Oral Cancer News

Bummer – More oral sex equals more oral cancer

The Science Blog A new study of oropharyngeal cancer suggests that dramatic increases in U.S. incidence of the cancer and survival since 1984 can be attributed to infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Using samples collected from registries in three states, researchers showed that the proportion of oropharyngeal cancers – particularly among men – that tested positive for HPV increased significantly over time, from slightly more than 16 percent of such cancers diagnosed during the 1980s to more than 70 percent diagnosed during the 2000s. Based on these trends the researchers predict that incidence of oropharyngeal cancers will exceed that of cervical cancer in the next decade. Previous studies have shown that oropharyngeal cancers can be divided into two separate diseases with distinct causes: HPV-negative cancers, which are associated with tobacco and alcohol use; and HPV-positive cancers, which are linked to certain types of HPV, a sexually transmitted virus. Patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer also tend to be younger than those who are HPV-negative. Clinically, patients with HPV-positive cancer tend to have better survival compared to those with HPV-negative disease. “We used to think of oropharyngeal cancer as one cancer, and now we know the disease is comprised of two biologically and epidemiologically distinct cancers. This new understanding will increasingly enable us to improve and better personalize care for patients with each form of the disease,” said senior author Maura Gillison, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and Jeg Coughlin Chair of Cancer Research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-10-04T07:51:02-07:00October, 2011|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Cancer spike, mainly in men, tied to HPV from oral sex

Sharp rise in head and neck cancers begs question of vaccine for males By Brian Alexander Men's Health, msnbc.com A huge spike in the number of head and neck cancers linked to HPV over nearly two decades is raising alarms about the risk of the sexually contracted infections in a whole new population: men. Between 1988 and 2004, head, neck and throat cancers that tested positive for the human papilloma virus rose an astounding 225 percent, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Within the next decade, the study authors argue, the incidence of such cancers — which are almost always contracted as a result of oral sex — will surpass that of cervical cancer, and the majority of those cases are going to be in men. That’s a point often missed in public talk about HPV infection — and the vaccine that can prevent it. In the recent controversy over comments made by presidential candidate Michele Bachmann about the HPV vaccine, the focus was squarely on young women and cervical cancer. But HPV, mainly a strain called HPV-16, also causes oropharyngeal and anal cancer, a fact not often publicized because medical organizations, the government, and academics would rather not step into any debates about sex practices. Story: Guys, man up and get vaccinated: HPV is your responsibility Until recently, head and neck cancers were primarily diagnosed in older people, with an average age of 60, said Dr. Gregory Masters, an expert with the American Society of Clinical Oncology. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-10-03T16:28:36-07:00October, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New study finds that HPV caused oral cancers to increase

The Oral Cancer Foundation In a new study funded by the National Cancer Institute, Ohio State University and the Oral Cancer Foundation, the forecast for the incidence of posterior of the mouth oral cancers shows that they have been increasing in incidence in recent years, and that trend is going to continue. These cancers are caused by a virus transmitted during oral sex, researchers reported on Monday in an article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The virus is the same one that causes many cases of cervical cancer: human papillomavirus (HPV) Type 16. There are about 130 varieties of HPV that are currently known. Researchers tested tumor samples from 271 patients with certain types of throat cancer diagnosed from 1984 to 2004. The virus was found in only 16 percent of the samples from the 1980s — but in 72 percent of those collected after 2000. The researchers estimated that over all, these oropharyngeal cancers (base of tongue, tonsil and oropharynx) sometimes referred to as throat cancers, caused by the virus have increased to 2.6 per 100,000 people in 2004, from 0.8 cases per 100,000 people in 1988. If the trend continues, by 2020 the virus will be causing more throat cancer than cervical cancer, the study concluded. The rise in these cancers has been recognized by doctors and treatment institutions in the United States and other countries, caused by HPV16, but the extent was unclear until this publication. If that trend continues, that type of oral cancer will become the nation's main HPV-related cancer within the decade, surpassing [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-10-03T16:41:13-07:00October, 2011|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Increase in oral cancers linked to HPV

