early detection – Oral Cancer News

How this surgery center is changing the way doctors communicate with patients

Source: foxbaltimore.com Author: WBFF staff Head and neck cancers have a variety of causes, including human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, alcohol and tobacco use, sun exposure, poor oral health, or occupational exposure to hazardous materials. Regardless of the cancer's cause, recovery often depends on how quickly a patient can begin treatment. The experience of starting treatment is of particular interest to Farzad Masroor, M.D., a surgeon at GBMC's Milton J. Dance, Jr. Head and Neck Center, and his team. "The head and neck areas are how we interface with the world," he said. "The mouth and throat are vital to talking and tasting, and when treatments focus on those areas, it will invariably affect a patient's quality of life." To help minimize the need for invasive treatments like surgery and radiation, Dr. Masroor and his colleagues prioritize early detection and care to yield the best possible outcomes. Although patients are encouraged to see their primary physicians or dermatologists before making an appointment with a surgeon, Dr. Masroor also recommends that patients refer themselves if they are concerned that cancer is present. "I would rather see my office filled with people who I can reassure about their health than have patients delay care and end up with something seriously wrong that requires a significant procedure," he said. Courtesy phone consultations with a head and neck surgeon at the Milton J. Dance, Jr. Center are available for patients in these instances. Though these are not designed to replace in-person visits, they allow patients [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2021-04-16T19:56:33-07:00April, 2021|Oral Cancer News|

University of Cincinnati researcher studies cancer-detecting mouthwash with help from ACS grant

Source: healthnews.uc.edu Author: staff Scott Langevin, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health and a member of both the Cincinnati Cancer Center (CCC) and UC Cancer Institute, was recently awarded $782,000 from the American Cancer Society to continue his research, which will hopefully assist in use of a certain oral rinse to catch recurrence of these types of cancers in their earliest stages. He originally received a National Cancer Institute K22 award to begin this study. "In 2017, mouth and throat cancer, otherwise known as oral and pharyngeal cancer, accounted for an estimated 49,670 new cancer diagnoses and 9,700 cancer-related deaths in the US, and the outcomes for patients with this cancer is relatively poor. About half of these patients will have cancer recurrence within 2 years of treatment,” Langevin says. "Earlier detection of recurrent tumors is associated with better clinical outcomes, so there is a clear need for new tests that can help facilitate early detection.” Langevin says that researchers in his lab previously identified a biomarker panel made up of 22 regions of DNA; based on the amount of a certain molecule attached to these regions—a process called DNA methylation—scientists could identify the presence of mouth and throat cancer with a high level of accuracy by using noninvasive oral rinse (mouthwash) samples. "With this project, we hope to evaluate the potential of this oral rinse methylation panel as a clinical tool for early detection of cancer recurrence following diagnosis and treatment,” he says. "This will hopefully [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-10-23T12:24:47-07:00October, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

New cancer test isn’t ready for prime time

Author: H Gilbert Welch Date: February 14, 2018 Source: http://www.cnn.com/2018/02/13/opinions/liquid-biopsy-opinion-welch/index.html (CNN)- A simple blood test to detect cancer early. How great is that? There has been enthusiasm about the so-called "liquid biopsy" for years. In mid-January, however, doctors learned more -- both about this vision and its problems. A widely reported study in the journal Science described a liquid biopsy test -- CancerSEEK -- which combined measuring eight tumor biomarkers with testing for pieces of DNA with cancer associated mutations in 16 genes. It's not one test; it's a battery of tests. And while collecting the blood may be simple, the subsequent analysis is extraordinarily complex. The task at hand is particularly challenging. We all have pieces of DNA in our blood. Distinguishing the tumor DNA from the background DNA requires finding the mutations specifically associated with cancer. Adding to the complexity, healthy individuals can have mutations. To avoid labeling innocuous mutations as cancerous requires a bunch of statistical fine-tuning. In other words, there are a lot of steps in a liquid biopsy and much potential for things to go awry. To their credit, the CancerSEEK investigators were very forthright that the study conditions were ideal for the test to accurately detect cancer. The liquid biopsy simply had to discriminate between patients with known cancer (the majority of whom had symptoms) and healthy individuals. And the statistical fine-tuning was tailored to the study participants -- with the knowledge of who had, and who did not have, cancer. Although the test was [...]

