alcohol – Page 20 – Oral Cancer News

Understanding the link between HPV and oropharyngeal cancers

Source: www.jaapa.com (Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, October, 2009) Authors: Denise Rizzolo, PA-C, PhD, Mona Sedrak, PA-C, PhD Head and neck cancer is diagnosed in approximately 650,000 patients each year worldwide.1 The term head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers originating from the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity (mouth), nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. Oropharyngeal refers to all the structures of the mouth and pharynx, including the tonsils and tongue. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer.2 Seventy-five percent of all OSCCs are attributable to tobacco and alcohol use.3 People who smoke cigarettes are 4 times more likely to develop oral cancer than nonsmokers. Furthermore, individuals who consume alcohol are 3 times more likely than nondrinkers to develop oral cancer.3 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the prevalence of cigarette smoking has decreased among Americans, and alcohol use has also declined since the 1970s.4,5 However despite this, the incidence of oropharyngeal cancers, including cancer of the base of the tongue and tonsils, has increased, especially in younger patients. These trends have led researchers to investigate other potential risk factors.6-8 New studies suggest that there may be an alternative pathway for the development of oropharyngeal cancers. The high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially type 16 (HPV-16), are now thought to be potential etiologic agents.2,3 The concept that HPV plays a role in head and neck [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-06T22:00:20-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Study finds 231 new genes associated with head and neck cancer

Source: www.eurekalert.org Author: press release A Henry Ford Hospital study has identified 231 new genes associated with head and neck cancer, one of the most deadly cancers responsible for 2.1 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States. Previously, only 33 genes were reported associated with head and neck cancer. "These new genes should advance selection of head and neck-specific gene targets, opening the door to promising new molecular strategies for the early detection and treatment of head and neck cancer," says study lead author Maria J. Worsham, Ph.D., director of research in the Department of Otolaryngology at Henry Ford Hospital. "It also may offer the opportunity to help monitor disease progression and a patient's response to treatment." Results from the study will be presented Sunday, Oct. 4 at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in San Diego. This year alone, more than 55,000 Americans will develop head and neck cancer, which includes cancers of the mouth, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, throat and lymph nodes in the neck; nearly 13,000 of them will die from it. According to the National Cancer Institute, 85 percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone. Treatment for head and neck cancer varies based on the location and stage of the tumor, but most often includes surgery, radiation therapy [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-04T18:29:05-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Speaking and swallowing seems to be possible post tonsil cancer surgery

Source: www.healthjockey.com Author: staff Cancer of the tonsil is said to be one among the head and neck cancers. It apparently develops in the part of the throat just behind your mouth, called the oropharynx. Smoking and consuming alcohol may increase the risk for tonsil cancer. After a tonsil cancer surgery, it is believed that patients cannot speak or eat properly. But a new method for reconstructing the palate post surgery for tonsil cancer apparently preserved the capability of the patients to speak clearly and devour majority of the foods. This technique was developed at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Tonsil cancer apparently develops in the back of the throat, which could mean that surgery could contain parts of the palate, the tongue and the jaw. In conventional reconstruction efforts, a huge round piece of tissue was apparently taken to plug the hole left when the tumor is supposedly detached. But this apparently damages the way the palate and tongue function, and may not reinstate the intricate mechanism of the throat that may enable an individual to speak and swallow. Study author Douglas Chepeha, M.D., M.S.P.H., associate professor of otolaryngology head and neck surgery and director of the microvascular program at the University of Michigan Health System, commented, “This is the area that triggers swallowing, that separates the mouth from the nasal cavity. It affects speech and eating – typically, patients have difficulty eating when they have this kind of tumor and undergo surgery. We can remove the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-09-27T18:21:04-07:00September, 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|

Oral cancer risks that may surprise you

Source: www.examiner.com Author: staff "I am a non-smoker; I do not need to worry about Oral Cancer... right?" Not exactly... Oral Cancer is a debilitating and frightful disease that affects 34,000 new Americans each year. Approximately one person dies of oral cancer each hour and it is estimated that 8,000 will die this year. Of the 34,000 diagnosed in 2009, less than half will live to see 2014. The mortality rate of Oral Cancer is higher than that of Cervical, Testicular and Malignant Melanoma (Skin Cancer). Although Oral Cancer is not addressed as often as other forms of cancer, it is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Many associate Oral Cancer to tobacco use, which is the main risk factor along with excessive alcohol consumption. However, 25% of new Oral Cancer patients do not possess these risk factors. Because of the aggressive nature of the disease, early diagnosis is crucial. Therefore knowing all the risk factors will enable individuals to become proactive in their oral health. Risk factors of Oral Cancer include: Tobacco: Especially "chewing" tobacco, this is thought to contribute to Oral Cancers in the young (less than forty years of age). Alcohol: Consuming three or more alcohol beverages per day increases your risk for Oral Cancer development. Diabetes: It is thought that those individuals who are diabetic are at an increased risk because of compromised immune systems. Human Papilloma Virus: HPV-16 increases the risk for Oral Cancer (it is the same form of HPV that is responsible [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-08-19T07:23:25-07:00August, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Chewing tobacco may cause mouth cancer rise

