tobacco

FDA to review application to modify health warning on Altria subsidiary’s smokeless tobacco product

Source: www.richmond.com Author: staff The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will review a request from an Altria Group Inc. subsidiary that wants to make the claim that a smokeless tobacco product is less dangerous than cigarettes. U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. said Friday that the FDA has agreed to do a substantive review of its “modified risk” application for Copenhagen Snuff Fine Cut. The company submitted the request for review earlier this year. The snuff company wants to be able to use the claim “If you smoke consider this: Switching completely to this product from cigarettes reduces risk of lung cancer.” The FDA requires smokeless tobacco products to carry statements that warn about the risk of mouth cancer, gum disease, tooth loss and addiction and that the product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. The warnings are to be randomly rotated on packaging. “We filed this application because we think adult smokers looking for potential reduced risk alternatives to cigarettes should have accurate information about the relative risks of Copenhagen Snuff,” Joe Murillo, Altria Client Services senior vice president for regulatory affairs, said in a statement. The FDA defines modified risk tobacco products as tobacco products that are sold or distributed for use to reduce harm or the risk of tobacco-related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products. In the review process, the FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee vets the scientific claims and makes a recommendation. The FDA has reviewed more than 30 modified risk applications from tobacco companies [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-09-16T06:48:11-07:00September, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Scientists map interactions between head and neck cancer and HPV virus

Source: medicalxpress.com Author: staff, Gladstone Institutes Human papillomavirus (HPV) is widely known to cause nearly all cases of cervical cancer. However, you might not know that HPV also causes 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancer, a subset of head and neck cancers that affect the mouth, tongue, and tonsils. Although vaccines that protect against HPV infection are now available, they are not yet widespread, especially in men, nor do they address the large number of currently infected cancer patients. Patients with head and neck cancer caused by HPV respond very differently to treatments than those whose cancer is associated with the consumption of tobacco products. The first group generally has better outcomes, with almost 80 percent of patients surviving longer than 5 years after diagnosis, compared to only 45-50 percent for patients with tobacco-related cancers. To better understand what might cause these differences, a team of scientists led by Nevan J. Krogan, Ph.D., senior investigator at the Gladstone Institutes, is taking a unique approach by focusing on the cancer-causing virus. They recently mapped the interactions between all HPV proteins and human proteins for the first time. Their findings are published today in the journal Cancer Discovery. "With our study, we identified several new protein interactions that were previously not known to cause cancer, expanding our knowledge of the oncogenic roles of the HPV virus" said Krogan, who is also a professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology at UC San Francisco (UCSF) and the director of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) at [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-09-13T08:58:41-07:00September, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

E-cigarettes ‘could give you mouth cancer by damaging your DNA’

Source: metro.co.uk Author: Zoe Drewett Researchers say vaping could lead to an increased risk of developing mouth cancer. A study carried out by the American Chemical Society found evidence to suggest using e-cigarettes raises the level of DNA-damaging compounds in the mouth. If cells in the body are unable to repair the DNA damage after vaping, the risk of cancer can increase, the study claims. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes are not yet known but researchers say they should be investigated further (Picture: PA) The researchers admit the long-term health effects of using electronic cigarettes are still unknown. Researcher Dr Romel Dator said: ‘We want to characterize the chemicals that vapers are exposed to, as well as any DNA damage they may cause.’ Since they were introduced in 2004, e-cigarettes have been marketed as a safer alternative to smoking. But the team carrying out the study claim genetic material in the oral cells of people who vape could be altered by toxic chemicals. E-cigarettes work by heating a liquid – which usually contains nicotine – into an aerosol that the user inhales. It is often flavoured to taste like fruit, chocolate or bubblegum. ‘It’s clear that more carcinogens arise from the combustion of tobacco in regular cigarettes than from the vapor of e-cigarettes,’ Silvia Balbo, the project’s lead investigator said. ‘However, we don’t really know the impact of inhaling the combination of compounds produced by this device. ‘Just because the threats are different doesn’t mean that e-cigarettes are completely [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-08-22T12:57:31-07:00August, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

E-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco can put you at a greater risk of oral cancer, says study