Source: thechart.blogs.cnn.com Author: Saundra Young - CNN Medical Senior Producer The human papillomavirus is contributing to the growing number of head and neck cancers in the United States, according to a new study Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study found that the number of cases of oropharyngeal cancer - cancers of the tonsil, back of the mouth (throat) and base of the tongue - has been on the rise since the mid-1980s. The study suggests that one reason could an increase in the number of people having oral sex resulting in oral human papillomavirus exposure. Researchers say these cancers fall into two categories–those caused by tobacco and alcohol and those caused by the sexually transmitted virus, HPV. They now believe approximately 70% of all oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV infection. "We used to think of oropharyngeal cancer as one cancer," said senior author Dr. Maura Gillison, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus. "Now we know the disease is comprised of two biologically and epidemiologically distinct cancers. This new understanding will increasingly enable us to improve and better personalize care for patients with each form of the disease." Researchers tested cancer tissue samples from almost 6,000 patients in Hawaii, Iowa and Los Angeles between 1984 and 2004. They found the HPV-positive cancers increased 225% while HPV-negative oropharynx cancers dropped 50%–most likely because of a reduction in smoking and tobacco use. Even so, patients with HPV-positive cancers live longer. "Patients with HPV positive cancers have [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-10-03T13:51:20-07:00October, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New Study Indicates Tobacco Industry Was Aware of Their Own Products Dangers

Source: USA Today Tobacco companies knew for decades that cigarette smoke was radioactive and potentially carcinogenic but kept that information from the public, according to a new study. The tobacco industry began investigations into the possible effects of these radioactive particles, identified as polonium-210, on smokers as early as the 1960s, says the study by UCLA researchers who analyzed dozens of previously unexamined industry documents. "I've not seen a document before that's specifically cited the industry's own internal research finding that sufficient levels of polonium-210 can cause cancer," says Matt Myers of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. He says the study reinforces the need for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to scrutinize tobacco products. This week, the FDA began requiring tobacco companies to disclose detailed information about new products and changes to existing ones. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, suggests the FDA make removal of the radioative particles from tobacco products a top priority. "We used to think that only the chemicals in the cigarettes were causing lung cancer," said Hrayr S. Karagueuzian, lead author of the study. Now, Karagueuzian said, the industry's own research shows that polonium-210, absorbed by tobacco leaves and inhaled by smokers, is dangerous. He said UCLA researchers found that the radioactivity could cause 120 to 138 deaths for every 1,000 regular smokers over a 25-year period. Karagueuzian said tobacco companies have declined techniques that could help eliminate polonium-210 from tobacco because of concern that smokers might lose the "instant [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-30T22:15:38-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New HPV Study Proves Vaccine’s Effectiveness

Source: Cancer.gov A flurry of new research findings on a vaccine that prevents persistent infections by cancer-causing types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) has confirmed the vaccine's efficacy and opened new avenues for research. The results, published in three separate reports, suggest that the vaccine could be simpler to administer and more affordable than researchers had previously thought—and that the vaccine may also have unexpected benefits. All three studies originate from an ongoing clinical trial of Cervarix in Costa Rica. The new findings could help inform efforts to develop vaccination programs to prevent cervical cancer in countries around the world, the researchers said. "The results from our trial and from other trials are extremely promising for this vaccine," said Dr. Allan Hildesheim of NCI's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), a leader of the trial. "And they suggest that the impact of the vaccine may go beyond cervical disease." HPV infections can lead to cancers of the anus, vagina, vulva, penis, and some oropharyngeal cancers, in addition to cervical cancer. Cervarix is one of two HPV vaccines currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent these infections; the other is Gardasil. One of the studies found that fewer than the prescribed three doses of Cervarix may offer the same protection as the full course. If confirmed, this could make vaccination easier to administer and more affordable, factors that are especially important in developing countries that have high rates of cervical cancer. A second study from the Costa [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-27T11:19:48-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

HPV Vaccine and Premarital-Sex Controversy

Source: The News Tribune Some perspective is needed on the controversy over the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that arose after a recent Republican presidential debate. The best way to do that is to take sex out of the equation. Instead of preventing a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical cancer in women and oral cancer in men, let’s say the HPV vaccine guarded against a fictional virus that caused breast cancer and prostate cancer. Wouldn’t most parents jump at the chance to decrease the chances of their children contracting those potentially deadly cancers? Only the most hard-core anti-vaccine holdout would say no. Which gets us back to the sex part of the HPV equation and why some otherwise rational people don’t think children should be inoculated against it. They oppose the HPV vaccine – Cervarix or Gardasil – because they fear that removing one of the consequences of premarital sex would encourage it. It’s a weak argument. The fear of STDs and pregnancy hasn’t put much of a damper on teens having sex, so it’s hard to see why the chance of developing cancer several years down the road would slow them down. They also know that smoking can cause lung cancer, but many still do it. Sometimes parents have to do things to protect kids from themselves – and teens from their hormones. Most young people will not wait until marriage to have sexual relations; parents who think not getting their children vaccinated against HPV will deter [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-27T10:32:53-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

