Oral Cancer Foundation News Team – A – Page 238

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy in postoperative treatment of oral cavity cancers

Source: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, August 14, 2008 Author: Daniel R Gomez et al. Purpose: To present our single-institution experience of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for oral cavity cancer. Methods and Materials: Between September 2000 and December 2006, 35 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity underwent surgery followed by postoperative IMRT. The sites included were buccal mucosa in 8, oral tongue in 11, floor of the mouth in 9, gingiva in 4, hard palate in 2, and retromolar trigone in 1. Most patients had Stage III-IV disease (80%). Ten patients (29%) also received concurrent postoperative chemotherapy with IMRT. The median prescribed radiation dose was 60 Gy. Results: The median follow-up for surviving patients was 28.1 months (range, 11.9-85.1). Treatment failure occurred in 11 cases as follows: local in 4, regional in 2, and distant metastases in 5. Of the 5 patients with distant metastases, 2 presented with dermal metastases. The 2- and 3-year estimates of locoregional progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival were 84% and 77%, 85% and 85%, 70% and 64%, and 74% and 74%, respectively. Acute Grade 2 or greater dermatitis, mucositis, and esophageal reactions were experienced by 54%, 66%, and 40% of the patients, respectively. Documented late complications included trismus (17%) and osteoradionecrosis (5%). Conclusion: IMRT as an adjuvant treatment after surgical resection for oral cavity tumors is feasible and effective, with promising results and acceptable toxicity. Authors: Daniel R Gomez, Joanne E Zhung, Jennifer Gomez, Kelvin [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-26T15:20:44-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Burning incense increases risk of respiratory tract cancers

Source: ScienceDaily (www.sciencedaily.com) Author: staff Long term use of incense increases the risk of developing cancers of the respiratory tract, according to a new study. The new analysis, which the authors say is the first prospective investigation of incense and cancer risk, appears in the October 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Incense is an integral part of daily life in large parts of Asia. Researchers have shown that burning incense—which is made of plant materials mixed with oils—produces a mixture of possible carcinogens, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, carbonyls and benzene. Because incense smoke is inhaled, a number of studies have looked at the possible link between incense burning and lung cancer, but results have been inconsistent. In addition, the possible association of incense use and other respiratory tract cancers has not been analyzed. To investigate this, Dr. Jeppe Friborg of the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen, Denmark and colleagues in Singapore and the U.S. studied the associations between exposure to incense and the whole spectrum of respiratory tract cancers in a large population in Singapore. The study involved 61,320 Singapore Chinese who were free of cancer and aged 45-74 years in 1993-1998. At that time, they completed a comprehensive interview on living conditions and dietary and lifestyle factors. The investigators followed these individuals through 2005, noting which participants developed cancer during that time. Dr. Friborg's team documented a total of 325 upper respiratory tract cancers (including nasal/sinus, tongue, mouth, laryngeal and other cancers) [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-25T18:36:04-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Vaccine controversy continues

Source: Reader's Digest (www.rd.com) Author: Julie Bain Between the relay races and table tennis triumphs last week, there was some news coverage about the HPV vaccine. A study came out last Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine that looked at the economic impact of vaccinating young girls and women from the types of HPV virus that can cause cervical cancer. Newsweek ran an informative Q and A with one of the study authors about who should get the vaccine and when. The New York Times did a big story, too, which I thought displayed a bit of bias in the disapproving tone of its headline: Researchers Question Wide Use of HPV Vaccines. I called Maura Gillison, MD, a researcher at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and one of the top experts on HPV, for her perspective. She said, “For those of us in the field, this study is not really new information. It is known that the HPV vaccine doesn’t have an impact on young women who have already been infected by the HPV types targeted by the vaccine (HPV6, 11, 16, and 18).” While it was possible to measure a girl’s previous exposure to HPV in the study lab, it’s not possible in a medical clinic, she says. That’s why it’s not as cost-effective to give the vaccine to women who are already sexually active. Still, she says, “only 4% of the 16- to 26-year-old women who were enrolled in the vaccine trials had evidence of exposure to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-25T18:29:15-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Zapping oral cancer

