Oral Cancer News

ADA unveils oral cancer evidence-based recommendations

Source: www.ada.org/news Author: Jennifer Garvin A panel convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs explored the potential benefits and risks of screening for oral squamous cell carcinomas and the use of screening aids to detect malignant or potentially malignant oral lesions. The panel's findings are published as the cover story in the May edition of The Journal of the American Dental Association. "Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations Regarding Screening for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas" were developed by a CSA expert panel convened in April 2009, and join similar recommendations on topical fluoride and sealants as the Association's only evidence-based recommendations. Though evidence-based dentistry (EBD) recommendations do not represent a standard of care, the CSA hopes practitioners will use the recommendations as a resource in their clinical decision-making process alongside a clinician’s judgment and experience in the context of a patient's individual needs. The panel worked with ADA Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry staff and assessed five systematic reviews and four clinical studies as a basis for developing the recommendations. They addressed whether or not screenings help reduce morbidity and mortality, and whether or not oral cancer detection devices aid in detecting potentially malignant or malignant lesions. The panel concluded that while oral cancer screenings may detect potentially malignant and/or malignant lesions, clinicians are urged to remain alert for signs the lesions may become cancerous or early stage cancers while performing routine visual and tactile examinations in all patients, particularly those who use tobacco or consume alcohol heavily. "What's most important is that [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-15T14:04:18-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Is green tea the way to better oral health?

Source: www.healthcanal.com Author: staff Drink up! We all know that Brits love a good cup of tea and now a new report shows that it could actually have a positive effect on our teeth and gums. The study, which examined the dental health of 940 men, found that those who drank green tea regularly had better oral health than those who consumed less. Male participants, aged 49–59, were examined on three indicators of gum disease: researchers found that for every cup of green tea consumed per day, a decrease in all three indicators occurred. Chief Executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, welcomed this new research and said: “Any new study which brings dental healthcare into the spotlight is a step in the right direction. “Like any study of a relatively small number of people we can never be certain of the results – but because tea is relatively cheap and easily available we must take notice of studies of this type and we at the Foundation will continue to watch and report on this and similar stories.” The British Dental Health Foundation has previously reported on studies which show a connection between drinking green tea and decreasing the growth of cancer cells in the body. The Foundation stresses that early detection is key to beating mouth cancer, Dr Carter added: “Without early diagnosis the chances of survival plummet down to 50 percent.” Around 5,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with mouth cancer each year, making it the UK’s [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-15T13:52:54-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

New optical oral cancer screening device should be developed

Source: worldental.org Author: staff Oral cancer is on the rise all around the world. According to the American Cancer Society there are almost 130,000 lethal cases that are attributed to this cancer disease annually. As such the need is every growing to better develop the methods for detecting oral cancer at an earlier stage. There is no satisfactory mechanism that currently exists to screen and detect early changes of the oral cavity in the general population. The situation is even more challenging in low resource areas and in developing countries, where a combination of the lack of expertise and the inadequate resources for oral cancer screening can mean even longer diagnosis delays, which can lead to higher mortality and morbidity. Oral cancer screening normally involves visual inspection of the entire tissue surface at risk under white light illumination. However, a number of oral cancer screening products have been designed to improve diagnostic outcomes have been commercialized and developed. Researchers continue to experiment with new and better ways to more accurately locate and distinguish potentially malignant lesions using advanced optical technologies. However, developing countries pose unique a challenge when it comes to a device that can be used by individuals with limited clinical expertise that is affordable. The goal is to provide a cost effective opportunity for oral cancer screening that will work with the persons available in those health systems. That means that you have to have a very low cost, battery powered device. No one has developed on yet [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-14T16:09:40-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

New model for oral cancer/tobacco research

Source: www.upi.com/Health_News Author: staff A carcinogen in tobacco smoke is being used in oral cancer research to provide a more relevant model to understand the disease, U.S. researchers say. Joseph Guttenplan of the the New York City College of Dentistry and Dr. Karam El-Bayoumy of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine say smoking is understood to be one of the leading causes of oral cancer, but research on oral cancer in has been limited to using synthetic carcinogens manufactured especially for cancer research, instead of examining the carcinogens that occur in tobacco smoke. The researchers injected low, medium and high doses of dibenzo(a,l)pyrene, a carcinogen in tobacco, into the mouths of 104 mice. After 38 weeks, one group of the mice developed excessive numbers of mutations in their oral tissue and within one year, 31 percent of a second group of mice displayed large tumors in their mouths. "As a result of this study, we now have a model that is significantly better than past models which relied on synthetic carcinogens," Guttenplan says in a statement. "We plan to use this new model in future studies to examine potential agents for cancer prevention." The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-14T14:40:06-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Sexually transmitted virus leads to rise in oral cancer

