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National guideline released for the treatment of hoarseness

Source: www.eurekalert.org Author: press release New recommendations from ENT doctors on the management of a common voice problem in adults and children The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) will issue the first--and only--national clinical practice guideline to help healthcare practitioners identify and manage patients with hoarseness, also known as dysphonia. The guideline emphasizes evidence-based management of hoarseness by clinicians, and educates patients on the prevalence of this common vocal health issue. "Hoarseness affects approximately 20 million people in the U.S. at any given time, and about one in three individuals will become hoarse at some point in their life," said Richard M. Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, an author of the guideline and chair of the AAO-HNSF Guideline Development Task Force. "In addition to the impact on health and quality of life, hoarseness leads to frequent healthcare visits and several billion dollars in lost productivity annually from work absenteeism." The terms hoarseness and dysphonia are often used interchangeably, however, hoarseness is a symptom of altered voice quality and dysphonia is a diagnosis. Hoarseness (dysphonia) is defined as a disorder characterized by altered vocal quality, pitch, loudness, or vocal effort that impairs communication or reduces voice-related quality of life. Hoarseness may affect newborns, infants, children, and adults of any age. Individuals with hoarseness have impaired communication with their family and peers, which may result in depression, social isolation, missed work, lost wages, or reduced quality of life. "Most hoarseness is caused by benign or self-limiting conditions, but [...]

2009-09-01T08:50:37-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Los Angeles jury recommends Philip Morris USA pay $13.8 million in punitive damages

Source: snus-news.blogspot.com Author: staff A jury on Monday, August 24th, recommended that cigarette maker Philip Morris USA should pay $13.8 million in punitive damages to the daughter of a longtime smoker who died of lung cancer, according to a report by the Associated Press. The panel voted 9 to 3 in favor of Bullock's daughter Jodie Bullock, who is now the plaintiff in the case. Betty Bullock died of lung cancer in February 2003. She had sued Philip Morris in April 2001, accusing the company of fraud and product liability. A jury in 2002 recommended Philip Morris pay a record $28 billion in punitive damages to Bullock, but a judge later reduced the award to $28 million. In 2008, the 2nd District Court of Appeal reversed the jury's decision and remanded the case for a new trial over the punitive damages. Philip Morris said the $28 million remained excessive; however, the original jury recommended the tobacco company pay Bullock $750,000 in damages and $100,000 for pain and suffering, a verdict that still stands. In a statement, Richmond, Va.-based Altria Group Inc., which owns Philip Morris, said any amount given to Bullock's daughter is unwarranted. "After hearing weeks of improper arguments and evidence that violated state and federal law on punitive damages, the jury still managed to reject plaintiff's patently unreasonable request," said Murray Garnick, Altria Client Services senior vice president, speaking on behalf of Philip Morris. "Even so, we believe that any punitive damages award is unwarranted based on the [...]

2009-08-29T16:53:58-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Advantages of TomoTherapy platform for radiation therapy highlighted at 10th biennial ESTRO conference

Source: au.sys-con.com Author: press release TomoTherapy Incorporated announced today that there will be more than 40 presentations at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference on Physics and Radiation Technology for Clinical Radiotherapy that explore use of the TomoTherapy® treatment system. The TomoTherapy system -- a versatile, CT scanner-based device that integrates image guidance for increased treatment accuracy and helical radiation therapy delivery for enhanced tumor targeting -- is helping cancer centers advance patient care around the world. The papers cover a breadth of advantages related to the TomoTherapy system, including the importance of daily imaging for precise patient positioning and adaptive therapy purposes, fundamental advancements in treatment planning and improvements in treatment quality for the patient. The ESTRO Conference will take place August 30 to September 3, 2009, in Maastricht, The Netherlands. At booth 140, TomoTherapy will highlight how its radiotherapy platform is reshaping radiation therapy, with exhibits and presentations on topics such as the evolution and future of the TomoTherapy platform, user case studies, use of TomoDirect™ technology to increase system versatility and throughput, and the new TQA(TM) quality assurance tool. The conference will feature more than 40 TomoTherapy-related papers, on a range of topics, including: Clinically Applied Imaging Adaptive Radiotherapy to Treatment Response - UCL-Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium. This study explores how recent advancements in imaging, computational and technological fields may enable clinicians to achieve high precision radiation dose delivery. Initial results show that use of the TomoTherapy system's adaptive planning capabilities allows for a significant reduction [...]

