Oral Cancer News

Giving Gardasil to boys not worth the cost?

Source: HealthDay.com Author: Steven Reinberg But other experts dispute finding, and say young men need protection from STDs THURSDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The cost of giving boys the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine would outweigh any health benefit, researchers say. Last month, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel recommended expanding use of the Gardasil vaccine to males aged 9 to 26 to protect them from genital warts, but the cost effectiveness of such a program was unclear at the time. But researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health conducted such an analysis comparing a girls-only vaccination program with a co-ed vaccination program. Currently, Gardasil is approved for girls aged 9 and over to protect them from cervical cancer. "This study found that while vaccine coverage and efficacy are high in girls, including boys in an HPV vaccination program generally exceeds what the U.S. typically considers good value for money," said lead researcher Jane Kim, an assistant professor of health decision science. The report is published in the Oct. 9 online edition of the British Medical Journal. Vaccination was considered a good value if cost-effectiveness ratios ranged from $50,000 to $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year, meaning the cost of the vaccine vs. the number of added years someone would gain by getting the vaccine. Assuming 75 percent coverage and lifelong protection, the researchers found routine vaccination of 12-year-old girls was a good value at less than $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year. However, adding preadolescent boys increased the cost-effectiveness ratio [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-12T11:54:27-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Rare head and neck cancer linked to HPV, study finds

Source: esciencenews.com Author: staff An increase in cases of a rare type of head and neck cancer appears to be linked to HPV, or human papillomavirus, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The study looked at patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, a tumor that grows behind the nose and at the top of the throat, above the tonsils. This rare cancer occurs in less than 1 of every 100,000 Americans. "Though rare, this is the first report of nasopharyngeal cancer being caused by the HPV epidemic. We are in the middle of a tonsil cancer epidemic, seeing many patients with tonsil cancer linked to HPV. It turns out that HPV may also be a new cause of this rare form of cancer that occurs in this hidden location," says study author Carol Bradford, M.D., professor and chair of otolaryngology at the U-M Medical School. In the study, which appears online in the journal Head & Neck, the researchers looked at tissue samples taken before treatment for either nasopharyngeal cancer or tonsil cancer. Of the 89 patients in the study, five had nasopharyngeal cancer, and four of those were positive for HPV. At the same time, the four HPV-positive tumors were also all negative for Epstein-Barr virus, which has previously been one of the biggest infectious causes of nasopharyngeal cancer. "Since I began studying head and neck cancer, I have wondered what the cause of Epstein-Barr virus-negative nasopharyngeal tumors might be. This research [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-09T11:01:48-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Avaxia Biologics awarded phase I SBIR grant to develop antibody therapeutic for oral mucositis

Source: www.reuters.com Author: press release Avaxia Biologics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing oral antibodies for disease targets accessible via the GI tract, announced today that it has been awarded a Phase I SBIR grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to support the development of a novel antibody therapeutic for oral mucositis. Avaxia is developing a polyclonal anti-TNF antibody to be administered to the oral cavity of patients suffering from mucositis. The antibody is designed to reduce the pain and ulceration associated with this serious side effect of cancer treatment. The grant will fund key pre-clinical studies of the antibody in a well-established animal model of radiation-induced oral mucositis. "We are delighted to have been awarded this grant from the NIH," said Barbara S. Fox, Avaxia's founder and CEO. "Our preliminary data indicate that an anti-TNF antibody, delivered topically to a damaged mucosal membrane, will limit the severity of the inflammatory response induced by ionizing radiation. The support of the NIH provides both the funding we need to advance the development of this much needed therapeutic, and critical scientific validation of our approach." Avaxia is carrying out the grant-funded research in collaboration with Biomodels LLC, a Watertown-based pre-clinical drug research organization. Biomodels specializes in animal models of toxicities associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy used for the treatment of cancer and is a world leader in the study of cancer treatment-related mucosal injury (mucositis). "We are looking forward to working closely with Avaxia Biologics scientists in developing [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-08T21:22:07-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

