human papilloma virus – Page 8

Tongue cancer – experts warn against increasing incidence of tongue disease

Source: starglobaltribune.com Author: Matthew Bennett A UNC study released this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology finds an increasing incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue in young white females in the United States over the last three decades. A team of researchers from UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center analyzed data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and found that, between 1975 and 2007, the overall incidence for all ages, genders, and races of the disease was decreasing. However, the incidence of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma rose 28 percent among individuals ages 18 to 44. Specifically, among white individuals ages 18 to 44 the incidence increased 67 percent. The increasing incidence was most dramatic for white females ages 18 to 44. They had a percentage change of 111 percent. Interestingly, the incidence decreased for African American and other racial groups. Historically, oral tongue cancer has been strongly associated with heavy tobacco and alcohol use. Other epidemiological studies have related the decreasing incidence of oral tongue cancer in the United States to the decreased use of tobacco products. Though the UNC research team verified the known decreasing incidence of oral tongue cancer, they were surprised to observe an increasing incidence in young white individuals, specifically young white females. “Lately we have been seeing more oral tongue cancer in young white women in our clinic. So we looked at the literature, which reported an increase in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma in [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-03-12T11:35:27-07:00March, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Oral sex now main cause of oral cancer: Who faces biggest risk?

Source: www.cbsnews.com Author: David W Freeman What's the leading cause of oral cancer? Smoking? Heavy drinking? Actually, it's oral sex. Scientists say that 64 percent of cancers of the oral cavity, head, and neck in the U.S. are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which is commonly spread via oral sex, NPR reported. The more oral sex you have - and the more oral sex partners you have - the greater the risk of developing these potentially deadly cancers. "An individual who has six or more lifetime partners - on whom they've performed oral sex - has an eightfold increase in risk compared to someone who has never performed oral sex, Ohio University's Dr. Maura Gillison, said at a recent scientific meeting, according to NPR. It's news that might alarm some parents, who worry about adolescents' appetite for oral sex. "Today's teens consider oral sex to be casual, socially acceptable, inconsequential, and significantly less risky to their health than 'real' sex," Dr. Gillison and colleagues said in a written statement released in conjunction with the meeting. Teens simply think oral sex is "not that a big a deal," Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, told NPR. "Parents and health educators are not talking to teens about oral sex. Period." But simply needling teens about the risks posed by oral sex and HPV - the same virus that causes cervical cancer - is no substitute for literally giving them the needle. "When my patients ask [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-02-24T10:23:55-07:00February, 2011|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Virus passed during oral sex tops tobacco as throat cancer cause

Source: www.npr.org Author: Peggy Girshman If you're keeping score, here's even more evidence that HPV causes oral, head and neck cancers and that vaccines may be able to prevent it. Researchers studying the human papilloma virus say that in the United States HPV causes 64 percent of oropharynxl cancers. In the rest of the world, tobacco remains the leading cause of oral cancer, Dr. Maura Gillison of Ohio State University told a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science this past weekend. And the more oral sex someone has had — and the more partners they've had — the greater their risk of getting these cancers, which grow in the middle part of the throat. "An individual who has six or more lifetime partners — on whom they've performed oral sex – has an eightfold increase in risk compared to someone who has never performed oral sex," she said. The recent rise in oropharnx cancer is predominantly among young, white men, she noted, though she says no one has figured out why yet. About 37,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with oral cancer in 2010, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. People with HPV-related throat cancer are more likely to survive their cancer than those who were heavy smokers or drinkers, the other big risk factors. The message may be more critical for teens according to Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. She has studied 600 adolescents over 10 [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-02-24T10:24:37-07:00February, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Revealed: oral sex is ‘bigger cause of throat cancer than tobacco’

