oral cancer – Page 25 – Oral Cancer News

New dentist test to detect oral cancer will save lives

Source: The University of Sheffield Author: Lauren Anderson A new test for oral cancer, which a dentist could perform by simply using a brush to collect cells from a patient´s mouth, is set to be developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The international research team, involving scientists in Sheffield, has been awarded $2 million from the USA´s National Institutes of Health to develop the test, which could provide an accurate diagnosis in less than 20 minutes for lesions where there is a suspicion of oral cancer. The current procedure used to detect oral cancer in a suspicious lesion involves using a scalpel to perform a biopsy and off-site laboratory tests which can be time consuming. The new test will involve removing cells with a brush, placing them on a chip, and inserting the chip into the analyser, leading to a result in 8-10 minutes. This will have a number of benefits including cutting waiting times and the number of visits, and also cost savings for the NHS. The team in Sheffield, led by Professor Martin Thornhill, Professor of Oral Medicine at the University of Sheffield and a Consultant in Oral Medicine at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, has begun carrying out clinical trials on patients at Charles Clifford Dental Hospital for two years to perfect the technology and make it as sensitive as possible. If the trials confirm that the new technology is as effective as carrying out a biopsy then it could [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-08-22T17:55:41-07:00August, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Cancer survivor Byers driving to help others

Source: Standart.net Author: Staff Among the dozens of cars at this weekend's ARCA race at Pocono Raceway, one will stand out. Not for the color scheme or the lines. For the decals. When the No. 48 of Ricky Byers Racing rolls out onto the track, it won't be sporting the usual array of auto parts or alcoholic beverage stickers. Byers' red-and-black Ford Fusion will decorated for those who have made his dream a reality, the 90 or so people who have given the two-time throat cancer survivor a chance to fight back at the disease that nearly cost him his life. "It's the greatest feeling of my life," Byers said. "Those are the people who support what I'm doing, believe in what I'm doing and they've given me a chance to go out there and race for cancer." Byers has been around motorsports long as he can remember. His dad was a lifelong racer and little Ricky spent his early days racing motocross and go-carts before moving on to full-sized cars. The Birmingham, Ala., native went on to race for 20 years, winning five different track championships in Pony, Super Pony, Dwarf and Late Model cars. But when Byers was 33, his career took a back seat to something much bigger: a race for his life. Byers had lost his voice and wasn't able to get it back for weeks, but six different doctors told him it just was a sinus infection, that he had nothing to worry about. Then [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-30T16:13:29-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Evaluation of a multifaceted social marketing campaign to increase awareness of and screening for oral cancer in African Americans.

Source: Sanford University Authors: JM Jedele and AI Ismail Jedele JM, Ismail AI. Evaluation of a multifaceted social marketing campaign to increase awareness of and screening for oral cancer in African Americans. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010; 38: 371-382. (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract - Objectives: A 2-year social marketing media campaign and community education activities were organized to promote screening for oral cancer in a high-risk population in Detroit/Wayne County, Michigan. Long-term goals of the campaign were to reduce the oral cancer death rate, increase the proportion of oral cancers detected at an early stage, and increase the proportion of adults who report having been screened. The intermediate goals of the campaign were to increase awareness of oral cancer and of oral cancer screening. This article presents outcomes related to the intermediate goals of the campaign. Methods: The intermediate goals of the campaign were assessed by the number of calls to a toll-free hotline, which media venues led to calls, number of screenings conducted by the free screening clinic, number of precancers and cancers detected, and the number of sessions conducted, organizations involved, and persons participating in the community education program. The costs per screened case and cancers detected were also evaluated. The media campaign promoted screening using billboards, radio and newspaper ads, and a toll-free hotline. Culturally relevant messages were developed collaboratively with focus groups representing the target audience. Billboards were placed in highly visible locations around Detroit, Michigan. Sixty-second messages on the impact of [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-27T12:28:38-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Does framing Human Papillomavirus Vaccine as preventing cancer in men increase vaccine acceptability?

