2/17/2006 Shreveport, LA James Ramage Shreveport Times (www.shreveportimes.com) Doctors from Taiwan are so impressed with a relatively new and flexible radiation treatment system for cancer patients that the Willis-Knighton Cancer Center specializes in, called TomoTherapy, they ventured to Shreveport to learn more about it. And training under cancer center experts here gives the Taiwanese physicians the ability to establish a unit in their own hospital, they said. From Sunday through Wednesday, two doctors from the radiation oncology department at the 1,200-bed Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, in the city of Taichung, visited Shreveport to learn from the experts at Willis-Knighton, which says, with more than 450 patients treated with TomoTherapy, it is the most experienced in the world at treating cancer patients with the system. Following an October visit to Taiwan from Dr. Lane Rosen, director of radiation oncology at Willis-Knighton Cancer Center, Drs. Hsien-Chun Tseng and Shih-Tsung Chang during their visit have gained hands-on experience with how TomoTherapy works. They have learned how to use image-guided intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which employs hundreds of tiny beams of radiation, which can each be controlled to focus on a tumor to destroy cancer cells and minimize radiation to healthy tissue around that tumor, Rosen said. The system also provides three-dimensional images of the tumor just prior to each treatment and delivers precise doses of radiation from 360 degrees, Rosen said. "We came here and wanted to see a doctor actually use the machine," Chang said. "We'll return to Taiwan to [...]

2/14/2006 United Kingdom staff Biocompare Life Science News (news.biocompare.com) Naturally occurring chemicals found in certain vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, can enhance DNA repair in cells, perhaps helping to stop them becoming cancerous, according to a report published in the British Journal of Cancer today (Tuesday). The researchers, based at Georgetown University in Washington DC, have shown that a compound called I3C** found in these vegetables, and a chemical called genistein found in soy beans, both increase the levels of vital DNA repair proteins in cancer cells. Although population studies have suggested a link between eating such vegetables and protection against cancer before, this study now puts forward a molecular mechanism on how they might work. The repair proteins, regulated by genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2, are important for preventing damaged genetic information being passed on to the next generation of cells. If people have a faulty BRCA gene they are at a higher risk of developing some forms of cancer, including breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. Since decreased amounts of the BRCA proteins are seen in cancer cells, higher levels might prevent cancer developing. The ability of I3C and genistein to boost the amount of BRCA proteins could explain their protective effects. Professor Eliot M. Rosen, senior author of the report, said: "Studies that monitor people¿s diets and their health have found links between certain types of food and cancer risk. However, before we can say a food protects against cancer, we have to understand how it does [...]

2/14/2006 Bethesda, MD press release Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 98, No. 4, 221, February 15, 2006 A contrast agent currently used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), called mangafodipir, may increase the cancer-killing ability of some chemotherapy drugs while protecting normal cells, according to a study in the February 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Many anticancer drugs work by increasing the levels of tumor cell hydrogen peroxide. Tumor cells are particularly sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and die as a result. However, certain enzymes in the body can work to protect cells from this kind of damage, rendering certain cancer drugs less effective. In addition, the drugs are toxic to normal cells. The drug mangafodipir, a contrast agent given to patients before they have an MRI, helps promote the production of hydrogen peroxide while at the same time, through different biologic mechanisms, protects healthy cells from the negative effects of oxidative damage. Jérôme Alexandre, M.D., of the Groupe hospitalier Cochin-Saint Vincent de Paul in Paris, and colleagues exposed tumor cells and white blood cells from 10 cancer patients and white blood cells from six control subjects to three chemotherapy drugs—paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, and 5-fluorouracil—in the presence or absence of mangafodipir. They also studied the effects of mangafodipir on colon cancer cells in mice treated with paclitaxel. The authors found that mangafodipir protected the white blood cells taken from healthy volunteers and from cancer patients. The drug also protected paclitaxel-treated mice from infection that would cause [...]