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: staff A virus spread during oral sex is now the main cause of throat cancer in people under 50, scientists have warned. They say the human papilloma virus spread during unprotected sex is to blame for a disturbing rise in potentially deadly oral cancers in the last few decades. Doctors have called for boys to be vaccinated against HPV just like teenage girls to stop the spread of the disease. HPV is best known as the cause of around 70 per cent of cervical cancers. Since 2008, girls have been vaccinated against the virus aged 12 and 13 in schools. However, it can also cause warts, verrucas and other cancers. Cancers of the mouth and oropharynx - the top of the throat - used to be mainly diagnosed in older men who drink or smoke. But increasingly, it is being seen in younger men. Prof Maura Gillison of Ohio State University in Columbus said the sexually transmitted HPV was a bigger cause of some oral cancers than tobacco. She said: 'We don’t know from strict scientific evidence whether the vaccine will protect from oral HPV infections that lead to cancer. Those of us in the field are optimistic it will – the vaccines in every anatomical site looked at so far have been shown to be extraordinarily effective, about 90 per cent effective, at preventing infections.' 'When one of my patients asks whether or not they sound vaccinate their sons, I say certainly.' Girls aged 12 and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-02-21T12:58:57-07:00February, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Martin Duffy, 70; Marathon fixture went extra mile

Source: Boston.com By: Bryan Marquard The morning he died, during what turned out to be his last hour or so of life, Martin Duffy got up and ran through his daily regimen of stretching, push-ups, and sit-ups. Several months before, cancer had kept him from adding to his extraordinary streak of 40 consecutive Boston Marathons, but he was used to forging ahead when his body said stop. Take one particular Marathon, probably his 26th. Afterward, he learned he had competed with a broken foot. Realizing at the 2-mile mark that something was amiss, “I divided that race into sections of 6 miles, with each segment a challenge to get through,’’ he told the Globe in 2000. “And somehow I did.’’ In 2009, Mr. Duffy’s string of consecutive completed Boston Marathons was recorded as the third-longest in history when he ran his 40th and final race a few months after being diagnosed with tongue cancer induced by the human papilloma virus. He was 70 when he died Nov. 29 in his Belmont home. Runners often sought advice from Mr. Duffy, given his experience, and he didn’t stop at simply offering tips on how and where to train. An economist who advised businesses and helped them develop strategies, he was still in touch with friends and clients in his final days. “He went in to work the week before he passed away,’’ said his wife, Rusty Stieff. And that was after treatment had left Mr. Duffy no longer able to speak. Instead, he [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-01-26T11:21:02-07:00January, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Henry Schein Dental selected as exclusive distributor of VELscope Vx System in North America

Source: www.prnewswire.com Author: press release LED Dental announced today that Henry Schein Dental will be the exclusive distributor of its revolutionary new VELscope Vx Enhanced Oral Assessment system in North America. Henry Schein Dental is the U.S. Dental business of Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the largest provider of health care products and services to office-based practitioners. In 2006 LED Dental introduced the first generation VELscope system, which was the first to employ fluorescence visualization to help dental practitioners detect oral cancer and other forms of oral disease. The VELscope system was also the first to receive FDA and Health Canada clearance to help clinicians detect cancerous and precancerous lesions that might not be apparent to the naked eye, and to help surgeons determine the appropriate surgical margin when excision of abnormal tissue is indicated. Since then, over 6,000 VELscope systems around the world have been used to conduct over 10 million oral health exams, which is more than any other oral disease detection technology. The VELscope Vx system is the latest and most advanced generation of VELscope technology. While retaining all of the capabilities of prior generations, its cordless design provides significantly greater portability and convenience. Moreover, a price of less than half the level of prior generations makes it feasible for many practices to have one in two or more operatories. In addition, a reimbursement code has been approved for this procedure, and is honored by many insurance companies. "As the world leader in oral disease detection, it [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-01-06T19:04:11-07:00January, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

Cervix is often first site in patients with multiple HPV-related cancers

Source: www.internalmedicinenews.com Author: Doug Brunk Most patients with multiple primary malignancies that are potentially related to human papillomavirus present with cervical cancer, and later develop head and neck squamous cell cancer or anal cancer, results from a long-term, single-center study suggest. "In head and neck squamous cell cancers, the presence of HPV is correlated with improved patient outcomes," researchers led by Dr. Heath D. Skinner wrote in an abstract presented in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology. "However, it is unknown whether the development of one potentially HPV-related cancer affects the development of another and how the disease factors and outcomes are related." Based on the available literature, this patient population has a two- to fourfold increased risk over the general population for the development of a second potentially HPV-related malignancy, said Dr. Skinner of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He and his associates reviewed the charts of 143 patients with multiple cancers who were treated at the center in 1949-2008. Patients with in situ and non–squamous cell carcinoma malignancies were excluded from the analysis, with the exception of cervical adenocarcinoma. Of the 301 cancers, the most common was head and neck (115), followed by cancer of the cervix (104), anus (49), vulva (21), vagina (8) and penis (4). The median follow-up from diagnosis of the first and second tumor was 16 years and 3 years, respectively. The median age of patients at first and second diagnosis [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-05T17:49:44-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Detection of human papilloma virus (HPV) in oral mucosa of women with cervical lesions and their relation to oral sex practices

