About OCF News Team - B

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far OCF News Team - B has created 17 blog entries.

Treatment for HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer varies by facility type

Author: Mark Leiser Source: www.healio.com DALLAS — Treatment modality for HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma varied considerably by facility type, according to study results. The findings — presented at American Head & Neck Society Annual Meeting — showed academic hospitals more frequently utilized surgery instead of radiation therapy or chemoradiation therapy alone as the primary treatment modality for early- and late-stage cancers. The findings suggest a lack of standardized treatment regimens that prevent patients from receiving universal care independent of facility resources, Monica S. Trent, MD, first-year resident at University of California, Irvine, and colleagues concluded. “There are many different ways to treat HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and, in order to try to determine the best treatment option, it is important to know who is offering what types of treatment at different centers,” Trent told Healio. “Our results show patients are being treated differently depending on where they present, and treatment is not standardized across different types of facilities.” Background and methods HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma is distinct from HPV-negative disease. It more frequently affects younger, healthier patients, and it is associated with improved prognosis and better historical survival outcomes after standard radiation and chemoradiation treatment protocols. The development of transoral robotic surgery offers an alternative upfront treatment option that could reduce short- and long-term morbidity without compromising oncologic outcomes, according to study background. However, due to the required resources and training needed for this modality, it has been offered primarily at academic medical centers. Trent and colleagues retrospectively [...]

2022-05-05T09:26:39-07:00May, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Oral Cancer – Not just for smokers

Author: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc Source: www.emporiaindependentmessenger.com Doctors diagnose about 50,000 new cases of oral cancer every year, and about 10,000 people with oral cancer die every year. Men are twice as likely to get oral cancer than women. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. We want to draw awareness to this terrible disease in hopes you will take action to prevent or catch it early with routine screenings and self-checks. While smoking and alcohol consumption increase your risk of oral cancer 15 times, having human papilloma virus (HPV) increases your risk by 30 times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that nearly all sexually active adults will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Although cervical cancer is more closely associated with HPV, oral cancer can be caused by some types of HPV. Then again, 25% of oral cancer patients have no attributable risk factors. Prevention is key Like most cancers, reducing alcohol consumption and quitting smoking greatly reduces your chances for getting oral cancer. Applying SPF lip balm can help protect you from lip cancer. Using condoms during sexual activity may reduce your risk of contracting HPV. Dr. Sandra Balmoria with CMH Family Care Center recently gave a talk on teen health and expressed the importance of the HPV vaccine. “The only vaccine we have for cancer is the HPV vaccine — Gardasil,” Balmoria said. “This vaccine is available in a two or three-part series for ages 11-45.” The vaccine is available for [...]

2022-04-26T12:52:21-07:00April, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Head and Neck Cancers: Understanding Risk Factors, Advances in Treatment, and the HPV Vaccine.

Author: John Fernandez Source: baptisthealth.net The classification is known as “head and neck cancers” — but these cases don’t involve the brain and spine. They do involved just about everything else above the collarbone. April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, when cancer specialists take extra time to remind the public of the top risk factors: tobacco, alcohol, sun exposure and HPV (human papillomavirus). It’s also the time of year when specialists relay the importance of screenings and healthy living. That’s because head and neck cancers are preventable, said Geoffrey Young, M.D., Ph.D., chief of head and neck surgery at Miami Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health. Head and neck cancers are more treatable today. “There are been significant developments in surgery, radiation therapy and systemic therapy,” explains Dr. Young. “These include transoral robotic surgery, targeted proton radiation, and immunotherapy. All are changing the face of head and neck cancer with new protocols and clinical trials coming out every day.” Head and neck cancers can involve the mucosal lining of upper aero-digestive tract, including nasal cavity/sinuses, oral cavity (tongue, palate, gums), pharynx (back of the throat) and the voicebox (larynx). Head and neck cancer specialists also treat salivary gland cancers, skin cancers and thyroid cancers. “The treatment of head and neck cancer is very complex and multidisciplinary consultation with head and neck surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology is often necessary,” adds Dr. Young. The HPV Vaccine Over the last few years, HPV has been making headlines because of the promising development [...]