Source: Stanford University Authors: AL McRee, PL Reiter, K Chantala, and NT Brewer Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is now approved for use in males in the United States to prevent genital warts. We conducted an experiment to see whether framing HPV vaccination as also preventing cancer in men would increase men's vaccination willingness. Methods: We conducted an online survey in January 2009 with a national sample of men ages 18 to 59 years who self-identified as gay/bisexual (n = 312) or heterosexual (n = 296). In the within-subjects experiment, men read four randomly ordered vignettes that described hypothetical vaccines that prevented either genital warts alone, or genital warts and either anal cancer, oral cancer, or penile cancer. We analyzed data using repeated measures ANOVA and tested whether perceived severity or perceived likelihood mediated the effect of disease outcome framing on men's HPV vaccination willingness. Results: Although only 42% of men were willing to receive HPV vaccine when it was framed as preventing genital warts alone, 60% were willing to get it when it was framed as preventing cancer in addition to genital warts (P < 0.001). The effect of outcome framing was the same for heterosexual and gay/bisexual men and for the three cancer types examined. Perceived severity of disease partially mediated the association between disease outcome and HPV vaccination willingness. Conclusions: Men may be more accepting of HPV vaccine when it is framed as preventing cancer, regardless which of the three most common HPV-related cancers in men is [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-31T06:51:17-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Consistent condom use may cut men’s HPV risk

Source: MedScape Today Author: Staff NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 16 - Men who use condoms every time they have sex are less likely to harbor human papillomavirus (HPV) than those who are less consistent about protection, a new study finds. The results, reported online June 22nd in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, may not sound surprising. In the past, however, some studies have suggested that condoms may do little to protect men from infection with HPV. Persistent HPV infection is best known as the primary cause of cervical cancer, but it can also lead to cancers of the anus and penis. Preventing HPV infection in men may help lower their risk for those cancers, and cut their chances of transmitting the virus to their female partners -- potentially helping to prevent some cases of cervical cancer. While condom use has been shown to lower the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases, studies have yielded conflicting results as to whether condoms help lower men's HPV risk. One reason may be that HPV is easily transmitted, including any genital-to-genital contact, and some studies in which men have been tested for HPV in areas not protected by condoms have failed to show that condoms lower infection risk. For the new study, Dr. Carrie M. Nielson of Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and colleagues tested 463 men between the ages of 18 and 40 for 37 types of HPV. The testing was done on swabbed samples from the penis, as well [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-25T20:14:07-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Gene may hold key to reducing spread of oral cancers

Source: University of Illinois Author: Sam Hostettler The spread of cancer cells in the tongue may be reduced if a gene that regulates cancer cell migration can be controlled, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Oral cancer is an under-treated and poorly understood disease, says Xiaofeng "Charles" Zhou, assistant professor in the UIC Center for Molecular Biology of Oral Diseases and lead researcher of the study. More than 90 percent of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that normally start on the gums, floor of the mouth, or tongue. About 30,000 Americans are affected each year, Zhou said. While new cancers of all types have risen 8 percent in the last five years, oral cancer increased 21 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. Tongue squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most frequent oral cancers, rose more than 37 percent in this period. And although overall cancer deaths decreased during this period, those due to oral cancer increased by 4 percent -- and those due to tongue squamous cell carcinoma by 10 percent. Improvements in patient survival require better understanding of tumor invasion and how cancer spreads, Zhou said, so that aggressive tumors can be detected early and targeted therapies can be developed. While researchers have tried to identify altered genes that contribute to the aggressive nature of tongue squamous cell carcinoma, most previous studies have focused on protein-encoding genes, Zhou said. The new study examines a noncoding gene called microRNA-138. MicroRNAs are small, noncoding [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-25T20:13:36-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Trends in the incidence rates of tonsil and base of tongue cancer in England, 1985-2006