A perk for coffee lovers: Java may lower oral cancer risk

Source: Scientificamerican.com Author: Katherine Harmon Raise high the coffee bean! Good news, coffee-drinkers: a new study shows your beverage of choice may lower your chances of getting oral, esophageal and pharyngeal (back-of-the-throat) cancer. Japanese researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology this week that people they studied who drank a cup or more of Joe daily had about a 50 percent less chance than non-imbibers of developing these cancers. The scientists based their findings on 13 years of data of some 38,000 people ages 40 to 64 with no history of cancer. According to the study, coffee drinking lowered the odds of these types of cancer even in people with high-risk behaviors (read: smoking and boozing). "Caffeine has been suggested to suppress the progression of tumor cells," senior study author Toru Naganuma, an epidemiological researcher at Japan's Tohoku University, toldScientificAmerican.com in an email. He noted that other studies have also linked moderate coffee drinking to reduced risk of liver cancer. "The evidence is pretty strong" in this research, says Ann Gillenwater, a professor of head and neck surgery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved in this study. But that doesn't mean you should start downing double espressos hourly. Recent research suggests that too much caffeine can lead to insomnia, anxiety and might up the risk of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. Besides, the study authors point out, caffeine alone is not the answer, noting that "high-level consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit" have also been linked to lower [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-09T11:05:27-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Artists transform symbols of pain into objects of beauty

Source: Gazette.net Author: Jason Tomassini Radiation masks showcase courage of patients Lying on a table in Cookie Kerxton's tiny Bethesda art studio is a symbol of unparalleled pain and suffering: a white, plastic mask of her own face she wore during treatment for throat cancer. The loss of speech, being fed through her stomach, the severe dry mouth, the burns on her neck — the mask serves as a reminder of her lowest moments, spent strapped to an operating table with the mask covering her face and bolted to the table, the radiation blasting away at the malignant polyps that lined her throat. "You're only there for about 10 minutes," Kerxton, 73, said last week at the Upstairs Art Studio on St. Elmo Avenue. "But it's really not fun." When Kerxton beat her cancer, after four long months of chemotherapy in 2008, she wanted to keep the radiation mask, a bland but morbid piece of plastic that Kerxton said her friends call "ghoulish." Since, Kerxton gathered more than 100 radiation masks from area hospitals and found more than 100 artists from across the country to turn the masks into pieces of art, rather than symbols of pain. "It's taking something ‘ghoulish' and making it something someone would want to have on their wall," Kerxton said. In September, Kerxton's exhibit, called "Courage Unmasked," debuted before more than 500 people at a fundraiser and live auction at the Katzen Arts Center at American University. The roughly 40 masks still for sale will be exhibited starting [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-08T11:25:04-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

British celebs back drive for new cancer treatment

Source: news.sky.com/skynews Author: staff Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir David Frost are among a host of celebrities giving their support to a cancer charity campaigning for a new type of treatment to be made available nationwide. The personalities are urging people to donate to medical trials of Photodynamic Therapy which, they say, could revolutionise cancer treatment in the UK and around the world. Killing Cancer (http://www.killingcancer.co.uk/) is aiming to raise £50m to fund further trials into Photo Dynamic Therapy, a treatment that tackles some forms of cancer by killing cells through a combination of drugs and light. The treatment is a form of laser that starves the cancer of oxygen, allowing the body to heal and create new, healthy cells. Its supporters say a single 20-minute session avoids the need for invasive surgery and the traumatic effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It is also, they argue, cost-effective - for example, a skin cancer treatment would amount to just £235, far less than other more traditional treatments. Other well-known names supporting the charity include Chris Tarrant, Robert Plant, Jenny Seagrove and Roger Daltrey. They are sending more than 200 million personal emails to fans and supporters, asking for funds to be allocated to their choice of one of half a dozen PDT trials. "Both my mother and father died of cancer," said Manchester United manager Sir Alex. "I think PDT is an amazing first-step option before resorting to surgery. "More patients should have access to it in our hospitals [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-07T14:52:47-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Oropharyngeal cancer patients experience post-surgery sleep apnea

Source: Sciencecodex.com Author: Staff San Diego, CA – Nearly all patients who underwent surgery to treat oropharyngeal cancer experienced some degree of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to new research presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, in San Diego, CA. The pilot study, which collected data from 22 patients treated for oropharyngeal cancer, found that among those who underwent primary surgery with free flap reconstruction, 93 percent had OSA as defined by a common measurement scale, with 67 percent defined as experiencing moderate or severe OSA (respiratory disturbance index greater than 15). Furthermore, 100 percent of those treated with radiation or chemotherapy (including some of the surgical group) developed OSA, although only one-third of these patients had moderate or severe OSA. The authors intend to continue their research with a larger pre-post treatment cohort study. They believe OSA may play a significant role in treatment related fatigue in this patient population. They also contend that unrecognized OSA may lead to additional comorbidity in this patient population, and the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea postoperatively may improve quality of life for these patients.

