Oral Cancer News – Page 182

Prevalence and Treatment Management of Oropharyngeal Candidiasis in Cancer Patients: Results of the French Candidoscope Study

Source: RedJournal.org Purpose The aim of this pharmaco-epidemiological study was to evaluate the prevalence of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Methods and Materials Signs and symptoms of OPC were noted for all patients. Antifungal therapeutic management was recorded in OPC patients. Patients receiving local antifungal treatments were monitored until the end of treatment. Results Enrolled in the study were 2,042 patients with solid tumor and/or lymphoma treated with chemotherapy and/or another systemic cancer treatment and/or radiotherapy. The overall prevalence of OPC was 9.6% (95% confidence interval, 8.4%–11.0%] in this population. It was most frequent in patients treated with combined chemoradiotherapy (22.0%) or with more than two cytotoxic agents (16.9%). Local antifungal treatments were prescribed in 75.0% of OPC patients as recommended by guidelines. The compliance to treatment was higher in patients receiving once-daily miconazole mucoadhesive buccal tablet (MBT; 88.2%) than in those treated with several daily mouthwashes of amphotericin B (40%) or nystatin (18.8%). Conclusion OPC prevalence in treated cancer patients was high. Local treatments were usually prescribed as per guidelines. Compliance to local treatments was better with once-daily drugs. This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-20T10:51:07-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Palifermin Decreases Severe Oral Mucositis of Patients Undergoing Postoperative Radiochemotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Source: OncologyStat.com TAKE-HOME MESSAGE This randomized, placebo-controlled trial found that weekly palifermin was associated with decreased incidence and duration of severe oral mucositis in patients undergoing postoperative chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. SUMMARY OncologySTAT Editorial Team Combined chemoradiotherapy (CRT) offers improved outcomes after resection of locally advanced head and neck cancer but also increases the risk of oral mucositis, a debilitating and potentially dose-limiting toxicity of locoregional treatment. Palifermin, an analogue of keratinocyte growth factor, is FDA approved to prevent and treat mucositis in patients undergoing high-dose myelotoxic therapy for hematologic malignancies. In this multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, Henke et al evaluated whether palifermin reduces severe oral mucositis in patients undergoing CRT after surgical resection of locally advanced head and neck cancer. Adult patients receiving postoperative CRT for high-risk stage II to IVB head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and with an ECOG performance status of 0 to 2 were enrolled from 38 centers in Europe, Australia, and Canada. Eligible study patients were stratified by tumor location (oral cavity/oropharynx or hypopharynx/larynx) and residual tumor (R0 [complete resection] or R1 [incomplete resection]). Study patients received a radiation dose of 60 Gy (R0 group) or 66 Gy (R1 group) plus cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 1 and 22, with the study drug administered 3 days prior to starting CRT and then weekly for 6 weeks. Patients who underwent radiotherapy after 6 weeks received an additional 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin and study drug. Oral saline rinses, topical anesthetics, feeding tubes, and hematopoietic [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-20T10:21:43-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Nanotechnology targets head/neck cancer

Source: www.drbicuspid.com Author: DrBicuspid Staff Preclinical studies have shown that the NanoSmart drug-delivery system from Aura Biosciences can enable earlier detection of head and neck and other cancers, and provide precisely targeted treatment of those cancers, according to the company. Aura Biosciences has raised an additional $4.5 million from private investors to advance this research and has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the National Institutes of Health to further develop and eventually commercialize the technology. "Malignant tumors of epithelial tissues are the most common form of cancer and are responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. Mortality is linked increasingly to early metastasis, which is often undetected at the time of primary diagnosis," stated Elisabet de los Pinos, PhD, founder and CEO of Aura Biosciences, in a press release. "The development of a real-time detection system that is sensitive and specific for epithelial tumors, and that can further enable a targeted treatment to distant metastases, could lead to major improvements in efficacy and survival rates." NanoSmart utilizes nanosphere particles (NSPs) that have a selective tropism for epithelial-derived tumor cells. With NanoSmart, fluorescing molecules are encapsulated into these NSPs, which then selectively target diseased tissue, penetrate the cancerous cells, and release a fluorescent signal that can be visualized in real-time with existing medical imaging equipment. The same NSP vehicle can also be loaded with a chemotherapeutic drug to deliver a lethal dose directly to the tumor cancer cells, ostensibly increasing the drug's efficacy while [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-19T19:25:28-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

What accounts for racial differences in head/neck cancer?

