Oral Cancer News

Review: Erythropoietin could harm some cancer patients

Source: www.oncologynursingnews.com Author: staff A new review of data confirms that erythropoietin might be unsafe for people with head and neck cancers who receive the drug in combination with radiation: Radiation patients who were given erythropoietin had poorer outcomes than those who undergoing radiation treatment alone. The hormone erythropoietin is used to combat the anemia suffered by many people undergoing cancer treatment. Because severe anemia can lower the oxygen supply to tumor cells, decreased oxygen in these cells is associated with more rapid tumor progression and a poorer response to therapy. “It has therefore been thought logical that using erythropoietin to correct anemia before or during chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both would improve the prognosis,” observed radiation oncologist Phillippe Lambin and colleagues from the MAASTRO (Maastricht Radiation Oncology) Clinic in the Netherlands. Their review was published in The Cochrane Library (July 2009, issue 3), a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Dr Lambin's team analyzed data from 5 published clinical trials involving nearly 1400 patients. The studies focused on whether combined radiation and erythropoietin was better than standard radiation therapy alone in the treatment of head and neck cancers. The reviewers learned that compared with patients who did not receive erythropoietin, those who did take it had significantly worse overall survival and significantly shorter times before their cancers worsened. Data included in the review suggested that the reduced survival rates in the erythropoietin patients were not due to some toxic effect of the drug itself, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-10T07:30:55-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

A dying smoker, with a British accent

Source: nytimes.com Author: Jennifer B. Lee The city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — never an agency to shy away from using vivid, even grisly, images to combat what it sees as public health scourges, namely soda and cigarettes — is unveiling a new television advertisement to discourage New Yorkers from smoking. This one focuses on the emotional toll of tobacco. It features a British man, Anthony, who is dying of lung and throat cancer, but wheezes out that he is looking forward to seeing his daughter during the holidays. The next frame reveals that Anthony died 10 days later, without having seen his daughter again. City Room wondered how New York City viewers could end up watching a British man in an antismoking ad. After all, the other antismoking stars of late have had New York ties: Ronaldo Martinez, a one-time Bronx resident who uses a device to speak from his throat, and Marie, also of the Bronx, a woman with numerous amputations. It turns out there are a number of central online clearinghouses for antitobacco advertising where health departments and nonprofit organizations can essentially share their outreach efforts. The two most prominent exchanges are run by the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention and World Lung Foundation. For example, the ad featuring Mr. Martinez, which was originally developed for Massachusetts, is also being used in Australia. “There is so much effective media being produced throughout the world,” said Elizabeth Kilgore, acting assistant commissioner of tobacco control at [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-10T07:25:37-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

FDA Advisory Committee recommends approval for use of GARDASIL® in boys and men

Source: www.merck.com Author: press release Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee agreed that efficacy, immunogenicity and safety data from clinical trials in males support the use of GARDASIL¨ [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] in boys and men 9 through 26 years of age for the prevention of genital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11. "Merck has been committed to pursuing the use of GARDASIL in both males and females since the vaccine was discovered over a decade ago," said Peter S. Kim, Ph.D., executive vice president, and president of Merck Research Laboratories. "We are pleased that the Advisory Committee agrees that the data support the use of GARDASIL in boys and men.” The committee’s recommendation will be considered by the FDA in its review of the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) that Merck submitted for GARDASIL in December 2008. The FDA is not bound by the committee’s guidance, but takes its advice into consideration when reviewing vaccines. Merck expects a decision from the FDA in the fourth quarter of 2009 after the agency has completed its review of Merck's application. “Today's discussion with the Advisory Committee brings the public health community closer to being able to provide GARDASIL to both men and women," said Anna R. Giuliano, Ph.D., Moffitt Cancer Center. GARDASIL has been approved for use in the U.S. since June 2006 and is [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-09T21:02:25-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Fury as doctors call for ban on booze ads and sponsors

