Oral Cancer News

Study provides new guidelines for assessing severity of head and neck cancers

Source: eurekalert.org Author: press release Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai investigators have developed a new, more accurate set of guidelines for assessing the severity of head and neck cancers and predicting patient survival. The new guidelines, outlined in a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, center around counting the number of malignant lymph nodes found in each patient. "The greater the number of malignant lymph nodes, the less favorable the patients' chances of survival," said Allen S. Ho, MD. Ho is director of the Head and Neck Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai and lead author of the study. "This new approach could dramatically simplify staging systems." For decades, doctors have determined the stage and predicted the progression of head and neck cancers based primarily on nodal size, location and how far the cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes, but they have given less importance to the number of cancerous nodes. As a result, staging and treatment recommendations, based on current national guidelines, "are the same whether a patient has two or 20 positive lymph nodes," said Zachary S. Zumsteg, MD, assistant professor of Radiation Oncology at Cedars-Sinai and the study's senior author. With the new system, based on the number of cancerous lymph nodes, patients are separated into similarly sized groups with distinct outcomes, Zumsteg said. "Our study demonstrated a better way to assess cancer severity, which will improve our ability to predict outcomes and give patients more personalized treatment." The Cedars-Sinai [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-01-24T09:24:42-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer survivors are transforming their radiation masks into art

Source: www.artsy.net Author: Ryan Leahey Photos by Ulf Wallin Photography In a Baltimore basement, behind foot-thick walls, there is a room, and in that room there is a table. Every morning, Monday through Friday for seven weeks, my dad entered the room at 7:40 a.m. sharp. I accompanied him there on a few occasions, sitting outside in the waiting room as the door closed behind him. A minute or two would pass, followed by a barely audible buzz, then the door would slide open again and he’d walk out, another radiation treatment X’d off the calendar. My dad’s experience in that room, one of many in the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, will be familiar to other throat cancer patients. A radiation technician bolted him down to the table with the help of a white mesh mask perfectly molded to the contours of his face. Wrapped tightly around his head and neck, the bizarre-looking armature ensured that powerful radiation beams targeted his cancer in the exact same position each session, even as his skin deteriorated and his body mass dropped. Before his first treatment, he had been measured and fitted for his own custom mask. Plastic mesh was draped over his face until it hardened, forming a new face—what some patients call their second skin. For my dad, the object came to symbolize something, just as it symbolizes something for me, our family, and for the countless other people who have survived or helped [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-01-23T07:43:41-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Bacteria linked to periodontitis may play role in onset of cancer

Source: en.brinkwire.com Author: press release The bacteria that cause periodontitis, a disease affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth, seems to play a part also in the onset of pancreatic cancer, say the researchers at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, and the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The researchers have investigated the role of bacteria causing periodontitis, an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the teeth, in the development of oral cancers and certain other cancers, as well as the link between periodontitis and cancer mortality on the population level. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, has for the first time proven the existence of a mechanism on the molecular level through which the bacteria associated with periodontitis, Treponema denticola (Td), may also have an effect on the onset of cancer. Researchers found that the primary virulence factor of the Td bacteria, the Td-CTLP proteinase (an enzyme), occurs also in malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, in pancreatic cancer. According to another study finding, the CTLP enzyme has the ability to activate the enzymes that cancer cells use to invade healthy tissue (pro-MMP-8 and -9). At the same time, CTLP also diminished the effectiveness of the immune system by, for example, inactivating molecules known as enzyme inhibitors. In another study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, it was proven that on the population level, periodontitis is clearly linked with cancer mortality. An especially strong link to mortality caused by pancreatic cancer was found. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-01-17T08:44:04-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