Source: KGBT4.com Author: Martha Benavides This year, more than 34,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with oral cancer -- a cancer that has a higher death rate than cervical cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, or skin cancer. Survival rates are not improving; but now, a new treatment may give doctors a way to stop oral cancers before they start. They're often detected in a routine dental or doctor's visit. Doctors say early detection can be crucial … red or white lesions called leukoplakia can turn into serious, even deadly oral cancers. Oral cancer has a five year survival rate of less than 50 percent. "I do happen to know people that have died of this kind of cancer and so we watch it very closely," said Mike Hagerman, a former smoker and a two-time oral cancer survivor. Now, Hagerman's leukoplakia is back. This time, he's part of a study testing a new photodynamic laser treatment designed to eliminate precancerous cells. "When the laser fires onto the lesion, it emits light at a very specific frequency that causes oxygen radicals that destroy the lesion, make it go away," stated Stuart Wong, M.D., a medical oncologist at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Tested on the hand or used in the mouth on actual lesions, researchers say the laser doesn’t hurt. It’s a preventive measure that doctors say could save lives. "There is some emerging data that the better we can kill off these early precancerous lesions, that that might [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-24T07:17:40-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

CMS receives FDA 510(k) clearance for Atlas-based auto-segmentation software

Source: www.earthtimes.org Author: press release CMS, Inc., an Elekta Company, and worldwide leader in radiation treatment planning and workflow management solutions, has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its new Atlas-Based Autosegmentation (ABAS) product. This clearance allows CMS to immediately begin distributing Atlas-Based Autosegmentation for clinical use in the United States. Significantly reducing the amount of time spent creating and editing patient contours, ABAS is a software application that produces an estimate of the anatomy boundary contours needed to create a radiation treatment plan. Image segmentation, or contouring, is a time consuming component of the treatment planning process, and ABAS helps save clinicians time by providing a good starting point from which minimal editing is required. In addition to its time-saving benefits, ABAS distinguishes itself from competing products in several ways. A stand alone, vendor neutral product that communicates using standard DICOM file formats for both input and output, ABAS is compatible with any radiation treatment planning system that can read standard DICOM RT structure set files. ABAS also provides structure specific refinement algorithms for head and neck treatments, as well as prostate treatments, in addition to a general algorithm that allows it to be used with other treatment sites. "We are extremely proud and very pleased to receive clearance to distribute Atlas-Based Autosegmentation to the U.S. market," says Terry Wolf, Director of Research for CMS, an Elekta Company. "An embodiment of our core values, ABAS is an innovative solution delivered in a vendor-neutral platform aimed at improving the quality of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-24T07:08:02-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Do cell phones cause cancer?

Source: JusticeNewsFlash.com Author: Jana Simard Cellular telephones are everywhere. Flip phones, sliders and even the new touch screen iPhone; in every shape and every color, they have populated our planet and become the most convenient way to keep in touch no matter where your location. A cell phone beams radiofrequency energy that can penetrate the outer edge of the brain, which posed questions about cancers of the head and neck, brain tumors or leukemia. According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA), there are now more than 180 million subscribers to cellular telephone service in the United States. This has increased from 110 million users just 3 years ago. Experts estimate that by 2010, there will be 2.2 billion subscribers worldwide. With all of the rumors circling around cell phones, a vast study was conducted in order to give individuals a definite, precise answer. Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the study tracked 420,000 Danish cell phone users, including 52,000 who had been using cell phones for 10 years or more, and some who started using them 21 years ago. This is the largest study so far to find no bad news about the safety of cell phones and the radio frequency energy they emit. According to the article in the Associated Press ‘among 420,000 callers tracked through 2002, there were 14,249 cancers diagnosed — fewer than the 15,001 predicted from national cancer rates. Nor did the study find increased risks for any specific tumor type.’ [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-22T11:26:42-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Prevalence and significance of human papillomavirus in oral tongue cancer: the Mayo Clinic experience