Source: www.drbicuspid.com Author: DrBicuspid Staff Why are African-Americans more likely than Caucasians not only to be diagnosed with head and neck cancer, but also to die from the disease? While the answer isn't a simple one, differences in lifestyle, access to care, and tumor genetics may be partly to blame, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital. The study, which was presented September 14 at the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation's annual meeting in San Francisco, also found that African-Americans are more likely to be past or current smokers, one of the primary risk factors for head and neck cancer. "We're really trying to understand why African-Americans with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma do so poorly," said lead author Maria Worsham, PhD, director of research in the department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Henry Ford, in a news release. "Using a comprehensive set of risk factors that are known to have some bearing on the disease, we're able to gain a better understanding of what contributes to racial differences and work to help improve patient care." This year alone, it's estimated that 52,140 new cases of head and neck cancer will be diagnosed, and roughly 11,460 will die in 2011 from oral cavity and pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers, she and her team members noted. African-Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and have a worse five-year survival rate than Caucasians. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-19T19:21:47-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New cigarette packs will shock

Source: www.adelaidenow.com.au Author: Samantha Maiden Shocking new warnings for cigarette packets will feature sick babies, a dying man and a naked smoker with a colostomy bag. Health Minister Nicola Roxon launched the new health warnings yesterday and confirmed plans to stamp tobacco products with the images from July next year. And the giant warnings will cover 75 per cent of cigarette packets - rather than the current 30 per cent. The new warnings will appear at the same time as world-first plain packaging that will force manufacturers to sell cigarettes in plain, olive-brown packets. The new plain-packing rules will ban branding of any form, removing the last forum for tobacco advertising in Australia. Other images include horrific images of a man dying of lung cancer with his eyes rolled back. A rotting, gangrenous foot and images of a man with tongue cancer are also included. Ms Roxon launched the discussion paper, conceding they were "striking and confronting reminders of the death and disease that tobacco brings." She said the shock tactics were a proven, effective way of helping people to kick the habit. "Seeing the heartbreaking harm that can be caused to an unborn baby or the horrific effects of cancer is a shocking reminder that quitting smoking is one of the best things that someone can do to improve their health," she said. "And 15,000 Australians die from tobacco each year. That's too many families mourning a loved one and why the Government is acting to protect the health [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-19T19:14:30-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Primary component in turmeric kicks off cancer-killing mechanisms in human saliva

Source: Eurekalert.org Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The inhibition of the cell signaling pathway also correlated with reduced expression of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules, in the saliva that promote cancer growth, said Dr. Marilene Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery, senior author of the study and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher. "This study shows that curcumin can work in the mouths of patients with head and neck malignancies and reduce activities that promote cancer growth," Wang said. "And it not only affected the cancer by inhibiting a critical cell signaling pathway, it also affected the saliva itself by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines within the saliva." The study appears Sept. 15 in Clinical Cancer Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association of Cancer Research. Turmeric is a naturally occurring spice widely used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking and has long been known to have medicinal properties, attributed to its anti-inflammatory effects. Previous studies have shown it can suppress the growth of certain cancers. In India, women for years have been using turmeric as an anti-aging agent rubbed into their skin, to treat cramps during menstruation and as a poultice on the skin to promote wound healing. A 2005 study by Wang and her team first showed that curcumin suppressed the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-13T11:02:22-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

New Study Shows that Fatty Acids Reduces Effectiveness of Chemotherapy

Source: Medicalexpress.com Researchers at University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, have discovered a substance that has an adverse effect on nearly all types of chemotherapy - making cancer cells insensitive to the treatment. Chemotherapy often loses effectiveness over time. It is often unclear how or why this happens. It now appears that chemotherapy is made ineffective by two types of fatty acid that are made by stem cells in the blood. Under the influence of cisplatin chemotherapy, the stem cells secrete these fatty acids that induce resistance to a broad spectrum of chemotherapies. These substances are referred to by researchers as 'PIFAs' which stands for platinum-induced fatty acids. Cisplatin is a type of chemotherapy that is widely used for the treatment of cancer, including cancer of the lungs and ovaries. Tumors under the skin The researchers studied the effect of PIFA's in mice and human cells. The mice studied had tumors under the skin. Under normal conditions, the tumors would decrease in size following the administration of chemotherapy. In the study, after administering the fatty acids to the mice, the tumors were found to be insensitive to chemotherapy. The fatty acids were isolated from the medium in which chemotherapy exposed stem cells were grown. But also stem cells in the blood of patients produce the fatty acids that desensitize tumors to chemotherapy. The fatty acids are also found in commercially-produced fish oil supplements containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as in some algae extracts. In the experiments conducted [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-13T10:50:40-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Chemotherapy breakthrough could dramatically reduce side-effects