2022-04-18T09:53:05-07:00April, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Early warning signs of oral cancer

Author: MetroCreative Connection Source: www.washtimesherald.com Oral cancer is a significant threat across the globe. Data from the World Health Organization indicates that more than 450,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year. The Oral Cancer Foundation notes that oral cancers are part of a group of cancers referred to as head and neck cancers. All cancers in that group are potentially dangerous, but oral cancers account for roughly 85 percent of all head and neck cancer diagnoses, which underscores the importance of routine oral health checkups. The Moffitt Cancer Center® in Florida notes that many dentists perform oral cancer screenings during routine checkups, which dispels the notion that checkups are unnecessary for individuals who practice proper dental hygiene every day. The American Dental Association notes there is not a one-size-fits-all regimen for dental health. However, at least two visits to a dentist per year can ensure teeth stay clean and afford dentists opportunities to screen for oral cancers and detect other issues, including gingivitis. In addition to scheduling routine checkups, individuals can learn to spot the common symptoms of oral cancer. The Moffitt Cancer Center urges individuals to seek medical attention if any of these signs persist for more than two weeks: A sore, irritation or thickness in the mouth or throat • A white or red patch on the inside of the mouth • A feeling that something is caught in the throat • Hoarseness or other vocal changes • Persistent coughing • Difficulty chewing, swallowing or [...]

2022-04-05T07:38:47-07:00April, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

U.S. Tobacco Use at Lowest Level in Decades, CDC Says

Author: Carolyn Crist Source: www.webmd.com March 28, 2022 -- Tobacco use dropped among U.S. adults in 2020, hitting the lowest levels since the mid-1960s, according to a new study from the CDC. From 2019 to 2020, the percentage of adults who use any type of tobacco product decreased from 21% to 19%. The percentage of adults who smoke cigarettes dropped from 14% to 12.5%, and the percentage who use e-cigarettes or vaping devices decreased from 4.5% to 3.7%. “This is definitely positive news as these numbers are continuing a downward trend in tobacco use we’ve seen in the past few years,” Thomas Carr, the national director of policy at the American Lung Association, told UPI. “That said, tobacco use is a big cause of lung disease, so the problem isn’t solved,” he said. The research team analyzed data from more than 31,000 adults who took the 2020 National Health Interview Survey, which included questions about the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco. Current cigarette smoking was defined as smoking 100 or more cigarettes during one’s lifetime and now smoking cigarettes “every day” or “some days.” For other products, such as cigars and vaping pens, current smokers were those who used them “every day” or “some days” at the time of the survey. The researchers found that about 47 million U.S. adults reported using any tobacco product, making up 19% of the adult population. That included 12.5% for cigarettes, 3.7% for e-cigarettes and vaping products, 3.5% [...]

2022-04-02T11:05:58-07:00April, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

‘Powerful’: World’s first PCR test for mouth cancer developed – get result in 90 minutes

Author: Adam Chapman Source: www.express.co.uk A NEW weapon in the fight against cancer has arrived: the world's first PCR test for mouth cancer. How does it work and what are the implications for improving mouth cancer rates? Early detection is key to surviving cancer and researchers have developed an innovative tool to aid this effort. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have developed the world’s first PCR test for mouth cancer. The test's accuracy has been demonstrated on patients from China, India and the UK and the results are published in the international journal, Cancers. Named the Quantitative Malignant Index Diagnosis System (qMIDS) by inventor Doctor Muy-Teck Teh, it has the potential to relieve pressure on the NHS and may improve the early detection of oral cancer. How it works The test is quick and easy. It only needs the PCR machine used in Covid testing and a technician to operate it. A tiny sample (the size of half-a-grain of rice) is taken from the suspicious area in the patient’s mouth and the test only takes 90 minutes after reaching the technician – similar to a Covid PCR test. Until now there hasn’t been a perfect way to identify the lesions likely to develop into cancer. There is a grading system which highly skilled consultant oral pathologists use to assess the tissue samples through a microscope. However, this grading system does not always accurately predict or capture the lesions that will or have become cancerous. This is because early [...]