HPV leads to increase In head and neck cancer In men

Source: www.nbcdfw.com Author: Bianca Castro The number of men diagnosed with head and neck cancer caused by human papillomavirus has skyrocketed. This report found that 11 million men and 3.2 million women in the United States are infected with some type of oral HPV and oncologists say it's leading to more head and neck cancer in men. "From the 1970's to today, the prevalence of this HPV-related head and neck cancer has increased by three to five percent per year from then until now, and it is continuing that same rate," said Oncologist Jerry Barker, Jr., M.D. at Texas Oncology. "This is a silent epidemic. Most patients who are exposed to this virus, they don't know it. They'll never have symptoms from it, but some of those patients will move on to develop a cancer," said Dr. Barker. Jeff Busby, of Weatherford, is one of those patients. The aerospace engineer and owner of Busby Quarter Horses says he was diagnosed with throat cancer in February of 2016. His wife Andrea, who documented their journey here, says they were both shocked. "We were just busy living life. You don't ever think that shoe is going to drop," said Andrea. Jeff says the symptoms began as pain in his ear which lead to pain in his throat. Nine months later, he had a biopsy done on what was a mass in his neck. "I had just been toughing it out and my partner said, 'hey, you can't just tough these kinds of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-01-17T08:36:28-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Dentists may soon start asking about your sex life in a bid to control staggering HPV rates

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: Jaleesa Baulkman for DailyMail.com Your dentist may be interested in more than just your flossing habits, but for a good reason. Dentists and dental hygienists are being encouraged to assess patients' risk of developing oral cancers from HPV, the most common sexually-transmitted disease. According to experts, they will likely skirt around the topic of their patients' sex life and ask about potential symptoms of cancer like jaw pain and swelling. But a new report published in the Journal of the American Dental Association insists it is imperative that dentists to play a more active role in detecting the disease, which is linked to seven types of cancer. 'What we're going to find over time is that HPV is going to be a more common cause of cancer over time,' Ellen Daley, a public health professor at the University of South Florida, told Daily Mail Online. 'We need to worry about how to prevent it.' HPV is responsible for about 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most common sexually transmitted infection in the US, it affects more than half of American adults. In fact, Dr Daley says it's as common as the common cold. However, asking about a patient's sex life isn't necessary to preventing HPV-related oral cancers. 'If [dentists] want to [ask patient's about their sex life], they can, Dr Daley explained. 'But that's not relevant since HPV is so common. We need to get [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-01-16T11:57:03-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Chronic heartburn might increase chance of neck, head cancers

Source: www.upi.com Author: HealthDay News Millions of American seniors suffer the discomfort of chronic acid reflux. Now, new research suggests the condition might raise their odds for even more dangerous foes -- head and neck cancers. The research can't prove cause-and-effect, and the odds of any one person with chronic heartburn developing one of these relatively rare cancers remains low, experts noted. But the study of nearly 28,000 Americans over the age of 65 did show a heightened risk. Overall, a history of gastroesophageal reflux disease -- the clinical term for chronic heartburn -- was linked to nearly triple the odds of developing cancers of the voice box (larynx); about a 2.5 greater odds for cancers of the pharynx (top of the throat); a doubling of risk for cancers of the tonsils; and a 40 percent higher odds for cancers in the sinuses. Head and neck cancers of the respiratory and upper digestive tracts cause more than 360,000 deaths worldwide each year, the researchers noted. The new study was led by Dr. Edward McCoul, of the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, and published Thursday in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. One gastroenterologist said the findings aren't surprising, given what's known about the effect of acid reflux on sensitive tissues. "Reflux material from the stomach can rise high in to the esophagus, the food tube between the mouth and the stomach," explained Dr. Anthony Starpoli. He said the same juices "can invade the throat, sinus passages and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-12-22T21:58:58-07:00December, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer survivors often face another hurdle: faster aging

Source: www.upi.com Author: staff Treatments that help people beat cancer also can cause them to age prematurely and die sooner, Mayo Clinic researchers report. Cancer survivors naturally age faster than others who haven't had cancer, and are more likely to develop long-term health problems related to aging while they're still relatively young, the study authors said. These ailments can include hormone and gland disorders, heart problems, brittle bones, lung scarring and new cancers. Survivors also are more likely to become frail as the years pass. Childhood cancer survivors' estimated life expectancy is 30 percent lower than that of the general population, and they are three to six times more likely to develop a second cancer, the researchers noted. With the number of cancer survivors growing, the medical profession needs to start paying more attention to how to keep these people healthy throughout their now-extended lifetimes, said senior researcher Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi. He is an assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "We are now beginning to see the gravity of a multitude of complications among cancer survivors," Hashmi said. "There is an essential and immediate need for formal cancer survivorship programs to prevent complications in millions of cancer survivors." Currently there are about 30 million cancer survivors worldwide, but researchers predict that about 19 million new cancer diagnoses will be made every year by 2025. Many of those people will survive their cancer, only to face long-term health consequences. According to Dr. Charles Shapiro, director of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-12-22T09:51:46-07:00December, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Evolving role of surgery in multidisciplinary care for head and neck cancer

