Oral Cancer News – Page 218 – The Oral Cancer Foundation News Archive

Time for a national immunization strategy, health officials say

Source: The Globe and Mail As Ottawa and the provinces embark on negotiations to renew the Health Accord in 2014, they should take the opportunity to invest in a truly national vaccination strategy, public health leaders say. “Right now, we have a patchwork of approaches across the country,” Debra Lynkowski, CEO of the Canadian Public Health Association, said in an interview. “It’s time for a harmonized and national approach.” She was speaking on behalf of a coalition of public health officials, government and industry representatives who are calling for a strategy that includes several elements, including: - A national immunization registry where there is a central record of all vaccines individuals have received – currently some provinces have registries but they are not linked; - Creating a single childhood immunization schedule so children get the same vaccines at the same time across Canada – there are now wide variations between jurisdictions and some children miss key vaccines as a result; - Harmonizing vaccine delivery and access to ensure the same vaccines are funded in every province and territory at the same time. Ian Gemmill, past chair of the Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness and Promotion, said such a strategy exists on paper but not in practice. “It needs a kick start. Our governments need to make a sustained investment in the health of our children,” he said. The coalition has not put a dollar figure on the initiative but, based on past efforts, at least $100-million a year would be [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-07T12:22:45-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

New Discovery May Offer Cure for Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J., Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --Tamir Biotechnology, Inc. (Pink Sheets: ACEL) (formerly Alfacell Corporation) announced today that scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reported test results confirming two of our lead compounds showed excellent in vitro antiviral activity and no cellular toxicity at dose levels tested for Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Testing was performed using the HPV 11 strain, which along with HPV type 6, is responsible for ninety percent of genital or anal warts. According to the scientist performing the test, the results were among the top one to two percent seen by the researcher for testing of HPV type 11. The report states the following: "Excellent antiviral activity and no cellular toxicity at doses tested." Within the last several months, we have reported significant results for our compounds against Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, SARS, CMV, and now HPV. We are on the cusp of building an impressive antiviral portfolio that will be targeting viruses where there is currently an unmet need. Besides the fact that our drugs have shown significant antiviral activity against the viruses mentioned above, equally impressive is the fact that very low concentrations of our drugs were needed in order to show this significant antiviral activity. It is important to realize that Onconase®, our lead compound, has been in clinical studies for other oncology indications and has proven itself to be well tolerated in over 1,000 patients treated to date. We cannot stress enough how significant our drug [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-06T11:50:03-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Vegetables found to reduce risk of mouth cancer in women

Source: www.freshplaza.com Author: staff Vegetables containing Vitamin B can reduce the risk of mouth cancer in women, according to findings highlighted in the vegetable industry’s November consumer and market report, Veginsights, which profiles the fresh produce market, including avenues to lift vegetable consumption. AUSVEG is the peak industry body representing the interest of over 9,000 Australian vegetable and potato growers. AUSVEG spokesperson Erin Lyall said that Vitamin B could be found in vegetables that have high folic acid content, including lettuce, beans, asparagus and spinach. “As part of this project, researchers observed and followed about 87,000 nurses for 30 years, from 1976 and they discovered that women who drank a high volume of alcohol and had a low folic acid intake were three times more likely to develop mouth cancer than those who drank a high level of alcohol, but had high volumes of folic acid in their diet,” Ms Lyall said. The research, carried out by the Columbia University Medical Centre and the Harvard School of Public Health, found that high alcohol intake is associated with significantly increased oral cancer risk, especially in women with low folate intake. “This research will encourage women to consume more green leafy vegetables, especially those that have a high folic acid content, to improve their general health and reduce their likelihood of suffering from mouth cancer,” Ms Lyall said. Ms Lyall said that the research findings were vital evidence of a specific health benefit related to greater vegetable consumption. “Indications from the Veginsights [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-05T17:57:12-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Cervix is often first site in patients with multiple HPV-related cancers

