4/25/2006 San Francisco, CA press release prnewsire.com Cytokinetics, Incorporated announced today that five abstracts summarizing data from clinical trials conducted by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) or the National Cancer Institute (NCI) evaluating ispinesib (SB-715992) or SB- 743921 will be presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Atlanta, Georgia. Ispinesib and SB-743921 are both novel, chemically distinct, small molecule inhibitors of kinesin spindle protein (KSP), a mitotic kinesin essential for proper cell division. Both drug candidates have arisen from a broad strategic collaboration between Cytokinetics and GSK to discover, develop and commercialize novel small molecule therapeutics targeting human mitotic kinesins for applications in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Abstract: A Phase II Study of SB-715992 (Ispinesib) in Patients with Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (RMHNSC). Abstract will be published in the ASCO 2006 Annual Meeting Proceedings. About Ispinesib Ispinesib is a novel small molecule inhibitor of Kinesin Spindle Protein (KSP), a mitotic kinesin protein essential for proper cell division. Ispinesib is the first drug candidate in clinical development that has arisen from a broad strategic collaboration between Cytokinetics and GSK to discover, develop and commercialize novel small molecule therapeutics targeting human mitotic kinesins for applications in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. GSK is conducting a broad clinical trials program for ispinesib designed to study this drug candidate in multiple tumor types, combination regimens and dosing schedules. GSK is currently evaluating ispinesib in two Phase II clinical trials [...]

4/24/2006 Watertown, MA NN Maser et al. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., April 1, 2006; 15(4): 774-81 Recent case-control studies indicate that alcohol increases the risk of oral premalignant lesions (OPL) among tobacco users, but the independent association between alcohol and OPL remains unclear. We prospectively evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and the incidence of OPL. Participants were 41,458 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Alcohol consumption was assessed every 4 years using validated food frequency questionnaires. We confirmed clinically or histopathologically diagnosed OPL events occurring between 1986 and 2002 by medical record review (193 cases). Multivariate-adjusted relative risks of OPL were calculated from Cox proportional hazards models. With detailed control for tobacco and other variables, multivariate relative risks (95% confidence intervals) were 1.7 (0.9-3.2) for drinkers of 0.1 to 14.9 g/d, 2.9 (1.5-5.6) for 15 to 29.9 g/d, and 2.5 (1.3-5.1) for >/=30 g/d, compared with nondrinkers. Approximately one additional drink per day (12.5 g) was associated with a 22% increase in risk (P < 0.001). The associations did not vary by beverage type, frequency, or consumption with meals. Results were similar when restricted to cases of oral epithelial dysplasia. Alcohol increased OPL risk in never-users of tobacco as well as in past or current users. An interaction between alcohol and tobacco was apparent by their more-than-additive joint effects. Alcohol is an independent risk factor for OPL, regardless of beverage type or drinking pattern. Recommendations to reduce alcohol intake have the potential to reduce incidence of OPL in [...]

4/22/2006 San Francisco, CA press release EurekAlert (www.eurekalert.com Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center report that they have found a potential molecular cause for the aggressive growth and spread of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a highly malignant form of cancer with a very high death rate. The discovery could potentially lead to new treatments as well, say the researchers. Their key finding is the triple interaction between three players: CD44, a surface receptor molecule that plays an important role in a variety of cellular functions; hyaluronan (HA), a complex carbohydrate found in the connective tissues between cells; and LARG, a signal activator found in tumor cells. That interaction apparently initiates two molecular pathways that simultaneously cause tumor cell growth and tumor cell migration, says lead author Lilly Bourguignon, PhD, a research career scientist at SFVAMC and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. The study results are reported in the current on-line "In Press" section of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Working with human cancer cells in culture, Bourguignon and her team found that HA mediates the interaction between CD44 and LARG in a way that stimulates a molecular pathway called RhoA. Through a series of complex steps, the RhoA pathway causes the tumor cell's cytoskeleton – the structure that maintains the cell's shape – to reorganize in a way that causes tumor cells to migrate to other sites in the body, resulting in cancer metastasis. At the same time, the [...]

