alcohol

Study: smoking marijuana found non-carcinogenic

Source: americanlivewire.com Author: staff Smoking marijuana does not appear to increase the risk of lung cancer or head-and-neck malignancies, even among heavy users, researchers reported here. “We expected that we would find that a history of heavy marijuana use, more than 500 to 1,000 uses, would increase the risk of cancer from several years to decades after exposure to marijuana, said Donald Tashkin, M.D., of the University of California in Los Angeles. But in fact, they reported at the American Thoracic Society meeting here, marijuana use was associated with cancer risk ratios below 1.0, indicating that a history of pot smoking had no effect on the risk for respiratory cancers. Studies have shown that marijuana contains many compounds that when burned, produce about 50% higher concentrations of some carcinogenic chemicals than tobacco cigarettes. In addition, heavy, habitual marijuana use can produce accelerated malignant change in lung explants, and evidence on bronchial biopsies of pre-malignant histopathologic and molecular changes, Dr. Tashkin said. The investigators had also previously shown that smoking one marijuana cigarette leads to the deposition in the lungs of four times as much tar as smoking a tobacco cigarette containing the same amount of plant material. Marijuana cigarettes are not filtered and are more loosely packed than tobacco, so there’s less filtration of the tar. In addition, pot smokers hold the smoke in their lungs about four times longer than tobacco smokers do, Dr. Tashkin pointed out. For the population-based case-control study, they identified cancer cases among people from [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-11-25T09:01:35-07:00November, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Alcohol drinking in never-tobacco users and cigarette smoking in never drinkers: pooled analysis in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium

Source: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.orgAuthors: Paolo Boffetta, Mia Hasibe & On Behalf Of INHANCE Consortium Abstract: Cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking account for at least 75% of head and neck cancers. A precise understanding of the independent effect of each of these factors in the absence of the other has important implications, in terms of elucidating the mechanisms of head and neck carcinogenesis and assessing the effect of interventions aimed to control either risk factor.We determined the extent to which head and neck cancer is associated with cigarette smoking among never-drinkers and alcohol drinking among never-tobacco users. We pooled individual-level data across 15 individual case-control studies including 10,244 head and neck cancer cases and 15,227 controls.There were 1,072 cases and 5,775 controls who never used tobacco, and 1,598 cases and 4,051 controls who never drank alcohol. Cigarette smoking increased the risk of head and neck cancers [odds ratio (OR)=2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49-2.95] among never-drinkers, with clear dose-response relationships for frequency, duration and packyears of cigarette smoking. Approximately 24% of head and neck cancer cases among non-drinkers would have been prevented if these individuals had not smoked cigarettes. Among never-tobacco users, an increasing risk of head and neck cancer was detected for increasing alcohol drinking frequency (p for trend<0.001), but the effect was apparent only at high doses.Our results represent the most precise estimate available of the independent effect of each of the two main risk factors of head and neck cancer and exemplify the strengths of large-scale consortia in cancer epidemiology. *This news [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-10-10T10:36:00-07:00October, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

ACS awards $1.7M to study racial disparities in HNC patients

Source: http://www.drbicuspid.com/ Author: DrBicuspid Staff The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded a $1.7 million grant to Philadelphia researchers to investigate factors that may contribute to the racial disparities seen among those diagnosed and treated for head and neck cancers (HNC) -- specifically head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). While head and neck cancers account for only 3% of all cancers in the U.S., a disproportionately high number of African Americans are affected. Recent research has shown that other biological factors, and tobacco and alcohol use, may have a role in the development of these cancers. Other studies suggest that low socioeconomic status and poor healthcare access are the main contributors to this disparity. "Studies on genes involved in tobacco and drug metabolism and efflux suggest an association of genetic variants with head and neck cancer risk and survival in populations of European and Asian ancestries," stated Camille Ragin, PhD, an associate professor at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and the study's principal investigator, in a press release. "Genetic variants associated with the survival disparity of head and neck cancer in African-derived populations, however, is not yet clear." An accumulation of cancer-causing compounds occurs when products from tobacco smoke enter the body's cells, in some cases enabled by alcohol, and are broken down by proteins. Variations in the genetic code that generate these proteins can lead to differences in their function and could affect the way disease may develop or respond to drug therapy. In many cases, the genetic [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-07-12T08:41:56-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Researchers find way to diagnose aggressiveness of oral cancer

