Oral Cancer News – Page 331 – The Oral Cancer Foundation News Archive

Scientists Develop Sensitive Salivary Sensor

Source: Kansas City Infozine (www.infozine.com) Author: staff For people who dislike needles, medical tests that require a drop of saliva instead of a vial of blood will one day make a trip to a doctor or dentist much easier. But as scientists now construct the first of these saliva tests for early signs of cancer and other diseases, they continue to push the technological envelope in interesting ways. As published in the August issue of the journal "Biosensors and Bioelectronics," a team of researchers supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health, report they have developed an ultra-sensitive optical protein sensor, a first for a salivary diagnostic test. The sensor can be integrated into a specially designed lab-on-a-chip, or microchip assay, and preprogrammed to bind a specific protein of interest, generating a sustained fluorescent signal as the molecules attach. A microscope then reads the intensity of the fluorescent light -- a measure of the protein's cumulative concentration in the saliva sample -- and scientists gauge whether it corresponds with levels linked to developing disease. In their initial experiments, the scientists primed the optical protein sensor to detect the IL-8 protein, which at higher than normal concentration in saliva is linked to oral cancer. Using saliva samples from 20 people -- half healthy, the others diagnosed with oral cancer -- the sensor correctly distinguished in all cases between health and disease. Importantly, the sensor achieved a limit of detection for IL-8 [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-04T17:13:40-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

New Research Results Explain How Dormant Tumor Cells Become Active in Later Years

Source: NIH News Release (www.nci.nih.gov) Author: news release Scientists using a three-dimensional cell culture system have identified a mechanism by which dormant, metastatic tumor cells can begin growing again after long periods of inactivity. The new findings indicate that the switch from dormancy to proliferative, metastatic growth may be regulated, in part, through signaling from the surrounding microenvironment, which leads to changes in the skeletal architecture of dormant tumor cells. Targeting this mechanism may also provide strategies for inhibiting the switch from dormancy to proliferation. The results of this study by National Cancer Institute (NCI) scientists and their collaborators, appears in the August 1, 2008, issue of "Cancer Research." NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health. The recurrence of breast cancer often follows a long latent period in which there are no signs of cancer, and metastases may not become clinically apparent until many years after removal of the primary tumor and follow-up therapy. According to NCI's Jeffrey E. Green, M.D., one of the lead researchers of this study, "Recent evidence suggests that, in many cases, tumor cells have already seeded metastatic sites even when the primary tumor is diagnosed at an early stage." Approximately 30 percent of breast cancer patients diagnosed with early-stage disease have been found to have breast cancer cells in their bone marrow. However, these cells seem to exist primarily as micrometastases that do not manifest themselves clinically in any way. Although many of these disseminated tumor cells may not survive for extended periods [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-04T17:06:58-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

How do antioxidants work?

Source: media-newswire.com Author: K. Sandeep Prabhu Blueberries, pomegranates, green tea and dark chocolate -- these are just some of the antioxidant-rich "superfoods" found in almost any supermarket today. As well as improving our general health, there is growing evidence that diets high in antioxidants may confer some protection against a long list of chronic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, cancer and even HIV. Given their increasing popularity, the fundamental question bears asking: What exactly are antioxidants, and how do they work in our bodies? Antioxidants come in several forms, including the vitamins A, C and E; plant-derived polyphenols, found in colorful fruits and vegetables; and also the element selenium, found in nuts and broccoli. "What these compounds share," explained K. Sandeep Prabhu, Penn State assistant professor of immunology and molecular toxicology, "is the ability to neutralize harmful molecules in our cells." These harmful molecules, known as free radicals, contain unpaired electrons -- which is unusual because electrons typically come in pairs. "The unpaired electrons make free radicals highly reactive, and in this state, they can cause damage by attacking the components of our cells, and can even cause cancer," Prabhu said. So where do free radicals come from? Some are created as a natural by-product of reactions in our cells, said Prabhu. Other sources of free radicals include cigarette smoke, air pollution and exposure to UV light or radiation. Once free radicals are formed, they can make more free radicals by scavenging electrons from other molecules, "creating a domino effect," he [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-02T06:56:51-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Targeted Exercise Improves Function, Lessens Pain in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

