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Papillomavirus silences innate immune response

Source: www.sciencedaily.com Author: staff In the 1980s, Harald zur Hausen and his co-workers discovered that specific types of human papillomavirus (HPV) cause cervical cancer. Scientists soon found out how these pathogens cause cells to degenerate. It is known today that the main culprits are viral proteins E6 and E7. Both proteins switch off different cellular control functions, thus promoting cell growth. Professor Dr. Frank Rösl and his co-workers at DKFZ have now discovered another mechanism by which the E6 oncoprotein of high-risk HPV16 promotes carcinogenesis. The oncogene silences production of an immune protein called interferon-kappa. Interferons are proteins which are part of our immune system and are responsible primarily for stimulating the immune response to viruses and tumors. Interferons are produced by white blood cells and other cell types. Interferon-kappa is relevant for HPV infections, because it is produced mainly in cells of the skin and mucosa (keratinocytes) which are the preferred hosts of the viruses. If interferon-kappa is not working in cells, other proteins involved in immune defense also cease to function properly. Dr. Bladimiro Rincon-Orozco of Rösl's team has now shown for the first time that HPV16 switches off the interferon-kappa gene by biochemical modification of DNA. Such alterations of the genetic material are called epigenetic mutations. Studying HPV infected cells in a culture dish, the research team observed that interferon-kappa is epigenetically silenced. They were later able to confirm this result in cervical cancer tissue samples. "Interferon-kappa is an important part of what is called [...]

2009-12-03T18:05:10-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Q&A: treating larynx cancer with chemotherapy alone

Source: www2.mdanderson.org/cancerwise Author: Cancerwise Blogger In certain cases, cancer of the larynx (voicebox) can be treated successfully with chemotherapy alone, according to a recent study at M. D. Anderson. Chris Holsinger, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, was co-author of the study, which is the first of its kind in the United States. He answers questions about this groundbreaking research that may provide hope for some patients. How has the treatment for larynx cancer evolved over the past few decades? Thirty years ago, the only option for cancer of the larynx, also called laryngeal cancer was surgical removal of part of the larynx. In the 1970s, treatment moved away from surgery and more toward radiation. Then we began to combine radiation and chemotherapy. What are some of the disadvantages of treating cancer of the larynx with radiation? Radiation can have side effects, especially long-term toxicity. In many patients, the cancer returns. Sometimes, radiation therapy saves the larynx and trachea (windpipe), but they do not work as well. This requires some patients to have a tracheotomy (a surgical procedure that makes an incision in the trachea to open a direct airway) or gastrostomy (surgical opening into the stomach). If patients who have radiation need surgery later, they often have more surgical complications and lower survival rates. What inspired you to look at treating larynx cancer with chemotherapy? While the treatment of larynx cancer was evolving in the United States, another story was unfolding in Paris. Two [...]

2009-12-02T21:12:25-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Implant-based cancer vaccine is first to eliminate tumors in mice

Source: news.biocompare.com Authors: David J. Mooney et al. A cancer vaccine carried into the body on a carefully engineered, fingernail-sized implant is the first to successfully eliminate tumors in mammals, scientists report this week in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The new approach, pioneered by bioengineers and immunologists at Harvard University, uses plastic disks impregnated with tumor-specific antigens and implanted under the skin to reprogram the mammalian immune system to attack tumors. The new paper describes the use of such implants to eradicate melanoma tumors in mice. "This work shows the power of applying engineering approaches to immunology," says David J. Mooney, the Robert P. Pinkas Family Professor of Bioengineering in Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. "By marrying engineering and immunology through this collaboration with Glenn Dranoff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we've taken a major step toward the design of effective cancer vaccines." Most cancer cells easily skirt the immune system, which operates by recognizing and attacking invaders from outside the body. The approach developed by Mooney's group redirects the immune system to target tumors, and appears both more effective and less cumbersome than other cancer vaccines currently in clinical trials. Conventional cancer vaccinations remove immune cells from the body, reprogram them to attack malignant tissues, and return them to the body. However, more than 90 percent of reinjected cells have died before having any effect in experiments. The slender implants developed by Mooney's group are 8.5 millimeters in diameter [...]