Source: Ann Royal Coll Surgery Engl. 2010 Jul 7 Authors: Reddy V, Cundall-Curry D, Bridger M. Abstract: INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to investigate whether incidence rates of tonsil and base of tongue cancer in England are increasing using data from the UK cancer registry. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Cancer registrations for oral cavity and oropharynx cancer from 1985-2006 in England were obtained from the National Cancer Information Service. Population estimates were obtained from the Office for National Statistics. Age-adjusted incidence rates and age-specific incidence rates were calculated. The sexes were considered separately as incidence rates are known to differ significantly between men and women. Linear regression was performed to establish whether there was a relationship between incidence rates and time. RESULTS There has been an increase in all oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer in the study period. Linear regression analysis suggests that approximately 90% of the variance in age-adjusted incidence rates for men and women for tonsil, base of tongue and other oral cavity cancer is explained by the passage of time. For other oropharyngeal cancer, the variance is 62% and 46% in men and women, respectively. The estimated annual percentage change from 1985 to 2006 in age-adjusted incidence rates for tonsil and base of tongue cancer is 5.7% and 6.7% for men, and 4.3% and 6.5% for women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms a wide-spread clinical impression that there has been an increase in age-adjusted incidence rates, between 1985 and 2006, in all oral cavity cancer in England. [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-12T11:23:01-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

VELscope system honored by the WHO

Source: Dentistry IQ Author: Staff Jul 7, 2010 BURNABY, British Columbia—LED Dental has announced that the World Health Organization has recognized the VELscope enhanced oral assessment system as an innovative device that addresses global health concerns. In 2009, the WHO Department of Essential Health Technologies challenged the scientific and business communities to identify and develop innovative technologies to address global health concerns. On June 30, following months of evaluation, the organization officially recognized those innovative medical devices--either existing or under development--that address global health concerns and which are likely to be accessible, appropriate and affordable for use in low- and middle-income countries. The VELscope system was one of only eight commercialized devices so honored. “It is extremely gratifying to receive this prestigious honor,” said Peter Whitehead, founder and CEO of LED Dental and inventor of the VELscope system. “We created the VELscope system to improve the oral health of patients worldwide by helping dental practitioners discover everything from early-stage oral cancer to any number of more common oral abnormalities. This recognition from the World Health Organization is further reinforcement of what thousands of VELscope users have been telling us: that the VELscope system can help improve oral health in a very cost-effective and userfriendly manner.” Oral cancer kills one American every hour of every day. According to the SEER data base, oral cancer has a higher mortality rate than several better publicized cancers, such as cervical cancer and testicular cancer. Some oral cancers are now known to be linked to [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-08T13:14:47-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Could HPV be transmitted orally?

Source: Bright Hub Author: Kira Jaines Can a kiss transmit HPV? Or oral sex? Studies conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that not only can human papilloma virus be transmitted orally, it can also increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancer. Can HPV Be Transmitted Orally? In a word, yes. Once thought to be uncommon, the oral transmission of human papilloma virus (HPV) through oral sex and even French kissing has been documented and linked to an increasing rate of oropharyngeal cancer. The oropharynx consists of the base the tongue, the tonsils, the back of the mouth and the walls of the throat. Results of a study by Johns Hopkins researchers published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 linked HPV exposure and infection to an increased risk of cancer of the mouth and throat. HPV infection has rapidly caught up with tobacco and alcohol as a risk factor for oral cancer, and has, in fact, become one of the leading causes of oral cancer in men, independently of smoking and drinking. About HPV Over 120 different HPV viruses have been identified, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation. Different types of HPV infect different parts of the body. Some cause warts on the skin. Some cause warts on the genitals. Some are harmless. Some cause cancer. The HPV virus is easily passed via skin-to-skin contact or sexual contact. HPV viruses cause no early identifiable symptoms and most are fought off by the body’s immune system. In fact, sexually-active adults have a [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-11T16:10:45-07:00July, 2010|OCF In The News, Oral Cancer News|

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|