Oral Cancer News – Page 287

Effectiveness of VitalStim therapy for patients suffering in published study

Source: Reuters.com Author: Staff Published Study Demonstrates Effectiveness of VitalStim Therapy for Patients Suffering with Dysphagia A recent study published in the April 2008 issue of the Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology has revealed the positive clinical effect of the adjunctive use of VitalStim(R) Therapy. A leading brand within the Empi Recovery Sciences line of pain management and rehabilitation products, VitalStim is a non-invasive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device for the treatment of dysphagia. Results of the study were also originally presented at the American Association of Speech-Language Pathology Conference in Miami, Fla. in November 2006. Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a sorely neglected medical condition which affects 15 million Americans and is generally caused by a neurological disorder or event, such as a stroke, degenerative neurological diseases and head and neck cancer. Without proper management, dysphagia can lead to aspiration, pneumonia, choking, chronic malnutrition, severe life-threatening dehydration, an increased rate of infection, longer hospital stays, long-term institutional care and even death. VitalStim Therapy is a non-invasive external electrical stimulation therapy that was cleared to market by the FDA in December 2002. VitalStim is a portable, dual-channel electrotherapy system that is used with electrodes specifically designed for application to the muscles of the throat to promote swallowing. Entitled "Adjunctive Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Treatment-Refractory Dysphagia," the study details the measured clinical effect of the VitalStim program on six patients with chronic, treatment-refractive dysphagia. The study describes a prospective case series using validated outcome measures to represent different domains and [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-07-15T13:04:51-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Honey may reduce inflammation in cancer patients

Source: www.onlinenews.com.pk Author: staff A special type of indigenous honey available in New Zealand has special anti-infection properties that may help reduce inflammation in cancer patients, say scientists. Manuka honey's healing powers have been known for centuries. It has been used as a medicine since the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a cure all. The Christie Hospital in Didsbury, Manchester, have been using special honey-coated dressings at the Manchester Royal Infirmary since May, reported the online edition of BBC News. "Manuka honey has special anti-inflammatory and anti-infection properties and is believed to reduce the likelihood of infection," said Nick Slevin, a specialist at the hospital. The hospital is buying Manuka honey, produced by bees that mainly feed on the Manuka bush from New Zealand, in bulk. The doctors at the hospital now plan to use it on mouth and throat cancer patients. According to doctors, 60 patients at the hospital are taking part in a study to see if the honey can prevent infections that may be resistant to antibiotics.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-12T09:16:04-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Lessons we can learn from Mayo

Source: www.chron.com Author: Leonard L. Berry & Kent D. Seltman Three goals underscore our nation's ongoing health care reform debate: 1) insurance for the uninsured, 2) improved quality and 3) reduced cost. Mayo Clinic serves as a model for higher quality health care at a lower cost. President Barack Obama, after referencing Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, advised, “We should learn from their successes and promote the best practices, not the most expensive ones.” Atul Gawande writes in The New Yorker, “Rochester, Minnesota, where the Mayo Clinic dominates the scene, has fantastically high levels of technological capability and quality, but its Medicare spending is in the lowest 15 percent of the country — $6,688 per enrollee in 2006.” Two pivotal lessons from our recent in-depth study of Mayo Clinic demonstrate cost efficiency and clinical effectiveness. Patient-first medicine: Throughout its 140-year history, Mayo Clinic has never put money first but lives its primary value: The needs of the patient come first. Mayo doctors, as all employees, are on salary. And the physicians are not extravagantly paid as their salaries are targeted between the 70th and 80th percentiles of a national physician compensation survey that includes the leading academic medical centers in the U.S. No doctor earns more by ordering an extra test or procedure. No doctor earns less by referring a patient to another Mayo physician with more expertise. Core values guide organizational behavior, and Mayo Clinic's patient-first core value guides the more than 43,000 employees. For instance, the head of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-12T09:11:10-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Vaccine debate shifts to boys