Source: news.scotsman.com Author: Lyndsay Moss Doctors have called for a total ban on alcohol advertising and sponsorship of sport and music events to tackle the UK's serious drink problems. The British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday outlined a measures to "tackle the soaring cost of alcohol-related harm". Doctors said sponsorship of sporting and music events such as T in the Park must end because of the influence such marketing has on young people, in particular. They also called for an end to promotions such as two-for-one deals and ladies' free entry nights at clubs. The calls sparked anger from alcohol industry chiefs, who said controls were already in place and further restrictions would have a negative impact on jobs and might even lead to increased consumption. But health campaigners backed the recommendations in a report compiled by Stirling University. The BMA also renewed its calls for a minimum price to be set per unit of alcohol – a move being pursued in Scotland – and for alcohol to be taxed at a higher rate than inflation. Drink firms' sponsorship of sport and music events has become widespread in recent years. The BMA highlighted deals such as Carling, which sponsors both the Celtic and Rangers football clubs, and Johnnie Walker whisky, which is a sponsor of the Formula One McLaren Team. The Scottish music festival T in the Park is sponsored by Tennent's lager. The BMA study, Under The Influence, said alcohol consumption in the UK had increased rapidly in recent years. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-09T14:06:23-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Periodontitis associated with fourfold increased risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Source: www.hemonctoday.com Author: staff Results of a study involving 473 participants showed that periodontitis was linked with the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Researchers conducted a hospital-based case-control study between June 1999 and November 2005. The study involved 266 patients with head and neck cancer treated at the Roswell Park Cancer Center’s department of dentistry and maxillofacial prosthetics, and 207 healthy participants. The researchers said that after adjusting for age at diagnosis, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, smoking status, alcohol use and number of missing teeth, each millimeter of alveolar bone loss was associated with a more than fourfold increased risk of SCCHN (OR=4.36; 95% CI, 3.16-6.01). When researchers evaluated disease at specific head and neck sites, they found strength of the association was higher in the oral cavity (OR=4.52; 95% CI, 3.03-6.75) compared with the oropharynx (OR=3.64; 95% CI, 2.54-5.22) and larynx (OR=2.72; 95% CI, 1.78-4.16). The researchers also said that there was a link between smoking and alveolar bone loss (P=.03), although the association between alveolar bone loss and SCCHN was weaker in current smokers (OR=2.85) compared with former smokers (OR=7.59) and never smokers (OR=5.96). Alcohol use was not found to be a significant risk factor. The researchers said the association between alveolar bone loss and SCCHN was similar in drinkers and nondrinkers. Source: Tezal M. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009;doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-09-0334.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-09T13:47:15-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Clove cigars avoid ban on flavored cigarettes

Source: online.wsj.com Author: staff The nation's top distributor of clove cigarettes is offering fans a new way to get their fix after the spice-flavored cigarettes are banned at the end of this month—cigars. The new filtered cigars—close to the size of a cigarette and flavored with clove, vanilla and cherry—allow Kretek International Inc., which imports Djarum-brand tobacco products from Indonesia, to avoid new federal laws banning flavored cigarettes other than menthol. The ban on flavored cigarettes, which critics say appeal to teenagers, doesn't include cigars. The difference? Cigarettes are wrapped in thin paper, cigars in tobacco leaves. While the cigars also are made with a different kind of tobacco, the taste is similar. The cigars come 12 to a pack, rather than 20 for cigarettes, but cost nearly half as much. The ban is one of the first visible effects of a new law signed by President Barack Obama in June that gives the Food and Drug Administration wide-ranging authority to regulate tobacco, though it can't ban nicotine or tobacco outright. The new law gives the FDA the power to ban other products like flavored cigars, but that hasn't happened yet. Whether the cigars are truly different or just an attempt to circumvent the ban by making superficial changes is in the hands of the FDA, said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "The key is the legislation gives the FDA the authority to respond to these types of frankly totally irresponsible actions,'' Mr. Myers said. Mr. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-08T17:30:00-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

High incidence of multiple primary carcinomas in HCV-infected patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Source: Med Sci Monit, September 1, 2009; 15(9) Authors: Y Nagao and M Sata Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with several extrahepatic manifestations. Oral cancer is one of them. We investigated the association among oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), multiple primary cancers (MPCs), insulin resistance and HCV infection. Material/Methods: Upper gastrointestinal tract examination and determination of the presence of HCV infection were routinely done for 60 primary OSCC patients. Occurrence of MPCs was evaluated between 1992 and 2008. Results: Of the 60 patients, 21 (35%: 15 males and 6 females; mean age 67.3+/-11.9 years) developed MPCs. Antibodies to HCV were found in 26.7% (16/60) of cases. The incidence of MPCs in HCV-infected OSCC cases was 62.5% (10/16 cases, P<0.01 vs the non-HCV-infected OSCC group); for cases without HCV infection it was 25% (11/44 cases). In HCV-infected cases, 10 MPCs with patients, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the most common outcome (5 cases), whereas gastric cancer was the most common outcome (6 cases) in non-HCV-infected 11 MPCs. In logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratios on staging IV, anti-HCV positive, and over 70 years old were 15.50, 13.45, and 4.46, respectively, indicating that there were significant differences. Furthermore, the patients with HCV-infected MPCs had hyperinsulinemia. Conclusions: HCV infection was strongly associated with the occurrence of MPCs as well as primary OSCC. HCV-infected OSCC patients in Japan should receive medical treatment to inhibit development of HCC. In patients with HCV infection, it is important to clinically examine organs other [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-08T17:24:19-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Group acupuncture to relieve radiation induced xerostomia: a feasibility study

