smoking – Page 21 – Oral Cancer News

New figures on cancer in Europe show a steady decline in mortality but big variations

Source: www.sciencedaily.com Author: press release New figures on deaths from cancer in Europe show a steady decline in mortality between the periods 1990-1994 and 2000-2004. Deaths from all cancers in the European Union (EU) between these two periods fell by nine percent in men and eight percent in women, with a large drop among the middle-aged population. In a study published online in the cancer journal, Annals of Oncology on November 30, researchers found that there was an average 185.2 deaths per 100,000 of the population per year in men between 1990-1994 in 27 member states of the EU, but this fell to 168 deaths per 100,000 between 2000-2004. For women, the number of deaths fell from 104.8 to 96.9 per 100,000. The researchers, led by Professor Carlo La Vecchia (MD), head of the Department of Epidemiology at the Mario Negri Institute and associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan (Italy), and Professor Fabio Levi (MD), Head of the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, (Switzerland), say that the persistent downward trend is driven largely by changes in tobacco consumption, with large falls in lung and other tobacco-related cancers in men. A steady decline in gastric cancers and, recently, declines in colorectal cancer have also contributed to the overall drop in mortality rates. However, the picture is variable across Europe and between sexes. For instance, where alcohol or tobacco consumption, or a combination of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-12-08T09:00:11-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Drinking epidemic ‘fuels surge in cancer’

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/health Author: Jenny Hope Round-the-clock drinking and cut-price alcohol are to blame for an 'appalling' rise in cancers, experts warned today. Cases of cancer of the mouth have gone up by half in the past decade, with a 43 per cent rise in liver tumours. There have also been big rises in breast and colorectal cancer. Many experts are blaming alcohol consumption, which has doubled in the UK since the 1950s and has been fuelled by Labour's decision to relax licensing laws. They are calling for tougher measures to crack down on 2 for 1 offers and price-cutting by supermarkets, as well as the current 24-hour drinking culture. The latest official figures, obtained from parliamentary questions by the Liberal Democrats, show almost 5,000 in England are diagnosed each year with oral cancers - a 53 per cent increase on 3,225 cases in 1997. There was a 20 per cent jump in cancer of the gullet (oesophagus) from 5,397 to 6,487. Both types of cancer are linked to heavy drinking, with a fourfold rise in risk for men consuming more than seven drinks a day and women having five drinks or more a day. Liver cancer cases went up over the same period from 1,925 to 2,754 - with this cancer two and half times more likely to affect heavy drinkers compared with people who do not drink. Female breast cancer cases rose 33 per cent from 28,618 to 38,048. Heavy drinkers run a 60 per cent extra chance of [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-12-07T15:11:03-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Smokers take their last legal puffs in Virginia restaurants

Source: Washington Post Author: Sandhya Somashekhar It was a gentlemen's protest: Scores of cigar-smokers filed into an upscale steakhouse in Reston on Monday night to light up their stogies over cocktails and beef Wellington and lament that the smoking police had finally come to, of all places, Virginia. Four hundred years after John Rolfe planted the nation's first commercial tobacco in Virginia, and decades after state leaders paid homage to the crop by carving its leaves into the ceiling of the old state Senate chamber, smoking officially becomes illegal Tuesday in the state's 17,500 bars and restaurants. Although the suit-and-tie crowd at Morton's exuded a sort of "Mad Men" cool, it wasn't entirely hard to see why some might have been glad this day has finally come. A fragrant, heavy haze rose as 150 regulars worked their way through the four cigars included with a meal organized as a last hurrah for Virginia smokers. "I've always said, if there's a state that would never pass a smoking ban, it's Virginia," said Manassas resident Ed Bennett, leaning on the polished wooden bar with a cocktail cigar in his right hand. "I lost a lot of bets on that one." Morton's wasn't the only restaurant marking the occasion with a bit of celebratory nostalgia. At Jimmy's Old Town Tavern in Herndon, a Camel rep handed out free cigarettes, and customers were treated to an airing of an old Winston TV ad featuring Fred and Barney from "The Flintstones." Owner Jimmy Cirrito sold [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-12-01T16:52:14-07:00December, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Dental hygiene students screen for oral cancer

