About Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A has created 2444 blog entries.

Fruit and vegetables only modestly linked to reduced cancer risk, large study questions conventional wisdom

Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com Author: Catharine Paddock, PhD A large study of over 400,000 people living in ten western European countries found only a modest link between high intake of fruit and vegetables and reduction in overall cancer risk: thus failing to confirm the widely held belief enshrined in the World Health Organization's recommendation that people should eat five servings of fruit and vegetables a day to prevent cancer and other diseases. Dr Paolo Boffetta, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and colleagues, wrote about their findings in a study published in the 6 April online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In 1990 the World Health Organization recommended people eat five helpings of fruit and vegetables a day to reduce their risk of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases. But since then, many studies have either produced inconsistent results or failed to find a significant link between fruit and vegetable intake and cancer risk, wrote the authors. For their prospective study, Boffetta and colleagues analyzed data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), which recruited 142,605 men and 335,873 women in Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, between 1992 and 2000. The data were mostly self-reported by the participants and detailed their dietary and lifestyle habits. The participants were followed for a median of 8.7 years, during which time deaths and incidents of cancer diagnoses were noted. The researchers then analysed the data using [...]

2010-04-19T22:20:54-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

First-time walk raises awareness of oral cancer

Source: indarticles.com Author: staff A support group for people with oral and head and neck cancer is looking to send a message Saturday with its inaugural Oral Cancer Awareness Walk, co-sponsored by the Oral Cancer Foundation. "Last year approximately 35,700 new cases were diagnosed in the United States, and there were about 7,600 deaths," walk organizers said in a news release. "Sixty percent of people aren't diagnosed until the cancer has progressed to Stage III or IV, and almost half of those victims die within five years. But if caught early, oral cancer has one of the highest overall treatment and survival rates." Organizers hope the walk will call attention to the importance of early detection and prevention, not only to the general public but to dentists, who spot problems. Perhaps the highest-profile patient is movie critic Roger Ebert, who has recently detailed his battle with oral cancer. Locally, Jeanna Richelson, an engineer at Siskin Steel, has shared her story. Now cancer-free, she is spearheading the support group, known officially as the Chattanooga Chapter of Support for People With Oral and Head and Neck Cancer. "When I was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2001, I had no idea how my life would be changed forever," she said in the news release. "If I can save one life or keep one person from having to go through the hardships that me and so many others have gone through, it will be worth it." Registration for the walk begins at 10 a.m. [...]

2010-04-18T10:29:09-07:00April, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Metabolic activity of head and neck cancer may help guide treatment

Source: www.oncologystat.com Author: Staff The metabolic activity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma on pretreatment imaging independently predicts outcomes in patients who undergo intensity-modulated radiation therapy, new data show. This imaging information can be used to tailor treatment, especially to reduce the risk of distant metastases, lead investigator Dr. Min Yao said at a head and neck cancer symposium sponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology. Higher standardized uptake value (SUV) of the primary tumor and of the lymph nodes predicted worse outcomes in multivariate analyses presented by Dr. Yao, a radiation oncologist at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. "Several papers have shown that the standardized uptake value (SUV) is a prognostic factor in head and neck cancer," Dr. Yao told attendees. Most of these studies were small series, involved patients receiving conventional radiation therapy, and did not evaluate SUV of the primary tumor and lymph nodes separately. Dr. Yao and his colleagues analyzed outcomes in 177 patients treated for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) between 1999 and 2006. The patients had a pretreatment positron emission tomography scan using fluorodeoxyglucose as the tracer (FDG-PET), and the maximal SUV was determined for both the primary tumor and the involved lymph nodes. The patients then underwent IMRT with curative intent. Seventy-seven percent of the patients were male. Twenty-nine percent were receiving IMRT postoperatively, whereas the rest were receiving it as definitive therapy. The cancer was most commonly located in the oropharynx (49%) and [...]

