer cells developed drug resistance. Previous research has shown that resistance to the treatment is caused by the rise of the AXL protein, which is located on the cancer cell's wall and causes the growth and survival of the cancer cells. The new study found that suppressing AXL expression through genetic engineering or drug inhibition restored the cancer cells' susceptibility to the drug and significantly stopped the disease, to the extent of tumor shrinkage and disappearance. This suppression was also [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-08-07T04:23:29-07:00August, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

cole Gibbs on the dental visit that led to a cancer diagnosis and how it reaffirmed her love for tennis

Source: ESPN Date: August 1st, 2019 Author: Nicole Gibbs, as told to D'Arcy Maine Nicole Gibbs is a 26-year-old professional tennis player, currently ranked No. 137 in the world and playing for the Orange County Breakers of World TeamTennis. The former NCAA singles and doubles champion was diagnosed with cancer in the spring after a routine dentist appointment. She shared her story with us amid her comeback to the court. Shortly before Caroline Wozniacki's bachelorette party festivities in April, I received a promotional email for a free teeth-whitening from my new dentist. "Oh, sweet!" I remember thinking. Naturally, I wanted to look good for the weekend (knowing how much of it was going to end up on Instagram and all), and for at least two years I was slacking on getting a regular cleaning. So I went. And it changed everything. It was my first time seeing this dentist, and he instantly noticed a small growth on the roof of my mouth. I mentioned this to my primary doctor at least five years ago; she told me it was nothing to worry about, a common bone growth that didn't seem to be growing rapidly or doing anything of concern. My dentist at the time felt the same. It was about a centimeter in diameter and not causing me any pain or discomfort. However, my new dentist felt differently -- the growth set off major alarm bells for him, and he encouraged me to get it biopsied. He felt certain [...]

Charlotte Parker2019-08-05T15:58:40-07:00August, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Which HPV vaccination schedule is best: 1, 2 or 3 doses?

Source: www.precisionvaccinations.com Author: Don Ward Hackett A new cervical cancer prevention study of women first offered Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine found that 1-dose of quadrivalent HPV vaccine was as effective as 3-doses at preventing histologically confirmed, high–grade cervical lesions. This Australian study’s finding published online on July 15, 2019, supports the hypothesis that the 1-dose HPV vaccination schedule may be a viable strategy when working towards the global elimination of cervical cancer. These researchers said ‘If one dose could prevent precancerous cervical lesions, then global cervical cancer prevention would be greatly facilitated.’ This is an important goal since about 90 percent of cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV. This study included 250,648 women in Australia with 19.5 percent unvaccinated, 69.8 percent had received 3-doses, 7.3 percent 2-doses, and 3.4 percent just 1-dose of the HPV vaccine. This study’s limitations include some degree of under–linkage and inaccurate data linkage because Australia does not have a unique national identifier, which impacts the classifications of vaccinated women as unvaccinated. Additionally, these researchers said ‘we believe that these data support decision-makers to consider how a 1-dose HPV vaccination schedule, or a planned schedule with a 3–5 year interval between doses, could reduce vaccine demand globally, which currently exceeds vaccine supply.’ But the Gardasil 9 vaccine manufacturer appears to be resolving this supply/demand imbalance. During July 2019, Merck said it is spending $1.68 billion, opening 2 new Gardasil production plants, and adding 525 related jobs. To clarify the Gardasil 9 vaccine dosing schedule, the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-08-05T06:21:26-07:00August, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

How clean is your toothbrush?

Source: versionweekly.com Author: rajathe Dental care has become increasingly difficult in this fast-paced era and due to the scarcity of time. Therefore, following minute steps or procedures could be highly effective to evade colossal dental problems and save time in the long run. And an effective measure towards this, is to sanitize your toothbrush. The mouth contains bacteria and so does the bathroom. So, it is impossible for the toothbrush to stay sanitized with just a water wash after cleansing the teeth. Toothbrush sanitizing ¡s not synonymous to sterilizing. Sanitation helps in getting rid of almost 99.9 percent of bacteria whereas sterilization kills living organisms. Brushing our teeth is quite vital ¡n our day-to-day life in order to keep and maintain personal oral hygiene and for the removal of plaque. And for this, certain appropriate measures need to be taken. As a result of a recent research, scientists have found that toothbrushes engulf microorganisms that can result in an oral, dental or infection of some kind. We are acquainted with the fact that an oral cavity is an umbrella to hundreds of different types of microorganisms, which in a way gets transferred to the toothbrush. There is also a probability that the microorganisms in the environment make room for itself on the toothbrush on its own. Also, toothbrushes may even have bacteria on them right out of the box since they are not required to be sold in a sterile package. Toothbrush Hygiene Our schedules are so busy that we [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-08-02T07:51:26-07:00August, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Psychological impact of head and neck cancers

Source: pharmafield.co.uk Author: Emma Morriss Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), in partnership with patient groups The Swallows and the Mouth Cancer Foundation, have announced the results from a patient survey into the psychological impact of head and neck cancers. The research explored the long-term burden of treatment on head and neck cancer patients. After undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer, which can include surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, many patients report an ongoing impact on their day-to-day life. However, 55% of the 118 patients surveyed indicated they did not receive the right level of information in preparation for the complications encountered from treatment. There are around 11,900 new head and neck cancer cases in the UK every year and the incidence of head and neck cancer has increased by 32% since the early 1990s. Following treatment, the survey showed 56% of patients had problems with simple things like swallowing, often experiencing severe pain, while two-thirds of patients experienced changes in their voice or speech. The survey also showed self-reported change from pre- to post- treatment in vital areas including a drop in the ability to communicate (37%), memory loss (21%), and trouble sleeping (20%). As well as physical symptoms, treatment can have severe implications on mental health too. 52% of patients reported feelings of anxiety before treatment, which only reduced to 48% following treatment. However, emotional and psychological support was only offered to 46% of patients. A majority of patients did receive access to a clinical nurse specialist, however there was still [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2019-07-31T19:42:04-07:00July, 2019|Oral Cancer News|

Aggressive radiotherapy dose de-escalation confers benefits in HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Aggressively de-escalated adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with HPV-associated oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma produced local tumor control rates comparable to those of historical controls, according to results of a single-arm phase 2 study published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. The de-escalated treatment also was associated with decreased toxicity and slight improvement in swallowing function. “HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma represents a demographically and biologically distinct disease compared with historical head and neck squamous cell carcinomas,” Daniel J. Ma, MD, radiation oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues wrote. “Patients are more likely to be younger and nonsmokers and have fewer medical comorbidities. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated that these tumors are more sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy compared with historical head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.” The current standard treatment for HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is 7 weeks of radiotherapy at 70 Gy in combination with cisplatin or surgery followed by a 6-week regimen of adjuvant radiotherapy at 60 Gy to 66 Gy with or without cisplatin. However, these approaches result in significant toxicities. The two-cohort study by Ma and colleagues included 79 patients (mean age, 58.7 years; 89.9% men) with p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who had a smoking history of 10 years or less and negative margins. Patients in cohort A (n = 36) received 30 Gy delivered in 1.5-Gy fractions twice daily for 2 weeks in combination with 15 mg/m2 docetaxel once per week. Cohort B (n = 43), which included [...]

Brian Hill2019-07-29T16:20:52-07:00July, 2019|Oral Cancer News|