Source: www.thehealthsite.com Author: Sreemoyee Chatterjee Not just cigarette smokers, those smoking e-cigarettes as well as consuming smokeless tobacco like chewing tobacco and more are at greater risk of developing oral cancer, shows a recent study conducted by University of California. In case you think only cigarette smokers are at a higher risk of getting oral cancer, you are widely mistaken. A recent study has found that a wide majority of non-cigarette tobacco users as well those using electronic cigarettes are exposed to considerable level of carcinogen, as much as a cigarette user is exposed to. Not just that, shockingly smokeless tobacco users were found at a greater exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA). The study has been conducted by the scholars from University of California, San Francisco. Starting from cigarettes to cigar, waterpipes, pipes, marijuana containing cigar to smokeless products like moist snuff, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, snus and other nicotine replacement products can increase your chance of getting oral cancer, revealed the study. What is Oral cancer? Belonging to the head and neck cancer group, oral cancer is a type of cancer that grows in mouth or throat tissues and mostly hit the squamous cells of your mouth, tongue and lips. Oral cancer can of several types – lip cancer, tongue cancer, cancer in the inner lining of your cheek, gums, floor of the mouth and hard and soft palate. It is important to go to a dentist for a biannual check-up for early detection of oral cancer, experts say. Due [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-30T06:12:38-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Smoking warning labels could need a refresh to inform public of new health risk discoveries

Source: www.abc.net.au Author: Tegan Taylor When it comes to the health risks associated with smoking, most people know about lung cancer and heart disease. But less than a third of Australians realise it can also cause conditions such as acute leukaemia and rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study, raising the question around whether current graphic cigarette warning labels need to be refreshed. The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, asked 1,800 Australians about whether they thought smoking increased the risk of 23 conditions shown to be associated with tobacco use, such as lung cancer, stroke and diabetes. While more than eight in 10 participants knew lung, throat and mouth cancers, heart disease and emphysema were linked to smoking, much fewer were aware it was associated with erectile dysfunction, female infertility, diabetes and liver cancer. The results showed the current warning labels were doing their job, and that it might be time to expand them, said Michelle Scollo from Cancer Council Victoria, which ran the study. "It was predictable and pleasing that smokers knew about the health effects that have been highlighted in the current sets of warnings and media campaigns," Dr Scollo said. "[But] fewer than half realised it could reduce your fertility, and that could have a really major impact on the course of people's lives … There's a lot that people need to appreciate. Part of the reason the link between smoking and some of the conditions surveyed aren't well known is because research into [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-07-09T08:38:49-07:00July, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Be your own advocate

Source: www.wvnews.com Author: Mary McKinley The importance of dental care goes beyond cavities — it’s also about preventing cancer. The week of April 8 is National Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week, and your dentist or dental hygienist may be your first line of defense against oral cancer. More than 50,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and the tonsils) in 2018, and 350 will be diagnosed in West Virginia alone. Routine dental exams can detect cancer or pre-cancers during the early stages. If you notice a persistent sore or pain, swelling or changes in your mouth, or red or white patches on the gums, tongue, tonsils or lining of the mouth, visit a doctor or dentist so they can examine your mouth more closely. Some people diagnosed with oral cancer have no risk factors, so it’s important for everyone to keep those dental appointments. If you use tobacco, drink alcohol in excess, or have the human papillomavirus (HPV), you have an increased risk for oral cancer. Oral cancer is more common in older adults, particularly men, but oropharyngeal cancer is on the rise in middle-aged, nonsmoking white men between the ages of 35 and 55. The majority of these types of cancer cases are caused by HPV. Take charge of your health and reduce your risk of oral cancer. If you smoke or chew tobacco, quit now (it’s never too [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-04-09T06:23:14-07:00April, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Management strategies for oral potentially malignant disorders

Source: www.medscape.com Author: Joel M. Laudenbach, DMD Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) include oral leukoplakia (OL), oral erythroplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, oral lichen planus, proliferative verrucous leukoplakia, and actinic keratosis. Once an OPMD has been clinically diagnosed, execution of management strategy is critical. When formulating the strategy, healthcare providers should consider histopathology, lesion characteristics (ie, surface texture, unifocal, multifocal), lesion location in the mouth (ie, tongue, floor of mouth), patient risk factor assessment, and a detailed medical/cancer history. In this newly published article, Nadeau and Kerr[1] detail various parameters surrounding evaluation and management of OPMDs. The authors make it clear that OPMDs are challenging, each with their own nuances regarding risk for malignant transformation. For example, when OL is unifocal, nonhomogeneous, nodular, or verrucous, there is a much higher chance of the OL becoming dysplastic (12.63-fold) or demonstrating a focus of carcinoma (8.9-fold) when compared with homogeneous types of OLs.[1] Provider knowledge of these variables is critical when counseling patients about their diagnosis and management options and when selecting interventions along with follow-up care. Although progression to malignancy is difficult to predict with OPMDs, clinicians can account for multiple risk factors such as smoking/alcohol status, high-risk location in the oral cavity, and size of lesion (>200 mm2) to help formulate a tailored management plan for each patient. Consultation with an oral pathologist to discuss the histologic appearance in the context of specific patient history and lesion characteristics can provide additional perspective and/or recommendations. Modifiable oral cavity cancer risks related to [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-03-16T07:46:35-07:00March, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Non-smokers with oral precancerous lesions at increased risk of cancer

