mouth cancer

Hundreds of Chattanooga residents join together to support oral cancer survivor and raise awareness

Source: The Oral Cancer Foundation Author: Staff Chattanooga Walk Promotes Early Detection of Oral Cancer NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Recently, oral cancer survivor Jeanna Richelson, organized the first Chattanooga Oral Cancer Awareness Walk, which raised donations for the Oral Cancer Foundation, and much needed awareness of a disease that too few Americans know about. According to the foundation's executive director Brian Hill, "I don't believe there has ever been an oral cancer walk that was this successful in its first year. This was an absolutely amazing effort by Jeanna and those who helped her make this possible." Unlike other cancers we commonly hear about, oral cancer is a disease the majority of the public has heard little about, even though it has one of the highest death rates. Even with famous people who have passed away from this disease such as, Babe Ruth, Sigmund Freud, and George Harrison, it still receives little attention. While walks have become commonplace in many other diseases, raising awareness is no longer part of their function. By having a walk to raise awareness of oral cancer, it also raises awareness of risk factors that people might avoid, encourages simple inexpensive annual screenings, which will in turn reduce the death rate. Jamie O'Day, the treatment facilities coordinator for OCF commented, "This is a disease that in its early stages of development does not always produce symptoms that people might notice. Because of the insidious nature of oral cancer, annual screenings are essential to finding it as precancerous tissue changes, [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-06-21T19:24:56-07:00June, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Combining surgery for removal of tissue and reconstruction

Source: MedicalNewToday Author: Staff Restoring people's health and returning them to their daily lives as soon as possible is the goal following any surgery. When a person's ability to eat and speak is affected, as with cancer in the mouth, surgery is particularly disruptive, creating a greater challenge. A one-step surgery can remove cancerous tissue and reconstruct bone and teeth functionality immediately, positively impacting the patient's quality of life. A case study in the June issue of the Journal of Oral Implantology describes a one-step surgery performed on a 65-year-old woman with squamous cell carcinoma. A two-year follow-up of this patient showed the one-step procedure to be successful. Typically, ablative surgery is first performed to remove cancerous bone and tissue. The surgery is followed by radiotherapy, and often tooth loss. Reconstructing the jaw and placing a dental implant at this point are taxing due to the side effects of radiotherapy and poor patient tolerance. The procedure outlined in this article permitted an impression to be taken immediately after the jaw reconstruction and implant installation during the initial surgery. A rigid prosthesis was fabricated and screw-secured to the implants 48 hours later. Complementary radiotherapy began six weeks following the surgery and implant. The prosthesis was modified as necessary six months after completion of the radiotherapy. The advantages of single surgery include a reduced risk of osteonecrosis-disease in the jawbone-which can occur with postradiation surgery. A single surgery also can decrease the need for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The authors emphasize that this one-step surgery is [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-06-18T19:07:35-07:00June, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Nashville hygienists partner with Oral Cancer Foundation to raise awareness of a silent killer

Source: The Oral Cancer Foundation Author: Staff Locals join together for second annual Oral Cancer walk and free screening event NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the second year, the Nashville Area Dental Hygienists Society (NADHS) has organized a successful walk to promote oral cancer awareness for a disease that affects so many, yet so few know about. Hundreds of Nashville locals gathered for the "Boot Scootin' for Oral Cancer Screening II" event that recently took place at Nashville's Centennial Park to raise disease awareness, and funds for the Non-Profit Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF). The walk was lead by NADHS president Nicki Raines, who encouraged the organization to embrace the cause of oral cancer detection when she began her two-year presidential term. Her committee worked countless hours to ensure that the event would top last year's successful effort. Nicki's team was able to generate a local buzz for the walk through posters displayed at area Starbucks and Panera Bread stores, and via news releases sent to all local media. Local merchants rallied to support the event. Attendees were treated to coffee donated by Starbucks, water donated by Kroger's, and donuts donated by Krispy Kreme. Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Wal-Mart and other Nashville area merchants came together to show their support by donating products for the auction and raffle that took place after the walk. Nashville superstars George Strait, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Brooks and Dunn were represented through autographed memorabilia, which brought their fans to the raffle. [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-06-14T19:59:10-07:00June, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Oral cancer doesn’t silence North Carolina man