Source: www.onclive.com Author: Danielle Bucco Even with the advent of systemic therapeutic advancements to the armamentarium of head and neck cancer, surgery and novel techniques continue to rapidly evolve to effectively treat patients and leave less opportunity for adverse events (AEs). Additionally, the role of the surgeon has changed to be a more integrative role in patient care. “We are more precise and more integrated with other therapeutic modalities,” said Joseph A. Califano, MD. “Together, we work as a team and that is the best way that patients can receive their optimal outcomes. We do not just want to cure their cancer but to get back to function and wellness.” In an interview during the 2017 OncLive State of the Science SummitTM on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Califano, a professor of surgery at the University of California, San Diego, discussed how surgery factors into modern multidisciplinary care for patients with head and neck cancer. OncLive: Please provide an overview of your presentation on surgery for patients with head and neck cancer. Califano: I discussed the fact that the surgery that we do now for head and neck cancers is very different from what used to be done 15 to 20 years ago. Our ability to do effective surgery is good, but now we can do it in a way that leaves patients with excellent function and cosmetic results. When you see someone walking down the street who has had major head and neck surgery, you wouldn't know it [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-12-19T09:27:11-07:00December, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

Alcohol and cancer – facts and health risks

Source: mesothelioma.net Author: staff Alcohol and Cancer – Facts and Health Risks While there are proven health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation, and some specific benefits due to the natural compounds found in red wine, drinking is not always good for your health. Drinking regularly and to excess can have some serious and negative impacts on health and may even be linked to an increased risk for mesothelioma or other cancers. Drinking alcohol in moderation during cancer treatment may be fine for some patients, but generally it should be avoided. It may aggravate side effects and studies are also investigating whether or not alcohol can increase the risk of a cancer recurrence. If you are going through treatment for mesothelioma or another type of cancer, talk to your medical team before indulging in a drink or two. Alcohol Consumption is a Risk Factor for Cancer Many studies have found and confirmed, over and over again, that drinking alcohol is a risk factor for developing cancer generally and for specific types of cancers. Specifically, drinking has been linked with throat and mouth cancers, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The more alcohol consumed, the greater the risk. According to research data, approximately 3.5 percent of cancer deaths are related to alcohol consumption. Some of the specific facts about drinking and cancer from research include: People who drink three to four alcoholic beverages per day have a two to three times increased risk of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-12-15T08:00:31-07:00December, 2017|Oral Cancer News|

HPV vaccine IS safe and effective, confirms longest-ever study into the shot which prevents cancer of the cervix, head, neck throat and penis

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: Mia De Graaf, Health Editor The HPV vaccine is safe and effective at preventing human papilloma virus, according to the longest investigation ever conducted on the relatively new shot. While the vaccine has been a success in every study since it came out in the US and the UK in 2006, the medical community has been keenly waiting for some long-term data to show its lingering benefits. Today, Augusta University's 10-year study was published in the journal Pediatrics, appearing to confirm the findings in every other short-term report. The data also supported the view that the vaccine should be administered to both boys and girls from the age of nine years old, despite previously only being offered to girls. Experts say they hope the findings will help drive up rates of children getting the vaccine, which protects against HPV and therefore HPV-linked cancers such as throat, head, neck, penis, and cervical cancer. 'The vaccine was virtually 100 percent effective in preventing disease in these young individuals,' says Dr Daron G. Ferris, professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical College of Georgia and at the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US and the UK with an estimated 14 million Americans infected every year, and a third of British adults. While about two-thirds of infected individuals can eventually clear the virus, it persists and can cause a wide range of health problems in the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-12-01T12:20:07-07:00December, 2017|Oral Cancer News|