Source: www.dentistry.co.uk Author: staff Tobacco chewing is causing an ‘alarming' rise in cases of mouth cancer in east London, health chiefs warned today. Chewing paan, a mixture of tobacco and areca nut, is leading to a high number of patients in the Bangladeshi community in the London borough of Tower Hamlets being diagnosed, experts at Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in Whitechapel have revealed. The findings emerged in a screening programme in the East End, led by Bart's, when 1,300 people were tested for early signs of mouth cancer. Most were from the Bengali community. One in 15 people were referred for further investigation. The findings come in the same week that figures suggest that, nationally, alcohol is largely to blame for the rise in the rate of oral cancers among men and women in their forties. The figures, released by Cancer Research UK, showed that since the mid-1990s, rates of oral cancers have gone up by 28% for men in their forties and 24% for women. Anand Lalli, a clinical lecturer in oral surgery, said: ‘In parts of south Asia where paan usage is widespread, oral cancer is one of the commonest causes of death from all cancers. If oral cancer is caught early on, there is a good chance of curing it. But it becomes far less easy to treat the longer it is left.' A team from the Centre for Clinical and Diagnostic Oral Sciences used a mobile dental unit to tour areas [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-08-19T06:03:17-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Mouth cancer expert calls for booze abstinence

Source: www.dentistry.co.uk Author: staff A mouth cancer expert is calling for an abstinence from alcohol to stem the rise in mouth cancer in the UK. New figures suggest that booze is largely to blame for an ‘alarming' rise in the rate of oral cancers among men and women in their forties. The figures, released by Cancer Research UK, show that since the mid-1990s, rates of oral cancers have gone up by 28% for men in their forties and 24% for women. Alcohol consumption has doubled since the 1950s and is the most likely culprit alongside smoking, says Cancer Research UK. Now Dr Vinod Joshi, founder of the Mouth Cancer Foundation is suggesting people should 'avoid drinking alcohol altogether'. The Department of Health's current advice is that men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day, and women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day. He says: 'In view of the latest reports from Cancer Research UK, the current alcohol guidelines that we've got are actually very high. 'To reduce the risk of mouth cancer risk, the Mouth Cancer Foundation recommends that people should limit or avoid drinking alcohol altogether.' For men, the Mouth Cancer Foundation recommends no more than occasional drinking of two standard drinks a day and for women no more than one standard drink a day. Experts suggest that increased alcohol consumption is to blame as they say cancers caused by smoking often take 30 years to develop, and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-08-11T13:46:02-07:00August, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Moderate alcohol intake and cancer incidence in women

Source: www.medscape.com Authors: Naomi E. Allen et al. Background: With the exception of breast cancer, little is known about the effect of moderate intakes of alcohol, or of particular types of alcohol, on cancer risk in women. Methods: A total of 1 280 296 middle-aged women in the United Kingdom enrolled in the Million Women Study were routinely followed for incident cancer. Cox regression models were used to calculate adjusted relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 21 site-specific cancers according to amount and type of alcoholic beverage consumed. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: A quarter of the cohort reported drinking no alcohol; 98% of drinkers consumed fewer than 21 drinks per week, with drinkers consuming an average of 10 g alcohol (1 drink) per day. During an average 7.2 years of follow-up per woman 68 775 invasive cancers occurred. Increasing alcohol consumption was associated with increased risks of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx (increase per 10 g/d = 29%, 95% CI = 14% to 45%, P trend

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-07-17T15:06:54-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

HPV vaccine debate shifts to boys

Source: Buffalo News Author: Henry L. Davis New questions arise as cancer tied to HPV is rising in men Parents who face the dilemma of whether to protect their young daughters with a vaccine aimed at a sexually transmitted infection that causes cervical cancer now face a new question: Should they do the same for their sons? As evidence mounts of a rising number of other cancers linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a debate has intensified over whether to give the vaccine to males. Advocates say vaccinating boys and men can prevent them from passing on the virus to their sexual partners. Critics still question the long-term safety and effectiveness of Merck & Co.’s Gardasil, despite studies indicating that its risks and lasting power are within the range of other vaccines. But a newer wrinkle in the debate is the discovery in recent years that oral HPV infections — most likely acquired from oral sex with multiple partners—significantly increase the risk of head and neck cancers. The rate of oral cancers is rising so steadily, especially in men, that, if the trend continues, there may be more oral cancers in the United States caused by HPV in 10 years than by tobacco or alcohol, a major study concluded last year. “We should be investing our care and dollars in preventing HPV infection instead of treating the cancers,” said Dr. Thom Loree of Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Physicians at the cancer center have begun publicly touting the benefits of [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-07-15T13:04:17-07:00July, 2009|Oral Cancer News|