Source: www.news-medical.net Author: staff Studying mouth cancer in mice, researchers have found a way to predict the aggressiveness of similar tumors in people, an early step toward a diagnostic test that could guide treatment, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "All patients with advanced head and neck cancer get similar treatments," said Ravindra Uppaluri, MD, PhD, associate professor of otolaryngology. "We have patients who do well on standard combinations of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and patients who don't do so well. We're interested in finding out why." Reporting in Clinical Cancer ResearchK/em>, the investigators found a consistent pattern of gene expression associated with tumor spreading in mice. Analyzing genetic data from human oral cancer samples, they also found this gene signature in people with aggressive metastatic tumors. "We didn't automatically assume this mouse model would be relevant to human oral cancer," said Uppaluri, who performs head and neck surgeries at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "But it turns out to be highly reflective of the disease in people." Rather than use genetic methods to induce tumors in the mice, the research team repeatedly applied a known carcinogen, in much the same way humans develop cancer of the mouth. "Patients often have a history of tobacco and alcohol use, which drive the development of these tumors," Uppaluri said. "We felt that exposing the mice to a carcinogen would be more likely to produce similar kinds of tumors." The researchers, including first author Michael D. Onken, PhD, research assistant [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-06-29T20:25:48-07:00June, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Cannabinoids may offer hope for patients with oral cancer pain

Source: www.elements4health.com Even the strongest available pain medications are largely ineffective for many cancer patients, particularly those with oral cancers. One of the nation’s leading oral cancer treating clinicians, speaking at the American Pain Society’s annual meeting, said he believes that while prospects for major treatment advances remain bleak, a new cannabinoid-based medication may have some promise for providing meaningful pain relief. Brian Schmidt, DDS, MD, PhD, professor, New York University College of Dentistry and School of Medicine, delivered the Global Year Against Pain Lecture and reported that today, more than 100 years since President Ulysses S. Grant died from oral cancer, there is only modest improvement in patient survival. Grant is the only American president to die from cancer. “Oral cancer is one of the most painful and debilitating of all malignancies,” said Schmidt, “ and opioids, the strongest pain medications we have, are an imperfect solution. They become dramatically less effective as tolerance to these drugs develops.” Now considered to be the fastest increasing cancer in the United States, oral and oropharyngeal malignancies usually begin in the tongue. Human papillomavirus transmitted through oral sex, tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption are the leading causes of this increase in oropharyngeal cancer. In the United States, some 43,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every year and the disease is more widespread worldwide with 640,000 new cases a year. Schmidt said oral cancer patients often undergo multiple surgeries as tumors recur and also are treated with radiation and chemotherapy. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-05-15T08:40:08-07:00May, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Jim Kelly’s toughest game: Fighting oral cancer

Source: www.foxnews.com Author: Dr. Manny Alvarez Jim Kelly, the Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the Buffalo Bills until 1996, is one of the greatest football players that I have ever seen. During his football career, I followed him closely and was always in awe of his athletic abilities, his leadership qualities and his love of family. Unfortunately, Jim Kelly is currently battling a second recurrence of oral cancer and has been scheduled to undergo surgery in an attempt to control the disease. His wife, Jill, told the Associated Press that her 54-year-old husband’s cancer is aggressive and beginning to spread. I’ve been following Jim Kelly’s health struggles and have been thinking about him, praying that he gets better. It is easy to think of some humans as immortal – especially when you’re looking at an individual as physically fit as Jim Kelly. But we tend to forget that sometimes nature has a unique plan for all of us. However, Jim Kelly’s struggles can serve as a reminder for us all to be vigilant about our health. Jim Kelly is suffering from oral cancer, which doesn’t get the attention that it deserves, despite the fact that 42,000 new cases will be diagnosed in 2014, according to the National Cancer Institute. Oral cancers are any cancers occurring in the oral cavity, which starts in your throat and extends all the way to your lips. The sad part about this disease is that oral cancers are typically not identified early, which [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-30T10:22:43-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Global trends suggest HPV positive oral cancer greatly increased in young males

