HPV – Page 50 – Oral Cancer News

Doctors study link between oral cancer and HPV – suggest males should also be vaccinated

Source: www.theprovince.com Author: Iris Winston, Canwest News Service Oral cancer brings to mind images of longtime chain smokers and grizzled tobacco chewers. But the risk factors for cancers of the mouth and throat now include sexual activity as well as all forms of tobacco use and alcohol consumption. "Over the 20 years I have been in practice, I have treated a few rodeo riders and baseball players who use chewing tobacco or snuff, as well as smokers," says Dr. Joseph Dort, a professor of head and neck surgery at the University of Calgary's faculty of medicine and president of the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology. "Classically, people think of oral cancer as something that occurs in smokers and drinkers and usually among people in their 50s, 60s or even older. But, over the last 10 years or so, we have become aware that the human papillomavirus (HPV) -- the same virus that is associated with cervical cancer -- has now been strongly associated with certain kinds of head and neck cancer, specifically the tonsil and tongue-based cancers, and that they are becoming more prevalent in people who are younger than the usual cohort." Dr. Linda Lee, a specialist in oral pathology and oral medicine who is the staff dentist at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital, has seen a similar trend. "Because people are smoking less, we would expect to see a decline in oral cancer," she says, "but it hasn't declined and this is probably because of the HPV factor. We have [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-16T17:30:33-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Is green tea the way to better oral health?

Source: www.healthcanal.com Author: staff Drink up! We all know that Brits love a good cup of tea and now a new report shows that it could actually have a positive effect on our teeth and gums. The study, which examined the dental health of 940 men, found that those who drank green tea regularly had better oral health than those who consumed less. Male participants, aged 49–59, were examined on three indicators of gum disease: researchers found that for every cup of green tea consumed per day, a decrease in all three indicators occurred. Chief Executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, welcomed this new research and said: “Any new study which brings dental healthcare into the spotlight is a step in the right direction. “Like any study of a relatively small number of people we can never be certain of the results – but because tea is relatively cheap and easily available we must take notice of studies of this type and we at the Foundation will continue to watch and report on this and similar stories.” The British Dental Health Foundation has previously reported on studies which show a connection between drinking green tea and decreasing the growth of cancer cells in the body. The Foundation stresses that early detection is key to beating mouth cancer, Dr Carter added: “Without early diagnosis the chances of survival plummet down to 50 percent.” Around 5,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with mouth cancer each year, making it the UK’s [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-05-15T13:52:54-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Sexually transmitted virus leads to rise in oral cancer

Source: The Boston Channel Author: Staff Boston cancer specialists are trying to learn what’s behind an “epidemic” spike in oral cancer cases that they say is caused by the human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV. “What you're seeing here is a five-fold increase in the numbers that we would expect,” said Dr. Marshall R. Posner, of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. “So that, to me, is an epidemic.” NewsCenter 5’s Heather Unruh reported Thursday that most adults have been exposed to HPV. Doctors say it can be sexually transmitted, even through deep kissing. What doctors don’t know yet is why in some people, such a common virus develops into cancer. “Most people who get infected with HPV naturally clear the virus,” said DFCI’s Dr. Karen Anderson. Anderson and her team of researchers are trying to isolate who’s at risk for oral cancer from HPV, and why. “Because then,” Anderson said, “we can focus on more aggressive screening approaches for people who are at higher risk and start to look at more therapeutic interventions earlier on.” Posner said that at least 20,000 cases of oropharyngeal cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. Most patients are young. Three in four occur in men. Tony is one face among the statistics. Five days a week he psyches himself up for radiation to treat the cancer that grew at the base of his tongue, where it meets his throat. “What I say,” he said, “is, ‘It is not of me, or a [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-14T14:37:01-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

HPV types 16/18 adjuvant vaccine shows long-term efficacy

Source: DocGuide.com Author: Jenny Powers NICE, France -- May 11, 2010 -- The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (types 16 and 18) AS04-adjuvanted vaccine shows a sustained immune response, as demonstrated by high levels of neutralising antibodies, up to 8.4 years after first vaccination, researchers said here at the 28th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) on May 6. Cecelia Maria Roteli-Martins, MD, Hospital Leonor Mendes de Barros-Secretaria d Saude de São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil, headed an international team that evaluated the efficacy and immunogenicity of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine by measuring neutralising antibody levels in a follow-up analysis yearly for up to 8.4 years post vaccination Healthy women aged 15 to 25 years who were DNA-negative for oncogenic HPV types, 16 and 18 with normal cytology at baseline received the vaccine (n = 560) or placebo (n = 553). A total of 223 women who were vaccinated with the active vaccine returned for extension studies, as well as 213 of the women who were given placebo. In these women, HPV-16 and 18 antibodies were measured annually. Cervical samples were taken every 6 months and gynaecological and cytopathological examinations were performed every 12 months. All (100%) of the women in the trial have remained seropositive for HPV-16 and -18 antibodies. After 2 years of follow-up, 5 incident infections and 1 infection of low grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion or higher (LSIL) associated with HPV 16 and 18 occurred in the placebo group. The vaccine efficacy [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-13T07:58:42-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Human papillomavirus knowledge and vaccine acceptability among a national sample of heterosexual men

