Brian Hill – Page 2 – Oral Cancer News

The Oral Cancer Foundation Honored as 2013 Top-Rated Nonprofit New GreatNonprofits.org Award is Based on Positive Online Reviews

Newport Beach, CA May 28, 2013 - The oral Cancer Foundation announced today that is has been honored with a prestigious 2013 Top-Rated Awarded by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about non-profit organizations. "We are honored to be named a Top-Rated 2013 Nonprofit," says Brian hill, Founder and Executive Director, The Oral Cancer Foundation. "We have found creative means to accomplish our missions; raise awareness, support patients, provide information, and sponsor research to accomplish important goals when our human and financial resources were minimal." The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on a large number of positive reviews that OCF received - reviews written by the patient population they serve and donors. Individuals could contribute more than a yes/no answer about questions regarding their personal experiences with the non-profit. For example, one person wrote, "I was 33 years old when I was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic oral cancer. The treatments and surgeries that saved my life however left me disfigured, disabled and dependent on the opiate pain medication, Fentanyl. I felt lost and alone, without hope. I found the Oral Cancer Foundation website 11 months after diagnosis and it was a ray of light for me. I was able to connect with survivors and other patients who understood my struggle and related to where I was. With their advice and support I've been able to rebuild my body and free myself from the opiates, and begin to live again. I can't express the gratitude in my [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-05-29T16:05:54-07:00May, 2013|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

U.S. panel finds lack of evidence for oral cancer screening

Source: Dr. BicuspidBy: Dr. Bicuspid StaffApril 9, 2013 A U.S. government-backed task force issued a statement this week saying that there is not enough published evidence to recommend for or against screening for oral cancer by primary care professionals. Evidence is lacking on whether screening can accurately detect oral cancer and if earlier treatment of cancers found during those tests improves long-term health, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Their draft recommendation statement applies to people who do not have any signs or symptoms of oral cancer and is meant for primary care professionals screening for oral cancer. It is not a recommendation about the practices of dentists and oral health professionals, the panel noted. The task force -- an independent volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine -- reviewed the current literature and found: Inadequate evidence that the oral screening examination accurately detects oral cancer Inadequate evidence that screening for oral cancer and treatment of screen-detected oral cancer improves morbidity or mortality Inadequate evidence on the harms of screening; no study reported on harms from the screening test or from false-positive or false-negative test results Seven studies (n = 49,120) examined the performance characteristics of the oral screening examination. These studies were generally conducted in settings with an increased incidence of and mortality from oral cancer (India, Taiwan) compared with U.S. rates, the panel reported. The studies also had considerable heterogeneity and demonstrated great variation in test performance characteristics. Across the seven studies, sensitivity [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-05-26T07:36:08-07:00May, 2013|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Dental groups dispute Consumer Reports cancer screening story

Source: http://www.drbicuspid.comBy: Donna Domino, Features EditorDate: April 5, 2013 The dental community is up in arms over a recent Consumer Reports article that claims oral cancer screening is one of several medical tests that are overrecommended and unnecessary for all but high-risk patients. The article, which appears in the March 2013 issue, concluded that "most people shouldn't waste their time" on most diagnostic tests, including chairside visual screenings for oral cancer. "Most people don't need the test unless they are at high risk, because the cancer is relatively uncommon," Consumer Reports wrote. But the ADA and the Oral Cancer Foundation vehemently disagree with the magazine's conclusions, asserting that visual screening can result in earlier diagnosis of oral cancer and other oral diseases. The Consumer Reports article recommends only three cancer tests -- cervical, colon, and breast -- as worthwhile, and includes oral cancer screening among "eight to avoid" tests: ovarian, pancreatic, testicular, prostate, bladder, lung, oral cavity, and skin cancer. The magazine said its ratings were based mainly on reviews from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Early diagnosis critical According to Consumer Reports, the medical community has "systematically exaggerated" the benefits of screening while downplaying the harms, such as unnecessary radiation and biopsies. The ADA quickly registered its disappointment with the recommendations and sent a letter -- co-signed by the American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology -- to the editors of Consumer Reports, noting that noninvasive visual and tactile oral cancer screenings are typically included in oral exams [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-04-23T15:24:32-07:00April, 2013|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Should You Get the HPV Vaccine?