Source: The Boston Channel Author: Staff Boston cancer specialists are trying to learn what’s behind an “epidemic” spike in oral cancer cases that they say is caused by the human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV. “What you're seeing here is a five-fold increase in the numbers that we would expect,” said Dr. Marshall R. Posner, of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. “So that, to me, is an epidemic.” NewsCenter 5’s Heather Unruh reported Thursday that most adults have been exposed to HPV. Doctors say it can be sexually transmitted, even through deep kissing. What doctors don’t know yet is why in some people, such a common virus develops into cancer. “Most people who get infected with HPV naturally clear the virus,” said DFCI’s Dr. Karen Anderson. Anderson and her team of researchers are trying to isolate who’s at risk for oral cancer from HPV, and why. “Because then,” Anderson said, “we can focus on more aggressive screening approaches for people who are at higher risk and start to look at more therapeutic interventions earlier on.” Posner said that at least 20,000 cases of oropharyngeal cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Most patients are young. Three in four occur in men. Tony is one face among the statistics. Five days a week he psyches himself up for radiation to treat the cancer that grew at the base of his tongue, where it meets his throat. “What I say,” he said, “is, ‘It is not of me, or a [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-14T14:37:01-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Long Island friends honor their dads fight against cancer with inaugural walk on Father’s Day

Source: Long Island Exchange Author: Staff (Hicksville, N.Y.) Serena Ahne and Lisa Leone, of Long Island, are friends whose fathers are both cancer survivors; Fred Ahne, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2008 and Fred Leone, who was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2003. Both girls looked for a way to educate others about the diseases from which their fathers suffered and the answer is the first annual Fred K’s Cancer Event, being held on June 20th in Cantiague Park in Hicksville, NY. Serena and Lisa, otherwise known as the Traveling Baseball Babes, due to their avid love of New York sports, will be joined by their fathers, family members, friends and supporters, on Father’s Day, as they walk in honor of their dads and all those who have fought oral and testicular cancer. All funds raised from this inaugural event will go to the Oral Cancer Foundation and the Sean Kimerling Testicular Cancer Foundation, to help educate others about the importance of prevention and early detection through self-examinations and check-ups. The walk, which will include the two miles of the Cantiague Park’s Fitness Trail in Hicksville, NY, will take place on June 20th from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, with registration beginning at 8:00 AM. Participants are encouraged to fundraise before the day of the event, by gathering others to sponsor them in the walk, to help Lisa and Serena reach their fundraising goal of $2,000. Approximately 35,000 people in the U.S. will be newly diagnosed with oral [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-14T14:36:22-07:00May, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Smokeless tobacco can take you out of the game

Source: www.healthcanal.com Author: staff Another baseball season is under way and fans are heading to the ballpark to watch their favorite players hit home runs, steal bases, and argue over what's fair and foul. Marshall Posner, MD, says that the first step in reducing oral cancer risk is to avoid tobacco use altogether. Unfortunately, they will also see something else that many consider to be "foul" — players chewing tobacco. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) are partnering to spread the word that chewing tobacco, otherwise known as spit, dip, chew, or smokeless tobacco, is not a safe alternative to smoking. In fact, it's very addictive and a serious health risk. According to a Massachusetts survey released earlier this spring, teens may be turning away from cigarettes to other forms of tobacco, including smokeless tobacco. The report was funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and conducted by state education and health departments. The survey asked middle- and high-school students about their tobacco habits and found that for the first time, students are using smokeless tobacco and cigars more than cigarettes. Of those high-schoolers who were surveyed, 16 percent admitted to smoking cigarettes in the past 30 days, while 17.6 percent admitted to using other tobacco products, such as smokeless tobacco. "Chewing tobacco is the most dangerous form of tobacco because it comes in contact directly with the oral mucosa," states David P. Lustbader, DMD, an MDS Trustee and an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-14T14:39:59-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