Source: Abkhazia (www.abkhazia.com) Author: Ramaz Mitaishvili Progressive resistance exercise training following surgery helps reduce upper extremity pain and dysfunction in certain head and neck cancer survivors, according to Canadian researchers. "The trial," lead investigator Dr. Margaret L McNeely told Reuters Health, "demonstrates important improvements from progressive resistance exercise training on shoulder pain and disability, upper extremity strength and movement in post-neck-dissection head and neck cancer survivors." In the July 1st issue of Cancer, Dr. McNeely of the University of Alberta, Edmonton and colleagues observe that shoulder pain and disability are well known complications of surgery in such patients. In an earlier pilot study, the researchers found that progressive resistance exercise appeared to be beneficial, and in the current study they randomized 52 patients to the progressive approach or to a standardized therapeutic exercise protocol. At 12 weeks, intention-to-treat analysis showed that patient-rated disability and pain overall fell by 14.6 points in the progressive group compared to 4.8 in the standard group, a significant difference after adjustment. There were also significantly greater improvements in upper extremity strength and endurance in the progressive group than in the standard group. In addition, there was a trend towards reduced neck-dissection impairment and fatigue, and improved quality of life. Given these encouraging results, Dr. McNeely concluded that "the addition of progressive resistance exercise training to standard physical therapy should be considered in the rehabilitation of head and neck cancer survivors."

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-02T06:51:14-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

FDA News Impacts Cancer Patients

Source: National Anemia Action Council (www.anemia.org) Author: staff The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered specific changes for the use of erythropoeisis-stimulating agents (ESAs) to treat anemia in patients receiving chemotherapy. The label changes will state treatment should only begin when a patient’s hemoglobin level drops to 10 g/dL and removes the mention of 12 g/dL as an upper hemoglobin level of treatment because the safety of ESA use at that level is not yet known. The labeling will also advise not to use ESAs when chemotherapy is given to cure patients, which based on a doctor’s discretion, could include treatment designed to prevent cancer from coming back. The announced label changes reflect most of the recommendations from the Oncology Drugs Advisory Committee’s meeting March 13, 2008. Not included is advice from the committee to limit use of the drug for patients with breast cancer or head and neck cancer, despite recent studies showing more rapid tumor growth or shortened survival when these patients received treatment with ESAs. The drug’s manufacturer, Amgen, announced the revised product labeling for ESAs will be released to both physicians and patients soon. The FDA and Amgen agreed on a majority of the new label, but could not reach agreement on a couple points, prompting the FDA to invoke new authority to mandate drug label changes.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-02T05:48:47-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Gene Expression Profiling Identifies Genes Predictive of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 10.1158/1055-9965 Authors: Chu Chen et al Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity. To identify potential biomarkers for the early detection of invasive OSCC, we compared the gene expressions of incident primary OSCC, oral dysplasia, and clinically normal oral tissue from surgical patients without head and neck cancer or preneoplastic oral lesions (controls), using Affymetrix U133 2.0 Plus arrays. We identified 131 differentially expressed probe sets using a training set of 119 OSCC patients and 35 controls. Forward and stepwise logistic regression analyses identified 10 successive combinations of genes which expression differentiated OSCC from controls. The best model included LAMC2, encoding laminin-2 chain, and COL4A1, encoding collagen, type IV 1 chain. Subsequent modeling without these two markers showed that COL1A1, encoding collagen, type I 1 chain, and PADI1, encoding peptidyl arginine deiminase, type 1, could also distinguish OSCC from controls. We validated these two models using an internal independent testing set of 48 invasive OSCC and 10 controls and an external testing set of 42 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cases and 14 controls (GEO GSE6791), with sensitivity and specificity above 95%. These two models were also able to distinguish dysplasia (n = 17) from control (n = 35) tissue. Differential expression of these four genes was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. If confirmed in larger studies, the proposed models may hold promise for monitoring local recurrence at surgical margins and the development of second primary oral cancer [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-01T14:17:46-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Disease-Free Period Predicts Response to Salvage Therapy for Oral Cancer

