Oral Cancer News – Page 332 – The Oral Cancer Foundation News Archive

Smile — Benefits Improve

Source: Wall Street Journal (online.wsj.com) Author: M.P. McQueen At a time when workers are shouldering an ever-greater share of health-insurance costs, some insurers surprisingly are increasing benefits in dental plans. A growing number of plans are rewarding patients who get regular preventive care by allowing them a higher maximum yearly allowance. More plans are paying for services that were formerly excluded, including tooth bleaching and dental implants to replace missing teeth. And more plans also are covering additional cleanings or gum treatments for patients who are pregnant or have chronic health conditions. The new features are showing up in employer-provided group plans and some are finding their way even into individual plans. A Way to Fight Disease Experts say the enhanced preventive care is aimed at reducing overall employer health costs by reducing the prevalence of serious disease. A growing number of studies have linked gum disease to such conditions as pre-term births, diabetes and heart disease, although the relationship is not always well understood by science. (All dental plans aren't available in all areas, however, and some of the new features are included only if an employer chooses to offer them.) Delta Dental of California, New York and Pennsylvania and Affiliates, one of the largest dental plans in the U.S., recently introduced a plan that doesn't count diagnostic and preventive care toward the annual maximum. That enables patients to conserve more of their annual benefits allowance, usually capped at $1,500 to $2,500, for such big expenses as bridges and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-28T21:00:04-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Quality of life in patients treated for cancer of the oral cavity requiring reconstruction: a prospective study

Source: Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital, June 1, 2008; 28(3): 120-5 Authors: AB Villaret et al. Surgical treatment for cancer of the oral cavity can result in dramatic aesthetic and functional sequelae partially avoidable by reconstructive techniques. Many studies concerning quality of life have been carried out in order to retrospectively assess outcomes after such major oncological procedures. Aim of this study was to evaluate, in a prospective fashion, the quality of life as a primary endpoint in patients treated for cancers involving the oral cavity and requiring reconstruction. The study design consisted of a prospective evaluation of pre- and post-operative quality of life at 3, 6, and 12 months to assess variations during follow-up using two different questionnaires: the University of Washington Quality of Life and the Head and Neck Performance Status Scale. Between May 1999 and October 2004, 92 patients with oral cancer requiring reconstruction were treated. All were included in the study, but only 35 (38%) concluded the evaluation protocol at one year after surgery without evidence of disease. The mean pre- and post-operative (3, 6, and 12 months) scores of the questionnaires and the scores of specific University of Washington Quality of Life categories (disfigurement, chewing, swallowing, comprehension of speech) were evaluated. The impact on residual quality of life of different factors such as gender, extension of tongue and mandibular defects, type of reconstruction, and radiotherapy was statistically quantified with a Wilcoxon non-parametric test and logistic regression for multivariate analysis. Comparison of mean pre- and post-operative scores between [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-28T20:53:16-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer nurse takes on a special role

Source: ChronicleLive (www.chroniclelive.co.uk) Author: Helen Rae A head and neck cancer nurse specialist has been appointed to offer expertise to those living with cancer in the region. Macmillan Cancer Support has employed new head and neck cancer nurse specialist, Laura Gradwell-Nelson, based at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital. Laura, 28, of New York, North Shields, will work alongside existing Macmillan head and neck nurse specialist Amanda Dear and will see patients throughout Tyneside and Northumberland. Laura said: “We have a fantastic team working with head and neck patients in the area and I’m delighted to be part of it. “I work with patients who may have lost the ability to speak, eat, drink or even breathe. Some have to deal with facial disfigurement after surgery. “These are complex cases and my job is to try and make life as easy as I can for the patient and their family in what can be an incredibly stressful and frightening time. I try and build a relationship up with the patient because I feel being on the same level is crucial to helping them deal with their cancer. “Amanda and I coordinate the patient’s medical care, such as pain control and managing side effects. “We also spend time listening to their concerns, talking through their options and generally being a point of contact when they need help, advice or are worried about anything. “I also point them to the Macmillan benefits advisers if they need financial help. Throughout my career I’ve always had an [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-28T20:46:00-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Tobacco: What Is It and Why Do People Continue to Use It?