2022-04-02T10:41:06-07:00April, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Your Healthy Family: Vaping puts teens at higher risk of oral cancer

Author: Lisa Greenburg Source: www.fox4now.com Many people think vaping isn't as bad for you as smoking, but health experts say that's a myth. A dentist says vaping has the same oral effects as tobacco, and puts teens at high risk of oral cancer. A team of researchers from the University of California found teens who vape had five times the cancer-causing chemicals in their bodies than teens who did not, especially from the fruit-flavored vaping cartridges. Dr. Fred Guerra of Guerra Dental said vaping negatively impacts your mouth in the same ways as tobacco. "It can be precancerous. It can lead to gum disease. It gives people bad breath. It gives people dry mouth, and dry mouth increases cavities, so while people may think it's safer for the rest of the body, it's not necessarily," Dr. Guerra said. He said all dentists need to be on the front lines of oral cancer and talk to teens and young adults about the dangers of vaping. "Dentists are in such a unique position to counsel our patients on never starting. Or if they have, to do it in a manner that's not threatening and not demeaning. To try to show them that they have control over the effects of some of these devices, so that they can make a rational decision to say 'OK, I need to quit. How can I quit?” Dr. Guerra said. Even if the vaping products have no nicotine, Dr. Guerra said it's still bad for your mouth. [...]

2022-03-05T11:56:48-07:00March, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

DNA biomarker test helps predict recurrence of HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer after treatment

Author: Emily Henderson, B.Sc. Source: www.news-medical.net A large, multi-institutional study demonstrates that a blood test to detect circulating tumor DNA can accurately predict recurrence of HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer following treatment. Results also indicate that the biomarker test may detect recurrent disease earlier than imaging or other standard methods of post-treatment surveillance, allowing physicians to personalize treatment more quickly for patients whose cancer returns. Findings from the study will be presented today at the 2022 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium. Roughly 15-25% of patients with HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer experience recurrence after treatment, often presenting as distant disease that has spread past the throat and neck. Currently, recurrence is detected primarily through imaging and physical exams, but there is wide variability in the use and frequency of these surveillance methods. In the study, researchers retrospectively examined data from 1,076 patients who had one or more tests to detect circulating tumor tissue modified viral (TTMV)-HPV DNA as part of their post-treatment surveillance. All patients were examined more than three months after completing standard treatment with surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Of the 80 patients (7% of the total sample) who tested positive for the biomarker in surveillance, 95% were confirmed through imaging, biopsy and/or endoscopy as having recurrent HPV-positive disease. The presence of TTMV-HPV DNA was the first indicator of recurrence for 72% of the patients whose cancer returned, and roughly half of the recurrences (48%) were found in patients tested more than 12 months after completing therapy. "Most patients had no [...]

2022-03-03T12:18:52-07:00March, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Tumor tissue modified viral-HPV DNA test predicts HPV-driven oropharynx cancer recurrence

Author: Ryan Lawrence Source: www.healio.com A blood test to detect circulating tumor DNA accurately predicted recurrence of HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer after treatment, according to research presented at Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium. In addition, findings from the retrospective clinical case series suggested the biomarker test may detect disease recurrence earlier than imaging or other surveillance methods, allowing clinicians to personalize treatment faster for patients whose cancer returns. "We believe that tumor tissue modified viral [TTMV]-HPV DNA testing should be incorporated into surveillance guidelines for monitoring patients treated for HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer," Glenn J. Hanna, MD, director of the Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told Healio. Background Hanna and colleagues pursued the research because, despite favorable outcomes, up to 20% of patients with HPV-driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) experience recurrence within 5 years of curative-intent therapy, roughly half of whom present with distant disease. Meanwhile, current practices for surveillance after treatment rely on physical exams and imaging. “Because we now have ultrasensitive blood-based assays to detect HPV DNA in circulation, it made sense to evaluate the impact of testing throughout surveillance. This serves as a liquid biopsy of sorts to detect tumor tissue modified viral-HPV DNA,” Hanna said. “We hoped this would be more sensitive in detecting recurrence as compared with physical exam and/or imaging in follow-up. Detecting recurrence sooner could lead to early intervention for patients and improved outcomes.” Methodology The analysis included 1,076 consecutive patients [...]

2022-03-03T11:54:07-07:00March, 2022|Oral Cancer News|
Read More
© 2022 The Oral Cancer Foundation. All rights reserved. The Oral Cancer Foundation is a registered IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity and tax-exempt organization.
Go to Top