Charlotte Parker2009-10-07T11:44:16-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Understanding the link between HPV and oropharyngeal cancers

Source: www.jaapa.com (Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, October, 2009) Authors: Denise Rizzolo, PA-C, PhD, Mona Sedrak, PA-C, PhD Head and neck cancer is diagnosed in approximately 650,000 patients each year worldwide.1 The term head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers originating from the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity (mouth), nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. Oropharyngeal refers to all the structures of the mouth and pharynx, including the tonsils and tongue. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer.2 Seventy-five percent of all OSCCs are attributable to tobacco and alcohol use.3 People who smoke cigarettes are 4 times more likely to develop oral cancer than nonsmokers. Furthermore, individuals who consume alcohol are 3 times more likely than nondrinkers to develop oral cancer.3 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the prevalence of cigarette smoking has decreased among Americans, and alcohol use has also declined since the 1970s.4,5 However despite this, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancers, including cancer of the base of the tongue and tonsils, has increased, especially in younger patients. These trends have led researchers to investigate other potential risk factors.6-8 New studies suggest that there may be an alternative pathway for the development of oropharyngeal cancers. The high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially type 16 (HPV-16), are now thought to be potential etiologic agents.2,3 The concept that HPV plays a role in head and neck [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-06T22:00:20-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Big Tobacco still targets teenagers

Source: www.postbulletin.com Author: staff A couple of months ago I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years. I didn't recognize him. A once solid and athletic guy, now in his late 40s, he'd lost more than 50 pounds and his skin was the color of fireplace ash. A long, thin scar ran from his jaw all the way down his neck and disappeared under his shirt. "I've got cancer," he said after re-introducing himself. He explained that he'd been through extensive surgery and treatments but that he was optimistic he'd pull through. Doctors told him smoking was the likely cause of his throat cancer. This week marks the two-year anniversary of the law that made it illegal to smoke in Minnesota's bars, restaurants and other public places. Olmsted County can take pride in the fact that it helped lead the way in the push to clear the air in the state's workplaces, eating establishments and watering holes. In November of 2001, Olmsted County Board members passed a comprehensive anti-smoking ordinance. The countywide ban was a courageous, landmark decision that helped create momentum for the statewide legislation. I don't know about you, but whenever I visit a state like Wyoming, where smoking is prohibited only in underground mines and other places where you could blow yourself up if you lit a match, I'm thankful for Minnesota's ban. It's so nice to be able to enjoy a meal without having to breathe in toxic fumes. But the tobacco wars continue. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-06T21:04:12-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Nanomagnet in “Star-Trek style” wand could cure cancer

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk Author: staff The space-age technology, which uses microscopic iron particles to heat up and destroy tumours, may be ready for clinical trials in as little as three years. Different teams of UK scientists have been working together on the research, which could bring new hope to patients who are no longer responding to standard therapy. In future the ''nanomagnet'' cancer treatment may even be administered in GP surgeries or out-patient clinics. Crucially, the scientists believe it will be highly cost-effective. The technique literally ''cooks'' cancer cells as if they were in a microwave oven. But instead of microwaves, a rapidly changing magnetic field is generated by the paddle-shaped ''wand''. This heats up thousands of iron oxide ''nanoparticles'' placed inside the tumours. Heating the cells by only 5-6C is enough to send them into shock and kill them. Meanwhile, surrounding healthy tissue in which the iron oxide particles are absent is left unharmed. A major part of the research has involved finding ways to target tumours with the nanoparticles. Two approaches have been explored, one using bone marrow stem cells and the other using antibodies to ferry the particles to cancer sites. A major advantage of using a biological version of ''iron filings'' in the therapy is that they can easily be tracked by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Doctors will be able to map exactly where the nanoparticles - and the cancer - are situated in the body. The ''wand'' can then be held over the hidden [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-06T20:29:12-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|