Source: RedOrbit.com Author: Paul C. Lewis In this issue of Medsurg Nursing, we are fortunate to have an article written by a nursing expert in the areas of tobacco use, addiction, and abstinence. Dr. Lewis provides an overview of the prevalence of tobacco use and the risks of exposure to tobacco and second-hand smoke for both adults and adolescents. He explains the challenges surrounding smoking cessation and encourages abstinence, starting at the grade school level. He concludes by emphasizing that nurses can provide a vital role in addressing this continued public health crisis. Additionally, Web sites that contain valuable information regarding smoking are included. Cigarette smoking among adults has remained at about 20.8% since 2004 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2005b). Those most likely to smoke include men, adults less than age 40, and those living below the poverty line. American Indians/ Alaskan Natives smoke at a much higher rate (32.4%) than non- Hispanic Blacks (23.0%), non-Hispanic Whites (21.9%), or Hispanics (15.2%). Cigarette smoking among adolescents has stopped declining since 2005 at a level of 23% (CDC, 2005c, 2005d). Adolescent males and females are equally likely to smoke (22.9% vs. 23.0%), with White adolescents smoking more often (25.9%) than Hispanic (22.0%) or non- Hispanic Black (12.9%) adolescents. While most people recognize the harmful effects of tobacco use, and particularly smoking, few are able to quit easily. Relapse is common among people trying to quit, with up to a 80% relapse rate (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-28T14:09:43-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Hopkins Doctor Urges Early Diagnosis To Avoid Cancer’s “Forgotten Killer”

Source: Medical, Health News and Articles (03530.com/2008/08/25) Author: staff On average, two Marylanders each day are diagnosed with potentially fatal oral cancers that are often curable if identified and treated early. The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Office of Oral Health reports that the state ranks in the country’s top 10 for number of deaths caused by oral cancers. Nationally, statistics show that the death rate from these cancers is higher than those of cervical cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, testicular cancer, and thyroid and malignant melanoma. A sore in the mouth that doesn’t heal could be a warning sign of oral cancer, which kills more than 8,000 people a year. Of the 34,000 Americans newly diagnosed with oral cancer annually, only half will be alive in five years. According to the American Dental Association, early diagnosis and treatment could boost that rate to 75 or 80 percent. John O’Brien, 70, who had not smoked a cigarette in 33 years, was adamant about maintaining proper oral hygiene. But, in 2007, O’Brien, a national sales manager for an advertising agency, father of four and a grandfather of five, found a small lump that turned out to be a cancerous tumor at the base of his tongue. After 45 radiation treatments and six chemotherapy sessions, O’Brien says he is grateful to be alive. “I was just in disbelief. Nobody wants to hear that they have cancer,” says O’Brien. “But, for me I was lucky because the doctors caught it quickly.” “Often, oral [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-27T19:25:52-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Armstrong’s cancer summit puts spotlight on survivors

Source: Columbus Dispath (www.columbusdispatch.com) Author: Misti Crane Surgical scars have begun to fade. Chemo and radiation are a memory. The cancer appears destroyed. “The scariest moment is when all the treatment is over and they close that door,” Jeanette Ferguson said today as she stood outside Ohio State's Mershon Auditorium during a morning break in the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Livestrong Summit. Ferguson is one of a thousand people here this weekend who wants to give voice to a community of millions and sculpt a polished and sound cancer-care network from its uneven and, at times, weak existence. Her cancer bio: oral cancer, 2002, advanced, no known risk factors, treated at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital with a protocol so aggressive that only the strongest of patients can withstand its side effects. She was 26 and had a 50-50 chance of living. She is, to use the term so often employed with this disease, a survivor. That idea is taking a new shape. People are talking about what that really means. This morning, former Surgeon General Richard Carmona told delegates to the summit that survivorship is often forgotten. “It's like dropping a citizen in a wilderness without a map or a compass and saying, ‘Find your way out.' ” He and three other surgeons general earlier this week called for invigorated efforts to combat cancer and its fallout. Among those: Former cancer patients should leave treatment with knowledge and resources, with a “survivorship plan.” The thing about survivorship is it [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-27T19:19:26-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Louisville Researchers Make Breakthrough With HPV

Source: WLKY.com Author: staff Looking at Petri dishes and transferring chemical solutions may not look exciting, but if you understood what doctors Alfred Jenson and Shin-Je Ghim have discovered in doing just that, it could save your life. Now, the same scientists have made another discovery concerning the virus, and it could potentially save nearly 50,000 lives a year. "The reason it's so exciting is because we developed the vaccine for the cervical cancer because 100 percent of cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus," said Jenson. "Now it looks like during the last year, up to 50 percent of head and neck cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus." So having a vaccine that's 100 percent effective against the human papillomavirus means the same vaccine is going to be able to prevent both cervical cancer and head and neck cancer. HPV is known to be transferred by sexual intercourse and through the birth canal. So how did it manifest in the head and neck? Doctors linked it to oral transmission. "There has been a change in the cause of head and neck cancers since 1972, and it's just been realized in the last couple of years," said Jenson. Cancer specialists realized there was a sharp rise, particularly in cancer of the tongue and tonsils. U of L's research team at the cancer center, led by resident Payal Desai, looked at the last seven years of patients who had cancerous tissue in those areas. Twenty-eight percent of the samples [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-27T18:40:45-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