2009-12-01T15:36:50-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Mouthwash multiplies risk of cancer up to nine times

Source: www.theaustralian.com.au Author: Adam Creswell Mouthwashes containing alcohol should be used only for short periods because they may increase the risk of oral cancer by up to nine times. Dental researchers warned yesterday that among people using such mouthwashes, the risk of oral cancer was increased nine times if they smoked, and five times if they drank alcohol. For non-drinkers using alcohol-based mouthwashes, the risk of oral cancer is just under five times higher, the experts warn in the latest edition of the National Prescribing Service journal Australian Prescriber. Brands of mouthwash with more than 20 per cent alcohol could have other harmful effects, including the gum disease gingivitis, flat red spots called petechiae and detachment of the cells lining the mouth, they said. "Although many popular mouthwashes may help to control dental plaque and gingivitis, they should only be used for a short time and only as an adjunct to other oral hygiene measures such as brushing and flossing," they wrote. "Long-term use of ethanol-containing mouthwashes should be discouraged, given recent evidence of a possible link with oral cancer." The paper expands on concerns aired by university researchers early this year.

2009-12-01T15:27:54-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Evaluation of patients with head and neck cancer by means of 99mTc-Glucarate

Source: Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology Volume 37, Number 4, 2009 229-232 Authors: Juan P. Gambini et al. Preliminary findings have suggested that 99mTc-glucarate has tumor-seeking properties. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of this tracer to evaluate malignant head and neck tumors by means of SPECT/CT software fusion imaging. Methods: Eleven male patients with advanced head and neck carcinoma were included in the study: 9 with locally advanced disease and 2 with clinical suspicion of local relapse. Scanning started 3–6 h after the injection of 1,110 MBq of 99mTc-glucarate. Planar and SPECT images of the head, neck, and thorax were acquired. Three-dimensional images were also coregistered with CT. Results: We found 99mTc-glucarate uptake in all suspected lesions. SPECT/CT fusion imaging was helpful in all cases for topographically localizing the tracer foci. Conclusion: 99mTc-glucarate can be considered a potential tracer for the evaluation of patients with head and neck tumors. Authors: Juan P. Gambini1, Margarita Nuñez2, Pablo Cabral3, Martín Lafferranderie4, Javier Noble5, Eduardo Corchs5, Ricardo D'Albora4, Eduardo Savio6, Lucía Delgado7 and Omar Alonso1,2 Authors' affiliations: 1 Nuclear Medicine Center, Clinical Hospital, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 2 School of Medical Technology, Nuclear Medicine Technology Program, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 3 Nuclear Investigations Center, School of Science, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 4 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Clinical Hospital, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 5 Department of Radiology, Clinical Hospital, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 6 Department of Radiochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; [...]

2009-12-01T15:15:38-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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A 25-year analysis of veterans treated for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma

Source: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, November 1, 2009; 135(11) Authors: JJ Jaber et al. Objective: To determine the recurrence and survival outcome based on treatment date, type of treatment, stage of disease, and comorbidity and the recurrence and survival differences based on smoking status as a surrogate for human papillomavirus status in veterans treated for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Design: Outcome cohort study. Setting: Tertiary care Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Patients: A consecutive sample from 1981 through 2006 of 683 patients treated for oropharyngeal SCC was screened, and 141 patients with tonsillar SCC without distant metastatic spread and a minimum of 2 years of follow-up were included. Main outcome measures: Disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). Results: Disease-free survival was significantly better in cohort II (treated during or after 1997) compared with cohort I (treated before 1997) (2- and 5-year DFS, 82% vs 64% and 67% vs 48%; P = .02). Disease-specific survival was better in the surgical vs nonsurgical group (2- and 5-year DSS, 77% vs 46% and 67% vs 30%; P

2009-11-28T08:01:30-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Fentanyl buccal soluble film (FBSF) for breakthrough pain in patients with cancer: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Source: Annals of Oncology, doi:10.1093/annonc/mdp541 Author: R. Rauck et al. Background: Fentanyl buccal soluble film (FBSF) has been developed as a treatment of breakthrough pain in opioid-tolerant patients with cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of FBSF at doses of 200–1200 µg in the management of breakthrough pain in patients with cancer receiving ongoing opioid therapy. Patients and methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-crossover study that included opioid-tolerant adult patients with chronic cancer pain who experienced one to four daily episodes of breakthrough pain. The primary efficacy assessment was the sum of pain intensity differences at 30 min (SPID30) postdose. Results: The intent-to-treat population consisted of 80 patients with 1 post-baseline efficacy assessment. The least-squares mean (LSM ± SEM) of the SPID30 was significantly greater for FBSF-treated episodes of breakthrough pain than for placebo-treated episodes (47.9 ± 3.9 versus 38.1 ± 4.3; P = 0.004). There was statistical separation from placebo starting at 15 min up through 60 min (last time point assessed). There were no unexpected adverse events (AEs) or clinically significant safety findings. Conclusions: FBSF is an effective option for control of breakthrough pain in patients receiving ongoing opioid therapy. In this study, FBSF was well tolerated in the oral cavity, with no reports of treatment-related oral AEs. Authors: R. Rauck1, J. North1, L. N. Gever2, I. Tagarro3 and A. L. Finn4 Authors' affiliations: 1 Carolinas Pain Institute, Winston-Salem, NC 2 Meda Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Somerset, NJ, USA 3 Meda Pharmaceuticals, [...]