Source: BMJ.com Authors: Paul L Reiter, Noel T Brewer, & Jennifer S Smith Accepted 26 October 2009 Published Online First 30 November 2009 Abstract Objectives If approved for use in young males in the United States, prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine may reduce the incidence of HPV-related disease in vaccinated males and their sexual partners. We aimed to characterise heterosexual men's willingness to get HPV vaccine and identify correlates of vaccine acceptability. Methods Participants were from a national sample of heterosexual men (n=297) aged 18–59 y from the United States who were interviewed in January 2009. We analysed data using multivariate logistic regression. Results Most men had not heard of HPV prior to the study or had low HPV knowledge (81%; 239/296). Most men had heard of HPV vaccine prior to the study (63%; 186/296) and 37% (109/296) were willing to get HPV vaccine. Men were more willing to get vaccinated if they reported higher perceived likelihood of getting HPV-related disease (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.17), perceived HPV vaccine effectiveness (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.83) or anticipated regret if they did not get vaccinated and an HPV infection later developed (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.40 to 2.89). Acceptability was also higher among men who thought (OR 9.02, 95% CI 3.45 to 23.60) or who were unsure (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.30 to 5.47) if their doctor would recommend they get HPV vaccine if licenced for males. Conclusions Men had low HPV knowledge and were moderately willing to get [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-06T15:07:58-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Screen play: Take steps to prevent oral cancer

Source: www.pnwlocalnews.com Author: Dr. Stuart Rich, DDS. April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month. More than 35,000 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in the United States annually, and more than 45 percent of those will not be alive in five years. To put it another way, oral cancer kills one person every hour, 24 hours per day, seven days per week in the U.S. You can you avoid becoming a statistic for this deadly disease by abstaining from tobacco and alcohol use, since 75 percent of all oral cancers are diagnosed in people who use tobacco products. Those who use tobacco and alcohol have an even higher risk. However, there has been a 60-percent increase over the past decade in the number of oral cancer diagnoses in people under the age of 30 with none of the classic risk factors listed, due to a connection with the HPV virus. Everyone must be screened. While the rates of colon, cervical and prostate cancer have seen major declines in recent years due to early detection through professional screening, the oral cancer survival rate has not increased significantly in the last 50 years. However, if oral cancer is detected and treated in its early stages, the five-year survival rate climbs to 80-90 percent. Areas of highest risk for oral cancer are the side of the tongue, floor of the mouth and back of the throat, so regular dental visits must include a comprehensive examination of the soft tissues at least annually. All [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-20T06:58:24-07:00April, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Charity backs HPV vaccine for boys

Source: www.healthcarerepublic.com Author: Stephen Robinson A dental charity has joined calls for the HPV jab to be given to teenage boys. The British Dental Health Foundation said HPV is now a leading cause of cancer for men and that more must be done to prevent it, starting with extending the HPV vaccine to boys. The charity's chief executive Nigel Carter said: ‘We strongly recommend that the government take another look at introducing the vaccination for young males. 'Much of the 42% rise in incidence of mouth cancer over the last 10 years is attributed to HPV and whilst vaccination of adolescent females will help, in order to be truly effective we will need to consider vaccination of males as well.' The debate had reignited following an Australian study that found almost two thirds of all throat and tonsil cancer cases are caused by the HPV virus. Research now suggests HPV, which is transmitted by oral sex, could soon rival smoking and drinking as a main cause of mouth cancer, the charity said. The national HPV vaccine programme has vaccinated 1.5 million teenage girls since September 2008. A similar programme for boys was turned down because the cost exceeded the upper threshold of NICE's cost-effectiveness benchmark. Mr Carter said: ‘The impact of the disease is huge and treatment of advanced cases extremely expensive so it is likely that a cost effective case for the vaccination could be put forwards.'