2010-04-18T10:24:49-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Charity backs HPV vaccine for boys

Source: www.healthcarerepublic.com Author: Stephen Robinson A dental charity has joined calls for the HPV jab to be given to teenage boys. The British Dental Health Foundation said HPV is now a leading cause of cancer for men and that more must be done to prevent it, starting with extending the HPV vaccine to boys. The charity's chief executive Nigel Carter said: ‘We strongly recommend that the government take another look at introducing the vaccination for young males. 'Much of the 42% rise in incidence of mouth cancer over the last 10 years is attributed to HPV and whilst vaccination of adolescent females will help, in order to be truly effective we will need to consider vaccination of males as well.' The debate had reignited following an Australian study that found almost two thirds of all throat and tonsil cancer cases are caused by the HPV virus. Research now suggests HPV, which is transmitted by oral sex, could soon rival smoking and drinking as a main cause of mouth cancer, the charity said. The national HPV vaccine programme has vaccinated 1.5 million teenage girls since September 2008. A similar programme for boys was turned down because the cost exceeded the upper threshold of NICE's cost-effectiveness benchmark. Mr Carter said: ‘The impact of the disease is huge and treatment of advanced cases extremely expensive so it is likely that a cost effective case for the vaccination could be put forwards.'

2010-04-19T22:19:56-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

NCCN Panel: Straight talk with compassion urged for end-of-life cancer care

Source: www.medscape.com Author: Deborah Brauser Although telling patients that they have cancer and/or that the end is near is difficult, it should be handled in an informative, compassionate, individualized manner, according to a mainstage roundtable discussion here at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 15th Annual Conference. The panel consisted of experts, celebrity survivors, family members of prominent people who lost their lives to cancer, and even a representative from one of the largest health insurance companies in the United States. "How do you tell a patient that the end is coming? And do they want to know?" asked moderator Sam Donaldson, veteran ABC News journalist, cancer survivor, and chair of the newly established NCCN Foundation Board of Directors. "I would say that about 90% of patients want to know the truth about what to expect, but they aren't statistics and they don't want to just hear statistics," answered David S. Ettinger, MD, professor of oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. "I would recommend really communicating with patients and their families at their initial diagnosis and then design therapy for that particular individual," Dr. Ettinger added. "Everyone acts differently and every cancer is different, but you want to give them all hope, if possible." Kayce Freed Jennings, wife of the late news anchor Peter Jennings, said that she appreciated that the doctors never took away their hope until the final days. "While being realistic, we knew there were [...]

2010-04-18T07:56:10-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

The health risks of smokeless tobacco use deserve congressional attention, advocates say

Source: www.prnewswire.com Author: press release Oral Health America (OHA) participated in a congressional hearing today on the use of smokeless tobacco by young people, the effects it has on oral health, and the impact of its use by professional baseball players. The hearing, "Smokeless Tobacco: Impact on the Health of our Nation's Youth and Use in Major League Baseball," was held by Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). Speakers included OHA's former NSTEP® (National Spit Tobacco Education Program) Chairman, Joe Garagiola, and Gruen Von Behrens, an oral cancer survivor and member of the NSTEP speaker's bureau. "I wish to thank the Committee for bringing this important, but overlooked health issue to the table. Smokeless tobacco is not harmless," Mr. Von Behrens said at the hearing. "It has ruined my life." Mr. Von Behrens first started using smokeless tobacco at the age of 13 to fit in with his peers. As a high school baseball star at the age of 17, he was diagnosed with cancer and has since undergone 34 surgeries in the past 15 years. He now travels throughout the country and has shared his story with over 2 million young people and collegiate and professional athletes. OHA established the NSTEP program in 1994 to reduce the use of spit tobacco and help break baseball's association with it. NSTEP reaches up to 325,000 Little League players every year with its relationship with Little League Baseball and [...]

2010-04-18T10:12:30-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

FDA approves Strativa Pharmaceuticals’s Oravig(TM) buccal tablets for treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis

Source: www.biospace.com Author: press release Strativa Pharmaceuticals today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Oravig (miconazole) buccal tablets for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), more commonly known as thrush, in adults and children age 16 and older. Oravig is the first and only local, oral prescription formulation of miconazole – an antifungal medication – approved for this use in the U.S. Oravig, which adheres to the gum, utilizes innovative buccal tablet technology enabling once-daily dosing that delivers miconazole directly at the local site of infection throughout the day with minimal systemic absorption. Oravig is easy-to-use and provides patients with a flavorless, odorless and convenient treatment option that does not interfere with daily activities such as eating and drinking. Oravig will be offered in a 50 mg dosage strength and is expected to be available in retail pharmacies in the third quarter of 2010. "The FDA approval of Oravig underscores Strativa's commitment to improving patients' overall treatment experience by bringing to market new products that fulfill patient needs," said John A. MacPhee, President, Strativa Pharmaceuticals. "Oravig offers patients suffering from thrush a proven effective treatment in a discreet and convenient once-daily formulation." The FDA approval was based on two pivotal Phase III clinical trials. The first study demonstrated that Oravig completely resolved signs and symptoms of OPC at rates similar to Mycelex® Troche (clotrimazole) administered five times per day in HIV-positive patients. This randomized, double-blind, double-dummy trial was conducted in 577 HIV-positive patients in 28 [...]