You don’t have to be a virgin to be protected against cancer. By Jake Blumgart|Posted Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, at 1:22 PM ET Source: Slate A doctor gives a 13-year-old girl an HPV vaccination Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images. The human papillomavirus has the dubious distinction of being the sexually transmitted disease you are most likely to get. It’s also the leading cause of cervical cancer. January has, somewhat arbitrarily, been dubbed Cervical Health Awareness Month (also National Hobby Month and Hot Tea Month, the last at least for good reason). While cervical cancer is the disease most commonly associated with HPV, a recent report from the American Cancer Society emphasizes that HPV’s threat is not gender-specific or organ-specific. While cervical cancer cases are in decline (as are general cancer rates), cancers linked to HPV are on the rise. The increasing prevalence of HPV-linked cancers should permanently alter our limited conception of the disease as chiefly a women’s issue. Oropharyngeal (which I’ll be vulgarizing as “oral”) and anal HPV-related cancers (which particularly afflict men who have sex with men) are becoming more common. Oral malignancies account for 37.3 percent of HPV-related cancers, edging out cervical cancer, which makes up 32.7 percent. For men, oral cancers make up 78.2 percent of total HPV-related cancer incidences, and they account for 11.6 percent of cases among women. The death rate for oral cancer is three times higher than that for cervical cancer. (About 40 percent of penile cancer cases are HPV-related, but rates [...]

Charlotte Parker2013-01-28T14:28:34-07:00January, 2013|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

A tragic turn of events to most important dental story published in 2012

Source: DentistryIQ Date: 12/21/2012 By Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS, and Jo-Anne Jones, RDH Jo-Anne Jones, RDH, President, RDH Connection Inc., has much to be proud of! An article by Jo-Anne, about a possible connection between sex and oral cancer, has been selected by the dental editors of PennWell publications as the most important article published in 2012 for the dental profession. Jones’ article, “Sex and oral cancer: What is the connection?” appeared in the April 6 issue of RDH eVillage FOCUS e-newsletter. The article shares some of the latest statistics regarding a possible connection between the human papillomavirus (HPV) and oral cancer. To read the article, click here. The editors participating in the selection of the top published dental story perform editorial duties for Dental Economics, RDH, and Proofs magazines, as well as Dental Assisting Digest, RDH eVillage, RDH eVillage FOCUS, DE Expert Tips & Tricks, Surgical-Restorative Resource, and New Products electronic newsletters. Articles that were published in either print or electronic formats were accepted. Dental editors were asked to submit a nomination of the most important article from their respective publication. Nominations were sought for the following categories: • Most important article from Dental Assisting Digest • Most important article from Proofs • Most important article from RDH eVillage • Most important article from RDH eVillage FOCUS • Most important article from New Products • Most important article from Surgical-Restorative Resource • Most important article from DE Expert Tips & Tricks • Most important article from DentalEconomics.com • [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-12-21T10:56:21-07:00December, 2012|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Oral Cancer Foundation breaks records in April’s Awareness and Screening Month

Source: MSNBC News Author: staff Oral cancer is an insidious disease that too often is not discovered until very late in its development, as it might not produce symptoms the average person may notice. By then treatments are less effective, and because of late discovery in far too many patients, it has a five year survival rate of only about 57%, much lower than cancers we commonly hear about. Oral cancer has existed outside the awareness of much of the public, yet it will take one life, every hour of every day in the U.S. This year the combination of unprecedented efforts by the relatively small, non-profit Oral Cancer Foundation, a coalition of strategic partners they formed, and a dose of celebrity power, created what might be called a perfect storm; and one that potentially will change public awareness of one of the few cancers that is actually increasing in incidence in the U.S. For thirteen years in a row, April has been oral cancer awareness month nationally. More than 85% of all head and neck cancers are oral and oropharyngeal disease. Historically, a loose coalition of stakeholders in the disease has mustered about 200 screening events in April in facilities ranging from large institutions to individual dental offices around the country. Those participants opened their doors for at least a half-day to opportunistically screen members of the public in their communities for free, to find early stage disease, and to raise public awareness. This year the Oral Cancer Foundation, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-06-16T12:46:56-07:00May, 2011|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