Source: 7thspace.com Authors: Luis Sanchez-Vargas et al Previous studies have either investigated the relationship of HPV with oral cancer or the prevalence of HPV on the oral cavity. The purpose of this investigation was to study the prevalence of HPV in oral cavity of women with oral sex practices and cervical lesions. Methods: Forty six (46) non-smokers and non-alcoholic patients attended the "Clinica de Displasias"of "Ciudad Juarez"were sampled. This population had a CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) diagnosis sometime between the previous six months. On previous consent they filled out a questionnaire related to their oral sex practices. Afterwards one swab from cheeks and another from palate/gum were taken; PCR (polymerase chain reaction) was used to determine generic HPV, HPV16 and HPV18. Results: Seventy two percent (72%) of the patients stated to have oral sex practices regularly which all of them were positive to HPV either in oral mucus, palate/gum or both. The total of the given results showed that 35% had HPV16; among those distributed in 26% with regular oral sex practices and 9% stated as never practiced oral sex. An association was found between oral HPV16 positivity and progression to CIN advanced lesions. On the other hand HPV18 was not detected. The frequency of HPV16 was higher in buccal mucosa (23%) versus palate/gum (16%). Conclusions: This study suggests that buccal HPV16 infection is associated with CIN progression. Source: Infectious Agents and Cancer 2010, 5:25 Authors: Luis Sanchez-Vargas, Cecilia Diaz-Hernandez, Alejandro Martinez-Martinez

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-12-05T17:44:18-07:00December, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Nation backs HPV vaccination for boys

Source: www.dentalhealth.org.uk Author: press release An overwhelming majority of people in the UK have indicated that they want the vaccination for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to include boys and not just girls. In a survey carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation as part of November’s Mouth Cancer Action Month, nine out of every ten people want to see the vaccination introduced for secondary school boys. A vaccination programme for girls aged 12 to 13 has been in place in the UK since 2008, handing out over four million doses of the jab, but now the UK’s leading oral health charity says it is time for a change. Chief Executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, says cases of HPV in men are growing at an alarming rate and that more must be done to prevent any future outbreak. Dr Carter said: “HPV is such growing concern – much of the 42 percent rise in incidence of mouth cancer over the last 10 years is down to HPV and whilst vaccination of young girls will help, in order to be truly effective we will need to consider vaccination of boys as well. “It is about time we took action to prevent this hidden killer, which is beginning to affect more and more young people. Expert studies suggest HPV is set to become the leading cause of mouth cancer alongside smoking and alcohol, so let us be proactive and plan against this threat. “The government wisely acted on the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-28T20:32:33-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Diagnosis for Michael Douglas highlights oral cancer risk

Source: www.dental-tribune.com Author: Fred Michmershuizen, DTA After it became known recently that the Academy Award winning actor Michael Douglas has been diagnosed with oral cancer, dental professionals around the world seized on an opportunity to urge members of the public to pay more attention to key risk factors and early warning signs of the disease. The Academy Award winner was diagnosed with a tumor in his throat, and he now faces an eight-week course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This high-profile case has brought oral cancers into the limelight, and oral health experts are keen to make the public more aware of the key risk factors and early warning signs. The British Dental Health Foundation is calling for more attention to be paid to mouth cancers. The foundation is advising the public to regularly check their mouths. Douglas quit smoking in 2006, after a long “half a pack a day” habit. Yet, according to the foundation, the possibility of developing oral cancer remains higher for ex-smokers than non-smokers for 20 years after quitting. Tobacco is considered to be the main cause of mouth cancer, with three in four cases being linked to smoking, according to the foundation. Drinking in excess is also a known factor, with those who both smoke and drink to excess being up 30 times more likely to be at risk. “It is crucial the public know about the risk factors and early symptoms as early detection can save lives,” said Dr. Nigel Carter, chief executive of the [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-07T08:29:37-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|