Source: Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology Volume 37, Number 4, 2009 229-232 Authors: Juan P. Gambini et al. Preliminary findings have suggested that 99mTc-glucarate has tumor-seeking properties. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of this tracer to evaluate malignant head and neck tumors by means of SPECT/CT software fusion imaging. Methods: Eleven male patients with advanced head and neck carcinoma were included in the study: 9 with locally advanced disease and 2 with clinical suspicion of local relapse. Scanning started 3–6 h after the injection of 1,110 MBq of 99mTc-glucarate. Planar and SPECT images of the head, neck, and thorax were acquired. Three-dimensional images were also coregistered with CT. Results: We found 99mTc-glucarate uptake in all suspected lesions. SPECT/CT fusion imaging was helpful in all cases for topographically localizing the tracer foci. Conclusion: 99mTc-glucarate can be considered a potential tracer for the evaluation of patients with head and neck tumors. Authors: Juan P. Gambini1, Margarita Nuñez2, Pablo Cabral3, Martín Lafferranderie4, Javier Noble5, Eduardo Corchs5, Ricardo D'Albora4, Eduardo Savio6, Lucía Delgado7 and Omar Alonso1,2 Authors' affiliations: 1 Nuclear Medicine Center, Clinical Hospital, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 2 School of Medical Technology, Nuclear Medicine Technology Program, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 3 Nuclear Investigations Center, School of Science, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 4 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Clinical Hospital, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 5 Department of Radiology, Clinical Hospital, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; 6 Department of Radiochemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; [...]

Source: Ivanhoe News Author: Staff MIAMI (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- For a patient with head and neck cancer, the cure rate is only 30 percent. That's because the disease is often detected in the late stages. Now catching the cancer earlier may be as simple as gargling and spitting in a cup.  A new mouthwash may be able to see what doctors can't. Edie Acosta calls them her angels … the niece and nephew who gave her the courage to fight cancer. "They cut from here, all the way down here," Acosta told Ivanhoe. On her neck is the scar where a stage IV tumor was removed less than a year ago. "It seemed bigger and bigger 'til it got to the size of a fist, a man's fist, and I couldn't even move my neck," Acosta said. "You feel like a little bird whose wings got cut and you can't fly anymore. I just, I thought I was really gonna die." For patients like Acosta, late stage diagnosis makes treating neck cancer more difficult. Researchers developed a quick, inexpensive mouthwash to detect head and neck cancers earlier. The patient rinses with the saline mouthwash. After they spit it out, doctors add antibodies that identify molecules involved with cancer. In about 48 hours, if there's cancer detected in the saliva, the molecules show up in color. "We've found that these molecules show up differently in the oral rinses from patients that have cancer compared to patients that don't have cancer," Elizabeth [...]

Source: The Wall Street Journal Author: Mike Spector Officials at charities are trying to devise creative ways to stand out. They are making urgent appeals through direct-mail and email campaigns and taking to the airwaves. Charities also are gearing up to tap their wealthy board members and other well-off supporters for extra cash. If they fail, charities may have to cut staff or seek loans. At Covenant House New York, the nation's largest adolescent-care agency, which serves homeless, runaway and at-risk youths, board members convened Thursday and discussed a possible "doomsday" scenario in case they lose upwards of 40% of their income, said Georgia Boothe, the nonprofit's associate executive director. The charity needs to raise about $3 million through direct mail in December, she said, adding, "We're worried." Direct-mail giving in July was off 15%, she said. New York-based City Harvest, which feeds the hungry and has counted Lehman among its top five corporate donors, had set a goal of raising $5.7 million between November and January and $3 million in December alone. Much of that was expected to come from Wall Street bonuses. "Things have changed drastically in the last week or two," said executive director Jilly Stephens, who said the need for her group's services is rising. "We're heading into a period of the unknown." Still, she said she was encouraged that about 525 people turned out for the group's first silent auction of photographs on Thursday night. The event raised about $217,000. Gordon J. Campbell, president and [...]