2/14/2006 Naples, Italy Michele D Mignogna et al Oral Oncol, February 1, 2006 The concept of dysplasia/neoplasia surveillance has been applied to long-standing conditions associated with an increased risk of cancer. Although still controversial, periodic direct clinical examination as well as endoscopic techniques are currently performed in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, Barrett's esophagus, and melanocytic skin lesions in order to detect and treat dysplastic or early malignant changes and therefore improve the patients' prognosis. It is not known if patients with oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic inflammatory condition associated with an increased risk of cancer development, might benefit from such surveillance as well, nor how this should be performed. Here we present the clinical criteria we have adopted over a 12-year period to detect early malignant transformation of OLP, and report on their impact on the management and prognosis of patients. Overall data from 45 patients affected by 117 neoplastic events arising from OLP have been evaluated. Our dysplasia/neoplasia surveillance has led us to diagnose most episodes (94.9%; n.: 111) of OLP malignant transformation in early intraepithelial and microinvasive phases, namely stage 0 and I oral cancers (T(is) N0M0 or T1N0M0). The 5-year survival rate, where applicable, has been 96.7%. Advanced stage oral cancers have been diagnosed in six patients, three of whom have died. We suggest that the application of strict and rigorous clinical criteria in dysplasia/neoplasia surveillance could help clinicians to detect and treat early OLP malignant transformation and therefore improve long-term survival rates. Nevertheless, a [...]

2/14/2006 Cambridge, MA press release NewsWire Canada (ww.newswire.ca) BioVex Inc, a leading developer of advanced biologics for the treatment of cancer announced today that the first patients in its phase II clinical trials of OncoVEXGMCSF in malignant melanoma and in head and neck cancer had received their initial doses of the therapeutic treatment. The melanoma trial is a 50 patient multi-center study. The first dosing took place at the Mary Crowley Medical Research Center, Dallas, Texas. The Principal Investigator is Dr John Nemuniatis. The primary endpoint of the study is tumor response rate with secondary endpoints including time to disease progression and median survival time. The head and neck cancer trial is a 16 patient open label study in combination with chemoradiotherapy. It is being carried out at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London (UK). The first patient in this trial has recently completed the seven week dosing regime. The Principal Investigator is Dr Kevin Harrington of the Institute of Cancer Research. The end point of the trial is to assess the safety of OncoVEXGMCSF combined with chemoradiotherapy, and the potential of OncoVEX as neoadjuvant therapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer. Preliminary results from both trials will be available in late 2006. OncoVEX GMCSF is the first in a new class of oncolytic virus that selectively kills tumor cells. In addition it induces tumor cells to secrete GMCSF, to enhance tumor destruction. OncoVEX GMCSF has completed a Phase I/II study in several solid tumors including breast cancer, [...]

2/14/2006 Gainesville, FL Sl Tomar and HL Logan J Public Health Dent, September 1, 2005; 65(4): 221-30. Objective: This study assessed awareness of oral cancer, knowledge of its major risk factors and clinical signs, and oral cancer examination experiences among Florida adults aged 40 years and older. Methods: A statewide random digit dial, computer assisted telephone survey was conducted in 2002. Data from 1,773 respondents were weighted to permit statewide estimates. Bivariate analyses were used to examine awareness and knowledge of oral cancer. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to model past-year oral cancer examination experiences of Florida's adults. Results: In Florida, 15.5% of adults aged 40 years and older had never heard of oral cancer and another 40.3% reportedly knew little or nothing about it. About one-half of adults did not think oral white or red patches or bleeding could indicate oral cancer and 27.6% correctly identified three of oral cancer's major risk factors. After hearing an oral cancer exam described, just 19.5% of adults reported receiving one within the preceding 12 months. Blacks and Hispanics were significantly less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have received a recent oral cancer examination. Persons with low levels of education, those who lacked a regular dentist or source of preventive medical care, and adults who knew few or none of the clinical signs of oral cancer also were less likely to have received a recent oral cancer exam. Conclusions: There is widespread lack of awareness and knowledge in Florida regarding oral cancer [...]

2/13/2006 Great Britain S. Petti and C Scully British Dental Journal (2006); 200, 145 This study suggests that spirit consumption may have a disproportionate effect on oral cancer compared with other alcoholic beverages. Alcohol greatly elevates the oral cancer risk in tobacco smokers, and is thought to be a separate carcinogen, but little is known about the relationship of different patterns of alcohol consumption to this risk. This study investigated 20 countries in respect of WHO reported patterns of alcohol use, and male age-standardised oral cancer mortality rates (ASMRs) provided by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Overall annual alcohol consumption per capita in litres (AAC) varied from 2 in Albania to 21 in Moldova. Male ASMRs for oral cancer varied from 088 per 100,000 in Israel (AAC: 21) to 687 in Croatia (122). When multiple regression analysis took into account the best smoking data available, and the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, smoking and spirit consumption were the only variables related significantly to ASMR. The authors discuss possible explanations, and suggest that the carcinogenic effect of concentrated ethanol might overcome the possible cancer-preventing effects of polyphenols, which are higher in beers and wines.