2009-11-28T07:38:27-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Uninsured have higher mortality from head and neck cancer than insured

Source: professional.cancerconsultants.com Author: staff Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have reported that patients with “Medicaid/uninsured and Medicare disability were at increased risk of death after the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) when compared with patients with private insurance.” The details of this study were published online on November 20, 2009 in Cancer.[1] Unfortunately, underinsured or uninsured patients are reportedly at risk for impaired access to care, delays in medical treatment, and in some cases, substandard medical care. A recent article in the journal Cancer suggests that patients who are uninsured or those who receive Medicaid benefits may be at greater risk for developing postoperative complications and dying after surgery for colorectal cancer. Researchers from the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control and the Kentucky Cancer Registry have previously documented survival differences in patients with and without private health insurance. These findings were reported in the October 13, 2003 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The current study evaluated outcomes of 1,231 patients with head and neck cancer treated at the University of Pittsburgh. Patients were divided into those with Medicaid and uninsured status plus those with Medicare disability versus patients with private insurance. The hazard ratio for survival was 1.50 for patients defined as Medicaid/uninsured versus private insurance. The hazard ration for survival of Medicare disability patients was 1.69 compared with patients with private insurance. These increased rates of death were presented and then corrected for competing risk factors such as alcohol [...]

2009-11-28T07:28:18-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Should your son get the HPV vaccine?

Source: www.nbc-2.com Author: staff TAMPA: David Hastings is back to helping his wife Jo at their Cuban restaurant outside Saint Petersburg. He's grateful to be here after a very close call. "One morning I was shaving and I noticed this side of my neck was swollen," Hastings explained. The diagnosis: stage four oral cancer. Until then, David was a healthy non-smoker who exercised regularly. "Picture a male drinking and smoking everyday for years and years. That's who gets my cancer. I kept saying people, that's not me." It turns out David's cancer was caused by the human papillomavirus or HPV, a virus he didn't even know he carried. Nancy: "So David's case is not rare?" Dr. Anna Giuliano: "No! Not at all!" From her office at the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, Dr. Anna Giuliano is leading an international study on HPV in men. Right now the virus is best known for causing cervical cancer in women. But that is about to change. "Cervical cancer is going down and HPV related head and neck cancer is going up," she explained. Dr. Giuliano says every year between 6 and 8 thousand head and neck cancers in men are HPV-related. "Now we have very definitive evidence that HPV causes cancer in men; the most important being head and neck cancers, penile cancer and anal cancer," she told NBC2. In October, the FDA approved the use of the HPV vaccine Gardasil in males ages 9-26. But Dr. Giuliano worries misinformation will keep young [...]

2009-11-28T07:19:04-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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After being diagnosed, Zenk Pinter is an oral cancer spokesperson

Source: www.acorn-online.com Author: Susan Wolf Colleen Zenk Pinter of Redding, an actor who stars as Barbara Ryan on As the World Turns, has partnered with the Oral Cancer Foundation, Yale New-Haven Hospital and Roswell Park Cancer Institute to be a spokesperson for oral cancer. Ms. Pinter was diagnosed with oral cancer in March 2007 and is now cancer-free. “I had no risk factors for this ‘old man’s cancer,’ she said, but her doctors said hers was probably due to human papilloma virus (HPV), which is most often associated with cervical cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the country, and it is estimated that about 70% of American men and women will be infected at some point in their lives. According to Ms. Zenk Pinter, a growing number of women are being diagnosed with oral cancer, from one in 10 to now a 50-50 split. “The difference is HPV,” she said. She is a proponent of the Gardasil® vaccine against HPV for both girls and boys. It doesn’t help if only half of the population (girls) is being vaccinated. Why boys? “Simple. HPV is sexually transmitted.” Physicians and researchers advocate that the vaccine be given to both sexes, Ms. Zenk Pinter said. During her speech at New York University School of Dentistry graduation, where she received the 2009 Harry S. Strusser Memorial Award for Public Service and Outstanding Contributions to Public Health, Ms. Zenk Pinter implored the graduating doctors and surgeons to thoroughly check their patients for [...]

2009-11-28T07:11:44-07:00November, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|
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