MRI can show jaw invasion of oral cancer

Source: www.medpagetoday.com Author: Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer Oral cancer's spread to the mandible could not hide from a type of MRI that may facilitate more accurate staging and surgical planning, data from laboratory studies suggest. Sweep imaging with Fourier transform (SWIFT) provided fine-detail views of cortical and medullary bone specimens, and the images exhibited good correlation with histopathologic findings. The in-vitro studies did not specifically examine SWIFT's ability to identify early cortical bone invasion by oral cancer. However, the high-quality images obtained from the investigation provide reason for optimism, the researchers reported in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. "Our study is very promising in that it offers a SWIFT-based MRI technique for accurate assessment of minute changes of cortical and medullary bone in three dimensions without any ionizing radiation," Ayse Tuba Karagulle Kendi, MD, of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and co-authors wrote. "It has the potential to precisely determine the extent of mandibular bone invasion associated with oral carcinoma. This study is a crucial step toward the goal of developing a robust and noninvasive approach for preoperative imaging of mandibular invasion," they added. Carcinoma of the oral cavity often spreads to the mandible, but in many instances does not cross the periosteal layer, obviating the need for mandibulectomy. Limitations of current imaging techniques often preclude determination of bone invasion prior to surgery, the authors noted. MRI and CT have been used most often to evaluate mandibular invasion of oral cancer, but conventional [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-23T16:35:59-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Researchers find potential new therapeutic strategy for head and neck cancer

Source: www.uab.edu Author: Beena Thannickal Shih-Hsin (Eddy) Yang, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor in the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology and associate scientist in the experimental therapeutics program at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, found a way to prevent head and neck cancer cells from repairing damage to DNA as they grow. The findings, published by the Public Library of Science, showed that using the drug cetuximab can induce a DNA repair defect in head and neck cancer cells, and subsequently render the tumors susceptible to PARP inhibitors, which block enzymes that repair some types of DNA damage. This method prevents cancer cells from repairing the damage to the DNA as they grow, ultimately leading to cancer inhibition. Poly ADP-ribose polymerases, or PARPs, are enzymes that repair some types of damage done to DNA. If they are inhibited, a backup repair pathway is initiated. Cetuximab, which inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway of cancer cells, blocks this backup pathway and thus induces cancer cell death. “The novelty of this finding is that we use targeted agents like cetuximab, in combination with a PARP inhibitor, ABT-888, both of which have already been tested to be safe in humans, to selectively kill tumors defective in DNA repair while potentially minimizing side effects,” says Yang. Cetuximab was pioneered by James Bonner, M.D., chair of the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology, in a landmark multi-institutional clinical trial in head and neck cancer patients. Because head and neck cancers are frequently aggressive, outcomes [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-23T16:29:08-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

HPV links to throat cancer in males

Source: www.thesimmonsvoice.com Author: Emese Nemeth Whether it is your first year or you are returning to college, there are always emails and pamplets about immunizations. While some vaccines are mandatory for public safety and health, vaccines such as Gardasil (also known as Silgard) for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are not. While some may argue that it is relatively new vaccine and side effects may be uncertain, the benefits are starting to out-weigh the risks. Gardasil was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 to vaccinate against the four most common strains of HPV: types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Seventy percent of cervical cancer is caused by types 16 and 18. Types 16 and 18 are also known to cause HPV induced cancer of the anus, vulva, vagina and penis. The other two types, 6 and 11 are known to cause ninety percent of genital wart cases. More recently, HPV has been linked to induce throat cancer, specifically, oropharyngeal cancer. The American Society of Clinical Oncology also believes that "the annual occurrence of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer among men will surpass that of cervical cancer among women by the year 2020." Why throat cancer is more prevalent in men is still unclear, but throat cancer still affects both sexes with 6,700 cases of HPV-positive oropharynx cancers in 2010. While cervical cancer is on the decline due to regular pap smears, throats are only examined due to pain or unusual symptoms. Although Gardasil does not claim to prevent throat [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-23T16:21:46-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|