Oral Cancer News – Page 131 – The Oral Cancer Foundation News Archive

(S)-N′-Nitrosonornicotine, a constituent of smokeless tobacco, is a powerful oral cavity carcinogen in rats

Source: Oxford Journals Abstract Currently, smokeless tobacco products are being proposed as an alternative mode of tobacco use associated with less harm. All of these products contain the tobacco-specific carcinogen N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN). The major form of NNN in tobacco products is (S)-NNN, shown in this study to induce a total of 89 benign and malignant oral cavity tumors in a group of 20 male F-344 rats treated chronically with 14 p.p.m. in the drinking water. The opposite enantiomer (R)-NNN was weakly active, but synergistically enhanced the carcinogenicity of (S)-NNN. Thus, (S)-NNN is identified for the first time as a strong oral cavity carcinogen in smokeless tobacco products and should be significantly reduced or removed from these products without delay in order to prevent debilitating and deadly oral cavity cancer in people who use them. Abbreviations: HPLC = high-performance liquid chromatography NNK = 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone NNN = N′-nitrosonornicotine POB = pyridyloxobutyl * This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.

Charlotte Parker2013-09-09T11:37:03-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

The lack of evidence for PET or PET/CT surveillance of patients with treated lymphoma, colorectal cancer, and head and neck cancer: a systematic review

Source: jnm.snmjournals.org Authors: Kamal Patel et al PET and PET/CT are widely used for surveillance of patients after cancer treatments. We conducted a systematic review to assess the diagnostic accuracy and clinical impact of PET and PET/CT used for surveillance in several cancers. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases from 1996 to March 2012 for English-language studies of PET or PET/CT used for surveillance of patients with lymphoma, colorectal cancer, or head and neck cancer. We included prospective or retrospective studies that reported test accuracy and comparative studies that assessed clinical impact. Results: Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria: 6 lymphoma (n = 767 patients), 2 colorectal cancer (n = 96), and 4 head and neck cancer (n = 194). All studies lacked a uniform definition of surveillance and scan protocols. Half the studies were retrospective, and a third were rated as low quality. The majority reported sensitivities and specificities in the range of 90%–100%, although several studies reported lower results. The only randomized controlled trial, a colorectal cancer study with 65 patients in the surveillance arm, reported earlier detection of recurrences with PET and suggested improved clinical outcomes. Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the clinical impact of PET or PET/CT surveillance for these cancers. The lack of standard definitions for surveillance, heterogeneous scanning protocols, and inconsistencies in reporting test accuracy preclude making an informed judgment on the value of PET for this potential indication. Authors: Kamal Patel, Nira Hadar, Jounghee Lee, Barry A. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-09-04T07:09:32-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer waiting times ‘could cost lives’

Source: www.rochdaleonline.co.uk Author: staff Statistics released by the Department of Health reveal costly delays that could jeopardize the lives of suspected head and neck cancer patients. According to the 2012/13 Cancer Waiting Times annual report1, 1,252 suspected head and neck cancer patients had to wait longer than three weeks to be seen by a specialist, a delay that could potentially cost lives. With mouth cancer cases on the increase, campaigners the British Dental Health Foundation are calling for suspected head and neck cancer patients to be seen within the two-week referral target due to the very nature of the disease. Without early detection, the five year survival rate for mouth cancer is only 50 per cent. If it is caught early, survival rates over five years can dramatically improve to up to 90 per cent. Between April 2012 and March 2013 over one million patients were seen by cancer specialists following an urgent referral. A total of 96.1 per cent of suspected head and neck cancer were seen within 14 days of referral, compared to 96.3 per cent in 2010-20112. More than 50,000 patients were not seen within 14 days of referral. Cancer waiting times are monitored carefully by the Foundation, which organises the Mouth Cancer Action Month campaign, sponsored by Denplan also supported by Dentists’ Provident and the Association of Dental Groups (ADG), in November each year to help raise awareness of the disease and its symptoms. Tobacco use, drinking alcohol to excess, smoking, poor diet and the human [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-09-04T07:03:39-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Swallowing Exercises Preserve Function in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation

Source: Science DailyDate: Aug. 29, 2013 A study from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) has found that head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation as part of their treatment were less likely to suffer unwanted side effects such as worsening of diet, need for a feeding tube, or narrowing of the throat passage if they complied with a set of prescribed swallowing exercises called a swallow preservation protocol (SPP) during therapy. The five-year study was led by Dr. Marilene Wang, JCCC member, professor-in-residence in the department of head and neck surgery, UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. The study was published online ahead of print in the journal Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery on August 27, 2013. Surgery and radiation (RT) have been the traditional treatments for head and neck cancer but with the advent of improved and targeted chemotherapy many types of this disease are treated with chemotherapy and radiation (chemoradiation or CRT) in the hope of preserving the tissue and structure. Despite the sparing of critical tissue, preservation does not always translate to normal, natural swallowing ability. Most patients who receive CRT have significant side effects during treatment and for a long time after recovery. Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is one of the most common unwanted side effects of RT and CRT, and is one of the main predictors of decreased patient quality of life after treatment. Wang's study was designed to evaluate the SPP, in which patients had swallow therapy before, during and after radiation treatment. The effectiveness [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-09-03T14:27:18-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Concerned About HPV-Related Cancer Rise, Researchers Advocate Boosting HPV Vaccination Rates

By: Anna AzvolinskySource: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute Advance AccessPublished: August 29, 2013 Deaths from the major cancers—lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate—continue to decline, a trend that started in the early 1990s. Cancer incidence is also declining, if slightly, for both sexes. That’s the good news from the annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, a joint research effort by the American Cancer Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (J Natl. Cancer Inst. 2013;105:175–201). But the study also shows an uptick in rates of anal and oropharyngeal cancer, a type of head and neck cancer related to infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), in the 10-year period ending in 2009. Cancer of the oropharynx increased among white men and women (3.9% and 1.7%, respectively). Anal cancer also increased in both sexes, with the greatest increase among black men (5.6%) and white women (3.7%). Rates of vulvar cancer, another HPV-related cancer, also increased among women despite continued lower rates of cervical cancer. Researchers attribute this rise in HPV related cancers to more HPV infections. “We think that increases in oral–genital sexual practices and increasing number of sexual partners that occurred some 30 years ago as part of the sexual revolution may be implicated in part of the increase in cancer rates we are seeing today,” said Edgar P. Simard, Ph.D., M.P.H., senior epidemiologist of surveillance research. Although rates of HPV infection from three decades ago were not available in the joint report, a trend exists of men and women now in their 50s and 60s having the highest rates of both oropharyngeal and anal cancers. To directly relate HPV infection [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-09-03T14:10:57-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Most head, neck surgeons discuss risk factors, HPV

Source: www.doctorslounge.com Author: staff Most head and neck surgeons discuss risk factors for head and neck cancer, including human papillomavirus (HPV), with their patients, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Kelly M. Malloy, M.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues conducted an online survey of 297 members of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) to assess knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding HPV education and vaccination. The researchers found that the majority (more than 90 percent) of respondents reported discussing risk factors for head and neck cancer, including HPV as a specific risk factor. About half (49.1 percent) reported discussing the importance of vaccinating preadolescents for HPV, with 38.7 percent not relating to this issue because their patients are adults. More than two-thirds (68.9 percent) of the respondents with daughters reported that their daughters had received or were scheduled to receive the HPV vaccine. For respondents with sons, only 55.8 percent reported that their sons had been vaccinated or that they intended for them to be vaccinated. Attitudes toward HPV vaccine safety and efficacy were divergent. There was considerable support of potential future AHNS activities relating to education, increasing public awareness, and advocacy of health policy related to HPV. "Head and neck surgeons are knowledgeable about HPV and show generally positive attitudes and beliefs about HPV education and vaccination," the authors write. "They endorse AHNS actions to improve public and patient education, as well as health policy on [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-09-01T15:58:16-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Swallowing exercises shown to preserve function in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation

Source: www.healthnewsdigest.com Author: staff A study from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) has found that head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation as part of their treatment were less likely to suffer unwanted side effects such as worsening of diet, need for a feeding tube, or narrowing of the throat passage if they complied with a set of prescribed swallowing exercises called a swallow preservation protocol (SPP) during therapy. The five-year study was led by Dr. Marilene Wang, JCCC member, professor-in-residence in the department of head and neck surgery, UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. The study was published online ahead of print in the journal Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery on August 27, 2013. Surgery and radiation (RT) have been the traditional treatments for head and neck cancer but with the advent of improved and targeted chemotherapy many types of this disease are treated with chemotherapy and radiation (chemoradiation or CRT) in the hope of preserving the tissue and structure. Despite the sparing of critical tissue, preservation does not always translate to normal, natural swallowing ability. Most patients who receive CRT have significant side effects during treatment and for a long time after recovery. Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is one of the most common unwanted side effects of RT and CRT, and is one of the main predictors of decreased patient quality of life after treatment. Wang's study was designed to evaluate the SPP, in which patients had swallow therapy before, during and after radiation treatment. The effectiveness [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-09-01T15:54:22-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer survivors not seeking help for depression