HPV types 16/18 adjuvant vaccine shows long-term efficacy

Source: DocGuide.com Author: Jenny Powers NICE, France -- May 11, 2010 -- The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (types 16 and 18) AS04-adjuvanted vaccine shows a sustained immune response, as demonstrated by high levels of neutralising antibodies, up to 8.4 years after first vaccination, researchers said here at the 28th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) on May 6. Cecelia Maria Roteli-Martins, MD, Hospital Leonor Mendes de Barros-Secretaria d Saude de São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil, headed an international team that evaluated the efficacy and immunogenicity of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine by measuring neutralising antibody levels in a follow-up analysis yearly for up to 8.4 years post vaccination Healthy women aged 15 to 25 years who were DNA-negative for oncogenic HPV types, 16 and 18 with normal cytology at baseline received the vaccine (n = 560) or placebo (n = 553). A total of 223 women who were vaccinated with the active vaccine returned for extension studies, as well as 213 of the women who were given placebo. In these women, HPV-16 and 18 antibodies were measured annually. Cervical samples were taken every 6 months and gynaecological and cytopathological examinations were performed every 12 months. All (100%) of the women in the trial have remained seropositive for HPV-16 and -18 antibodies. After 2 years of follow-up, 5 incident infections and 1 infection of low grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion or higher (LSIL) associated with HPV 16 and 18 occurred in the placebo group. The vaccine efficacy [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-13T07:58:42-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

FDA’s risk aversion is endangering children

Source: Forbes.com Author: Henry Miller The agency has sown confusion by asking physicians to stop administering a vaccine that even they admit is safe. By applying its now-customary excessive precaution, the FDA has painted itself into a most interesting corner. The result will likely be confusion among pediatricians and the public and parents reluctant to permit their children to get an important vaccination. And that in turn will cause unnecessary cases of rotavirus infection, debilitating diarrhea and, in a few children, death. The FDA last March asked pediatricians to stop administering GlaxoSmithKline's ( GSK - news - people ) Rotarix, a vaccine that prevents rotavirus infection, a diarrheal illness that commonly affects infants and children and that can cause severe dehydration. Their rationale was self-contradictory and unpersuasive. On one hand, the FDA seemed still to be confident about the vaccine, explaining that, "Extensive studies, including placebo-controlled, randomized clinical studies involving tens of thousands of vaccine recipients, support the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine." And the positive experience of countless infants and children vaccinated since the licensing of the vaccine two years ago further confirms its safety. So why do regulators want a "pause" in administration? Because using a new ultra-sensitive assay, small amounts of DNA from a pig virus were detected in the vaccine preparation. That might sound like a good reason for concern--except that the FDA itself confirms "that the material has been present since the early stages of product development, including during clinical studies." In other words, all of the studies that confirmed the [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-13T07:58:04-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Plastic surgery gives ‘ green’ doctor his tongue & voice back

Source: www.thefreelibrary.com Author: staff His lifelong mission has been to save trees. He used to spend a lot of time delivering lectures, shouting slogans and transplanting trees. But three months ago, all this came to an abrupt end as Dr Nitin Pandey was diagnosed with tongue cancer of the second stage. A paediatrician by profession, he could hardly speak and doctors at the Capital's Max hospital had no option except chopping off half his tongue carrying the deadly cancer cells But thanks to reconstructive plastic surgery, Pandey has now got not only a new tongue but also his voice back. Today he is back doing what he loves best -- creating awareness about our vegetation at his hometown in Dehradun. But all this would have been impossible had not the doctors at the hospital made a timely intervention. "Generally people chewing tobacco and tobacco products suffer from tongue cancer. But Pandey was unfortunate that he caught the disease without using tobacco. We had to perform a surgery to remove his left half of the tongue," said Dr Vedant Kabra, consultant surgical oncologist at the hospital. After half his tongue was removed, Pandey could neither speak nor drink or eat. Hence, a reconstruction became necessary. Doctors carried out a complex 10- hour surgery to help Pandey speak again. "We took tissue from his forearm and reconstructed his tongue. The arm has two arteries and it can do with one only. So we took an artery from the forearm along with a [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-09T10:32:37-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|