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-19T22:19:56-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

HPV-Positive head and neck cancer: favorable prognosis does not lead to clear choices for changes in treatments

Source: OncologyStat Author: Thomas F. Pajak CHANDLER, Ariz. (EGMN) - Human papillomavirus infection is clearly a prognostic factor in patients with head and neck cancer. But whether HPV status can be used to guide treatment decisions is far from clear, according to speakers at a head and neck cancer symposium sponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology. The Investigator's Perspective Across trials that tested different regimens in heterogeneous populations with head and neck cancer, patients with HPV-positive disease have had at least a one-half reduction in the risk of death, relative to their counterparts with HPV-negative disease, began Dr. Maura L. Gillison, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Ohio State University in Columbus. "Clearly, HPV tumor status is prognostic," she said, citing multiple factors that might explain why HPV-positive patients have better survival outcomes. Certain attributes that track with HPV positivity - better performance status, younger age, lower T stage, and absence of anemia - are also favorable prognostic factors, she noted. And HPV positivity confers a better response to both radiation therapy and induction chemotherapy. In addition, data from the RTOG (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group) 0129 trial of chemoradiation show that HPV-positive patients are less likely than their HPV-negative peers to experience a locoregional failure and to develop second primaries, although rates of distant metastases are similar. "What we can conclude at this point is that the relative survival for the HPV-positive patient appears independent of therapy, as long as that therapy is within the standard of [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-04-19T22:22:16-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Comparing the HPV vaccines

Source: www.hemonctoday.com Author: Debbie Blamble, PharmD, BCOP HPVs are double-stranded DNA viruses that affect epithelial cells. More than 100 strains of HPV have been detected. Approximately 40 strains are known to infect genital mucosa, of which about 15 strains are known to cause cancer. HPV types 16 and 18 are the most common cancer-causing strains, leading to about 70% of all cervical cancer cases worldwide. HPV types 6 and 11 are associated with about 90% of all cases of genital warts. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is an abnormality of the cervical epithelium associated with HPV infection and is thought to be a precursor to cervical cancer. CIN is classified into three grades: 1, 2, 3. With CIN-1, mild dysplasia is present and affects only the lowest third of the cervical epithelium; 70% to 90% of CIN-1 lesions undergo spontaneous regression. CIN-2 and CIN-3 show moderate to severe dysplasia and affect the lowest two-thirds to full thickness of the cervical epithelium, respectively. More than half of CIN-2 and CIN-3 cases are estimated to persist or progress to squamous cell cancer. Persistent HPV infection may also lead to cervical adenocarcinoma in situ. In the United States, screening with the Pap test identifies these precancerous lesions and has led to a decrease in the rates of cervical cancer. These precancerous lesions may develop less than five years after HPV infection. HPV infection HPV infection is most frequently acquired through sexual contact. It is estimated that more than 80% of men and women in the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-11T10:57:29-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Expand+Bcl2 and human papilloma virus 16 as predictors of outcome following concurrent chemoradiation for advanced oropharyngeal cancer

Source: Clin Cancer Res; 16(7); 2138–46 Authors: Anthony C. Nichols et al. Purpose: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) is rapidly growing in incidence. Despite better prognosis than OPSCC associated with traditional risk factors, treatment failure still occurs in a significant proportion of patients. We had identified the antiapoptotic protein Bcl2 as a marker for poor outcome in advanced OPSCC treated with concurrent chemoradiation. To determine whether Bcl2 and HPV together might further characterize treatment response, we examined whether the prognostic value of Bcl2 was independent of HPV status. Experimental Design: Pretreatment tumor biopsies from 68 OPSCC patients were tested for HPV by in situ hybridization and were immunostained for Bcl2 to evaluate relations with disease-free (DFS) and overall survival following platin-based concurrent chemoradiation. Median follow-up among surviving patients was 47 months (range, 10-131 months). Results: Bcl2 and HPV independently predicted DFS and overall survival. Hazard ratios (with 95% confidence interval) for positive versus negative status in bivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis of DFS were 6.1 (1.8-21) for Bcl2 and 0.11 (0.035-0.37) for HPV. Only 1 of 32 HPV-positive/Bcl2-negative tumors recurred. Pretreatment Bcl2 expression was specifically associated with distant metastasis; five of six distant metastases occurred in the <40% of patients whose primary tumors were Bcl2 positive. Conclusions: Independent of HPV status, pretreatment Bcl2 expression identifies a subset of OPSCC patients having increased risk of treatment failure, particularly through distant metastasis, after concurrent chemoradiation. Considering HPV and Bcl2 together should help in devising better personalized [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-04-04T08:52:04-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|