Source: www.dailyrx.com Author: staff Long-term treatment can affect how cancer survivors manage in the world. The fancy phrase for this is “psychosocial functioning.” A recent study looked at how head and neck cancer survivors get along after treatment. Depression is not uncommon among head and neck cancer survivors, researchers found in this new study. However, not many of the survivors in the study sought help for their depression with either antidepressants or therapy. Physicians could assist by screening for psychosocial problems because depression is very treatable, according to one expert. Allen M. Chen, MD, of the University of California, Davis, and now of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, led this study. Dr. Chen and colleagues were looking at the rates of depression among head and neck cancer survivors who had received radiation therapy to treat the disease. “The treatment of head and neck cancer can lead to devastating impact on psychosocial functioning due to the many important structures located in the head and neck region," Tobenna Nwizu, MD, a solid tumor oncologist with the Taussig Cancer Institute at Cleveland Clinic, told dailyRx News. “Functions like speech, swallowing, taste and salivation can all be affected,” said Dr. Nwizu, who was not involved in this study. Treatment can also affect appearance, cause dry mouth and increase the risk of aspiration (sucking food into the airway), according to the authors. For this study, the researchers asked 211 head and neck cancer survivors to complete a [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-08-16T06:11:21-07:00August, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Walk/Run will raise money for oral cancer research

Published Aug 12, 2013 at 2:06 pm (Updated Aug 12, 2013)Source: The Sparta Independent ANDOVER — On Saturday, Sept. 21 , the sixth annual Oral Cancer Foundation Walk/Run for Awareness in Memory Of David Nasto will take place at Perona Farms in Andover. The annual event is held in honor of a local, young man who lost his life to oral cancer seven years ago. Susan Lauria, David’s sister, hosts the walk each year and is excited to announce the special features of the 2013 event. Participants will have access to free oral cancer screenings by local dentists and oral surgeons as well as free blood pressure screenings. All participants will enjoy live music and raffles, as well as the complimentary breakfast and barbecue, facepainting for kids and more. Stage IV Oral Cancer Survivor Michael White will speak about his battle with the disease and how he is thriving today. In person registration will begin at 8 am. The first 150 walkers/runners to arrive will receive free goody bags! To date, hundreds of participants in David’s Memorial Walk have helped raise over $80,000 for the Oral Cancer Foundation, for awareness initiatives and to conduct life-saving research. Fundraising efforts have started for 2013 and community members are encouraged to form teams or fundraise individually to aid in the fight against oral cancer. An iPad3 will be given to the person who raises the most donations over $2,000 on their personal fundraising page. Any dental office team who raises the most donations [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-08-15T10:27:38-07:00August, 2013|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

UCLA Dentistry receives $5 million to study extracellular RNA in saliva

Research could yield new method for detecting stomach cancer and other diseases By Brianna Deane Source: UCLA NewsroomDate: August 13, 2013 Imagine having a sample of your saliva taken at the dentist's office, and then learning within minutes whether your risk for stomach cancer is higher than normal. That futuristic-sounding scenario may actually not be too far from reality. The UCLA School of Dentistry received $5 million in funding from the National Institutes for Health to study biological markers in saliva to attempt to develop a tool for detecting stomach cancer. The study has the potential to create a new paradigm in the field of salivary diagnostics, and it could supply concrete evidence that saliva can be used in the detection of life-threatening diseases, including diabetes and cancers of the pancreas, breasts, ovaries and stomach. The award comes from the NIH Common Fund, a program established to overcome obstacles in biomedical research that have hindered scientific discovery and its translation into improved human health. The funding awarded to the School of Dentistry comes from the Common Fund's Extracellular RNA Communication initiative, which has awarded leading research institutes around the world a total of $160 million to address the transformative potential of the emerging field of salivary diagnostics. Leading UCLA's five-year project is Dr. David Wong, a pioneer in the field of salivary diagnostics, the dentistry school's associate dean of research, and the Felix and Mildred Yip Endowed Professor in Dentistry. His team will develop and definitively validate salivary extracellular ribonucleic [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-08-14T15:05:23-07:00August, 2013|Oral Cancer News|