Charlotte Parker2018-02-14T11:36:19-07:00February, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Forward Science and Oral Cancer Foundation partner in video to spread oral cancer awareness

Source: www.DentistryIQ.comAuthor: DentistryIQ Editors Click here to view Carol Layer's story, told by her daughter Rachel In an effort to increase awareness about the importance of annual oral cancer screenings, Forward Science, the creators of OralID, and the Oral Cancer Foundation have partnered to share the story of a family’s loss after a protracted and difficult battle with oral cancer. In a video narrated by the daughter of an oral cancer victim, the importance of regular/routine oral cancer screenings is stressed, and the daughter shares a first-hand view of why early detection is critical. To view the touching story of Carol Layer’s fight with oral cancer, told by her extraordinary daughter, Rachel, visit http://www.oralid.com/carolsfight. “Until there is a cure, the best solution is early discovery. Early detection can not only save people’s lives, but preserve the quality of life.” Rachel continues to compete in marathons and relay races in her mother’s memory, wearing “Carol’s Fight” on her shirt in every race. She emphasizes the importance of sharing her mom’s story with the world, with the hope of preventing future stories like her own. She said, “I certainly learned a lot about life and death and what it meant to be resilient through her, and I hope my mom’s story carries forward to people.” At 44 years old, Carol Layer had no traditional risk factors (alcohol or tobacco use) and was not a patient who was in the high-risk category for oral cancer. Carol found a lesion on the side of her tongue [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-12-10T17:36:58-07:00December, 2015|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Spreading awareness and saving lives — Oral Cancer Foundation’s Walk for Awareness may be coming to a city near you!

Source: www.prnewswire.com Author: press release Oral cancer has historically existed outside the awareness of much of the public, yet in the U.S. it claims one life every hour of every day of the year. This year alone, approximately 45,750 Americans will be diagnosed with oral cancer. This number is on the rise and The Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF) needs help spreading awareness about this devastating disease. OCF is working in communities across the country to bring "Walk for Awareness" events to the public, and with them the opportunity to engage in a conversation that too few people are having. These events raise awareness of a disease that far too many Americans have never even heard of. Most events also incorporate free to the public oral cancer screenings, providing the opportunity to educate attendees about the early signs and symptoms of oral cancer while also instilling the importance of early detection and need for annual oral cancer screenings. To see if an OCF Walk for Awareness is taking place near you, visit oralcancer.org and click support to view an interactive map of the organization's upcoming events. OCF has been raising awareness and providing support in communities for 16 years in cities scattered across the US. Here are a just a few of the remaining Fall 2015 events: The 5th Annual Oral Cancer Foundation Walk/Fun Run for Awareness - Twin Cities, Minnesota, will take place this Sunday, September 27, 2015 at City of Eagan Community Center. For more details, to register and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-10-13T20:24:31-07:00September, 2015|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

UC Davis will use dogs to sniff out cancer

Source: www.willitsnews.com Author: staff A university team of physicians, veterinarians and animal behaviorists has begun training a pair of very special canines to sniff out cancer. One of the 4-month-old puppies is Alfie, a Labradoodle. months old. UC Davis clinicians are hoping to advance cancer screenings with the innate olfactory skills of man’s best friend. A university team of physicians, veterinarians and animal behaviorists has begun training a pair of very special canines who may represent high-tech health care on four feet in the effort to better screen for cancer, especially at early stages of the disease. About 4-months old, the puppies Alfie (a Labradoodle) and Charlie (a German Shepherd) are undergoing a rigorous twelve-month training program to develop their abilities to identify the scent of cancer in samples of saliva, breath and urine. According to sensory scientists, the olfactory acuity of dogs enables them to detect odorant concentration levels at 1 to 2 parts per trillion, roughly 10,000 to 100,000 times that of a human. UCD physicians and researchers believe Alfie and Charlie have the potential to add an important diagnostic element to patient care. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and early detection of the disease gives patients the best chance of survival. “For the past number of years, we have been developing very high-end, expensive new tests to try and detect the presence of cancer,” said Ralph de Vere White, distinguished professor of urology and director of the UC [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-09-13T15:14:35-07:00September, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

For the war against oral cancer, what’s in your arsenal?

Source: www.dentistryiq.com Author: Dennis M. Abbott, DDS The face of oral cancer has changed: No longer is oral cancer a disease isolated to men over 60 years of age with a long history of smoking and alcohol consumption. Today, the demographic for the disease includes younger people of both sexes with no history of deleterious social habits who are otherwise healthy and active. It spans all socioeconomic, racial, religious, and societal lines. In other words, oral and oropharyngeal cancer is an equal opportunity killer. Today, as you read this article, 24 people in the US will lose their battles with oral cancer. That is one person for each hour of the day, every day of the year. Each of those lost is someone’s sister, a father’s son, a small child’s mommy, or maybe even a person you hold dear to your heart. The truth is, oral and oropharyngeal cancer has several faces . . . and each of those faces is a human being, just like you and me. So how can we, as dental professionals, be instrumental in the war against oral and head and neck cancer? Views of the oropharynx, the base of the tongue, and the epiglottis, taken with the Iris HD USB 3.0 intraoral camera using different points of focus. Photos courtesy of the author. The answer, as with most other cancers, lies in early detection. When oral and oropharyngeal cancer is detected early, the five-year survival rate can be as high as 80% [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-22T05:02:02-07:00July, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Tufts dental school to add oral medicine residency program

