oral cancer – Page 15 – Oral Cancer News

If You Fail to Look

Source: The American Academy of Oral Systemic Health Newsletter Author: Cris Duval Detecting oral cancer in its earliest stages saves lives, eases suffering, reduces morbidity, and ameliorates post-surgery recovery. Remember when you took driver’s education in high school? I do! When I grew up, driver’s education students in Washington State were required to watch “shock” highway-safety films. These videos, depicting the aftermath of drivers’ actions, showed actual accident scenes, complete with audio recordings of victims’ screams and color close-ups of mangled bodies. My bet is that, if you have ever watched one of these videos, you have never forgotten it. For me, when I saw these videos, I thought about my family and my friends. I know that I have a family that loves and cares about me, and thus, I owe it to them to avoid doing something stupid behind-the-wheel. I never want one of my loved ones to have to go through the pain of seeing me hurt. This means to me that my driver’s license is more than just a “key” to get behind the wheel. Rather, as a website for traffic safety in Texas states, a driver’s license signifies that the driver possesses the “essential knowledge, skills, and experience to perform reduced risk practices in [a] total traffic environment.” In other words, the driver is accountable to himself and other drivers. My response to these driver’s education videos is akin to my reaction to videos that I watched at the Pacific Northwest Head, Neck & Thyroid Cancer [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-06-01T09:35:08-07:00June, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Actor’s Diagnosis Puts Spotlight on Oral Cancer

Source: DrBicuspid.com May 9, 2012 -- Actor Michael Douglas' recent revelation that he has stage IV oropharyngeal cancer has highlighted the growing incidence of oral cancer, and experts say dentists can help stem the alarming increase of the disease by checking for it during routine examinations. The actor's cancer includes a walnut-sized tumor at the base of his tongue, and he will require radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Douglas says his doctors told him he has an 80% survival rate if it hasn't spread to his lymph nodes. While tobacco was the prime cause of oral cancer in the past, recent studies have attributed the steady increase of the disease to the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are approximately 130 versions of HPV but only nine cause cancers, and the HPV16 version causes almost half of the oral cancers in the U.S., said Brian Hill, executive director of the Oral Cancer Foundation. "Tobacco is no longer the only bad guy," he told DrBicuspid.com. “HPV16 is increasing in incidence as the causative etiology, and if it continues on this trend line, it will replace tobacco as the primary cause of oral cancers." Dentists can play a key role in catching the disease in its early stages if they check for it during examinations, Hill pointed out. "But many dentists think it's such a rare disease that they don't bother to screen for it," he said. "Most Americans have never even heard of oral cancer, but it's not as rare or uncommon as [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-05-17T09:43:19-07:00May, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Actor Michael Douglas Partners With Oral Cancer Foundation For Early Detection PSA Campaign

LOS ANGELES, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Actor and producer Michael Douglas has donated his time to help create a television public service announcement (PSA) on behalf of the Oral Cancer Foundation (OCF), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping those affected by the disease. The PSA will support the Foundation's efforts to educate the public about the need for annual screenings to catch oral cancers in their early, most survivable stages. The public service announcement will begin airing in June, and will continue to air nationwide through summer and autumn. Approximately 40,000 people in the US will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2012. This includes those cancers that occur in the mouth itself, in the very back of the mouth known as the oropharynx, and on the exterior lip of the mouth. There are two distinct pathways by which most people come to oral cancer. One is through the use of tobacco and alcohol, and the other is through exposure to the HPV-16 virus (human papilloma virus version 16), a newly identified etiology, and the same virus which is responsible for the vast majority of cervical cancers in women. While oral cancer has historically been linked to tobacco and alcohol use, this is not simply a smoker's disease any longer. New data shows that the fastest-growing segment of newly diagnosed cases is now young, non-smokers. Most startling, is the fact that while many other cancers have been in decline in recent years, the occurrence of oral / oropharyngeal [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-05-14T19:59:49-07:00May, 2012|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Alberta committee suggests free HPV vaccine for boys