2009-08-28T12:43:54-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Saliva test for microRNA could detect oral cancer

Source: www.medpagetoday.com Author: Chris Emery, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today Researchers say they have identified dozens of microRNAs in saliva, raising hopes that saliva tests could assist in early detection of oral cancers. Analyzing patient saliva with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, the researchers identified about 50 microRNAs -- molecules that halt mRNA translation and/or lead to mRNA degradation, according to a report in the Sept. 1 edition of Clinical Cancer Research. Of the miRNAs they found, a few were present at significantly lower levels in the saliva of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) than in control subjects (P<0.05). "Two of these miRNAs, miR-125a and miR-200a, are differentially expressed in the saliva of the OSCC patients compared with that of healthy controls," David T. Wong, DMD, DMSc, of the Los Angeles School of Dentistry, and colleagues wrote. "These findings suggest that the detection of miRNAs in saliva can be used as a noninvasive and rapid diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of oral cancer." The authors noted that OSCC is the sixth most common cancer in the U.S., accounting for 90% of oral cancers and leading to 8,000 deaths per year. "The average five-year survival rate for OSCC is [about] 50%," they wrote. "Shockingly, this number has not changed in last three decades. Therefore, an early detection method for OSCC is needed to increase long-term patient survival." Other recent studies have discovered hundreds of miRNAs in various organisms that play roles in cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, stress response, immune [...]

2009-08-25T20:10:52-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Dietary vitamin D and cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus

Source: Annals of Oncology 2009 20(9):1576-1581 Authors: L. Lipworth et al. Background: Data on the association between vitamin D and upper digestive tract neoplasms are limited. Methods: In two case–control studies in Italy, we examined the relation between dietary vitamin D intake and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE; 304 cases) and oral/pharyngeal cancer (804 cases). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by multiple logistic regression. Results: Adjusted ORs for SCCE and oral/pharyngeal cancer were 0.58 (95% CI 0.39–0.86) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.60–0.94), respectively, for the highest tertile of vitamin D intake. Using a reference group of those in the highest tertile of vitamin D who were never/former smokers, ORs were 8.7 (95% CI 4.1–18.7) for SCCE and 10.4 (95% CI 6.9–15.5) for oral/pharyngeal cancer among heavy smokers in the lowest vitamin D tertile; similarly, compared with those in the highest tertile of vitamin D who drank <3 alcoholic drinks/day, corresponding ORs were 41.9 (95% CI 13.7–128.6) for SCCE and 8.5 (95% CI 5.7–12.5) for oral/pharyngeal cancer, among heavy alcohol drinkers in the lowest vitamin D tertile. Conclusion: We observed inverse associations between dietary vitamin D intake and risk of SCCE and, perhaps, oral/pharyngeal cancer, which were most pronounced among heavy current smokers and heavy consumers of alcohol. Authors: L. Lipworth1,2, M. Rossi3, J. K. McLaughlin1,4, E. Negri3, R. Talamini5, F. Levi6, S. Franceschi7 and C. La Vecchia3,4,8 Authors' affiliations: 1 International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, MD 2 Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical [...]

2009-08-25T04:04:14-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Light-mediated therapy aims to overcome both tumour cell uptake barriers and toxicity problems

Source: news.prnewswire.com Author: press release PCI Biotech Holding ASA, the Norwegian drug delivery company focusing on effective delivery of cancer therapeutics, today announced that the first patient has received treatment in the Phase I/II trial with the lead candidate Amphinex(R), which uses a new approach called photochemical internalisation. The patient was treated at the University College Hospital (UCH) in London. PCI's proprietary photosensitiser Amphinex(R) is in this study combined with the therapeutic agent bleomycin. When activated by light, Amphinex(R) promotes effective delivery of large therapeutic molecules such as bleomycin through triggered endosomal release. The trial will investigate a broadly representative spectrum of cancers including head and neck cancer and breast cancer, to demonstrate the safety and potential of this new approach. The primary objective of this study is to assess the maximum tolerated dose of Amphinex(R), in PCI treatment with bleomycin. Secondary objectives include determination of the antitumor activity of Amphinex(R) when used in combination with bleomycin, as well as its pharmacokinetics. Colin Hopper, Principal Investigator at UCH, said: "At UCH we are dedicated to high quality patient care and we have extensive experience in the use of photodynamic therapy to treat cancer patients. PCI is a very exciting new approach in photodynamic medicine that has shown great promise in preclinical studies. We are very proud of being the first centre to move this new technology into the clinic." Per Walday CEO of PCI Biotech, said: "This first in man trial is an important step forward for the company. We [...]

2009-08-24T20:34:26-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Surgeons carry out world’s first face, jaw and tongue transplant

Source: www.mirror.co.uk Author: staff Surgeons have successfully carried out the world's first face, jaw and tongue transplant. They spent 16 hours operating on a man of 43 whose face had been horribly disfigured by radiotherapy for a tumour 11 years ago. The patient will eventually be able to eat, taste, swallow and speak again. Pedro Cavadas, who led 30 Spanish medics in Valencia in the day-long op, said yesterday: "The patient's seen himself and is delighted." The case was marred by controversy after authorities released details about the donor against his family's wishes. French woman Isabelle Dinoire received the first face transplant four years ago after losing her nose, lips and chin when a dog mauled her.

