early detection

Perceptronix reports clinical study underway to evaluate OralAdvance(TM) for early detection of oral cancer

Source: www.earthtimes.org Author: press release Perceptronix Medical Inc. announces that a clinical study of OralAdvance(TM), a test for the early detection of oral cancer, is now underway. The clinical study will assess the performance of OralAdvance(TM) compared to the gold standard biopsy and histology for its ability to differentiate between visually suspicious oral lesions with cancer or pre-cancer and visually suspicious benign oral lesions. "Unlike many other types of cancer, the incidence and mortality rates of oral cancer have not shown significant improvement over the past 30 years. By the time most oral cancers are diagnosed, they are already symptomatic late-stage disease. At Perceptronix we are dedicated to changing this paradigm towards early detection for better patient outcomes," says Dr. Bojana Turic, President and CEO of Perceptronix. Patients for the blinded study will be recruited from the BC Cancer Agency's Vancouver and Fraser Valley Centres. "We are pleased to be able to participate in the evaluation of the test in a clinical setting with technology that was developed in partnership with scientists at the BC Cancer Agency's Research Centre, and we are hopeful that the test will have a positive impact on the early detection of oral cancer," says Dr. Allan Hovan (Provincial Professional Practice Leader, Program in Oral Oncology/Dentistry, BC Cancer Agency). Currently, the death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of cervical cancer, Hodgkin's disease, cancer of the brain, liver, testes, kidney, or malignant melanoma. High death rate associated with oral cancer could be reduced significantly [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-02-09T16:56:36-07:00February, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Trimira launches oral-cancer screening system for early diagnosis by dentists

Source: bioopticsworld.com Author: press release Trimira LLC (Houston, TX) has introduced a small, cordless, handheld device that it says enables early diagnosis of oral cancer. Called Identafi 3000, the device uses a three-wavelength optical illumination and visualization system to allow dental professionals to identify otherwise-invisible early cancers. This affordable device will aid in mouth, tongue, and lip cancer screening--enabling diagnosis of afflictions that have reached epidemic levels, due in part to the lack of effective, broad-based early detection systems for oral cancer screening. Identafi 3000 uses white, violet, and amber wavelengths of light to excite oral tissue in distinct ways. Biochemical changes can be monitored with fluorescence, while morphological changes can be monitored with reflectance. This multiple wavelength technology identifies abnormal tissue with more accuracy than the single color approaches currently on the market, according to Trimira. The ability to read metabolic and physiologic differences makes it easier to distinguish between normal and abnormal tissue. The combined system of fluorescence and reflectance uses the body's natural tissue properties as an adjunctive tool for oral mucosal examination. Identafi 3000 is supported by a national team of trained sales representatives and is available through most major U.S. dental dealers. Trimira LLC is a subsidiary of Remicalm LLC, a privately held medical diagnostic and imaging device company. Other subsidiaries are working on screening and diagnostic devices for skin, cervical, gastrointestinal, and bladder cancers. Remicalm's core technologies are based on high-speed, high-resolution capabilities from its patented optical processing technology platforms and include the ability [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-02-05T20:26:13-07:00February, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Diagnostic aids in the screening of oral cancer

Source: 7thspace.com Author: Stefano Fedele The World Health Organization has clearly indentified prevention and early detection as major objectives in the control of the oral cancer burden worldwide. At the present time, screening of oral cancer and its pre-invasive intra-epithelial stages, as well as its early detection, is still largely based on visual examination of the mouth. There is strong available evidence to suggest that visual inspection of the oral mucosa is effective in reducing mortality from oral cancer in individuals exposed to risk factors. Simple visual examination, however, is well known to be limited by subjective interpretation and by the potential, albeit rare, occurrence of dysplasia and early OSCC within areas of normal-looking oral mucosa. As a consequence, adjunctive techniques have been suggested to increase our ability to differentiate between benign abnormalities and dysplastic/malignant changes as well as to identify areas of dysplasia/early OSCC that are not visible to naked eye. These include the use of toluidine blue, brush biopsy, chemiluminescence and tissue autofluorescence. The present paper reviews the evidence supporting the efficacy of the aforementioned techniques in improving the identification of dysplastic/malignant changes of the oral mucosa. We conclude that available studies have shown promising results, but strong evidence to support the use of oral cancer diagnostic aids is still lacking. Further research with clear objectives, well-defined population cohorts, and sound methodology is strongly required. Source: Head &Neck Oncology 2009, 1:5

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-01-30T13:29:53-07:00January, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Perceptronix sponsors UBC dentistry research day