Source: Abkhazia (www.abkhazia.com) Author: Ramaz Mitaishvili In patients with locally recurrent carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx, a disease-free interval of more than 1 year and tumor tissue negative for EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) expression predict a good response to salvage surgery. That's the conclusion of physicians in Brazil who studied the outcomes of 111 patients following salvage surgery for locally recurrent squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx at Hospital A. C. Camargo in Sao Paulo. Local recurrence in such patients carries a poor prognosis, and clinical factors alone are insufficient for identifying those who would benefit from further treatment, Dr. Luiz Paulo Kowalski and associates note in their paper in the July issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery. They therefore analyzed the prognostic significance of EGFR, matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression. In multivariate analysis, disease-free survival and EGFR expression status were the only variables associated with an independent significantly high risk of death. Patients with a disease-free interval of less than 1 year (hazard ratio 1.97) and those with overexpression of EGFR (HR 4.20) had the worst prognosis. In their suggested treatment algorithm for patients with resectable local recurrence, Dr. Kowalski's group recommends surgery for all patients with a disease-free interval of > 1 year and for those with clinical stage I or II. They also believe that surgery is worthwhile for patients with higher stage tumors if they are EGFR-negative. They suggest other options [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-01T05:05:07-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Oral cancer screening at Saratoga Race Course

Source: Liacars.com Author: Dave Detling The track is a place filled with tasty treats. It's a confectionary dream and dentist's worst nightmare. Joe Gayner is spending his Wednesday at the race course. But he's not sitting track side. He's on folding chair with a dentist hovering over him. With tools in hand, Gayner is being told to bite down and show a big grin. It is an odd sight, but Joe Gayner, along with a massive group of fans, is being screened for oral cancer. "That was the easiest checkup I've ever had," said Gayner. Doctor Robert Trager is a practicing dentist. He's been screening people at the track for the past five years. He says it's the perfect place for early detection. "You have a lot of people who come from all over the country, especially to Saratoga who haven't been to a dentist. And the ones who have don't even realize what oral cancer is," said Dr. Trager. It's recommended you see a dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and an oral cancer screening. But the last place people are expecting to find one is here at the Saratoga race track. "It seems a little silly actually. My daughter worried because I was a smoker years ago and she wanted me to have this cancer checked to make sure I'm clean," said Terry Rasmus. With a clean bill of health, most people screened are glad this free service is available. Damien Haas who works at [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-31T21:31:16-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Tobacco use in baseball on the decline

Source: Major League Baseball (mlb.com) Author: Mychael Urban Users remain, but rules, more awareness have made impact Baseball has taken a variety of steps to cleanse itself of the stain -- literal, cultural and medical -- of tobacco use, and there's plenty of empirical evidence showing that usage, while far from completely eradicated, has decreased over the past decade or so. "A lot of things started happening and people quit," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who went cold turkey on chewing tobacco 14 years ago at the request of his daughters. "It's definitely not as prevalent today as it once was. You don't see the big wad and guys spitting all over the place. "It's one of those things -- awareness. I think making people aware of the dangers has really changed it." Yet there is plenty of anecdotal evidence showing that there remain a number of players, coaches, managers and other club personnel who still sneak a smoke, a dip, a wad or a plug. And in what some see as another sign of progress, they are indeed sneaking. The suggestion, it appears, is that those who can't quite kick the habit have reached an unspoken compromise in the name of protecting future generations. Conceding that tobacco use is "down but not out," as one of several players told MLB.com, practitioners of our national pastime who continue to partake are hoping that an old adage proves helpful: Out of sight, out of mind. "I'd love to stand up in [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-30T04:13:55-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Evaluating Prognostic Techniques for Head and Neck Cancers Following Chemotherapy and Radiation: Presented at AHNS

Source: Doctor's Guide (www.docguide.com) Author: Arushi Sinha Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is a technique that has low specificity for diagnosis of head and neck cancers following chemotherapy and radiotherapy interventions, researchers reported here at the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) 7th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer. Lisa van der Putten, MD, Department of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, presented research focused on optimising prognostic techniques for patients with head and neck cancers receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy. "This is one of the first studies to examine the effectiveness of prognostic techniques, like ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration, following chemoradiation for head and neck cancer," Dr. van der Putten explained during a presentation on July 20. Lymph node metastasis is one of the most significant prognostic factors for patients with head and neck carcinomas, so Dr. van der Putten and colleagues examined a variety of strategies for prognosis of these patients following chemotherapy and radiotherapy interventions. The objectives of their study were to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and to determine some of the prognostic factors for outcomes following chemoradiation. Both modified radical neck dissection (MRND) and selective neck dissection (SND) are used as treatment methods for patients with head and neck carcinomas who are at high risk for metastatic cancer. The study team evaluated the effectiveness and safety of an observational approach to lymphadenopathy following these surgical interventions. The study followed outcomes of 61 patients who underwent salvage neck dissections for suspected [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-29T22:40:51-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|