2009-08-22T05:37:19-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Laser microsurgery for tongue cancer

Source: www.ajho.com Author: staff A retrospective chart review undertaken at a Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, indicates that transoral laser surgery to treat cancer of the tongue is as effective as open surgery. The less invasive procedure may also improve patients' quality of life. The study reviewed data from 71 patients who underwent transoral laser microsurgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue. At 24 months, overall survival was 90% and disease-specific survival was 94%. Of the 46 patients for whom quality-of-life information was obtained, the majority reported mild or no pain, minimally impaired to normal swallowing, and normal speech. Surgical approaches through the neck once provided the only safe access to the base of the tongue, although the voice box, trachea, esophagus, lymph nodes, muscles, and large nerves make surgical resection in this area difficult. Significant complications often included impairment of speech and of swallowing. Transoral laser microsurgery, using an endoscope with a lighted camera, a microscopic lens, and a CO-2 laser, enables surgeons to treat cancers that were not treatable previously. Dr Guy Petruzzelli, study author and chief of the Section of Head, Neck and Skull Base Surgery at Rush University Medical Center, noted, “Due to the precision of this surgery, most patients require less adjuvant chemotherapy, and in some cases patients will not need chemotherapy. And the functional outcomes are superior. Patients are able to speak and swallow much sooner and better than with an open technique.” Of patients responding, 91% reported [...]

2009-08-21T04:54:55-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Involvement of potential pathways in malignant transformation from oral leukoplakia to oral squamous cell carcinoma revealed by proteomic analysis

Source: 7thspace.com Author: staff Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common forms of cancer associated with the presence of precancerous oral leukoplakia. Given the poor prognosis associated with oral leukoplakia, and the difficulties in distinguishing it with cancer lesion, there is an urgent need to elucidate the molecular determinants and key signal pathways underlying the malignant transformation of precancerous to cancerous tissue, and thus to identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic target. Results: We have utilized two dimensional electrophoresis followed by ESI-Q-TOF-LC-MS/MS to identify proteins differentially expressed in six pairs of oral leukoplakia tissues with dysplasia and oral squamous cancer tissues, each pair from the same patient. Approximately 85 differentially and constantly expressed proteins (>two-fold change, P>0.05) were identified, 52 up-regulated and 33 down-regulated. Gene ontological methods were employed to identify the biological processes that were over-represented in this carcinogenic stage. Potential biological networks were also constructed to reveal the link between those protein candidates. Among those proteins, three homologs of proteosome activator PA28 a,b and g were shown to have up-regulated mRNA levels in OSCC cells relative to oral keratinocytes. Conclusions: Amounts of differentially expressed proteins involved in the malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia. Their expression level, bioprocess, interactions networks could be analyzed by bioinformatics approach. All the three homologs of PA28 may be shown to play an important role in the malignant transformation. Our study is an example of a systems biology study, in which functional proteomics was constructed to help to elucidate mechanistic aspects [...]

2009-08-20T05:54:53-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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Taste and smell disorders caused by cancer or treatments add to patients’ problems

Source: www.oncologynursingnews.com Author: Delicia Yard Although the mechanisms underlying abnormalities in the senses of taste and smell in cancer patients are unknown, such disturbances clearly decrease quality of life for the majority of cancer patients—and clinicians need to be aware of the problem in order to help a person's recovery. This is the word from a study recently published in The Journal of Supportive Oncology (2009;7:58-65). Jae Hee Hong, PhD, Pinar Omur-Ozbek, PhD, Brian T. Stanek, and coinvestigators from Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center and Virginia Tech's food science and technology department and biomedical engineering school conclude, “Oncologists who understand the types and causes of taste and olfactory abnormalities may be better prepared to discuss and empathize with these negative side effects.” Altered sensory perception can undermine a person's struggle against cancer by causing malnutrition and anxiety. One study cited by Dr Hong and colleagues found that malnutrition, not malignancy, was the primary cause of morbidity in 20% of cancer patients. Dr Hong and colleagues explain that disorders of taste and odor can result from cancer itself or from cancer treatments, with 68% of chemotherapy patients reporting such problems. But the specific causes of these alterations often remain unidentified. How Senses Go Bad According to the researchers, problems with taste and smell break down into 3 categories: loss of sensitivity, distorted perception, and hallucination. The abnormalities may take the following forms: • absence of taste perception (ageusia) or odor perception (anosmia) • reduced sensitivity to taste perception (hypogeusia) or [...]

2009-08-19T12:07:17-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|
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