Oral Cancer News

Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., Receives AACR’s Richard Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award for her HPV research

CHICAGO — The American Association for Cancer Research awards Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., with the 36th Annual AACR Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Memorial Award during the AACR Annual Meeting 2012. Gillison is receiving this award in recognition of her significant contributions to the understanding of the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck cancers. “It is an honor to be the recipient of this award,” said Gillison. “Our team strives to generate data that will improve the lives of individuals affected by head and neck cancers, and this is a wonderful validation that we are on the right track.” This award is designed to provide incentive to young investigators early in their careers. It was established in 1977 by the AACR and the Rosenthal Family Foundation to recognize research that has made, or promises to make, a notable contribution to improved clinical care in the field of cancer. Gillison is a professor of medicine, epidemiology and otolaryngology and the Jeg Coughlin Chair of Cancer Research at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio. She is also adjunct faculty at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in Baltimore, Md. Her seminal research on the role of HPV in head and neck cancers revolutionized the specialty. Her research has demonstrated that HPV infection causes a distinct molecular, clinical and pathological subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. In a landmark case-control study, Gillison [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-07-26T06:42:52-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Oropharyngeal cancer survival better in those with HPV

Source: www.dailyrx.com Author: Laurie Stoneham The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes a number of malignancies, including head and neck and cervical cancers. Oddly enough, being infected with the virus may help those living with oral cancer. Researchers believe that having HPV improves the lifespan of African Americans who have throat cancer, compared to African Americans who do not have the virus. These are the unexpected findings of a group of researchers, led by Maria J. Worsham, PhD, director of research in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. "This study adds to the mounting evidence of HPV as a racially-linked sexual behavior lifestyle risk factor impacting survival outcomes for both African American and Caucasian patients with oropharyngeal cancer," Dr. Worsham said. Oropharyngeal cancer affects part of the throat, including the base of the tongue, tonsils, soft palate (back of the mouth) and the walls of the throat (pharynx). Risk factors for this oral cancer include smoking, drinking alcohol and HPV infection. To look at how HPV status impacted the outlook of throat cancer patients, researchers worked with 118 patients - 67 of whom did not have the virus and 51 individuals who did. A total of 42 individuals in the study were African American. Here's what researchers learned: African Americans were less likely than Caucasians to have the virus (HPV-positive) as are people over the age of 50 HPV-negative patients who didn't have the virus were nearly 3 times (2.9) more likely to die as [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-07-25T09:51:54-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Best. Obit. Ever.

Source: News.Health.com This funny, surprising obituary was written by Val Patterson before he died of throat cancer earlier this month. I was Born in Salt Lake City, March 27th 1953. I died of Throat Cancer on July 10th 2012. I went to six different grade schools, then to Churchill, Skyline and the U of U. I loved school, Salt Lake City, the mountains, Utah. I was a true Scientist. Electronics, chemistry, physics, auto mechanic, wood worker, artist, inventor, business man, ribald comedian, husband, brother, son, cat lover, cynic. I had a lot of fun. It was an honor for me to be friends with some truly great people. I thank you. I’ve had great joy living and playing with my dog, my cats and my parrot. But, the one special thing that made my spirit whole, is my long love and friendship with my remarkable wife, my beloved Mary Jane. I loved her more than I have words to express. Every moment spent with my Mary Jane was time spent wisely. Over time, I became one with her, inseparable, happy, fulfilled. I enjoyed one good life. Traveled to every place on earth that I ever wanted to go. Had every job that I wanted to have. Learned all that I wanted to learn. Fixed everything I wanted to fix. Eaten everything I wanted to eat. My life motto was: “Anything for a Laugh”. Other mottos were “If you can break it, I can fix it”, “Don’t apply for a job, [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-07-19T09:14:20-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Western University profs to test robotic treatment of throat cancer