Source: www.earthtimes.org Author: press release Perceptronix is proud to be a silver sponsor for the 2009 UBC Dentistry Research Day on January 27 with its focus on early detection of oral cancer. This event closely parallels the company's agenda in promoting early cancer diagnosis for better patient outcomes. Perceptronix will be showcasing and demonstrating the use of OralAdvance(TM), a new quantitative cytology test for the early detection of oral cancer. With recent advances in visualization techniques for the oral cavity, dentists are encountering more suspicious lesions. OralAdvance(TM), with its soft cyto-brush sample collection kit, provides dentists with an informative new option for assessing these lesions when biopsy is not warranted or possible. It provides an objective measure of gross DNA abnormality that can give important information about the pre-malignant or malignant nature of a lesion. About Perceptronix Medical Inc. Perceptronix Medical Inc. (Vancouver, Canada) is a private laboratory and cancer diagnostics company specializing in the provision of innovative early cancer detection tests based on quantitative cytology. The Company's DNA image cytometry technology was developed in partnership with the British Columbia Cancer Agency (Vancouver, Canada). Quantitative cytology provides physicians with an innovative cytopathology assessment based on an objective measure of large-scale DNA abnormality that can indicate precancerous or cancerous changes. The company has developed proprietary tests for the early detection of lung cancer and oral cancer using its DNA cytometry technology and offers quantitative cytology analysis of various tissues.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-01-26T14:20:53-07:00January, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Noted Hopkins scientist says research indicates need for effective HPV vaccine for women and men and a simple HPV screening test

Source: www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org/news Author: press release A call to explore a broader use of HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines and the validation of a simple oral screening test for HPV-caused oral cancers are reported in two studies by a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigator. Leading HPV expert Maura Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., the first to identify HPV infection as the cause of certain oral cancers and who identified multiple sex partners as the most important risk factor for these cancers, reports her latest work in the November 3, 2008, journal Clinical Cancer Research and in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monograph. The CDC report on HPV-associated cancers appears on line November 3 and in the November 15, 2008, supplement edition of Cancer. In the CDC report, believed to be the first and most comprehensive assessment of HPV-associated cancer data in the United States, investigators analyzed cancer registry data from 1998-2003 and found 25,000 cancer cases each year occurred at cancer sites associated with HPV infection. In additional analysis, Gillison and colleagues at the National Cancer Institute identified HPV infection as the underlying cause of approximately 20,000 of these cancers. Gillison and team found approximately 20,000 cases of cancer in the United States each year are caused by HPV infection. Oral cancers are the second most common type of HPV-associated cancers and are increasing in incidence in the U.S., particularly among men. Add to that anal, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancers that are also linked to HPV infection, and Gillison [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-01-25T16:27:22-07:00January, 2009|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Sweetest word for a mother to hear

Source: www.journallive.co.uk Author: Neil MacKay It is a memorable moment in any mother’s life when her child utters their first word. But when Daniel Sewell said “Mam” for the first time it was an extra special for his mum Alison. For Daniel was given a “new” tongue during pioneering surgery for mouth cancer at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary more than three years ago, and doctors warned Alison that he may never talk properly. Surgeons had to take out three-quarters of his tongue and replace it with muscle from his abdominal lining. Now, after three years in remission, four-year-old Daniel is a happy, talkative primary school pupil. Both he and Alison, 43, of Coronation Street, Crook, County Durham, are backing the British Dental Health Foundation’s Mouth Cancer Action Week, which runs next week. Daniel’s father Richard spotted his badly swollen tongue when he was 13 months old and his quick action saved the tot’s life – early detection of oral cancer means a survival chance of 90%. Alison said: “I was just as ignorant as anyone about mouth cancer. I always presumed it was about the older generation and was linked with smoking and the like. “When we found out Daniel had cancer, we had the shock of our lives. It was so hard for the first few weeks and we didn’t know which way it was going to go. If we hadn’t noticed when we did I really don’t think he would have made it. Mouth cancer is a silent [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-11-16T07:46:00-07:00November, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Top award for mouth cancer guru