Source: www.drbicuspid.com Author: DrBicuspid Staff The Tufts University School of Dental Medicine will begin enrolling students in its new Advanced Education Program in Oral Medicine in July 2016, according to a Tufts Daily article. The program is a two-year postgraduate certificate with the option for a three-year master's degree track, according to the university. Teaching students how to treat oral symptoms of various diseases and conditions is the aim of the program. The program teaches dentists to be responsible for the early detection and diagnosis of oral cancer and other malignancies that manifest in the oral cavity. Dentists will be trained to treat the oral manifestations of infectious diseases, including HIV; autoimmune and immune-related diseases such as lupus; and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. Bhavik Desai, DMD, PhD, an assistant professor of oral medicine and temporomandibular joint disorder at the Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry, will begin as the program director on July 1. Oral medicine is not yet recognized as a specialty by the ADA; the American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM) oversees the discipline and is responsible for certifying dentists in the field, according to Interim Program Director Arwa Farag. The program received accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) in August 2014. The AAOM has encouraged the expansion of training programs, because there are only six other dental schools in the U.S. that offer training in oral medicine. Only 3% of hospitals with cancer programs have oral medicine specialists, and patients are often directed to other [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-02-25T08:59:31-07:00February, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Early detection of head and neck cancer: development of a novel screening tool using multiplexed immunobead-based biomarker profiling

Source: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org Authors: Faina Linkov, Alex Lisovich, Zoya Yurkovetsky, Adele Marrangoni, Lyudmila Velikokhatnaya, Brian Nolen, Matthew Winans, William Bigbee, Jill Siegfried, Anna Lokshin, and Robert Ferris Abstract: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck cancer (SCCHN) is an aggressive disease which has been linked to altered immune, inflammatory, and angiogenesis responses. A better understanding of these aberrant responses might improve early detection and prognosis of SCCHN and provide novel therapeutic targets. Previous studies examined the role of multiplexed serum biomarkers in small cohorts or SCCHN sera. We hypothesized that an expanded panel comprised of multiple cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and other tumor markers, which individually may show some promising correlation with disease status, might provide higher diagnostic power if used in combination. Thus, we evaluated a novel multi-analyte LabMAP profiling technology that allows simultaneous measurement of multiple serum biomarkers. Concentrations of 60 cytokines, growth factors, and tumor antigens were measured in the sera of 116 SCCHN patients prior to treatment (active disease group), 103 patients who were successfully treated (no evidence of disease, NED, group), and 117 smoker controls without evidence of cancer. The multi-marker panel offering the highest diagnostic power was comprised of 25 biomarkers, including EGF, EGFR, IL-8, tPAI-1, AFP, MMP-2, MMP-3, IFN-α, IFN-γ, IP-10, RANTES, MIP-1α, IL-7, IL-17, IL-1Rα, IL-2R, G-CSF, mesothelin, IGFBP-1, E-selectin, cytokeratin (CK)19, V-CAM, and CA-125. Statistical analysis using an ADE algorithm resulted in a sensitivity of 84.5%, specificity of 98%, and 92% of patients in the active disease group correctly classified from a [...]

Charlotte Parker2014-10-10T11:05:56-07:00October, 2014|Oral Cancer News|

Former LA Laker Michael Cooper diagnosed with tongue cancer

Source: insidesocal.comAuthor: Mark Medina Former Laker Michael Cooper will take a leave of absence as the head coach of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream because of early stage tongue cancer. Cooper plans to have a surgical procedure this week at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta and is expected to recover in two weeks. Assistant coach Karleen Thompson will assume head coaching duties during Cooper’s absence. “The doctors and staff at Emory have been tremendous, and I know I’m in good hands,” Cooper said in a statement. “I’m fortunate that my condition was diagnosed early, and this episode illustrates the importance of screening and early detection. I know the team will be in good hands with Coach Thompson at the helm during my absence, and I look forward to returning to the court soon.” Cooper has guided Atlanta to an Eastern Conference best 15-6 record in his first season. He also coached the East to a 125-124 overtime win at the WNBA All-Star game on Saturday. Cooper is best known as a defensive specialist with the Showtime Lakers (1978-90) where he won five NBA championships. He also coached the Los Angeles Sparks to two WNBA championships (2001, 2002). Cooper left his second stint with the Sparks to coach the USC’s women’s basketball team. But he resigned in March after finishing 11-20, his first losing record in four seasons. *This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.

Charlotte Parker2014-07-22T09:44:16-07:00July, 2014|Oral Cancer News|