Source: metronews.ca Author: Josh Elliott Western University professors David Palma and Anthony Nichols will lead a first-ever study to see if robotic surgery can treat throat cancer while avoiding the long-term side effects that come with chemotherapy and radiation. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) allows doctors to use miniature robotic arms to operate in tight spaces where human hands can’t fit. London has the only TORS program in Canada. Early stage oropharyngeal cancer patients will be randomly assigned standard radiation care, or the new TORS treatment. Doctors will measure long-term side effects and quality of life following both treatments. Oropharyngeal cancer affects the back of the throat. Radiation therapy is effective at controlling the cancer, but some patients still suffer long-term side effects such as dry throat, difficulty swallowing, and hearing loss. “In the U.S., TORS is being used readily in the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer, in spite of the lack of high-level evidence supporting the use,” said Nichols, a head and neck cancer surgeon at London Health Sciences Centre. Palma, a radiation oncologist at LHSC, says the Western study will compare TORS treatment to traditional radiation therapy. “Before we can implement TORS, we need to prove that it meets that standard: Are the cure rates just as good, and are the side effects less?” Nichols sees reason for optimism: “Early studies of TORS show it holds promise to provide good disease control, as well as offer good speech and swallowing outcomes for patients.”

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-07-18T06:09:13-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Blacks with throat cancer get harsher therapy

Source: in.reuters.com Author: Frederik Joelving Blacks in the United States with throat cancer are more likely than whites to have surgery that leaves them unable to speak than to get gentler voice-preserving therapy, according to a study. Previous research has found a similar racial disparity in breast cancer treatment, with blacks more often having the entire breast removed instead of just the cancerous lumps. It's unclear why the disparity exists. But study leader Allen Chen, a radiation oncologist at University of California, Davis, said that poverty, less education and deep-rooted historical biases could all be at work. "There could be an underlying distrust among African Americans where they feel anything less than surgery might be considered quote-unquote experimental," Chen told Reuters Health. He referenced the Tuskegee experiment, conducted by the U.S. government from the 1930s into the 1970s, in which black patients with syphilis went untreated despite assurances to the contrary. "That sort of distrust needs to be addressed or alleviated," Chen said, because voice-preserving treatment for throat cancer, based on radiation and drug therapy, is now the standard. His study, published in the Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, is based on data from a US cancer registry including nearly 5,400 cases of laryngeal cancer between 1991 and 2008. About 80 percent of whites had voice-preserving treatment, while the rest had their voice box surgically removed - the traditional approach. Among blacks, 75 percent had the gentler therapy. While that's only a five-percent difference, "I think that's [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-07-18T06:04:33-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Researchers report early success using saliva to detect oral cancer

Source: www.nih.gov Author: press release Scientists funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, reported today taking a major step forward in using saliva to detect oral cancer. As published in the current issue of Clinical Cancer Research, the scientists found they could measure for elevated levels of four distinct cancer-associated molecules in saliva and distinguish with 91 percent accuracy between healthy people and those diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma. This so-called "proof-of-principle" study marks the first report in the scientific literature that distinct patterns of "messenger RNA" not only are measurable in saliva but can indicate a developing tumor. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is the molecular intermediate between gene and protein, serving as a chemical record that an individual gene has been expressed. According to David Wong, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., a scientist at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry and senior author on the paper, it may be possible with further refinement of the test, possibly by including additional cancer-linked mRNAs, to attain the necessary 99 to 100 percent accuracy of commercial diagnostic tests for oral squamous cell carcinoma, the sixth most common cancer in the United States. Wong noted that currently no biochemical or genetic diagnostic tests are commercially available for oral cancer. He also noted that the RNA patterns in saliva may be informative for other cancers and common diseases. "Saliva is a mirror of our blood," said Wong. "We're now conducting our initial [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-07-13T18:15:21-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Robots vs. radiation

Source: the-scientist.com Author: Bob Grant Scientists at London, Ontario-based Lawson Health Research Institute have launched the first ever study of the comparative effectiveness of robotic-assisted surgery versus radiation therapy for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer, or cancer of the back of the throat. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS), a new method for removing tumors from the throat developed in 2004, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2010, and already used in many hospitals in the United States, may be a good way for throat cancer patients to avoid some of radiation therapy’s side effects, which include speech problems, hearing loss, skin discoloration, taste changes, difficulty swallowing, and dry mouth. “Early studies of TORS show it holds promise to provide good disease control, as well as offer good speech and swallowing outcomes for patients,” said London Health Sciences Center (LHSC) head and neck surgeon Anthony Nichols in a statement cialis otc canadianviagras.com. “However, it is important that we conduct a thorough comparison of the two treatments.” Researchers conducting the so-called ORATOR trial will track quality of life, side effects, and survival in cancer patients randomly assigned to receive either TORS or radiation therapy. “Radiation has worked very well for the treatment of these cancers and has set a very high standard for treatment,” said LHSC radiation oncologist David Palma in a statement. “Before we can implement TORS, we need to prove that it meets that standard—are the cure rates just as good, and are the side effects [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2012-07-13T17:51:43-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Gardasil vaccine to be free for boys for protection against human papilloma virus