U.S. Cancer Authority Says Cell Phone Cancer May Be Real

Source: PR-Inside.com (www.pr-inside.com) Author: staff It's been rumored for years: Cell phones cause cancer. European cancer experts have been generating damning research on the subject for months, but now the first U.S. cancer center director has gone on record with a firm warning. 'I am convinced that there are sufficient data' to issue a warning on cell phone use, says Dr. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers. Other countries have recommended limits on cell phone exposure, and Toronto public health officials have advised young people to limit their use. A child's developing organs "are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure," Dr. Herberman warns. In clear recognition of the potentially catastrophic disease effects of cell phone use, the British government is launching a massive study. They hope to determine - Does long-term use of cell phones cause brain cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease? Worldwide, 3.3 billion cell phones were in use in 2007 - enough for about half the world's people. 90% of the global population should have cellular coverage by 2010. A person's exposure level depends on such things as the number and length of calls, amount of cell traffic at the time of a call, distance to the nearest cell tower, and size of the handset. The phone's internal antenna is the main source of radiation. Hold the phone to your head and you're radiating your ear, brain, mouth and neck. Move the antenna away [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-25T03:15:28-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Positron Emission Tomography Offers Modest Improvement for Staging of Head and Neck Cancers: Presented at AHNS

Source: Doctor's Guide (www.docguide.com) Author: Arushi Sinha Use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging offers modest improvement in positive predictive value, specificity, and accuracy compared with computed tomography (CT) for diagnosing head and neck cancers. Researchers at the American Head and Neck Society 7th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer (AHNS) presented new data on the effectiveness of PET scans singly or in combination with CT compared with CT scans alone. "We used the scans in comparison to the gold standard, which was the pathology findings from neck dissections," explained study presenter Surjeet Pohar, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia. The study, presented in a poster session on July 22, used information gathered from 36 patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. All the patients underwent neck dissection as well as CT scans, PET scans, or combined PET and CT. In addition, all patients received a full medical examination, endoscopy, and X-ray imaging to help stage their disease. In addition, nodal involvement and information about the side of the neck were also documented. As a result of the full diagnostic workup, the researchers found that most patients exhibited locally advanced disease: 4 patients had stage II disease; 3 had stage III disease; and 25 had stage IV disease. Four patients had indeterminate staging at the time of the initial workup. Results showed that several parameters of the different imaging technique were comparable. CT scans exhibited sensitivity to the samples in 72% of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-25T03:02:48-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Reynolds Tobacco Claims Show Litigation Discount (Update2)

Source: Bloomberg.com Author: William McQuillen Reynolds American Inc., which escaped a $145 billion class-action verdict against the tobacco industry two years ago, may see its market value cut by more than $2 billion as thousands of the same smokers press individual claims. Several victories among the 8,000 Florida plaintiffs may reduce the second-largest tobacco company's $15 billion value as much as 15 percent, said Brian Barish, who runs the Cambiar Aggressive Value Fund. That would equal a $2.3 billion decline. The revival of large-scale litigation may mean the return of the discount that plagued shares of tobacco companies after a jury trial in Miami led to the historic punitive-damages award in July 2000. ``If the tobacco companies were to start to lose cases, the market would wake up to this issue,'' said Timothy Ghriskey, chief investment officer at Solaris Asset Management, who oversees $2 billion. His Bedford Hills, New York, firm owns no stock in the companies named in the suit, he said. Reynolds fell $1.22, or 2.3 percent, to $50.99 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, tracking the slide in Standard & Poor's 500 shares. Reynolds has declined 23 percent this year. Besides Reynolds, cigarette makers named in the latest round of Florida suits include Richmond, Virginia-based Altria Group Inc., the nation's biggest tobacco company, and Greensboro, North Carolina-based Lorillard Inc., the third- largest. Lorillard fell $2.62, or 3.8 percent, to $66.99. Altria dropped 40 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $20.81. Market `Distractions' Altria might fall 20 percent [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-07-24T20:52:30-07:00July, 2008|Oral Cancer News|