Oral Cancer News – Page 326 – The Oral Cancer Foundation News Archive

Glaxo’s Tyverb study shows promise for head and neck tumors

Source: www.smartmoney.com Author: Elena Berton GlaxoSmithKline PLC said breast cancer pill Tyverb has shown encouraging results as a treatment for advanced head and neck cancer during a mid-stage trial. The findings, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, support GlaxoSmithKline's confidence in the potential for Tyverb, marketed as Tykerb in the U.S., to be used beyond breast cancer, the U.K. drugmaker said. Tyverb, known generically as lapatinib, works by inhibiting two proteins, EGRF and ErB2, which are linked to tumor growth. An increased abundance of EGRF has been reported in the majority of tumors, including head and neck, ovarian, bladder and lung. "This is the first demonstration that EGRF-driven tumors are affected by our drug," said Paolo Paoletti, who heads GlaxoSmithKline's oncology research and development unit. The phase-II study tested 107 previously untreated patients, who received either Tyverb or a dummy pill for a period of two to six weeks. After this initial treatment, all patients received standard treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. After two weeks, patients who were treated with Tyverb showed a modest, but statistically significant reduction in the proliferation of cancer cells, researchers found. GlaxoSmithKline is recruiting patients for a large, late-stage study that will test Tyverb in combination with standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy as a treatment for advanced head and neck cancer. Every year there are over 640,000 cases of head and neck cancer diagnosed worldwide, and over 350,000 deaths from the disease, according to the International Agency for [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-14T12:42:18-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Nanoshells for destruction of tumors enter human trials

Source: www.tcmnet.com Author: staff Nanophotonics pioneer Naomi Halas is one of the most recognized researchers in the field of nanotechnology, best known for her invention of nanoshells, a new type of nanoparticle with tunable optical properties especially suited for biotechnology applications. Now her invention is bearing fruit via a company she and her nanoshell collaborator Jennifer West founded. Nanospectra Biosciences, of Houston, has commenced a pilot human trial of its AuroLase Therapy in refractory and/or recurrent head and neck cancers. Of the hundreds of medical technologies and drugs incorporating nanotechnology that are in development today in the U.S., Clayton Teague, director of the U.S. National Nanotechnology Coordination Office pointed to Halas' invention and Nanospectra's launch of a first-in-human trial as the brightest and most compelling example of the promise held via nanobiotechnology. "I've followed this particular one carefully," Teague said. "The way they preferentially aggregate malignant cells and the very particular way they operate is a very pure form of nanotechnology in the sense that almost every aspect of the designing of nanoshells involves very careful control and dimension at the nanoscale. It's clearly an undisputable form of nanotechnology." Interestingly, because the nanoshells are about 150 nm (a nanometer is smaller than bacteria or cells; most viruses, atoms and molecules are typically nanometer-sized), the FDA told Nanospectra President and CEO Donald Payne that it would not classify the nanoshells as nanomaterials because it declared nanomaterials to be only those that are less than 100 nm. Thus, the company is forbidden [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-13T14:52:21-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Reconstructive surgery aids swallowing after tongue cancer resection

Source: www.medicexchange.com Author: David Douglas Almost all patients with base of tongue cancers treated with primary surgery and reconstructed with a modified radial forearm free flap consistently achieve efficient and safe swallowing postoperatively, Canadian researchers report in the August issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. As senior investigator Dr. Hadi Seikaly told Reuters Health, "This procedure effectively restores swallowing, speech and quality of life for patients requiring major resections of the tongue." Dr. Seikaly of Walter C. MacKenzie Health Sciences Centre, Edmonton, Alberta and colleagues note that there is a lack of information on the functional outcome of such procedures. To investigate further, the team prospectively followed patients who were treated with primary surgical resection and reconstruction with the beavertail modification of radial forearm free flap followed by radiotherapy. After a follow-up of at least one year, 19 of the 20 patients with complete data who were included in the final analysis were able to swallow safely. Nevertheless, mobility of the base of the tongue was reduced compared to presurgical findings according to videofluoroscopic swallowing study data, but no significant difference was found in pharyngeal wall mobility, and the bulk of the base of the tongue was preserved. The procedure, the researchers conclude, maintains adequate base of the tongue and posterior pharyngeal wall apposition allowing "structures such as the pharyngeal, oral, and suprahyoid musculature to contract and generate the necessary force to propel the food bolus through the oropharynx, resulting in a safe swallow." Original source: [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-13T10:07:29-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Jean faced death without surgery that would scar her forever – but a beam of light saved the day