Source: uscnews.usc.edu/health Author: Beth Dunham Members of the USC School of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Class of 2010 provided oral health screenings and tobacco cessation advice for USC students, staff members and visitors during the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout on Nov. 19. Marked every November with outreach events across the nation, the American Smokeout is designed to help smokers find effective methods to help them quit smoking and highlight the benefits of giving up tobacco. Better oral health and dramatically decreased risk of deadly oral cancer is one huge benefit, said dental hygiene student Allison Clark. Just outside of Bovard Auditorium, the student manned a table stocked with information on oral cancer - including shocking photographs of the damage caused by the disease - and helpful advice on how to successfully quit smoking. Dental hygiene student Lauren Levine said that smokers who turned in at least one cigarette received a prize pack that included a toothbrush and tube of toothpaste, as well as smoking cessation supplies such as gum and information on quitting resources and techniques. They also received a raffle ticket for a chance to win an electric toothbrush. Dental hygiene students conducted oral health screenings at both the USC Pharmacy and School of Dentistry on the University Park campus. Even nonsmokers took the opportunity to receive a free oral health checkup. Staff member Todd Henneman said he thought having a screening was a good idea even though he doesn’t smoke. “I figured that I might as well [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-23T14:41:49-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

American Cancer Society, ENT and Allergy Associates once again partner to fight smoking, especially among teens

Source: www.earthtimes.org Author: press release The American Cancer Society and ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP (ENTA) are once again teaming up to bring a strong and relevant anti-smoking message to teens and ENTA patients through a strategic partnership that includes outreach to local high schools and patient education. “The most effective way for us to fight cancer is to partner with systems in our communities to reach the largest number of people possible,” said Dee McCabe, Executive Vice President, American Cancer Society. “ENTA has been a great partner, reaches thousands of people a day, and truly is committed to improving health of their patients.” “At ENTA, we see far too many patients-each and every week-afflicted with cancer…so our partnership with the American Cancer Society allows us to educate people about the dangers of smoking, and point them toward smoking cessation and cancer prevention” said Dr. Wayne Eisman, President of ENT and Allergy Associates. “We are delighted to do everything we possibly can to help the ACS fight smoking, particularly among young people.” A key part of the alliance is ENTA’s support of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, held on November 19th. Throughout the month of November, ENTA will offer patients materials on how to quit smoking in its 30 offices throughout the Greater New York and New Jersey area. Also, several ENTA doctors will speak at local high schools to teens about the dangers of smoking, how to deal with peer pressure, and how the tobacco industry targets [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-18T16:31:56-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Smokeless, not safe

Source: www.sltrib.com Author: Tribune editorial Tobacco-product marketers face an uncommon business problem: They have to lure new customers to replace the nearly half-million Americans who are killed by their products each year. These folks are smart or, should we say, devious. They know that some people never start smoking simply because they don't like the smell on their clothing and their breath, or because laws prevent them smoking indoors and they don't want to face the social stigma associated with lighting up outdoors or chewing and spitting. And some smart and determined smokers are able to quit for the same reasons. So, these clever marketers have come up with new tobacco products that smell minty, produce no smoke or need to spit, and can be used discreetly. They claim the new smokeless tobacco isn't aimed at teenagers, but the evidence clearly indicates otherwise. They have catchy names like Snus, Orbs and Stride and come packaged in brightly colored, cell-phone-size containers. Some look and taste like candy. They can be carried and used without parents or teachers catching on. And they contain so much highly addictive nicotine -- triple the amount in cigarettes -- and they're so easy to use, that once a kid gets hooked, he or she usually stays hooked. Even better for tobacco pushers, they often move on to cigarettes once they're addicted, and studies show the younger people are when they start smoking, the harder it is to quit. For tobacco companies, it looks like problem solved. [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-14T12:28:14-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

The oral cancer epidemic in central and eastern Europe

Source: Int J Cancer, October 30, 2009 Author: Werner Garavello et al. To monitor recent trends in oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality in 38 European countries, we analyzed data provided by the World Health Organization over the period 1975-2004. Joinpoint analysis was used to identify significant changes in trends. In the European Union (EU), male mortality rates rose by 2.1% per year between 1975 and 1984, by 1.0% between 1984 and 1993, and declined by 1.3% between 1993 and 2004, to reach an overall age-standardized rate of 6.1/100,000 in 2000-2004. Mortality rates were much lower in women, and the rate in the EU rose by 0.9% per year up to 2000, and levelled off to 1.1/100,000 in 2000-2004. In France and Italy - which had the highest rates in the past - male rates have steadily declined during the last two decades (annual percent change, APC=-4.8% in 1998-2004 in France, and -2.6% in 1986-2003 in Italy). Persisting rises were, however, observed in several central and eastern European countries, with exceedingly high rates in Hungary (21.1/100,000; APC=6.9% in 1975-1993 and 1.4% in 1993-2004) and Slovakia (16.9/100,000; APC=0.14% in 1992-2004). In middle aged (35 to 64) men, oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality rates in Hungary (55.2/100,000) and Slovakia (40.8/100,000) were comparable to lung cancer rates in several major European countries. The highest rates for women were in Hungary (3.3/100,000; APC=4.7% in 1975-2004) and Denmark (1.6/100,000; APC=1.3% in 1975-2001). Oral and pharyngeal cancer mortality essentially reflects the different patterns in tobacco smoking and [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-10T07:56:32-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Patterns of alcohol and tobacco use affect head and neck cancer risk