Source: The Cherokee Scout Author: Lizz Harold Marble – Switching out one form of tobacco for another, Rick Miller, 44, learned how to quit smoking and dipping the hard way. Miller went to a doctor in March to see if an ulcer inside his mouth could be removed. He expected a round of antibiotics or oral surgery. He figured he would be back to dipping as usual after it was taken care of. “I really didn’t have any symptoms. I got an ulcer underneath my tongue. They thought it was all it was,” Miller said. Miller’s wife, Nicolia, did what most people do when they suspect they have an ailment. She went online and did an Internet search. After doing her own research, she was convinced it was mouth cancer, and Miller decided to see a specialist to see if their suspicions were correct. “Everything happened so fast after that,” Miller said. Informed by the specialist that he had oral cancer, he was immediately set up with a chemotherapy and radiation doctor. The father of four, two who are twin toddlers, had to undergo bouts of chemotherapy – including days where it was pumping into him everyday. From dipping to smoking Eight years ago, he stopped a 21-year smoking habit and began dipping tobacco. After more than 30 years of combined tobacco use, Miller has been forced to give up his addiction. “I gave up smoking and needed something to fill the void,” Miller said. He said he got a [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-06-03T15:55:07-07:00June, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Big Tobacco Files Lawsuit Over Anti-Smoking Ads

Source: Gothamist Author: John Del Signore A Board of Health directive could soon require any retailers selling cigarettes to display graphic warning signs (like the sample here) about the dangers of smoking, plus information on where to seek help quitting. But that would violate their First Amendment rights by focring them to "undertake graphic advocacy on behalf of the city," according to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court today by cigarette manufacturers' R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris and Lorillard, along with two Queens convenience stores and two retail groups. The signs, which vividly depict the insalubrious effects of smoking on various parts of the human body (think mouth cancer and heart disease), "do not describe the risks of smoking in purely factual terms," the lawsuit claims.Furthermore, "The mandated signs crowd out other advertisements and otherwise dominate the point of sale in many smaller establishments, to the exclusion of merchandise or other messages chosen by the store owners. The signs thus deprive retailers of the limited space available for communicating with their customers and thereby restrict their speech." Say, it's nice to see Big Tobacco sticking up for the little guy, innit? In a statement, the Health Department says: Tobacco is an addictive drug that kills some 7,500 New Yorkers every year. It disables many more. Yet studies show that many smokers are still unaware of the full risks that smoking poses. By requiring cigarette vendors to post warning signs at the point of sale in retail outlets, New York City is trying to alert [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-06-03T15:40:35-07:00June, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Tobacco ‘mints’ tied to kids’ poisoning

Source: msnbc.com Author: JoNel Aleccia Smokeless, flavored tobacco products that look like candy and come in packages shaped like cell phones may be contributing to accidental poisonings in very young children, new research suggests. Nicotine-laced pellets, strips and sticks that dissolve completely in the user’s mouth — dubbed “tobacco candy” by critics — have joined chewing tobacco and snuff to become the second-most common cause of unintentional tobacco ingestion in kids younger than 6. Between 2006 and 2008, nearly 1,800 U.S. youngsters — almost 600 a year —accidentally consumed smokeless tobacco products, according to an analysis of 13,705 tobacco-related reports to the nation’s poison control centers. That’s a fraction of the nearly 3,600 poisonings a year that involved cigarettes and filter tips, but it worries authors of the new study published in the journal Pediatrics. "Novel smokeless tobacco products, including dissolvable, compressed tobacco products ... are now of major concern, with their discreet form, candy-like appearance and added flavorings that may be attractive to children," the authors write. Potential poisonings add to the growing list of worries from those who fear that tobacco makers thwarted by anti-smoking laws are trying to peddle their addictive products to a new generation of users. Tasty flavors and packaging that resembles Tic Tac mints could be a powerful draw to young users, critics say. “Our response has been one of dismay,” said Cathryn Cushing, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Tobacco Prevention & Education Program. Oregon is one of three states, along with Ohio and [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-04-19T11:31:12-07:00April, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Drinkers underestimate harm from alcohol