Source: Author: Three weeks ago Jean Pringle drove 400 miles to her son Sean's wedding. What makes her journey remarkable is that just six weeks earlier she had received devastating news: the cancer in her tongue and neck had returned and the only option was a drastic operation. 'I was told I would probably lose my tongue and voice box, and I would also would need an operation on the right side of my neck,' says 64-year-old grandmother Jean. But the former supervisor in ladies' fashion for Marks & Spencer refused. 'I wanted my children and grandchildren to remember me as someone they did lovely fun things with, not as someone dribbling in a corner, who could only grunt.' Her doctors suggested she needed to sort out her will, as it was possible that she wouldn't live until her son's wedding in August. But not only did Jean make it to the wedding in Kent but, at the end of the evening, she was well enough to dance with her grandchildren. 'I felt great and I had a fantastic day,' she says. 'I'm not disfigured and both my tongue and voice box are working fine. In October, my husband and I are going on holiday to Capri and Sorrento in Italy - I never imagined I'd be making plans for the future.' Jean had a cancer treatment that has almost none of the distressing side-effects of conventional options. It is also far cheaper and has been approved by NICE (National [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-12T12:52:27-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. starts patient enrolment in U.S. phase 2 clinical trial investigating Reolysin(R) in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin

Source: www.marketwatch.com Author: press release Oncolytics Biotech Inc. announced today that that it has started patient enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial using intravenous administration of Reolysin(R) in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with advanced head and neck cancers. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Monica Mita of the Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. "We are extremely pleased to open the second disease-directed study with Reolysin(R)," said Dr. Mita. "This study represents a promising option for patients with head and neck tumors refractory to standard chemotherapy and we are happy to have the opportunity to offer this option to our patients." This trial is a 14-patient, single arm, open-label, dose-targeted, non-randomized trial of Reolysin(R) given intravenously in combination with a standard dosage of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Eligible patients include those with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancers that are refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative standard therapy exists. The primary objective of the Phase 2 trial is to measure tumour responses and duration of response, and to describe any evidence of antitumour activity. The secondary objective is to determine the safety and tolerability of Reolysin(R) when administered in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin to patients with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancers. About Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical program includes a variety of Phase [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-12T12:44:22-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab in head and neck cancer

Source: New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 359:1116-1127, September 11, 2008, Number 11 Authors: Jan B. Vermorken, M.D., Ph.D. et al. Background: Cetuximab is effective in platinum-resistant recurrent or metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. We investigated the efficacy of cetuximab plus platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Methods: We randomly assigned 220 of 442 eligible patients with untreated recurrent or metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck to receive cisplatin (at a dose of 100 mg per square meter of body-surface area on day 1) or carboplatin (at an area under the curve of 5 mg per milliliter per minute, as a 1-hour intravenous infusion on day 1) plus fluorouracil (at a dose of 1000 mg per square meter per day for 4 days) every 3 weeks for a maximum of 6 cycles and 222 patients to receive the same chemotherapy plus cetuximab (at a dose of 400 mg per square meter initially, as a 2-hour intravenous infusion, then 250 mg per square meter, as a 1-hour intravenous infusion per week) for a maximum of 6 cycles. Patients with stable disease who received chemotherapy plus cetuximab continued to receive cetuximab until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects, whichever occurred first. Results: Adding cetuximab to platinum-based chemotherapy with fluorouracil (platinum–fluorouracil) significantly prolonged the median overall survival from 7.4 months in the chemotherapy-alone group to 10.1 months in the group that received chemotherapy plus cetuximab (hazard [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-11T08:55:37-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

As head and neck cancer risks evolve, more treatment options emerge

Source: Eurakalert (www.eurakalert.org) Author: staff Advances in understanding head and neck cancer over the last decade have led to more treatment options and improved quality of life for patients, according to a review published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors are Dong M. Shin, MD, Frances Kelly Blomeyer Distinguished Professor and associate director of Emory University School of Medicine¹s Winship Cancer Institute, and Robert Haddad, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and clinical director of its Head and Neck Oncology Program. At Winship, Shin is leading a head and neck cancer drug discovery program and conducting clinical trials aimed at preventing head and neck cancers from progressing or recurring. He and his co-workers recently showed that a compound from green tea enhances the effects of a FDA-approved drug (erlotinib) against head and neck cancer cells in animals, suggesting that it could work similarly in humans. The results are published in the September issue of International Journal of Cancer. The majority of head and neck cancers arise from the soft tissues of the mouth, throat, and voice box. Symptoms can include a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and a changing voice. Even successful treatment can result in changes in the appearance of the patient's face. However, over the last decade, techniques have been developed that allow doctors to better preserve organ function in cases of larynx or tongue cancers, Shin says. Because smoking and alcohol consumption are risk factors, most patients are middle-aged males [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-11T06:05:11-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Seven patients affected by Royal Adelaide Hospital mistake