Source: www.zawya.com Author: staff While the incidence of smoking-related oral squamous cell carcinoma has decreased in many parts of the world, cases of human papilloma virus (HPV) positive oropharyngeal cancer (OPSCC) have greatly increased. Otolaryngologists are finding that the majority of their patients are male and a lot younger in age than their counterparts. This "new" head and neck cancer patient differs in several ways from the "traditional" head and neck cancer patients who were older, had significant tobacco and alcohol exposure, and potential tumours throughout the upper aerodigestive tract. The significance of this global trend suggests that more attention needs to be paid to the phenomena here in the Middle East. Dr Marilene Wang, Professor, Chief of Otolaryngology, UCLA Department of Head and Neck Surgery, will be discussing the increasing incidence of young cancer patients who are non-smokers, but happen to be HPV positive and how these cases should be managed in the Middle East at the 11th Middle East Update in Otolaryngology Conference & Exhibition - Head and Neck Surgery (ME-OTO) from the 20-22 April 2014 at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena, Dubai, UAE. According to Dr Wang, "Currently, the most common head and neck cancer patients are younger, primarily male, and have no or relatively minimal exposures to tobacco and alcohol. Yet, they often have histories of notable increased sexual encounters. Although HPV positive OPSCC demonstrates an alarming increasing incidence, this is balanced by a significant response to treatment regardless of advanced stage. "Cases of OPSCC associated with [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-16T08:45:03-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Brits call for smoking in films to be stubbed out

Source: www.economicvoice.com Author: staff After a record night of success for British talent at the Oscars, a new poll reveals a majority of us would like to stub out smoking in films watched by children. In a survey conducted by oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation, more than two thirds (67 per cent) said they thought films featuring actors smoking should receive the highest classification rating, suitable only for adults. According to the British Board of Film Classification, rated-18 films currently allow scenes of drug-taking, provided ‘the work as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse’. The film board makes no reference to smoking or alcohol misuse, two of the leading risk factors for mouth cancer. Rita Hayworth One in five people in the UK smoke, and the habit is still considered the leading cause of mouth cancer. But while many of us are aware of the damage that smoking does to our lungs, the danger to our mouths remains relatively unknown. Smoking helps to transforms saliva into a deadly cocktail that damages cells in the mouth and can turn them cancerous. As alcohol aids the absorption of tobacco into the mouth, those who smoke and drink to excess are up to 30 times more likely to develop the disease. Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, urged the film board to consider its policy on films depicting smoking. Dr Carter said: “The risks of smoking have been well [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2014-03-07T07:09:27-07:00March, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Global trends in oral cancers

Source: www.dailyrx.com Author: staff It used to be that smoking and drinking alcohol were the biggest risk factors for cancers that develop in the mouth and throat. Those trends may be changing, according to a new study. That new study uncovered that cancers that appear in the throat right behind the mouth have increased, primarily in developed countries. The trend has been most prevalent in men under the age of 60, the researchers found. These increases, the authors suggested, may be linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that’s associated with a number of cancers, including oral cancers. Anil K. Chaturvedi, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, led this study that examined incidence trends for oropharyngeal (part of the throat behind the mouth) and oral cavity (mouth) cancers in 23 countries across four continents. The researchers examined the countries’ cancer registry data for the years 1983 to 2002. In the study’s introduction, the authors noted that oral cavity cancers (OCC) have declined recently in most parts of the world due to the declines in tobacco use. At the same time, oropharyngeal cancers (OPC) have risen over the past 20 years in some countries. OPC rates were compared to those of OCC and lung cancers to distinguish the potential role of HPV from smoking-related cancer trends. The researchers tracked specific OPC sites, including base of the tongue, tonsils, oropharynx and pharynx (throat). OCC sites included the tongue, gums, floor of the mouth, palate (roof of the mouth) and other [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-11-19T14:42:18-07:00November, 2013|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer waiting times ‘could cost lives’

Source: www.rochdaleonline.co.uk Author: staff Statistics released by the Department of Health reveal costly delays that could jeopardize the lives of suspected head and neck cancer patients. According to the 2012/13 Cancer Waiting Times annual report1, 1,252 suspected head and neck cancer patients had to wait longer than three weeks to be seen by a specialist, a delay that could potentially cost lives. With mouth cancer cases on the increase, campaigners the British Dental Health Foundation are calling for suspected head and neck cancer patients to be seen within the two-week referral target due to the very nature of the disease. Without early detection, the five year survival rate for mouth cancer is only 50 per cent. If it is caught early, survival rates over five years can dramatically improve to up to 90 per cent. Between April 2012 and March 2013 over one million patients were seen by cancer specialists following an urgent referral. A total of 96.1 per cent of suspected head and neck cancer were seen within 14 days of referral, compared to 96.3 per cent in 2010-20112. More than 50,000 patients were not seen within 14 days of referral. Cancer waiting times are monitored carefully by the Foundation, which organises the Mouth Cancer Action Month campaign, sponsored by Denplan also supported by Dentists’ Provident and the Association of Dental Groups (ADG), in November each year to help raise awareness of the disease and its symptoms. Tobacco use, drinking alcohol to excess, smoking, poor diet and the human [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2013-09-04T07:03:39-07:00September, 2013|Oral Cancer News|