Source: www.internalmedicinenews.com Author: Doug Brunk Most patients with multiple primary malignancies that are potentially related to human papillomavirus present with cervical cancer, and later develop head and neck squamous cell cancer or anal cancer, results from a long-term, single-center study suggest. "In head and neck squamous cell cancers, the presence of HPV is correlated with improved patient outcomes," researchers led by Dr. Heath D. Skinner wrote in an abstract presented in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology. "However, it is unknown whether the development of one potentially HPV-related cancer affects the development of another and how the disease factors and outcomes are related." Based on the available literature, this patient population has a two- to fourfold increased risk over the general population for the development of a second potentially HPV-related malignancy, said Dr. Skinner of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He and his associates reviewed the charts of 143 patients with multiple cancers who were treated at the center in 1949-2008. Patients with in situ and non–squamous cell carcinoma malignancies were excluded from the analysis, with the exception of cervical adenocarcinoma. Of the 301 cancers, the most common was head and neck (115), followed by cancer of the cervix (104), anus (49), vulva (21), vagina (8) and penis (4). The median follow-up from diagnosis of the first and second tumor was 16 years and 3 years, respectively. The median age of patients at first and second diagnosis [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-05T17:49:44-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Detection of human papilloma virus (HPV) in oral mucosa of women with cervical lesions and their relation to oral sex practices

Source: 7thspace.com Authors: Luis Sanchez-Vargas et al Previous studies have either investigated the relationship of HPV with oral cancer or the prevalence of HPV on the oral cavity. The purpose of this investigation was to study the prevalence of HPV in oral cavity of women with oral sex practices and cervical lesions. Methods: Forty six (46) non-smokers and non-alcoholic patients attended the "Clinica de Displasias"of "Ciudad Juarez"were sampled. This population had a CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) diagnosis sometime between the previous six months. On previous consent they filled out a questionnaire related to their oral sex practices. Afterwards one swab from cheeks and another from palate/gum were taken; PCR (polymerase chain reaction) was used to determine generic HPV, HPV16 and HPV18. Results: Seventy two percent (72%) of the patients stated to have oral sex practices regularly which all of them were positive to HPV either in oral mucus, palate/gum or both. The total of the given results showed that 35% had HPV16; among those distributed in 26% with regular oral sex practices and 9% stated as never practiced oral sex. An association was found between oral HPV16 positivity and progression to CIN advanced lesions. On the other hand HPV18 was not detected. The frequency of HPV16 was higher in buccal mucosa (23%) versus palate/gum (16%). Conclusions: This study suggests that buccal HPV16 infection is associated with CIN progression. Source: Infectious Agents and Cancer 2010, 5:25 Authors: Luis Sanchez-Vargas, Cecilia Diaz-Hernandez, Alejandro Martinez-Martinez

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-05T17:44:18-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Late-stage cancer detection in the USA is costing lives

Source: The Lancet In the USA, cancer is the most common cause of death in people aged between 49 and 80 years. In 2007, 562 875 cancer deaths were reported, which account for about 23% of all deaths. Cancers of the lung, colorectum, breast, and prostate are the most common and have the highest mortalities. In high-income countries remarkable progress has been made in cancer management and care, and although cancer incidence continues to rise, due to the influences of ageing, lifestyle, and population growth, mortality has fallen and survival rates are improving for several cancers, largely because of advances in screening, early detection, and treatment. So in light of this progress, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report published last week makes for troubling reading, showing as it does that almost half of colorectal and cervical cancers and a third of breast cancers are being diagnosed at a late stage when treatment is less effective. The study is the first nationwide examination of stage-specific cancer incidence rates and screening prevalence for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer by demographics including age and race or ethnic origin. The study found a lower uptake of screening and the presentation of symptoms late in low-income and ethnic minority communities, who also had longer delays in getting their diagnosis and treatment after an abnormal test. All these factors have been well documented to be associated with a late diagnosis for over a decade, so it is disappointing to see that cancer care [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-03T11:14:15-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Autofluorescence and early detection of mucosal lesions in patients at risk for oral cancer.