Source: www.buffalonews.com Author: Henry L. Davis Parents who face the dilemma of whether to protect their young daughters with a vaccine aimed at a sexually transmitted infection that causes cervical cancer now face a new question: Should they do the same for their sons? As evidence mounts of a rising number of other cancers linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a debate has intensified over whether to give the vaccine to males. Advocates say vaccinating boys and men can prevent them from passing on the virus to their sexual partners. Critics still question the long-term safety and effectiveness of Merck & Co.’s Gardasil, despite studies indicating that its risks and lasting power are within the range of other vaccines. But a newer wrinkle in the debate is the discovery in recent years that oral HPV infections — most likely acquired from oral sex with multiple partners—significantly increase the risk of head and neck cancers. The rate of oral cancers is rising so steadily, especially in men, that, if the trend continues, there may be more oral cancers in the United States caused by HPV in 10 years than by tobacco or alcohol, a major study concluded last year. “We should be investing our care and dollars in preventing HPV infection instead of treating the cancers,” said Dr. Thom Loree of Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Physicians at the cancer center have begun publicly touting the benefits of the vaccine on males after seeing an increase in the number of throat [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-12T09:00:58-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

RCT treatment for cancer in India

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com Author: staff This information might come as a breather for cancer patients who go through bouts of pain during chemotherapy. Regional Chemotherapy (RCT), a latest development, promises to deliver higher survival and recovery rates than conventional chemotherapy. Cancer specialist Dr Karl Reinhad Aigner, who introduced RCT in Germany, is discussing the possibility with Indian hospitals, including Kidwai Institute of Oncology. Aigner, who was in the city on Friday, said: "RCT is restricted to a part of the body or an organ, making it safer. There are fewer side effects despite the strong effect on the tumour." The drug is administered regionally, in the area of supply of an artery. Aigner, who has successfully treated many patients using RCT in Germany, said: "Side effects are greatly reduced. RCT is subjectively tolerated in 95% of the cases. The quality of life is often improved after treatment." A patient receives six cycles of therapy and requires no major surgery. Oncology surgeon Dr Vijay Kumar said: "When a patient is administered a low-dose concentration, efficacy is less and failure rate high. In RCT the dose is of high concentration and so the efficacy is more." More than 2 million people in India are cancer patients. Dr Kumar said to introduce RCT, infrastructure with required equipment has to be established. "RCT can be used for all types of cancer, and especially benefit patients suffering from oral cancer. Eighty per cent of the patients reach the hospital at an advanced stage," he explained. Note: [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-12T08:55:13-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Capturing cell ‘fingerprints’ to advance cancer screening

Source: www.physorg.com Author: staff Researchers at Northeastern University have developed an early-stage, highly accurate cancer screening technology that determines -- in seconds -- whether a cell is cancerous, precancerous or normal. The breakthrough technology, for which there is a patent pending, automatically captures a “fingerprint” of the cell’s biochemical composition, which is subsequently analyzed by a computer for abnormalities. The new method, which currently can screen for oral, cervical and head-and-neck cancers, is faster, more accurate, and enables earlier detection than current screening methods. Those methods rely on the visual detection, under a microscope, of a few abnormally shaped cells among thousands. Referred to as Spectral Cytopathology (SCP), the technology was pioneered by professor of chemistry and chemical biology Max Diem, head of Northeastern’s Laboratory for Spectral Diagnosis; chemistry and chemical biology research scientists Melissa Romeo, Ben Bird and Miloš Miljkovic; and several Northeastern graduate and undergraduate students. “We are looking beyond traditional methods by focusing on detecting cellular changes that happen in the earlier stages of cancer, which will have a tremendous impact on patients,” said Diem. “Cytologists [scientists who study the structure and function of cells] have the most difficulty identifying pre-cancers in the earliest stages,” said Romeo. “Our technology offers the ability to detect abnormal changes in cells even before (structural) changes become apparent.” Earlier detection combined with greater accuracy—SCP has a greater-than 95 percent accuracy rate compared to 65 to 70 percent for current screening methods—would make a significant difference in patient survival rates. The high death [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-10T15:46:55-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Aggressive head and neck cancer

Source: speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com Author: staff Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in Bronx, NY, have identified genetic markers that signal poor outcomes for patients with head and neck cancer. These findings could one day lead to a genetic test that could help select or predict successful treatment options for patients with this type of cancer [American Journal of Pathology, 174 (3): 736-745]. Head and neck cancer refers to tumors in the mouth, throat or larynx (voice box). Each year, about 40,000 men and women in the U.S. develop head and neck cancer, making it the sixth most common cancer in the U.S. Surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation are the main treatment options but cause serious side effects: surgery may involve removing large areas of the tongue, throat, or neck and can affect appearance, and any type of therapy can cause swallowing or speech problems that can significantly affect quality of life. Despite curative treatment attempts, on average only about half of patients survive beyond five years after treatment. This is greatly affected by the size and location of the tumor. The Einstein study focuses on microRNAs, a recently identified class of short RNA molecules that play key roles in regulating gene expression. Abnormal microRNA levels have been associated with all types of cancer yet examined. In previous research, the Einstein scientists and other groups reported that approximately 50 specific microRNAs were expressed at higher or lower levels in head and neck tumor cell lines compared with normal cells. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-10T15:39:37-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Drug to treat anemia in cancer is harmful