World’s largest oral cancer support group is helping thousands worldwide

Source: www.mdnews.com Author: staff It's no secret that people don't want to hear their name and cancer in the same sentence. When Oral Cancer Founder Brian Hill was diagnosed with oral cancer in 1999, he had a lot of questions. Brian recalls, "When I was going through treatment I remember thinking, 'When am I going to get rid of all these sores in my mouth? What about tasting things again?' I was desperate to find someone to talk to who had gone through the same thing I was experiencing but there was nowhere to go." Brian decided to take matters into his own hands and become a student of the disease. With a small budget, he founded the non-profit Oral Cancer Foundation, and launched a Patient/Survivor Support Forum shortly after completing treatment for the disease. Today, eleven years after Brian faced dim prospects as a stage 4 cancer patient, the Foundation's Survivor/Patient forum is the world's largest support group for oral, head and neck cancers. The message boards have thousands of individuals involved; survivors, patients and caregivers, as well as doctors and nurses - posting real-time, asking for, or providing information and support to those just starting on this path. The OCF forum is a free, anonymous, safe environment for patients to get the answers and support they need 24/7/ 365 days a year. Patients and caregivers worldwide are interacting with each other. Currently more than 7,650 members on the forum interact with one another on a daily basis; tens [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-27T20:31:16-07:00December, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Oral Cancer Foundation founder named Survivor Circle Award winner by ASTRO

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has named Brian Hill of Newport Beach, Calif., as its 2010 Survivor Circle Award winner. Hill will be recognized with a trophy and a $1,000 prize during the Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, during ASTRO's 52nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. He has chosen to donate the funds from the award to benefit The Oral Cancer Foundation, the nonprofit he started a decade ago. The Survivor Circle Award recognizes a cancer survivor who has given back to the community by devoting his or her time to helping others with cancer. Hill was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic tonsil cancer in 1997. When he was going through treatment, he had many questions about side effects and realized there was a lack of information and awareness about head and neck cancer even though the disease has a very high death rate, due to it being caught at a late stage in most cases. "There was a huge lack of information available, and I was desperate to find someone to talk to who had gone through the same thing I was experiencing," Hill said. "I knew that if I was feeling this way, there had to be others feeling my frustrations too. I then became a student of the disease. " After Hill completed his grueling but successful radiation treatments at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, he and his wife Ingrid founded The Oral Cancer Foundation in 1999, which is now a national [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-10-15T15:42:57-07:00October, 2010|OCF In The News|

Oral Cancer Foundation Combines Guerilla Marketing With Tech Savvy for Public Good

Source: The Oral Cancer Foundation Author: Staff HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This past weekend the US Open of Surfing, sponsored by action sports industry giant Hurley International was held in "Surf City" attracting over 500,000 visitors during the three-day event. The crowd of sun and surf lovers was dominated by teens and 20 somethings that besides their love of the beach also shared their connectivity to social networking environments, often with multi-functional smart phones. For the Oral Cancer Foundation who needs to spread important medical information about risk factors for the disease they represent, to a group of individuals that are increasingly becoming part of the "at risk" population, this was a mix of ingredients too rich to miss. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100816/DC51095 ) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100816/DC51095 ) Oral cancer itself is off the radar of most Americans, let alone the fact that the fastest growing segment of the oral cancer population are young, non-smoking, and predominantly white. Historically this has not been the case. Individuals with several decades of tobacco use, in their fifth to seventh decade of life, two-to-one black over white, and 3-1 males over females have been the relatively stable high-risk population for decades. But today, a very common virus is changing all that. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has around 130 versions, 9 are known causes of cancer, and another 6 are often found in association with those. The most commonly known cancer associated with HPV is cervical cancer. But to most Americans the other cancers that HPV [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-08-22T21:00:30-07:00August, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Oral Cancer Foundation donates screening devices to West Virginia Free Clinics

Source: www.prnewswire.com Author: press release In 2009 the Oral Cancer Foundation initiated a program of donating VELscope® Oral Cancer Screening Systems to free clinics. The most recent recipients of this program are two West Virginia clinics: WV Health Right in Charleston, and the Susan Dew Hoff Memorial Clinic in West Milford. "Our intent is to identify free clinics in areas that have a high concentration of people who are both at risk for oral cancer and without the financial means to pay for comprehensive oral exams," said Oral Cancer Foundation founder and executive director Brian Hill. "It is difficult to think of an area that better fits those criteria than West Virginia." The state ranks highest in the country in tobacco usage, and next-to-last in per capita income. In identifying free clinics to be potential recipients of the device which identifies loss of tissue auto-fluorescence, an indicator of abnormal tissues, the Oral Cancer Foundation is careful to ensure that each candidate clinic has at least one dentist on staff who can be trained to use the device and can train other staff members. Oral cancer belongs to the head and neck cancer group, and is often referred to by other names such as; tongue cancer, mouth cancer, tonsil cancer, lip cancer, and throat cancer. While some people think this is a rare cancer, it is not. Approximately 100 people in the U.S. will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer each day, and it takes a life in the U.S. every [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-02-23T12:46:22-07:00February, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|