Source: Acupuncture in Medicine 2009;27:109-113 Author: Richard Simcock et al. Background: A distressing complication of radiotherapy treatment for head and neck cancer is xerostomia (chronic oral dryness). Xerostomia is difficult to treat conventionally but there are reports that acupuncture can help. We conducted a feasibility study to examine the acceptability of a standardised group acupuncture technique and adherence to group sessions, together with acceptability of the objective and subjective measurements of xerostomia. Methods: 12 males with established radiation induced xerostomia were treated in three groups of four. Each received eight weekly sessions of acupuncture using four bilateral acupuncture points (Salivary Gland 2; Modified Point Zero; Shen Men and one point in the distal radial aspect of each index finger (LI1)). Sialometry and quality of life assessments were performed at baseline and at the end of treatment. A semi-structured interview was conducted a week after completing the intervention. Results: Adherence to and acceptability of the treatment and assessments was 100%. There were objective increases in the amounts of saliva produced for 6/12 patients post intervention and the majority also reported subjective improvements. Mean quality of life scores for domains related to salivation and xerostomia also showed improvement. At baseline 92% (11/12) patients reported experiencing a dry mouth "quite a bit/very much" as compared to 42% (5/12) after the treatment. Qualitative data revealed that the patients enjoyed the sessions. Conclusion: The pilot study shows that a standardised group technique is deliverable and effective. The tools for objective and subjective assessment are appropriate [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-06T15:57:33-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

HPV virus linked to some forms of breast cancer, vaccine may help

Source: www.digitaljournal.com Author: staff Scientists working out of the University of South Wales have found that a vaccine for the HPV virus could prevent some forms of breast cancer. The study proves another important link between viral infections and more complex disease. Researchers around the world are finding remarkable connections between common viral infections and the later onset of complex and life-threatening diseases. Recent stories have found viral links to prostate cancer, to Parkinson's disease, to skin cancer, to mouth cancer, and to autism and schizophrenia. Some forms of breast cancer can now be added to this list. Australian scientists working out of the University of South Wales announced an important link between the very common HPV virus and a variety of breast cancers. Their findings suggest that an HPV vaccine could prevent these cancers from presenting themselves years later. The research suggests that tens of thousands of lives could be saved every year by administering the HPV vaccine to young females. The HPV virus is the most commonly distributed sexually transmitted disease, and it is well known to have a direct causal relationship with 90 to 95 percent of all cervical cancers. It has also been linked to mouth cancers. The study linking the HPV virus to these breast cancers was published in the British Journal of Cancer and was conducted using genetic probes of cancerous breast cells. The scientists were able to confirm the presence of HPV nuclei across a variety of tissues sampled. "The finding that high [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-05T18:42:10-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Surfers’ Hall Of Fame to honor Chris Hawk on September 18th

Source: www.surfline.com Author: press release In a special tribute to one of the southland's legendary surfer-shapers, the Surfers' Hall of Fame is set to induct Chris Hawk at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2009. The induction ceremony - which will include the traditional "hands and feet" in cement and presentation of the coveted Surfers' Hall of Fame trophy - will take place in front of Huntington Surf & Sport (corner of PCH and Main). According to Aaron Pai, Surfers' Hall of Fame Founder, the unusual timing of the induction is due to Chris' terminal illness (he is suffering from throat cancer). "Chris Hawk is a local surf legend of Huntington Beach," said Pai. "Back in the day he was one of the best surfers in Huntington Beach and he has been a master shaper since the 70's. We are super stoked to be able to induct Chris Hawk into the Surfers' Hall of Fame." As one of the renowned Hawk brothers surfing clan that includes Sam and Tom, Chris helped shape the Huntington Beach surf culture in the 1960s and '70s. While the brothers often travelled to Hawaii and charged Sunset and Pipeline, Chris chose to make his mark as a master surfboard shaper. During one of these famous Hawaiian trips, Chris met legendary shaper Dick Brewer and was taken under his tutorage alongside Reno Abellira and Davie Abbott. Chris soon became a household name on the mainland and the "go to" guy for many hard-core surfers up and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-05T11:56:29-07:00September, 2009|Oral Cancer News|