Oral Cancer News

Recurrent mouth and throat cancers less deadly when caused by HPV

Source: www.oncologynurseadvisor.com Author: Kathy Boltz, PhD People with late-stage cancer at the back of the mouth or throat that recurs after chemotherapy and radiation treatment are twice as likely to be alive 2 years later if their cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), suggests new research. This study was presented at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium, held in Scottsdale, Arizona. Previous studies have found that people with so-called HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers are more likely to survive than those whose cancers are related to smoking or whose origins are unknown. The new study shows that the longer survival pattern holds even if the cancer returns. Oropharyngeal cancers, which once were linked primarily to heavy smoking, are now more likely to be caused by HPV, a virus that is transmitted by oral and other kinds of sex. The rise in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers has been attributed to changes in sexual behaviors, most notably an increase in oral sex partners. For the study, the researchers used data provided by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group on 181 patients with late-stage oropharyngeal cancer whose HPV status was known and whose cancer had spread after primary treatment. There were 105 HPV-positive participants and 76 HPV-negative ones. Although the median time to recurrence was roughly the same (8.2 months vs 7.3 months, respectively), some 54.6% of those with HPV-positive cancer were alive 2 years after recurrence, whereas only 27.6% of those with HPV-negative cancers were still alive at that point in time. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-19T07:11:24-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Impact of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement on Head and neck cancer patients

Source: Sage Journals Authors: Scott Kramer, Matthew Newcomb, Joshua Hessler, Farzan Siddiqui MD, PhDAbstract Objective: To understand the impact of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement timing on tube duration, weight loss, and disease control in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Setting: A tertiary academic center. Study: Design Historical cohort study. Subjects and Methods: Seventy-four patients with HNC were reviewed. Patients underwent cisplatinum-based chemoradiation therapy with or without surgical resection. They received a PEG tube either before radiation therapy began (prophylactic) or after (reactive). Patients were matched on the basis of age, gender, TNM stage, tumor subsite, human papillomavirus (HPV) status, and chemoradiation dose. Results: Patients receiving reactive PEG tubes had them in place for fewer days than those placed prophylactically (227 vs 139 days, P < .01). There was no difference in percentage weight loss at 2, 6, or 12 months. There was no difference in survival or disease control between the groups. Conclusions: Reactive PEG tube placement may afford patients a shorter duration of usage without incurring greater weight loss or poorer oncologic outcomes. *This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.

Charlotte Parker2014-03-18T11:08:33-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Global trends suggest HPV positive oral cancer greatly increased in young males

Source: www.zawya.com Author: staff While the incidence of smoking-related oral squamous cell carcinoma has decreased in many parts of the world, cases of human papilloma virus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal cancer (OPSCC) have greatly increased. Otolaryngologists are finding that the majority of their patients are male and a lot younger in age than their counterparts. This "new" head and neck cancer patient differs in several ways from the "traditional" head and neck cancer patients who were older, had significant tobacco and alcohol exposure, and potential tumours throughout the upper aerodigestive tract. The significance of this global trend suggests that more attention needs to be paid to the phenomena here in the Middle East. Dr Marilene Wang, Professor, Chief of Otolaryngology, UCLA Department of Head and Neck Surgery, will be discussing the increasing incidence of young cancer patients who are non-smokers, but happen to be HPV positive and how these cases should be managed in the Middle East at the 11th Middle East Update in Otolaryngology Conference & Exhibition - Head and Neck Surgery (ME-OTO) from the 20-22 April 2014 at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena, Dubai, UAE. According to Dr Wang, "Currently, the most common head and neck cancer patients are younger, primarily male, and have no or relatively minimal exposures to tobacco and alcohol. Yet, they often have histories of notable increased sexual encounters. Although HPV positive OPSCC demonstrates an alarming increasing incidence, this is balanced by a significant response to treatment regardless of advanced stage. "Cases of OPSCC associated with [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-16T08:45:03-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Identification and characterization of cancer stem cells in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Source: 7thspace.com Author: staff Current evidence suggests that initiation, growth, and invasion of cancer are driven by a small population of cancer stem cells (CSC). Previous studies have identified CD44+ cells as cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, CD44 is widely expressed in most cells in HNSCC tumor samples and several cell lines tested. We previously identified a small population of CD24+/CD44+ cells in HNSCC. In this study, we examined whether this population of cells may represent CSC in HNSCC. Methods: CD24+/CD44+ cells from HNSCC cell lines were sorted by flow cytometry, and their phenotype was confirmed by qRT-PCR. Their self-renewal and differentiation properties, clonogenicity in collagen gels, and response to anticancer drugs were tested in vitro. The tumorigenicity potential of CD24+/CD44+ cells was tested in athymic nude mice in vivo. Results: Our results show that CD24+/CD44+ cells possessed stemness characteristics of self-renewal and differentiation. CD24+/CD44+ cells showed higher cell invasion in vitro and made higher number of colonies in collagen gels compared to CD24-/CD44+ HNSCC cells. In addition, the CD24+/CD44+ cells were more chemo-resistant to gemcitabine and cisplatin compared to CD24-/CD44+ cells. In vivo, CD24+/CD44+ cells showed a tendency to generate larger tumors in nude mice compared to CD24-/CD44+ cell population. Conclusion: Our study clearly demonstrates that a distinct small population of CD24+/CD44+ cells is present in HNSCC that shows stem cell-like properties. This distinct small population of cells should be further characterized and may provide an opportunity to target HNSCC CSC for [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-16T08:39:30-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Throat cancer survivor celebrates life after trans-oral robotic surgery

