Prevalence of Oral HPV Infection Higher Among Men Than Women

CHICAGO -- The overall prevalence of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is approximately 7 percent among men and women ages 14 to 69 years in the United States, while the prevalence among men is higher than among women, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium. Oral HPV infection is the cause of a subset of oropharyngeal [relating to the mouth and pharynx] squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC).  Human papillomavirus positive OSCC are associated with sexual behavior in contrast to HPV-negative OSCC that are associated with chronic tobacco and alcohol use. At least 90 percent of HPV-positive OSCC are caused by high-risk (or oncogenic) HPV type 16 (HPV-16), and oral infection confers an approximate 50-fold increase in risk for HPV-positive OSCC. The incidence of OSCC has significantly increased over the last 3 decades in several countries, and HPV has been directly implicated as the underlying cause, according to background information in the article. Although oral HPV infection is the cause of a cancer that is increasing in incidence in the United States, little is known regarding the epidemiology of infection. Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, and colleagues examined the  prevalence of oral HPV infection in the United States. The researchers used data from a cross-sectional study as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, a statistically representative sample of the U.S. population. Men and women ages 14 [...]

2012-01-26T17:50:44-07:00January, 2012|Oral Cancer News|
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Emerging indications: antioxidants for periodontal disease

Source: http://www.dentistryiq.com Author: Edward P. Allen, DDS, PhD Since approximately 10 to 15 percent of adults worldwide suffer from periodontitis at one time or another(1), oral health professionals are constantly challenged with treating patients for existing conditions and helping them prevent future occurrences. Root planing, scaling, and in severe cases, surgical intervention are part of the standard treatment for periodontitis, and antibiotics are used for infection control. However, in recent years, dental health professionals have honed in on the inflammation that accompanies periodontitis. Research shows that inflammation in the oral tissues—especially that associated with periodontitis—can be a factor in chronic illness such as heart and vascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, pregnancy complications, and a growing list of other conditions. The real culprit with inflammation is oxidative stress, a disturbance in the balance of oxidants and antioxidants. Oxidative stress is the result of overproduction of free radicals, unstable molecules that attack tissue cells by “stealing” electrons from other molecules. Although infection is a major trigger for inflammation and oxidative stress, there are numerous other causes, such as poor diet, alcohol consumption and nicotine use or chemical pollutants. In oral tissues oxidative stress can result from dental procedures and from materials used for bleaching, composite fillings, implants, crowns, veneers, and so on. Antibiotics control the micro-organisms that contribute to periodontitis and other infection, but they do not necessarily address the free radicals and oxidative stress that accompany inflammation. Innate defense through natural salivary antibiotics and antioxidants The human body has an innate [...]

2012-01-21T12:23:49-07:00January, 2012|Oral Cancer News|
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Boys need the cervical cancer jab, too

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk Author: Max Pemberton Few politicians will ever admit they are wrong, so I salute health ministers who have finally capitulated to medical opinion and last month announced a U-turn on the cervical cancer vaccine that is given to 12- and 13-year-old girls. Until now, Cervarix, which protects against two strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that are a factor in at least 70 per cent of diagnoses, has been the NHS vaccine of choice. However, another vaccine, Gardasil, also protects against a further two strains of HPV which cause genital warts, the most common sexually-transmitted infection, requiring costly and unpleasant treatment. As doctors have been arguing for some time, this has important public health implications. The current cost to the NHS of treating the 100,000 new cases of genital warts in England each year is £23 million. In several countries, including Australia, where Gardasil has been used in nationwide vaccination programmes, a 75 per cent decrease in the number of new cases of genital warts in the past three years has been reported. Critics of NHS policy complained that Cervarix was chosen over Gardasil not on the basis of clinical efficacy but because its manufacturers offered it at a discounted price, making it the most cost-effective. Indeed, many doctors have admitted in the medical press that they have bought Gardasil for their daughters privately, while they had to give their patients Cervarix. But ministers have seen sense as now Gardasil will be available on the NHS. But the [...]

2011-12-05T09:29:57-07:00December, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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Men in doubt still don’t get checked out!