Source: CBC News Cost to the province estimated between $5 million and $8 million The province is considering offering boys free immunizations against the human papillomavirus. The HPV vaccination is currently offered on a voluntary basis to all girls in Alberta entering Grade 5. The vaccine is said to prevent 70 per cent of cervical cancers, according to Alberta Health and Wellness. Two strains of HPV are also thought to be a cause of anal, penile and oral cancers. Susan Morgan's husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 oral cancer, which they later found out was caused by the HPV virus. She has been lobbying to have the vaccine for boys covered by the province and was astounded the HPV vaccination was only free for girls. Morgan says the effects of the radiation and chemotherapy treatment for the cancer were horrific. "You have open sores in your mouth,” she said. “You start to lose your ability to swallow; you end up on a feeding tube." Free vaccine for boys recommended A report by an advisory committee in Alberta recommends extending HPV coverage to boys. Chief medical officer Dr. Andre Corriveau says that would cost between $5 million and $8 million. Now he'll review the report and advise the province by the end of the month. "I have a responsibility right now to make sure our system has the capacity to deliver," he said. But, for the Morgans, waiting is not an option and they have decided to pay hundreds of dollars [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-05-07T13:25:56-07:00May, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Pig mucus effective at blocking viruses associated with cervical and oral cancer

Source: American Chemical Society Scientists are reporting that the mucus lining the stomachs of pigs could be a long-sought, abundant source of "mucins" being considered for use as broad-spectrum anti-viral agents to supplement baby formula and for use in personal hygiene and other consumer products to protect against a range of viral infections. Their study appears in ACS' journal Biomacromolecules. In the report, Katharina Ribbeck and colleagues point out that mucus, which coats the inside of the nose, mouth and vagina, is the immune system's first line of defense. The slimy secretion traps disease-causing microbes, ranging from influenza virus to HIV (which causes AIDS) before they can cause infection. That has led to consideration of mucin, the main component of mucus, for use as an anti-viral agent in a variety of products. However, existing sources of mucins, such as breast milk, cannot provide industrial-sized quantities. Large amounts of mucus exist in the lining of pigs' stomachs, and the authors set out to determine if pig mucus - already used as a component of artificial saliva to treat patients with "dry mouth," or xerostomia - has the same anti-viral activity. They found that pig mucus is effective at blocking a range of viruses, from strains of influenza to the human papilloma virus, which is associated with cervical and oral cancer. They report that pig mucins could be added to toothpastes, mouthwashes, wound ointments and genital lubricants to protect against viral infections. "We envision porcine gastric mucins to be promising antiviral components [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-04-26T17:17:40-07:00April, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Oral cancer on the rise in the US; Americans unaware of major risk factors

Source: Dental Tribune NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., USA: New research conducted on behalf of the Oral Cancer Foundation has found that many Americans are unaware of the fact that the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus, is the fastest-growing risk factor for oral cancer. The data supports the current consensus that awareness of oral cancer and early discovery measures is low, and that most Americans do not recognize that the profile of the oral cancer patient has evolved from heavy smokers and drinkers to anyone who is sexually active. According to the OCF, approximately 40,000 Americans will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer in 2012. This is the fifth consecutive year in which there has been an increase in the incidence rate of the dangerous disease. Oral cancer is often caught in the late stages, when the five-year survival rate is less than 50 percent. When diagnosed in the early stages of development, oral cancer patients have an 80 to 90 percent survival rate. The results of the national survey, conducted by market research consultancy Kelton among a representative sample of 1,024 Americans aged 18 and over, indicated that more than four in five Americans know that smoking (83 percent) and chewing tobacco (83 percent) are risk factors. However, the survey also revealed that they remain in the dark about other potential causes of oral cancer, including alcohol consumption and HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection. The survey showed that women tend to be slightly more aware of the [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-04-25T10:14:26-07:00April, 2012|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Exposure to Nicotine and Carcinogens among South Western Alaskan Native Cigarette Smokers and Smokeless Tobacco User

Source: AACR Journals Background Prevalence of tobacco use, both cigarette smoking and smokeless, including iqmik (homemade smokeless tobacco prepared with dried tobacco leaves mixed with alkaline ash), and tobacco-related cancer is high in Alaska Native people (AN). To investigate possible mechanisms of increased cancer risk we studied levels of nicotine and tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in tobacco products and biomarkers of tobacco toxicant exposure in South Western AN people. Methods Participants included 163 cigarette smokers (CS), 76 commercial smokeless tobacco (ST), 20 iqmik, 31 dual CS and ST (DT) and 110 non-tobacco (NT) users. Tobacco use history, samples of tobacco products used and blood and urine samples were collected. Results Nicotine concentrations were highest in cigarette tobacco and TSNAs highest in commercial ST products. AN participants smoked on average 7.8 cigarettes per day (CPD). Nicotine exposure, assessed by several biomarker measures, was highest in iqmik users, and similar in ST and CS. TSNA exposure was highest in ST users, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure highest in CS. Conclusions Despite smoking fewer CPD, AN CS had similar daily intake of nicotine compared to the general US population. Nicotine exposure was greatest from iqmik, likely related to high pH due to preparation with ash suggesting high addiction potential compared to other ST products. TSNA exposure was much higher with ST compared to other product use, possibly contributing to high rates of oral cancer. Impact Our data help understanding high addiction risk of iqmik use and cancer-causing potential of various forms of tobacco use [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-04-09T09:31:27-07:00April, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Strong Oral Carcinogen Identified in Smokeless Tobacco