Source: www.newswise.com Author: staff When Charlie Guinn sits down to eat with his lovely wife of 39 years, he thoroughly enjoys each bite. It’s not just the food; the entire experience is a celebration. Just over a year ago, Mr. Guinn learned that he had stage IV throat cancer. For him, just surviving would have been an accomplishment — so swallowing again at a meal with a loved one is truly something special. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2013 over 41,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx and almost 8,000 died from the disease. But Mr. Guinn would be the first to say that he is one of the lucky ones. He is one of the first patients to undergo trans-oral robotic surgery (TORS) at the University of New Mexico Hospital. And the results have been stunning. Mr. Guinn first discovered the lump in his throat while shaving. When it was still there a week later, he went to an urgent care center where he was immediately referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat physician. The physician ran a number of tests including a biopsy. When the results came back, the physician referred Mr. Guinn to Nathan Boyd, MD, at the University of New Mexico Cancer Center. It had been only a week and a half from that fateful visit to urgent care. Mr. Guinn recalls, “When I first got there to see Dr. Boyd, one of the nurses told [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-07T07:25:15-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Brits call for smoking in films to be stubbed out

Source: www.economicvoice.com Author: staff After a record night of success for British talent at the Oscars, a new poll reveals a majority of us would like to stub out smoking in films watched by children. In a survey conducted by oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation, more than two thirds (67 per cent) said they thought films featuring actors smoking should receive the highest classification rating, suitable only for adults. According to the British Board of Film Classification, rated-18 films currently allow scenes of drug-taking, provided ‘the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse’. The film board makes no reference to smoking or alcohol misuse, two of the leading risk factors for mouth cancer. Rita Hayworth One in five people in the UK smoke, and the habit is still considered the leading cause of mouth cancer. But while many of us are aware of the damage that smoking does to our lungs, the danger to our mouths remains relatively unknown. Smoking helps to transforms saliva into a deadly cocktail that damages cells in the mouth and can turn them cancerous. As alcohol aids the absorption of tobacco into the mouth, those who smoke and drink to excess are up to 30 times more likely to develop the disease. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, urged the film board to consider its policy on films depicting smoking. Dr Carter said: “The risks of smoking have been well [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-07T07:09:27-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Protein Deters Head, Neck Cancer Growth, Study Shows

Source: JADA (Journal of the American Dental Association) Scientists at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research found that blocking a certain protein inhibited the proliferation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, according to a study published in the February issue of Molecular Oncology. In an experiment involving tissue samples of hundreds of head and neck cancer patients, an NIDCR team led by Silvio Gutkind, PhD, chief of NIDCR’s Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Branch, found that p38 kinase was active in most samples. They reported that the most malignant tissue samples had the highest activity of p38, and the least malignant samples had the lowest p38 activity. The normal oral tissue used as a control had no p38 activity. When researchers turned off p38 activity in human oral cancer cells and transplanted these cells into laboratory mice, they found that the oral cancer cells without p38 activity were smaller than those with p38 activity. In addition, turning off p38 activity lessened the growth of new blood vessels, which cancers rely on for growth and the ability to spread to other parts of the body. In the next phase of the study, they tested SB203580—a drug that is known to block p38 activity. SB203580 reduced the growth of head and neck cancer cells in the laboratory. When the NIDCR team then used SB203580 to treat human head and neck cancers that had been transplanted into lab mice, they found that SB203580 made the cancers smaller. The next step, Dr. [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-03-03T17:26:04-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Improving QOL in head and neck cancer as survival improves