Source: www.easier.com Author: staff Men are almost twice as likely to die from mouth cancer and statistics consistently show they are less likely to consult with a doctor than their female counterparts. But with rates of incidence and mortality rising at an incredible rate, men can no longer afford to ignore the increasing threat of a killer disease. Mouth cancer cases in the UK have almost doubled in the last decade, rising to 6,000 every year with almost 4,000 of those coming from men and although there are some clear early warning signs many postpone seeking professional advice, leaving fatality rates of the disease at 50 per cent. This is supported by data from the Office of National Statistics, which reveals that women are twice as likely to see their GP as men, visiting the doctors an average of six times a year compared to just three for men. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, puts this failing down to a lack of general cancer health knowledge in men and warns that ignoring the issue can lead to severe problems in future. Dr Carter said: "For almost all types of cancer, men will die more often than women. There's no biological reason that this should be the case so the reason must be purely down to the timing of diagnosis. Unfortunately, when men do go to their GP their condition may be at a far more advanced stage and therefore much more difficult to treat. [...]

2011-11-27T14:52:41-07:00November, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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British throat cancer Europe’s highest thanks to obesity and alcohol

Source: www.lifeinsurance.co.uk Author: Lana Clements The UK suffers the highest rate of throat cancer in Europe, double the average rate, according to new analysis by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). Britain's high level of alcohol consumption and obesity are blamed for the figures. Using World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, the WCRF found that around six out of every 100,000 people develop throat cancer in the UK, while the European average stands at about three. The findings come as the British Liver Trust reports a 74% increase of liver cancer deaths in England and Wales since 1997 as ten people a day now die from the disease. Liver and throat cancer are both strongly linked to obesity and alcohol consumption, while throat cancer is also linked to smokers and liver cancer to hepatitis B. Andrew Langford, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, attacked the government over the UK's strategy towards liver damage: "At the moment all we are seeing are weak policies or no action at all. "Our government-led alcohol policies are a joke and despite nearly every other developed nation having universal vaccination for hepatitis B we are still debating whether we should, while this debate continues many are being infected and for some this will lead to them dying of liver cancer." According to the British Liver trust, liver cancer survival rates have not improved during the last three decades, even though scientific treatment has moved forward, because of the advanced stage of the disease at diagnosis. [...]

2011-11-20T09:41:57-07:00November, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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Ethanol Promotes Chemically Induced Oral Cancer in Mice through Activation of the 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism

Source: Cancer Prevention Research Abstract Alcohol drinking is a known risk factor for oral cancer in humans. However, previous animal studies on the promoting effect of ethanol on oral carcinogenesis were inconclusive. It is necessary to develop an animal model with which the molecular mechanism of ethanol-related oral carcinogenesis may be elucidated to develop effective prevention strategies. In this study, mice were first treated with 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO, 100 μg/mL in drinking water) for 8 weeks and then given water or ethanol (8%) as the sole drink for another 16 weeks. During the experiment, 8% ethanol was well tolerated by mice. The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) increased from 20% (8/41) to 43% (17/40; P < 0.05). Expression of 5-lipoxygenase (5-Lox) and cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2) was increased in dysplasia and SCC of 4NQO-treated tongues and further enhanced by ethanol. Using this mouse model, we further showed that fewer cancers were induced in Alox5−/− mice, as were cell proliferation, inflammation, and angiogenesis in the tongue, as compared with Alox5+/+ mice. Interestingly, Cox-2 expression was induced by ethanol in knockout mice, whereas 5-Lox and leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) expression and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) biosynthesis were dramatically reduced. Moreover, ethanol enhanced expression and nuclear localization of 5-Lox and stimulated LTB4 biosynthesis in human tongue SCC cells (SCC-15 and SCC-4) in vitro. In conclusion, this study clearly showed that ethanol promoted 4NQO-induced oral carcinogenesis, at least in part, through further activation of the 5-Lox pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. This news story was resourced [...]

2011-10-19T15:36:04-07:00October, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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Oral cancers on rise due to HPV

Source: gargoyle.flagler.edu Author: staff Many Flagler College students are reconsidering human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines due to the growing number of head and neck cancers in the United States caused by the HPV virus. According to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the number of cases of oropharyngeal cancer, which are cancers of the tonsils, throat and base of the tongue, have been rising since the mid-1980s. “I got all three shots because I was influenced by my doctor and my mom because it seemed like a good way to protect myself,” said student Courtney Fusilier. “I think people should get it if they don’t want to die from those types of cancer.” The causes of oral cancers function within two categories: cancer caused by tobacco and alcohol and cancer caused by the sexually transmitted virus, HPV, researchers said. Researchers now believe that 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV. “The HPV status of a patient’s tumor is the single greatest determinant of whether a person lives or dies after a diagnosis of local-regionally advanced oropharynx cancer,” Gillison said. According to Gillison, about 95 percent of the HPV-positive oropharynx cancers were caused by HPV16. This strain is specifically targeted by Gardasil and Cervarix, which are two vaccines on the market to prevent cervical cancer. Communication major Adair Findley believes the HPV vaccines should be taken for a good piece of mind. “HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection so I think it is important to [...]