2/13/2006 Great Britain R. West et al. British Dental Journal (2006); 200, 151 Objective: There are more than 2,000 new cases of mouth cancer each year in Britain. Early detection is important yet little is known about population awareness of this disease and ability to recognise early signs, particularly among high risk groups. This study aimed to address this issue. Methods: Data were collected by means of household survey. A total of 3,384 adults were questioned using a national probability sample. Respondents provided information on demographic characteristics, smoking status, and frequency of alcohol use. They were asked whether they had heard of mouth cancer. Their knowledge of early signs and risk factors was assessed. Results: Whereas 95.6% of respondents said they had heard of mouth cancer, their awareness of early signs was low; for example, only 33.8% recognised that white patches in the mouth were a sign. The large majority understood that smoking and chewing tobacco were risk factors (84.7% and 80.1% respectively) but only 19.4% recognised alcohol use as a risk factor. In multiple logistic regression analyses controlling for relevant demographic factors, smokers and those with more frequent alcohol consumption were less likely to recognise early signs. Conclusions: Awareness of early signs of mouth cancer is low and lower in people who as a result of their behaviour are at higher risk. There is a need to raise awareness in those at most risk. Authors: R. West, M. N. Alkhatib, A. McNeill and R. Bedi Comment by R. Croucher [...]

2/13/2006 Santa Monica, CA staff Nano TechWire (nanotechwire.com) By interacting with two biochemical processes common among tumors, nanoparticles made of the human protein albumin, are capable of boosting the amount of anticancer drug available to kill malignant cells. That was the message that Michael Hawkins, M.D., delivered on January 24, 2006, in the latest installment of the National Cancer Institute’s Nanotech Seminar Series. Hawkins, Chief Medical Officer of American BioScience, Inc., in Santa Monica, CA, presented some of the clinical data for Abraxane®, the first approved drug to use albumin nanoparticles to improve the therapeutic and safety properties of an anticancer agent. On February 7, 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a nanoparticulate formulation of the widely used anticancer drug paclitaxel, for use in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have failed combination therapy. Hawkins also discussed the results of experiments showing how albumin nanoparticles may be able to improve the clinical usefulness of a wide variety of anticancer drugs. Abraxane, said Hawkins, was formulated to eliminate the safety issues associated with other approved paclitaxel preparations, such as Taxol®, that use various detergents to help the paclitaxel molecule dissolve in water. Solubility in water is essential for administering drugs into the bloodstream. Unfortunately, the detergents used in other paclitaxel formulations can themselves be toxic, requiring that patients receive additional medications to counteract those toxicities. Albumin nanoparticles overcome this solubility issue, taking advantage of the fact that albumin is the body’s natural carrier of molecules that are poorly soluble [...]

2/12/2006 Australia Paul Dyer news.com.au Smokers will soon be confronted with images of mouth cancer, gangrenous feet, rotting tongues and diseased lungs on every pack of cigarettes. The graphic images will be displayed on the packets from March 1. Smokers – and shoppers – will be confronted with the gruesome images as part of a new "in your face" anti-smoking campaign. The aim is to shock people into quitting smoking and prevent young people from taking up the habit, which has been linked to heart disease, stroke and lung cancer. It is also targeting people who have quit smoking but are at risk of a relapse. The 14 images depict the health effects of smoking, including lung cancer, emphysema, gangrene, clogged arteries, peripheral vascular disease and heart disease. Other images include graphs showing the number of smoking-related deaths in Australia and a picture of a child on a respirator with the caption: "Don't let children breathe your smoke". Christopher Pyne, who is Federal Parliamentary Secretary to Health Minister Tony Abbott, said new packaging was a ramping up of the campaign to show the dangers of smoking. "Warnings on tobacco product packaging have been telling us this for more than 30 years," he said. "Sadly, very few Australians realise the full extent of the illness and disease which smoking causes." Mr Pyne said a review of cigarette labelling had been prompted by a perceived "complacency" among smokers about the old text warnings. The new warnings will cover 30 per cent of [...]