Source: Herald Sun IN a world first, Australian schoolboys will receive the Gardasil vaccine free from next year. Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek's announcement yesterday comes five years after it was first funded for girls. She said about 870,000 boys would receive Gardasil over the next four years under the national immunisation program, costing about $21 million. The vaccine, which protects against four strains of the human papilloma virus, will be funded for 12 and 13-year-old boys, but Year 9 students will also be included in a two-year catch-up program. HPV causes cervical cancer in women, as well as a range of other cancers affecting both sexes, including tumours of the head and neck. Ms Plibersek made the announcement at Brisbane's Diamantina Institute, where the vaccine was developed. She said the decision continued Australia's reputation as being a world pioneer in immunisation. "We were one of the first countries to introduce polio and measles vaccinations," the Minister said. "We're the first country to provide free HPV vaccinations for girls, and from next year we will be the first country to provide free HPV vaccinations for boys." Scientist Ian Frazer, who developed Gardasil, hailed the "important public health measure". "The papillomavirus is responsible for some of the cancers inside the mouth and throat along with cancers of the genital tract," Prof Frazer said from overseas. "This is a very safe and effective vaccine." Cancer Council Australia CEO Ian Olver said funding Gardasil for girls was already having positive impacts, decreasing the [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-07-12T08:55:51-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

HPV vaccine reduces infection, even in unvaccinated

Source: Therapeutics Daily The HPV vaccine not only has resulted in a decrease in human papillomavirus infection in immunized teens but also in teens who were not immunized. The study is believed to be the first to show a substantial decrease in HPV infection in a community setting as well as herd protection – a decrease in infection rates among unimmunized individuals that occurs when a critical mass of people in a community is immunized against a contagious disease. The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study will be published online July 9 in the eFirst pages of Pediatrics. "Infection with the types of HPV targeted by the vaccine decreased in vaccinated young women by 69 percent," says Jessica Kahn, MD, MPH, a physician in the division of Adolescent Medicine at Cincinnati Children's and lead author of the study. "Two of these HPV types, HPV-16 and HPV-18, cause about 70 percent of cervical cancer. Thus, the results are promising in that they suggest that vaccine introduction could substantially reduce rates of cervical cancer in this community in the future." The first HPV vaccine was licensed for use in the United States in June 2006. The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended vaccination of girls and women between the ages of 11 and 26 to reduce rates of HPV infection, which ultimately can lead to cervical cancer. In 2006 and 2007, Dr. Kahn and colleagues at Cincinnati Children's recruited 368 young women between the ages of 13 and 16 from [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-07-10T09:33:35-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

A New Treatment’s Tantalizing Promise Brings Heartbreaking Ups and Downs

Source: The New York Times Beth McDaniel’s oncologist, a bear of a man, hugged her and twirled her around. “Holy cow, Beth!” Dr. John J. Gohmann exclaimed. For the first time since a rare cancer appeared eight years before, her lymph nodes had shrunk to a normal size, her skin was no longer bright red and inflamed, and the itchiness that plagued her had subsided. Mrs. McDaniel, the 69-year-old wife of a retired corporate executive, had gambled on the ultimate in personalized medicine, an approach known as whole genome sequencing, and it seemed to be paying off. Scientists had compared the entire genetic sequences of the tumor cells invading her body with those in her healthy cells, searching for mutated tumor genes that could be thwarted by drugs approved for other cancers or even other diseases. That had led them to give her an expensive drug approved just a month earlier for melanoma patients. It had never been given to anyone with a blood cell cancer like hers. In theory, the drug should have killed her. Instead, it seemed to have halted or even reversed her cancer. But would it last? And what would it mean if it did not? In the end, Mrs. McDaniel’s journey to the edge of genetics research turned out to be a decidedly mixed experience. It was hard — much harder than anyone in her family had imagined — to get the sequencing and analysis done. It was breathtaking to see the results, which indicated [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-07-09T09:31:57-07:00July, 2012|Oral Cancer News|