Source: www.rtmagazine.com Author: staff Assuming that total exposure is the same, it is worse to smoke lightly for many years than to smoke heavily for a few years when it comes to the risk of head and neck cancer, new research shows. With alcohol use, however, the opposite is true. The results, which were published in the October 15th issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, also confirmed previous research showing that smoking was more strongly associated with laryngeal cancer and that alcohol consumption was more strongly associated with pharyngeal and oral cavity cancers. "Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are known risk factors for head and neck cancers, including cancers of the larynx, oral cavity, and pharynx," co-researcher Dr. Jay H. Lubin, of the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, told Reuters Health. "This paper presented a detailed quantitative evaluation of their effects, using data which were pooled from 15 case-control studies." The researchers modeled the excess odds ratio (EOR) to assess risk by total exposure (pack-years and drink-years), as well as the modification of risk by exposure rate (cigarettes/day and drinks/day). The smoking analysis included 1761 laryngeal, 2453 pharyngeal, and 1990 oral cavity cancer cases. For controls, 7963 were included for laryngeal and 10,114 for pharyngeal and for oral cavity cancer cases. The alcohol analysis included 2551 laryngeal, 3693 pharyngeal, and 3116 oral cavity cancer cases. For controls, 12,179 were included for laryngeal cancer and 15,589 for pharyngeal and oral cavity cancer cases. While smoking increased the risk of all [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-11-07T11:01:10-07:00November, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Head and neck cancer surgery patients at major risk of developing myocardial ischaemia

Source: www.docguide.com/news Author: Lexa W. Lee Of patients with head and neck cancer who have undergone surgery, 15% will develop postoperative myocardial ischemia, according to a study presented here October 19 at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Anesthesologists (ASA). In addition, ischaemia is a strong predictor of 60-day mortality following surgery, according to presenter Lesley Rao, MD, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. For the study, researchers performed a retrospective cohort study of 378 patients who underwent major head and neck cancer surgery. Potential risk factors for postoperative myocardial ischemia, such as heart disease and smoking history, were recorded. Troponin levels were serially measured up to the fifth day after surgery. Peak postoperative troponin I (TnI) concentration was the main outcome variable; a level over 0.1 ng/mL was considered abnormally high. Of the 378 patients, 57 patients (15%) developed an elevated TnI; 90% of which occurred within 24 hours after surgery. A history of renal insufficiency, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and combined chemotherapy and radiation were associated with elevated postoperative TnI. This group had a significantly longer length of stay in the hospital compared with those with lower TnI levels (8.5 vs 10.1 days; P = .014), ICU stay (3 vs 4.5 days; P = .001), and an 8-fold higher risk of death at 60 days following surgery (odds ratio [OR] = 7.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.98-29.31). At 1 year, patients with an abnormally high postoperative TnI were twice as likely to die [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-21T04:50:16-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|

Human papillomavirus infection and cancers of the oropharynx

Source: www.ajho.com Author: Robert Haddad, MD Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA The author was invited to contribute his thoughts on the topic of human papillomavirus and cancers of the oropharynx. Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is a major public health problem, affecting nearly half a million individuals worldwide each year. These cancers can arise from the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx and larynx.1 Treatment of head and neck cancer is often multidisciplinary, involving chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Patient symptoms can include a sore throat, ear pain, odynophagia, or hoarseness. Most patients will present with stage III or IV disease. The major risk factors are smoking tobacco and alcohol abuse. A large number of patients diagnosed with oropharynx cancer, however, have no history of smoking or drinking, and increasing epidemiological, molecular, and clinical evidence suggests that high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV-16, account for the development of these cancers.2-5 Most individuals are unaware of their infection and have no symptoms. HPV is one of the more common virus groups in the world, and more than 80 types of HPV have been identified. Some types (eg, HPV 6 and 11) are known to cause benign conditions such as genital warts, while other types (eg, HPV 16 and 18) are known to be associated with malignant, cancerous transformation. Although different types of HPV are known to infect different parts of the body, HPV usually infects the epithelial cells of skin and mucosa. The epithelial surfaces include all [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2009-10-13T21:15:33-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|