Source: www.medscape.com Author: Zosia Chustecka In patients undergoing radiation treatment for head and neck cancer, reducing the radiation to organs not affected by cancer is key to improving quality of life post-treatment. Several studies presented here at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium described new approaches to sparing radiation delivered to the salivary glands and to the voice box, without any loss of cancer control, but with a reported reduction in adverse effects, such as xerostomia (dry mouth), and an anticipated reduction in loss of voice and speech quality. Improvements in such outcomes are becoming increasingly important as the epidemiology of head and neck cancer is changing, and the increase in human papillomavirus-positive disease means that patients are being diagnosed their 50s and will, in many cases, go on to live for decades after their definitive cancer treatment, researchers commented at a press briefing. Xerostomia can make it difficult to speak, as well as chew and swallow, and can lead to dental problems. "Dry mouth might seem trivial, but it actually has a significant effect on quality of life," commented Tyler Robin, PhD, an MD candidate in his final year at the University of Colorado Medical School in Denver. To reduce this adverse effect, intensity-modulated radiation techniques are already directing the beam away from the parotid gland, which is responsible for stimulated saliva production, for example during eating. But for the rest of the time, saliva is produced unstimulated from the submandibular gland. "This gland actually produces the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-02-28T14:23:04-07:00February, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Mouth bacteria trigger oral cancer

Source: www.digitaljournal.com Author: Tim Sandle Chemicals released from two bacteria that cause gum disease can incite the growth of deadly lesions and tumors in the mouth, trigger oral cancer. This is according to a new study carried out by Case Western Reserve University. High levels of certain bacteria found in the saliva of people are associated with the risk of oral cancer. The researchers were keen to understand why most people never develop oral cancer and what it is that protects them. Their answer related to most people not carrying a certain type of bacteria in their mouths. The cancer of concern is Kaposi's sarcoma-related (KS) lesions and tumors in the mouth. The bacteria associated with this are the species Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. These species are associated with gum disease. For the research, scientists recruited 21 patients, dividing them into two groups. All participants were given standard gum-disease tests. The first group of 11 participants had an average age of 50 and had severe chronic gum disease. The second group of 10 participants, whose average age was about 26, had healthy gums. The bacteria were common to those with gum disease. By carrying out further tests, the researchers found that the bacteria produce fatty acids and these fatty acids then allowed oral cancer causing viruses to grow. The discovery could lead to early saliva testing for the bacteria. When such bacteria are found the mouth of a patient could be treated and monitored for signs of cancer and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-09T21:58:39-07:00February, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Contralateral submandibular gland-sparing radiation safe, effective in head, neck cancers

Source: helio.comPublished: February 24, 2014 Sparing the contralateral submandibular gland with low doses of radiation therapy appeared safe and effective among patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers, according to study results presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium. “Historically ... there has been hesitation to spare the submandibular gland from radiation because there are lymph nodes near the gland that also end up not getting treated,” researcher Tyler Robin, PhD, an MD candidate at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a press release. “While this seems worrisome because head and neck cancer spreads through the lymph nodes, it is well established that the risk of cancer involvement in the lymph nodes near the submandibular gland is exceedingly low, yet the benefit of sparing the gland for a patient’s quality of life is high.” Robin and colleagues evaluated data from 71 patients who underwent contralateral submandibular gland-sparing radiation therapy at the University of Colorado Cancer Center or Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The median age of patients was 55 years. About half of patients were current or former smokers, and half were never smokers. Nearly 50% of patients had lesions involving the base of the tongue. About 80% of patients had N2b or greater disease, and 90% of patients had overall stage IV disease. Researchers classified contralateral submandibular gland sparing as mean radiation doses to the contralateral submandibular gland of ≤39 Gy. The mean radiation dose to the contralateral submandibular gland of all patients in [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-02-26T15:59:38-07:00February, 2014|Oral Cancer News|