4/18/2006 Charleston, SC Holly Auer Charleston,net Oral cancer survivor's cook book helps keep weight on with good food George Chajewski is a man who lives for food. From European chocolate to tropical fruit to roasted game meats, fine cuisine is both his life's work and his personal passion. But when he was diagnosed with oral cancer last winter, the flavors died. After doctors removed a 16 mm tumor (almost the diameter of a penny) from Chajewski's tongue, he was forced to trade his love for filet mignon for months of agony following surgery and radiation to his mouth. As the head catering chef for the Medical University of South Carolina, cans of Ensure just wouldn't do for Chajewski. He didn't mind the butter pecan flavor, but it still wasn't enough to keep meat on his bones. So he combined his skills in the kitchen with his newfound role as a cancer patient and created a cookbook that allows patients to eat well and stay healthy during treatment and recovery. Because South Carolina has long suffered from high rates of head and neck cancer, Chajewski has a captive audience of readers. The Palmetto State ranks third in the nation for deaths from these cancers, which take the lives of 3.8 out of every 100,000 state residents. Just as smoking fuels many of the state's other health woes - heart disease and diabetes among them - tobacco use is related to about 85 percent of head and neck cancers. Most often, the [...]

4/17/2006 Bangalore, India staff sify.com Biotech major Biocon today said it expected its drug for head and neck cancer to hit the market by the end of the current financial year. "It (the drug hitting the market) should hopefully be by the end of this year", Biocon Chairman and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw told reporters here. Mazumdar-Shaw said BIOMAb EGFR, a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of solid tumours of epithelial origin such as head and neck cancer, had gone through the required clinical development time-line. "It’s now for the regulators to look at the data and approve it. We are just in the process of compiling the data and filing it (before regulators for approval). We will file it in the next month", she said. According to Biocon officials, the drug is engineered to specifically target and block the epidermal growth factor receptor responsible for the proliferation of cancer cells. "BIOMAb EGFR will spearhead Biocon Pharmaceutical’s foray into proprietary products for cancer therapy", they said. "It is estimated that the incidence of new cancer cases in India is about 700,000 annually of which nearly 2,30,000 are tobacco-related and occur in the head and neck region". Earlier today, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram inaugurated Biocon Biopharmaceuticals, the company’s multi-product biologics facility on the city outskirts. Biocon said monoclonal antibodies are emerging as the fastest growing segment, especially in oncology and auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and lupus.

4/17/2006 Washington, D.C. staff MedGadget (www.medgadget.com) Attention all the connoisseurs of Copenhagen, Skoal, Beaver Chew and other snuff stuff! The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, is reporting that a novel device "allows dentists to visualize in a completely new way whether a patient might have a developing oral cancer." Moreover, the device seems to be pretty accurate, according to the NIH: "Testing the device in 44 people, the results of which are published online in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, the scientists found they could distinguish correctly in all but one instance between normal and abnormal tissue. Their diagnoses were confirmed to be correct by biopsy and standard pathology." This site, being on the side of chewing peasants and closeted snuff-using intellectuals, has obtained pictures of the Visually Enhanced Lesion Scope (VELScope) and the following description of the device from LED Dental Inc., a manufacturer out of Vancouver, Canada: LED Dental Inc. developed the VELscope in cooperation with the British Columbia Cancer Agency and its affiliated US partners. The VELscope is a portable device comprised of a light source, light guide, and a viewing hand-piece. The system includes a disposable protective end cap for use with each patient examination and a tissue retractor with measurement guide as needed. The VELscope was designed for optimal flexibility and placement within the operatory. Fluorescence technology can enhance oral mucosal screening. The VELscope technology platform is based on the visualization of tissue fluorescence and the [...]

4/16/2006 New York, NY DE Morse and AR Kerr J Am Dent Assoc, February 1, 2006; 137(2): 203-12 Background: The authors present statistics and long-term trends in oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) incidence, mortality and survival among U.S. blacks and whites. Methods: The authors obtained incidence, mortality and five-year relative survival rates via the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program Web site. Current rates and time trends for 1975 through 2002 are presented. Results: From 1975 through 2002, age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) and mortality rates (AAMRs) were higher among males than among females and highest for black males. By the mid-1980s, incidence and mortality rates were declining for black and white males and females; however, disparities persisted. During the period 1998-2002, AAIRs were more than 20 percent higher for black males compared with white males, while the difference in rates for black and white females was small. AAMRs were 82 percent higher for black males compared with white males, but rates were similar for black and white females. Five-year relative survival rates for patients diagnosed during the period 1995-2001 were higher for whites than for blacks and lowest for black males. Conclusions: Despite recent declines in OPC incidence and mortality rates, disparities persist. Disparities in survival also exist. Black males bear the brunt of these disparities. Practice Implications: Dentists can aid in reducing OPC incidence and mortality by assisting patients in the prevention and cessation of tobacco use and alcohol abuse. Five-year relative survival may be improved through early [...]