Source: www.guardian.co.uk Author: Alok Jha, science correspondent The Guardian, Scientists have developed 'smart-bomb chemotherapy' which can isolate and destroy tumours without damaging healthy cells. Cancer researchers have developed a "smart bomb" treatment that can target tumours with drugs while leaving healthy body cells intact. The technique means that patients will suffer fewer side-effects from the toxic drugs used in chemotherapy. The side-effects of cancer therapy – including hair loss, nausea and suppression of the immune system – can be debilitating. In many cases, the effects of the drugs can contribute to the ultimate cause of death. In experiments on mice, Laurence Patterson of the University of Bradford found that he could localise a cancer drug to the site of tumours and thereby limit its toxic impact in the body. All the animals, which had been implanted with human cancer cells responded to the targeted treatment and saw their tumours shrink. In half the animals, the tumours disappeared altogether. Professor Patterson will present his work at the British Science Festival in Bradford on Monday. "We've got a sort of smart bomb that will only be active in the tumour and will not cause damage to normal tissue," he said. "It's a new cancer treatment that could be effective against pretty much all types of tumour – we've looked at colon, prostate, breast, lung and sarcoma so far, and all have responded very well to this treatment." The drug is based on a modified version of an existing drug called colchicine [see [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-09-12T20:07:02-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

HPV vaccine may be as easy as just 1-2

Source: American Council on Science and Health Author: Staff Proven to be the leading cause of cervical cancer, the human papillomavirus (HPV) has recently been linked to anal and oral cancer as well. That’s why it’s important for young men and women to protect themselves against those strains of the virus with the HPV vaccine. Currently, the vaccine schedule consists of three shots that are spaced months apart, but unfortunately, a three-dose regimen may not be economically feasible for many. That’s why the results of a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute provide hope that receiving only two HPV vaccine doses — or even a single dose — may be enough to confer immunity. For the purposes of their study, researchers from the National Cancer Institute’s epidemiology division recruited 7,500 women between the ages of 18 and 25 who were HPV-negative; these women then received either three doses of the Cervarix vaccine against HPV, or a control (hepatitis A vaccine). Over a four year follow-up period, 929 women received only two doses of the vaccine, while 551 received only one. Surprisingly, the resistance to HPV infection among women who received two shots was just as high as it was among women who received all three shots. The study authors point out that a two-dose regimen has the potential to reduce cervical cancer incidence more effectively than the standard three-dose regimen since more women, especially in low-income regions, would opt to receive the shorter treatment regimen. The results, however, are [...]

Charlotte Parker2011-09-12T17:07:18-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer drug resistance strategy uncovered

Source: Cancer Research UK Author: Staff Friday 9 September 2011- US scientists have identified a way in which cancer cells can become resistant to the cancer drug cetuximab (Erbitux), and suggest that treatments that are already available might be able to overcome this resistance. Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, US, have been studying why some patients only experience short-term benefits with cetuximab, or none at all. Cetuximab is an antibody that interferes with cancer cell growth. It can be given in combination with chemotherapy to patients with bowel cancer or head and neck cancer. Until now, scientists didn't know why some cancers failed to respond to the drug, or initially responded but then became resistant. The new study, published in Science Translational Medicine, found that in some of the drug-resistant cells, a protein known as ErbB2 (also known as HER2/neu) was sending 'grow' signals. These were bypassing the 'stop growing' signals caused by the drug. Pasi Janne, the study's co-senior author, said: "ErbB2 activates a critical signalling pathway that is not normally blocked by cetuximab, and in this way subverts cetuximab's function. "Because ErbB2 isn't affected by cetuximab, this is an easy way for cancers to become resistant to the drug." The researchers suggest that combining cetuximab with already available ErbB2 inhibitors such as trastuzumab (Herceptin) could produce an effective therapy to tackle cancers that previously showed resistance to cetuximab. Henry Scowcroft, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Unfortunately, patients's tumours can become resistant to treatment, and understanding why this happens is a [...]

Charlotte Parker2011-09-09T12:20:44-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|