2011-10-15T05:19:56-07:00October, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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Increase in oral cancers linked to HPV

Source: thechart.blogs.cnn.com Author: Saundra Young - CNN Medical Senior Producer The human papillomavirus is contributing to the growing number of head and neck cancers in the United States, according to a new study Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study found that the number of cases of oropharyngeal cancer - cancers of the tonsil, back of the mouth (throat) and base of the tongue - has been on the rise since the mid-1980s. The study suggests that one reason could an increase in the number of people having oral sex resulting in oral human papillomavirus exposure. Researchers say these cancers fall into two categories–those caused by tobacco and alcohol and those caused by the sexually transmitted virus, HPV. They now believe approximately 70% of all oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV infection. "We used to think of oropharyngeal cancer as one cancer," said senior author Dr. Maura Gillison, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center in Columbus. "Now we know the disease is comprised of two biologically and epidemiologically distinct cancers. This new understanding will increasingly enable us to improve and better personalize care for patients with each form of the disease." Researchers tested cancer tissue samples from almost 6,000 patients in Hawaii, Iowa and Los Angeles between 1984 and 2004. They found the HPV-positive cancers increased 225% while HPV-negative oropharynx cancers dropped 50%–most likely because of a reduction in smoking and tobacco use. Even so, patients with HPV-positive cancers live longer. "Patients with HPV positive cancers have [...]

2011-10-03T13:51:20-07:00October, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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Scientific literature supports safety of essential oil mouthrinses

Source: www.dentistryiq.com Author: Christine Charles, RDH Antimicrobial mouthrinses provide anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis benefits beyond brushing and flossing alone. An antimicrobial mouthrinse where the active ingredient is the fixed combination of four essential oils (EO), thymol, menthol, eucalyptol and methyl salicylate in a hydroalcohol solution (pharmaceutical grade ethanol functions as a solvent, a vehicle for the active ingredients and as a preservative in a mouthrinse), has been proven clinically effective and safe in over 50 clinical trials, including 6-month trials with plaque reductions up to 70.0%(1) and gingivitis reductions up to 36%(1,2) compared with negative control. Sharma, et al, showed the clinically significant incremental benefit of including an EO antimicrobial mouthrinse in a daily mechanical oral regimen of brushing and flossing.(3) Mechanical oral hygiene techniques generally focus on the teeth, but teeth comprise only about 25% of the surface area of the mouth. Bacteria are also prevalent on the other 75% of the mouth’s surface area, in bacterial reservoirs on the tongue, cheek, palate and oral mucosa.(4) A mouthrinse can reach the rest of the mouth, where a toothbrush and floss cannot. EO works by killing planktonic and biofilm-associated bacteria and a broad spectrum of bacteria and yeasts associated with halitosis, gingivitis and periodontitis by: (1) disrupting bacterial cell membranes and cell walls, (2) inhibiting bacterial growth and development, (3) inhibiting glucosyltransferase (gtf) enzymes, reducing extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) formation, and (4) reducing plaque endotoxin levels.(5) The scientific literature supports the safety of EO mouthrinses,(7-9) including use in xerostomic patients,(8) and evidence [...]

2011-09-02T19:11:29-07:00September, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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Using mouthwash can increase cancer risk for smokers

Source: www.independent.ie Author: Eilish O’Regan, health correspondent Smokers have been warned to stay away from mouthwash – as it might increase their risk of developing mouth cancer. The combination of smoking and drinking alcohol has been established as increasing the risk of the disease. Now researchers have warned that may apply even to the alcohol contained in mouthwash. They pointed out that, while the link between the use of mouthwash containing alcohol and the cancer is not firmly established, it is best avoided or limited in use by smokers. The risk was examined by researchers led by dentist Dr John Reidy and colleagues in the Royal College of Surgeons and St James’s Hospital in Dublin. Around 400 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year in Ireland with two people a week dying from the disease. Symptoms include red and white patches on the lining of the mouth or tongue, a mouth ulcer that does not heal or a swelling that lasts for more than three weeks. The most effective way of preventing mouth cancer is to quit smoking and limit consumption of alcohol, say experts. The researchers said they were concerned about the effects the alcohol in the mouthwash had and it was therefore “prudent” to restrict its use by smokers who are considered “high-risk” for mouth cancer. Around three-quarters of mouth cancers arise due to a patient both smoking and drinking, according to the study in the Journal of the Irish Dental Association. -

2011-08-24T08:50:11-07:00August, 2011|Oral Cancer News|
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