Source: The Independent Weekly (www.independentweekly.com.au) Author: staff Seven cancer patients may have suffered due to errors with their treatment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, a review has found. Tabling the details in the South Australian parliament today, Health Minister John Hill said the impact on the individuals concerned was considered small but real. "The consulting oncologist will be contacting these patients to ensure they continue to have ongoing checks on their future health, though the patients will not require additional treatment," Mr Hill said. Earlier this year it was revealed more than 800 patients received incorrect radiation treatments at the RAH after one of its four linear accelerators was found to be delivering a dose five per cent below the recommended level between 2004 and 2006. The government ordered a review of all treatments on the machine during that period, bringing in a cancer expert from interstate. That review found most of the patients concerned had not been affected by the error. But it found there was the possibility of a reduced survival rate for five patients suffering from high-grade brain tumours. It also revealed a head and neck cancer patient had their care compromised by two per cent and required future monitoring and ordered future monitoring for a prostate cancer patient who received radiotherapy as the only treatment for the condition. SA Health chief executive Tony Sherbon said that while the review found the majority of patients did not have their treatments compromised, some would suffer psychological distress. "Some [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-10T07:11:56-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Sentinel node concept in clinically N0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer

Source: Annals of Surgical Oncology 15:2568-2575 (2008) Authors: Masayuki Tomifuji, MD et al. Background: Sentinel nodes (SNs) are the lymph nodes that directly receive lymphatic flow from a primary cancer lesion. The SN concept implies that lymphatic metastasis initially occurs at SNs. SN navigation surgery can be introduced for cancers in which the SN concept is established. In SN navigation surgery, lymph node dissection beyond SNs can be omitted if SNs are metastasis free. Although the SN concept has been investigated frequently for oral and oropharyngeal cancer, it has so far been investigated less for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. In this study, we investigated whether the SN concept is applicable for laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. Methods: Twenty patients with T2–T4 and clinically N0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer were recruited. 99mTc-phytate was injected into several sites surrounding the tumor on the day before surgery. Lymphoscintigrams were acquired from at least two different viewpoints. SNs were surveyed intraoperatively, and neck dissections including at least levels II, III, and IV were performed. Results: SNs had occult metastases in five cases. In the remaining 15 cases, neither SNs nor other lymph nodes contained metastases, consistent with the SN concept. There was one false-negative case showing delayed nodal metastasis 2 years after initial surgery. The overall accuracy of the SN concept was 95%. Conclusion: Our study shows that SN biopsy is a reliable strategy to determine correct lymph node status in N0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. SN detection was valuable in evaluating the need for [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-10T07:06:32-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Azaya Therapeutics licenses promising treatment for head and neck cancers

Source: Medical News Today (www.medicalnewstoday.com) Author: press release Azaya Therapeutics, Inc., announced that it has signed a licensing agreement to further develop a breakthrough technology that uses liposomes to deliver radiation through direct injection into head and neck tumors, shrinking the tumor, delaying recurrence and avoiding the collateral tissue damage that often accompanies all other forms of radiation therapy. The company plans to begin a phase I clinical trial in early 2010. Azaya is licensing the technology, now known as Azaya Liposomal Encapsulated Radiation Therapy (ALERT), from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). "This is a very synergistic opportunity for the university and for Azaya," said Azaya Therapeutics President and CEO Michael T. Dwyer. "They have more than 15 years of expertise working with liposomes and a patent-pending method of using them to deliver radiation to a very specific tumor location. And Azaya has a patented system for producing liposomes quickly and efficiently. Licensing this technology from UTHSCSA adds a very promising new asset to Azaya's product portfolio. This treatment potentially has broad applicability to many different cancers including those of the prostate, breast and brain. It could become quite disruptive to the current cancer treatment paradigm." Liposomes - essentially extremely small bubble-like particles made of the same material as cell membranes - were engineered decades ago for use in the pharmaceutical industry but have always been difficult to size, load and produce on a large, commercially viable scale. Azaya Therapeutics' Protein Stabilized Nanoparticle (PSNTM) [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-08T14:16:33-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|