Source: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Vol. 66, Issue 9, Pages 1875-1880 (September 2008) Authors: Xin-Hua Liang et al. Purpose Cigarette smoking and alcohol use have markedly decreased in the past 40 years. However, there has been an increasing trend in the incidence of tongue cancer, particularly in young patients without traditional risk factors. This study sought to examine the prevalence and significance of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its clinical significance in patients with oral tongue cancer. Patients and Methods Fresh-frozen tissues from 51 patients with oral tongue cancer, treated with primary surgery from January 2004 to December 2006, were included in the study. The presence of HPV infection in tumor specimens was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction with HPV L1 consensus primers (GP 5+/GP 6+) and HPV-16-specific E6 primer pairs. Demographic and clinical data were collected to analyze patient outcomes. Results The overall frequency of HPV in oral tongue cancer in our study was 1.96% (1/51). Young patients below the age of 45 years accounted for 15.7% (8/51) of the total number of patients. Eighty-seven percent of the younger age group, including a single patient with an HPV-16-positive tumor, were alive and free from disease during the follow-up period. The overall survival of the study group was 81.4%. Conclusions Our data suggest that the incidence of HPV in oral tongue cancer is low and is unlikely to play a significant role in the etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical outcomes of oral tongue cancer. In addition, HPV is unlikely to constitute [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-21T20:39:40-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Kaiser Health Disparities Report: A Weekly Look At Race, Ethnicity And Health

Source: Kaiser Network (www.kaisernetwork.org) Author: staff Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell on Tuesday discussed the efforts of two young black dentists in Chicago who are seeking to improve the oral health of black men. Mitchell notes that according to the American Dental Association, more than 50% of black men have untreated dental decay and black men are less likely than other men to have decayed teeth repaired. Black men also have the highest rate of oral cancer and the lowest survival rate from the disease of any other group, Mitchell writes. In an interview with Mitchell, Patrick Smith, a graduate of Harvard University School of Dental Medicine, said, "The reason why the statistics are so alarming is men don't go in for check-ups, even though oral cancer is more prevalent in the African-American community," adding, "By the time we as black men have oral cancer, it is advanced." Patrick Smith has partnered with Ozzie Smith, a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, to open up a dental office in the Hyde Park community of Chicago. Patrick Smith added that the "sad part" of the issue surrounding black men and oral health is that "many of them have insurance and they just don't go either because of fear or preconceived notions or complete ignorance about what goes on in a dentist's office." Patrick Smith said that when black male patients come into a dental office and "see how things work and how much better it is, they realize [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-20T11:26:34-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

NYC bus workers file suit against diesel makers

Source: Newsday (www.newsday.com) Author: staff A group of New York City bus workers claim in a lawsuit that diesel exhaust from idling buses exposed them to severe illnesses, including lung and throat cancer. The lawsuit, filed in state court on Monday, names 13 diesel engine manufacturers, including General Motors, Northrop Grumman and Orion Bus Industries. The workers, bus drivers and mechanics employed by NYC Transit, claim buses sometimes idled all night in depots. The lawsuit says the companies knew "the belching of these fumes was a dangerous byproduct." The workers are seeking unspecified damages. Several companies reached for comment declined to comment, saying they had not seen the lawsuit or would not speak on pending litigation.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-20T04:43:22-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Randomized clinical trial with two omega 3 fatty acid enhanced oral supplements in head and neck cancer ambulatory patients

Source: Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, May 1, 2008; 12(3): 177-81 Authors: DA de Luis et al. The aim of our study was to investigate whether oral ambulatory nutrition of post surgical head and neck cancer patients with recent weight loss, using two different omega 3 fatty acids enhanced diets could improve nutritional variables as well as clinical outcome. A sample of 65 ambulatory post surgical patients with oral and laryngeal cancer and recent weight loss was enrolled. At Hospital discharge post surgical head and neck cancer patients were asked to consume two cans per day of either a specially designed omega 3 fatty acid enhanced supplement with a high ratio of omega3/omega6 (I) or a omega 3 fatty acid enhanced supplement with a low ratio of omega3/omega6 (II). Serum albumin, prealbumin and transferrin concentrations improved with both enhanced formula. Weight stabilization was reached with both formulas. Gastrointestinal tolerance (diarrhea episodes) with both formulas was good (6.45 vs 5.88%: ns). The postoperative infectious complications were similar in both groups (29 group I vs 15.7% group II: ns). No local complications were detected in surgery wound. In conclusion, at dose taken, omega 3 enhanced formulas with different omega3/omega6 ratios improved serum protein concentrations in ambulatory postoperative head and neck cancer patients with good tolerance. Authors: DA de Luis, O Izaola, R Aller, L Cuellar, MC Terroba, and T Martin Authors' affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Medicine School and Unit of Investigation Hospital Rio Hortega, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-19T07:59:42-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

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