Source: www.eurekalert.org Author: press release Precancerous lesions in the mouths of non-smokers are more likely to progress to cancer than those in smokers, new research from the University of British Columbia has found. Although tobacco use is still one of the strongest risk factors associated with mouth cancers, UBC dentistry PhD candidate Leigha Rock found that oral precancerous lesions in non-smokers are more than twice as likely to progress to cancer. Furthermore, lesions in non-smokers progressed to cancer faster than smoking-associated lesions. The study was published this week in Oral Oncology. "This is the first published study where the main focus was to examine the difference in risk of progression to oral cancer between non-smokers and smokers with oral precancerous lesions," said Rock, lead author of the study. "While other studies have also reported a higher rate of transformation among non-smokers, we looked at multiple risk factors including genetic markers." Rock and colleagues looked at case history of 445 patients with oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), a type of precancerous oral lesion, enrolled in the B.C. Oral Cancer Prediction Longitudinal study. One-third of the patients were non-smokers. "As smoking rates decline, we are seeing an increase in the proportion of these types of lesions in non-smokers," said Rock. Among the scientists' findings were that lesions on the floor of the mouth in non-smokers were 38 times more likely to progress to cancer than in smokers. The study is also the first to report on quicker progression to cancer in non-smokers: both [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-03-07T11:30:22-07:00March, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Dentists may soon start asking about your sex life in a bid to control staggering HPV rates

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk Author: Jaleesa Baulkman for DailyMail.com Your dentist may be interested in more than just your flossing habits, but for a good reason. Dentists and dental hygienists are being encouraged to assess patients' risk of developing oral cancers from HPV, the most common sexually-transmitted disease. According to experts, they will likely skirt around the topic of their patients' sex life and ask about potential symptoms of cancer like jaw pain and swelling. But a new report published in the Journal of the American Dental Association insists it is imperative that dentists to play a more active role in detecting the disease, which is linked to seven types of cancer. 'What we're going to find over time is that HPV is going to be a more common cause of cancer over time,' Ellen Daley, a public health professor at the University of South Florida, told Daily Mail Online. 'We need to worry about how to prevent it.' HPV is responsible for about 70 percent of oropharyngeal cancers in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most common sexually transmitted infection in the US, it affects more than half of American adults. In fact, Dr Daley says it's as common as the common cold. However, asking about a patient's sex life isn't necessary to preventing HPV-related oral cancers. 'If [dentists] want to [ask patient's about their sex life], they can, Dr Daley explained. 'But that's not relevant since HPV is so common. We need to get [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2018-01-16T11:57:03-07:00January, 2018|Oral Cancer News|

Smokeless tobacco, snuff, chew not safe substitutes for cigarettes

Source: www.bnd.com Author: staff As many people are aware, the use of any type of tobacco can lead to major health risks. Many individuals think using smokeless tobacco or chew can be a safe substitute for cigarettes. A mock model of how dangerous and destructive tobacco products, specifically smokeless tobacco, can be to someone’s health and well-being. Navy photo by Douglas H. Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs Tobacco companies often lead people to believe this; however, this is not true. There is no proof that any smokeless tobacco products help smokers quit smoking. Smokeless tobacco has four times the amount of nicotine than a cigarette and also contains 30 chemicals known to cause cancers. A few of these cancers include mouth, tongue, cheek, and gum cancer. Additionally, cancer can be found in the esophagus and pancreas. Along with these health risks there are other problems, including mouth and teeth problems and tooth loss. Many studies have shown that high rates of leukoplakia in the mouth were found where individuals hold the chew. Leukoplakia is a white patch in the mouth that could potentially turn into cancer. The white patches, sometimes called sores, within the mouth cannot be scraped off but usually do not cause pain. The longer the use of oral tobacco, the more prone an individual is to develop leukoplakia. Stopping tobacco use usually allows leukoplakia to heal, however, treatment may be needed if there are signs of early cancer. Along with these issues, there are [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2017-11-27T08:15:41-07:00November, 2017|Oral Cancer News|