2010-04-18T06:51:04-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Free screening for head and neck cancer

Source: www.komu.com Author: Alyson Myles Doctors examined hundreds of Mid-Missourians at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center today. The free cancer screenings were a part of national Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. The screenings were a part of a walk-in clinic, so appointments were not necessary. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 50,000 Americans have some form of head or neck cancer. Ear, nose and throat doctor at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Jeff Jorgensen said 85% of of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use. "The bottom line is we are trying to get people to stop smoking. And stop using any tobacco products for that matter," Jorgensen said. Norman Larson was one of the 150 people who attended the screening. He was a smoker during his young adult life, but was not concerned that he had cancer. He came to the screening because he was in Columbia visiting his mother. "It was more curiosity than anything. Any sort of screening I think is a good idea espcially if it finds something early," Larson said. If a doctor did find anything suspicious during the screenings, the patient could make an appointment to come in for a more thorough exam. Some symptoms of head and neck cancer are: * A sore in your mouth that doesn't heal or increases in size * Persistent pain in your mouth * Lumps or white, red or dark patches in your mouth * Thickening of your cheek * Difficulty chewing or swallowing [...]

2010-04-18T06:44:01-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

As if disease is not enough; another cancer battle has to be fought. Costs

Source: online.wsj.com/ Author: Laura Landro Cancer patients can turn to support groups when dealing with the rigors of treatment. It's far more difficult to get help with the growing financial burdens of care. The new health-care legislation contains some provisions that aim to help cancer patients and survivors in the future, including limits on out-of-pocket costs, insurers who impose caps on benefits and premiums for patients with pre-existing conditions. But some provisions won't fully kick in for four years. In the meantime, patient advocacy groups are stepping up programs to help identify patients under duress from financial woes and steer them to help. The Patient Access Network and four other non-profit groups that help insured patients with all or part of co-payments for medications paid out a total of $274.7 million last year, an increase of 52.7% over the previous year. Applications for aid rose more than 26% in the same period. The groups, which are funded by drug companies, foundations and private donations, provide grants of up to $10,000 per year to qualified patients, according to Julie Reynes, president of the Patient Access Network. The Cancer Support Community last year introduced a new guide, "Coping with the Cost of Care," and is piloting a program to screen cancer patients in hospitals and clinics around the country for emotional and financial problems in order to identify those who need referrals to mental-health counselors and financial-assistance resources. "There are many resources to help, but this information isn't getting out to patients [...]

2010-04-19T22:24:01-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More

Nutritional sciences investigator wins NIH challenge grant

Source: uanews.org (University of Arizona) Author: Jeff Harrison Kirsten Limesand's research focuses on how to restore salivary gland function in cancer patients. Each year approximately 40,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with some form of head and neck cancer. The majority of those patients will have surgery to remove the tumors, followed by one or more rounds of radiation therapy to kill any lingering cancer cells. A common side effect of radiation to this area is damage to the adjacent, normal salivary glands. Patients commonly experience a dry mouth that can lead to oral sores and infections, cavities, difficulty chewing and swallowing food and loss of taste. Kirsten Limesand, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences in the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has received a two-year NIH Challenge Grant worth nearly $1 million to study this problem. Specifically, Limesand is examining the role of autophagy in salivary glands in response to radiation therapy. Autophagy is an ongoing process where cells digest and recycle their proteins and organelles. This helps starving cells break down and redirect components from non-essential to essential cell functions. The process and the mechanics behind it are not well understood, but autophagy appears to have some role in preventing and fighting disease and infection. It also, in some cases, could make those problems worse. Side effects from radiation therapy begin within a few days and can continue for one to two years. Because saliva is essential for maintaining oral health, salivary gland [...]

2010-04-14T07:19:19-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|
Read More
© - The Oral Cancer Foundation - Head & Neck Cancer IRS 501(c)3 Charity - 3419 Via Lido #205, Newport Beach, CA 92663 | Disclaimer / Privacy Policy
Go to Top