Source: www.onmedica.com Author: OnMedica staff More than half (55%) of people in England who drink alcohol wrongly believe that alcohol only damages your health if you regularly get drunk or binge drink, a poll by YouGov has shown. YouGov questioned more than 2,000 adults and found that 83% of those who regularly drink more than the NHS recommended limits – 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men – don’t realise that their drinking is risking their long-term health. An estimated 10 million adults in England are drinking above the recommended limits, so about 8.3 million people are potentially unaware of the damage their drinking could be causing. Although 86% of drinkers surveyed said they knew that drinking alcohol is related to liver disease, far fewer realised it is also linked with breast cancer (7%), throat cancer (25%), mouth cancer (28%), stroke (37%) and heart disease (56%), along with other serious conditions. The government has funded a £6 million campaign, backed by charities Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association, to warn drinkers of the unseen health damage caused by regularly drinking more than the NHS advises. Billboard, press and TV adverts will show drinkers the damage that is being done to their organs while they are drinking, whether in a pub or at home. More than 9,000 people in the UK die from alcohol-related causes each year. The World Health Organisation estimates that 20% of alcohol-related deaths are from cancer, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-01-29T19:50:49-07:00January, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

HSE apologises over diagnosis

Source: Irishtimes Author: Mary Carolan The HSE has apologised to the family of a deceased 59 year old man after admitting a two year delay in diagnosing his cancer and is also to pay over some €102,000 under a settlement of High Court proceedings. John McNeive, Logalisheen, Ballindine, Co Mayo, died in August 2005 four months after he was diagnosed with cancer of the mouth. Proceedings for mental distress and trauma arising from his death were brought on behalf of the family by his widow Eileen. Liability in the case was admitted by the HSE. The court heard Mr McNeive had been referred to University College Hospital Galway in April 2003, where he underwent a number of tests, after attending his GP with a headache. Despite the concerns of his wife, family and his GP, it was not until April 2005 that a biopsy revealed he had extensive cancer. By that stage, the cancer had spread to his spleen and he died on August 13th of that year. Yesterday, in a statement read before Mr Justice John Quirke, Patrick Hanratty SC for the HSE said his clients “acknowledged that there was a delay in the diagnosis of Mr McNeive”. The HSE wished to apologise to the family of Mr McNeive for what had occurred and for all the hurt and distress caused to them, the statement added. “The HSE acknowledges that his family could have done no more to help him,” added counsel. Eoin McCullough SC, for the family, said [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-01-22T13:00:38-07:00January, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

CDC finds poisons in dissolvable tobacco products

Source: Notobacco Author: Staff Since the beginning of this year, Indianapolis has been a test market for new dissolvable tobacco products, mostly from Camel. These are smokeless, spit-free, made from finely milled tobacco, and held together by food-grade binders. They look like breath mints, breath strips, or toothpicks, and are designed to be placed in the mouth, on the tongue or between the cheek and gum, where they dissolve to release tobacco. Dissolvable tobacco products are now available in Daviess County in the form of Stonewall dissolvable tablets. The manufacturer, Star Scientific, states that Stonewalls are designed for heavy smokers and spit tobacco users. This company also makes Ariva brand dissolvable tablets. Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation agency feels the tobacco companies are illegally using Hoosiers as unwitting participants in a potentially dangerous clinical trial of these products since they were not tested for safety before being sold to the public, as food products, drugs, and cosmetics would be. Dissolvable tobacco products may contain up to three times the amount of nicotine found in one cigarette. A cigarette smoker typically takes in about 1 milligram of nicotine. Camel dissolvable products are said to deliver about 0.6 to 3.1 milligrams of nicotine each, Ariva tablets have about 1.5 millgrams of nicotine each, and Stonewall tablets have about 4 milligrams of nicotine each. People who use these products may get a higher dose of nicotine than they are used to, possibly resulting in nicotine poisoning, which manifests through adverse reactions such as tremors, [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-06T20:21:43-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Gwyneth Paltrow: Charity Chick

Source: Gossipgirls.com She’s always been interested in using her celebrity for the benefit of others, and last night Gwyneth Paltrow was spotted at the Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s ‘Unforgettable Evening.’ The “Shakespeare in Love” hottie was looking absolutely gorgeous as she arrived at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, sporting a white dress with a matching blazer and a pair of pink and yellow feathered heels as she mingled with guests including Courtney Cox and Rita Wilson. And Gwyn was more than just another attendee at the event - she also received the 2009 Courage Award for her dedication to cancer research. Gwyneth, along with her mother Blythe Danner and brother Jake Paltrow founded the Bruce Paltrow Oral Cancer Fund in memory of her father who suffered for years with mouth cancer, and finally lost his battle in 2002. The fund is part of the National non-profit Oral Cancer Foundation, (http://www.oralcancer.org)

Webmaster2009-02-13T00:43:23-07:00February, 2009|Oral Cancer News|