Source: www.dentistry.co.uk Author: staff A doctor who says he has a ‘mission to raise awareness' of mouth cancer has won a top award in recognition of his work. Dr Vinod Joshi – founder of the UK's leading mouth cancer charity, the Mouth Cancer Foundation – earned it for Best Patient Support Initiative at the Pfizer Oncology Awards. Dr Chris Nutting, President of the British Oncological Association (BOA), presented him with his award – and a £1,500 research grant. Dr Joshi achieved outstanding success through the restorative dentistry oncology clinic initiative to create a patient website and patient support charity. In January 2002, he launched the UK website to cater for the unmet needs of his patients and similar patients across the nation, focusing on mouth cancer awareness, early Detection and patient information and support. The unique feature of the members' forum and message board added in 2003 enables patients and carers to offer each other support, advice and encouragement. The Pfizer Oncology Awards are designed to recognise and reward teams as well as individuals who stand out from their peers – whatever their speciality, level of expertise or position. Dr Chris Nutting says: ‘As President of the BOA, I am delighted to have chaired the awards again this year. It has been a genuine pleasure for me to review this year's entries. They have all demonstrated a wide range of impressive achievements in oncology care.' BOA provides a multidisciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of cancer research and development. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-10-24T06:57:32-07:00October, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Sister honors her brother by supporting Oral Cancer Foundation

Source: OCF Press Release Author: John Pohl David Nasto was the kind of person many of us wish we could be. He was a surfer. A snowboarder. A kayaker. A bicycler. An artist. A world traveler. A free spirit. Not content to simply be a devoted fan of the Grateful Dead, he also designed their album covers. Simply put, David Nasto loved life, and he lived it on his own terms. David Nasto was also his sister Susan’s hero. So when David developed oral cancer in 2005, Susan decided to learn as much about the disease as she could. And when David passed away the following year, she decided to honor her brother do by doing what she could to help prevent others from suffering the way he suffered. “When David was diagnosed with oral cancer, I was shocked,” said Susan. “He was so athletic, so healthy, and he had never smoked a cigarette in his life. I didn’t think oral cancer struck people like him.” Susan tried to learn as much as she could about the disease, spending much of her free time doing online research. During that process she discovered the website of the Oral Cancer Foundation. “I learned a lot about oral cancer, but the most important thing I learned is the importance of early detection. So when David died, I wanted to find a way to raise money to help increase awareness of the need for everyone to get checked for oral cancer on a regular [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-10-06T20:16:14-07:00October, 2008|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

As head and neck cancer risks evolve, more treatment options emerge

Source: Eurakalert (www.eurakalert.org) Author: staff Advances in understanding head and neck cancer over the last decade have led to more treatment options and improved quality of life for patients, according to a review published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors are Dong M. Shin, MD, Frances Kelly Blomeyer Distinguished Professor and associate director of Emory University School of Medicine¹s Winship Cancer Institute, and Robert Haddad, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and clinical director of its Head and Neck Oncology Program. At Winship, Shin is leading a head and neck cancer drug discovery program and conducting clinical trials aimed at preventing head and neck cancers from progressing or recurring. He and his co-workers recently showed that a compound from green tea enhances the effects of a FDA-approved drug (erlotinib) against head and neck cancer cells in animals, suggesting that it could work similarly in humans. The results are published in the September issue of International Journal of Cancer. The majority of head and neck cancers arise from the soft tissues of the mouth, throat, and voice box. Symptoms can include a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and a changing voice. Even successful treatment can result in changes in the appearance of the patient's face. However, over the last decade, techniques have been developed that allow doctors to better preserve organ function in cases of larynx or tongue cancers, Shin says. Because smoking and alcohol consumption are risk factors, most patients are middle-aged males [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-09-11T06:05:11-07:00September, 2008|Oral Cancer News|

Spit Sensor Spots Oral Cancer

Source: MIT Review (www.technologyreview.com) Author: Brittany Sauser An ultrasensitive optical protein sensor analyzes saliva. For the first time, an optical sensor, developed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), can measure proteins in saliva that are linked to oral cancer. The device is highly sensitive, allowing doctors and dentists to detect the disease early, when patient survival rates are high. The researchers are currently working with the National Institute of Health (NIH) to push the technology to clinical tests so that it can be developed into a device that can be used in dentists' offices. Chih-Ming Ho, a scientist at UCLA and principal investigator for the sensor, says that it is a versatile instrument and can be used to detect other disease-specific biomarkers. When oral cancer is identified in its early stages, patient survival rate is almost 90 percent, compared with 50 percent when the disease is advanced, says Carter Van Waes, chief of head and neck surgery at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 35,310 new cases of oral cancer in the United States in 2008. Early forms are hard to detect just by visual examination of the mouth, says Van Waes, so physicians either have to perform a biopsy--remove tissue for testing--or analyze proteins in blood. Detecting cancer biomarkers in saliva would be a much easier test to perform, but it is also technically more challenging: protein markers are harder to spot [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2008-08-06T03:41:01-07:00August, 2008|Oral Cancer News|