4/16/2006 New York, NY press release prnewswire (www.prnewswire.com) This week is Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week and there is a new major league effort to help Americans get screened. This year more than 30,000 people will be diagnosed with cancers of the head and neck region. These cancers kill 7,000 each year, but, if caught early, they can be highly treatable. Retired Major Leaguer and cancer survivor Brett Butler is teaming up with MLB.com and the Yul Brynner Head And Neck Cancer Foundation to encourage the public to see a doctor or dentist to get screened for oral, head and neck cancer. The Yul Brynner Foundation is sponsoring a web page on MLB.com, featuring a videotaped message from Butler and information. It also has a directory of sites throughout the U.S. that will be offering free examinations by physicians and dentists on Friday, April 21st. The most effective prevention strategy is stopping risky behaviors like smoking, using chewing tobacco and drinking excessively. More than 85 percent of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use. The nationwide free exams are for anyone and are recommended especially for those at higher risk. Log on to www.headandneck.org or ybf.mlb.com to find the free screening site nearest to you.

4/6/2006 Los Angleles, CA Noh Jin Park et al. Clinical Chemistry 10.1373/clinchem.2005.063206 Background: We have previously shown that human mRNAs are present in saliva and can be used as biomarkers of oral cancer. In this study, we analyzed the integrity, sources, and stability of salivary RNA. Methods: We measured the integrity of salivary RNA with reverse transcription followed by PCR (RT-PCR) or RT-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). To study RNA entry sites into the oral cavity, we used RT-PCR analysis of salivary RNA from the 3 major salivary glands, gingival crevice fluid, and desquamated oral epithelial cells. We measured stability of the salivary -actin mRNA by RT-qPCR of salivary RNA incubated at room temperature for different periods of time. We measured RNA association with other macromolecules by filtering saliva through pores of different sizes before performing RT-qPCR. To assess RNA-macromolecule interaction, we incubated saliva with Triton X-100 for different periods of time before performing RT-qPCR. Results: In most cases, we detected partial- to full-length salivary mRNAs and smaller amounts of middle and 3' gene amplicons compared with the 5'. RNA was present in all oral fluids examined. Endogenous salivary -actin mRNA degraded more slowly than exogenous -actin mRNA, with half-lives of 12.2 and 0.4 min, respectively (P <0.001). Salivary RNA could not pass through 0.22 or 0.45 µm pores. Incubation of saliva with Triton X-100 accelerated degradation of salivary RNA. Conclusions: Saliva harbors both full-length and partially degraded forms of mRNA. RNA enters the oral cavity from different sources, and association with [...]

4/11/2006 Philadelphia, PA staff Biocompare (news.biocompare.com) Using transparent zebrafish embryos, researchers at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia have shown that a microscopic nanoparticle can help fend off damage to normal tissue from radiation. The nanoparticle, a soccer ball-shaped, hollow, carbon-based structure known as a fullerene, acts like an "oxygen sink," binding to dangerous oxygen radicals produced by radiation. The scientists, led by Adam P. Dicker, M.D., Ph.D., and Ulrich Rodeck, M.D., see fullerenes as a potentially "new class of radioprotective agents." Dr. Dicker, recently appointed Vice-Chair for Translational Research of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, is associate professor of radiation oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. Dr. Rodeck is professor of dermatology at Jefferson Medical College. They will present their team's results April 5, 2006 at the annual meeting of American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the standard treatments for cancer, they take their respective toll on the body. Radiation can damage epithelial cells and lead to permanent hair loss, among other effects, and certain types of systemic chemotherapy can produce hearing loss and damage to a number of organs, including the heart and kidneys. Some other side effects include esophagitis, diarrhea, and mouth and intestinal ulcers. To date, only one drug, Amifostine, has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, to help protect normal tissue from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Researchers would like to develop new [...]