Source: ScienceDaily.com Although smokeless tobacco products have long been linked with certain cancers, including oral cavity cancers and esophageal cancers, this is the first study to identify a specific chemical present in smokeless tobacco products that induces oral cancer in animals, according to Silvia Balbo, Ph.D., research associate at the Masonic Cancer Center of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn. "(S)-NNN is the only chemical in smokeless tobacco known to cause oral cancer," Balbo said. "This finding provides mechanistic underpinning for the epidemiologic observations that smokeless tobacco products cause oral cancer." Balbo and colleagues administered two forms of NNN called (S)-NNN and (R)-NNN to four groups of 24 rats. The rats were given either (S)-NNN alone, (R)-NNN alone, a combination of both or tap water. The total dose was approximately equivalent to the amount of (S)-NNN to which a smokeless tobacco user would be exposed from chronic use of these products. All rats assigned to (S)-NNN alone or the combination began losing weight after one year of exposure and died by 17 months. Rats assigned to (R)-NNN or tap water were terminated at 20 months. All rats assigned to (S)-NNN had esophageal tumors and demonstrated 100 percent incidence of oral tumors including tumors of the tongue, buccal mucosa, soft palate and pharynx. In contrast, researchers found oral tumors in only five of 24 rats given (R)-NNN and esophageal tumors in three of 24 rats assigned to (R)-NNN. Twelve rats given the combination of (S)-NNN and (R)-NNN had 153 esophageal [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-04-02T16:22:05-07:00April, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

April: Oral Cancer Awareness Month

Source: Aspen Dental April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month. According to Brian Hill, founder and executive director of the Oral Cancer Foundation, as many as 40,000 people in the United States will be told they have oral or pharyngeal cancer in 2012. Some of them may be sitting in your dental chair today. With one person dying of oral cancer every hour of every day, and more than 50% of those diagnosed not living more than 5 years, this is a reminder to screen every patient yourself, and encourage your dental hygiene staff to do the same. The Statistics About 100 people are diagnosed with oral cancer every day in the United States. Few people are aware that the death rate for oral cancer is higher than for many other types of cancers, which is because oral cancer often is not discovered until it has reached later stages. This is particularly true for human papilloma virus number 16 (HPV16)-related oral cancer, which occurs most frequently in the posterior areas of the mouth—at the base of the tongue, around the tonsils, and in the oropharynx—where it’s harder to spot without a very thorough exam. To further complicate things, HPV16-related cancer does not always present the tell-tale physical characteristics, including lesions, that are easily distinguished from healthy oral tissues. This is not good news, because HPV16 has reached epidemic levels in the United States: of the 37,000 incidences of oral cancer, about 20,000 (up to 60%) can be linked to HPV, according [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-04-02T09:47:20-07:00April, 2012|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

Prevalidation of Salivary Biomarkers for Oral Cancer Detection

Source: AACRJournals.org Abstract Background: Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 60%. Presently, there are no scientifically credible early detection techniques beyond conventional clinical oral examination. The goal of this study is to validate whether the seven mRNAs and three proteins previously reported as biomarkers are capable of discriminating patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) from healthy subjects in independent cohorts and by a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Early Detection Research Network (EDRN)-Biomarker Reference Laboratory (BRL). Methods: Three hundred and ninety-five subjects from five independent cohorts based on case controlled design were investigated by two independent laboratories, University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) discovery laboratory and NCI-EDRN-BRL. Results: Expression of all seven mRNA and three protein markers was increased in OSCC versus controls in all five cohorts. With respect to individual marker performance across the five cohorts, the increase in interleukin (IL)-8 and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) was statistically significant and they remained top performers across different cohorts in terms of sensitivity and specificity. A previously identified multiple marker model showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for prediction of OSCC status ranging from 0.74 to 0.86 across the cohorts. Conclusions: The validation of these biomarkers showed their feasibility in the discrimination of OSCCs from healthy controls. Established assay technologies are robust enough to perform independently. Individual cutoff values for each of these markers and for the combined predictive model need to be further defined in large [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-03-29T16:06:49-07:00March, 2012|Oral Cancer News|