Source: www.emaxhealth.com Author: ruzik_tuzik A new review of data confirms that erythropoietin — a drug to treat anemia in many cancer patients — might be harmful. The review found that patients with head and neck cancers who received erythropoietin in combination with radiation had poorer outcomes than those who received radiation treatment alone. The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic. Severe anemia in cancer patients can lead to decreased oxygen supply to tumor cells. A lower level of oxygen in tumor cells is associated with more rapid tumor progression and a poorer response to therapy. Many use erythropoietin, or EPO, a hormone that controls red blood cell production, to correct anemia. “It has therefore been thought logical that using erythropoietin to correct anemia before or during chemotherapy, radiotherapy or both would improve prognosis,” the review authors write. Dr. Philippe Lambin and colleagues at the MAASTRO (Maastricht Radiation Oncology) Clinic in the Netherlands conducted the review. The investigators analyzed data from five published clinical trials that looked at whether combined radiation and EPO was better than standard radiation therapy alone in the treatment of head and neck cancers. Nearly 1,400 patients were included in the analysis. The researchers compared overall survival, the length of time during and after treatment in which the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-10T12:24:13-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Fighting malnutrition in cancer patients

Source: MSNBC Author: Staff Poor nutrition contributes to 1 in 5 cancer deaths; experts urge counseling WASHINGTON - The statistic is shocking: Severe malnutrition and weight loss play a role in at least one in five cancer deaths. Yet nutrition too often is an afterthought until someone's already in trouble. A move is on to change that, from hospitals that hire fancy gourmet chefs to the American Cancer Society's dietitians-on-call phone service. With cancer, you've got to "bring a lot more nutrients to each spoonful of food," Certified Master Chef Jack Shoop is learning. A former restaurateur, he's newly in charge of the kitchen at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. Don't underestimate the added temptation should the result resemble Bon Appetit: "The visual hardiness, and the actual heartiness, of these foods has to be understood for them to embrace it," Shoop insists. Tempting the palate is a huge hurdle: At diagnosis, up to a quarter of patients already have their appetite sapped, and most treatments can bring side effects that worsen the problem. Aside from the well-known nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, some cancers inhibit absorption of the nutrients patients force down. Not to mention strangely altered taste, mouth sores, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing and constipation. Literally wasting away About half of all cancer patients eventually suffer serious weight loss and malnutrition, a wasting syndrome called cachexia where they don't just lose excess fat but vital muscle. A healthy person's body adjusts when it doesn't get enough calories, [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-07-10T11:17:09-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

New evidence supports HPV vaccine

MONDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is highly effective at preventing precancerous cervical lesions that can lead to cervical cancer, a new study shows. The researchers also found that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine also appears to protect against other cancer-causing HPV types closely related to HPV-16/18, most notably HPV-31 and HPV-45. The study of women aged 15 to 25, who received three vaccine doses over six months, found that it was as much as 98 percent effective against HPV-16/18, and between 37 percent and 54 percent effective against 12 other cancer-causing HPV types. HPV-16/18 causes about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, while the remaining 30 percent of cases are caused by other cancer-causing HPV types. The cross-protective effect of the HPV-16/18 vaccine could provide an additional 11 percent to 16 percent protection against cervical cancer. "Although the importance of continued tests for Pap or HPV in vaccinated and unvaccinated women must be emphasized, HPV vaccination has the potential to substantially reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and precancer, and the numbers of colposcopy referrals and cervical excision procedures," concluded Dr. Jorma Paavonen, of the University of Helsinki in Finland, and colleagues. The study, which was funded by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, maker of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine Cervarix, appears online July 7 and in an upcoming print issue of The Lancet. In an accompanying editorial, two experts wrote that men must also be included in efforts to halt the spread of HPV. "Currently, the targets for [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-07-10T15:34:24-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|