Source: HighWire--Stanford University Loss of autofluorescence as an early phenomenon associated with tissue degeneration seems to be promising for the diagnosis of oral cancer. The method seems to make visible early structural and biochemical alterations of the oral mucosa not always evident under direct inspection of the oral cavity.For this reason, the margins of the mucosal lesions usually appear wider compared with direct visualization. Actual extension of the potentially malignant lesions must be precisely perceived to avoid any underestimation of the tumor. In this study, 32 patients at risk for oral cancer underwent autofluorescence test. Of these patients, 12 (group A) experienced potentially malignant diseases. The other 20 patients (group B) were previously operated on for oral cancer. In addition, 13 patients showed loss of autofluorescence (8 patients from group A and 5 patients from group B). Among these 13 patients, 12 were affected with lesions of relevance (in group A, 6 had squamocellular carcinoma and 2 had low-grade dysplasia; in group B, 2 patients had high-grade dysplasia, 2 had low-grade dysplasia, and 1 had an epithelial hypertrophy with inflammatory cells). Preliminary results seem to indicate that autofluorescence is a high-performing test for the individuation of oral cancer in populations at risk (sensibility up to 100% and specificity up to 93% in this study).

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-03T10:39:40-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Mum’s two-year ‘earache’ was huge tumour

Source: Mirror News By: Jeremy Armstrong A mum told she had earache actually had a giant tumour. It took medics a year to spot Paula Bell's mouth cancer. Believing it harmless, they took another year to operate. Part of the tumour remains. Paula, 41, of Newcastle, said: "I got on my knees and begged the specialist to operate. I was that desperate." She was referred to Newcastle's Freeman Hospital in 2006 and said: "I was put on antibiotics as they thought it was an ear infection. That went on for months." In March 2007, a doctor suspected a dislocated jaw and sent her to the nearby General Hospital. It took two months for scans to find the tumour. Surgeons operated in April 2008 - then realised its severity. Paula got an undisclosed payout. Newcastle Hospitals Trust said it was not an "admission as to liability".

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-29T11:36:19-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Nation backs HPV vaccination for boys

Source: www.dentalhealth.org.uk Author: press release An overwhelming majority of people in the UK have indicated that they want the vaccination for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to include boys and not just girls. In a survey carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation as part of November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month, nine out of every ten people want to see the vaccination introduced for secondary school boys. A vaccination programme for girls aged 12 to 13 has been in place in the UK since 2008, handing out over four million doses of the jab, but now the UK’s leading oral health charity says it is time for a change. Chief Executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, says cases of HPV in men are growing at an alarming rate and that more must be done to prevent any future outbreak. Dr Carter said: “HPV is such growing concern – much of the 42 percent rise in incidence of mouth cancer over the last 10 years is down to HPV and whilst vaccination of young girls will help, in order to be truly effective we will need to consider vaccination of boys as well. “It is about time we took action to prevent this hidden killer, which is beginning to affect more and more young people. Expert studies suggest HPV is set to become the leading cause of mouth cancer alongside smoking and alcohol, so let us be proactive and plan against this threat. “The government wisely acted on the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-28T20:32:33-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Scared smokeless–The FDA should use the most graphic images possible in its new warnings on cigarette packs.

Source: Los Angeles Times It's easy to guess what would happen if a pharmaceutical company asked the Food and Drug Administration to approve a new product with the following characteristics: no proven health benefits. Major known side effects: greatly increased risk of emphysema, heart attacks, stroke and cancer, including lung, cervical, mouth, stomach and bladder. The product also lowers bone density in older women and causes higher rates of serious health problems among newborns. It significantly harms the health even of those who merely spend time near the drug while it's in use. And it's addictive. If cigarettes were a new invention, they'd never pass muster with even the most lax of regulatory agencies. Unhappily for our collective health, not only does tobacco's legacy date back thousands of years, but it is inextricably tied to the birth of the United States. None other than John Rolfe, best known as Pocahontas' husband, is credited with the first commercial cultivation of tobacco in Jamestown, in 1612. Four hundred years later, we've learned a thing or two about tobacco, especially in its inhaled form. Now we wrestle with how to act on that information. Cigarettes are a terrible health scourge, but this is also a country that respects the right of adults, in most cases, to ruin their own health as long as they are not endangering others. So driving drunk is forbidden, as is smoking in many indoor public spaces, but cigarettes themselves remain legal. Yet as a society, we don't want to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-23T10:56:50-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|