vaccine – Page 9 – Oral Cancer News

HPV vaccines: Research on safety, racial disparities in vaccination rates and male participation

Source: journalistsresource.us1.list-manage.com Author: staff Since it became available in the United States in 2006, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been a source of debate, with proponents lauding it as a substantial gain in the fight against cancer, and opponents concerned with its implications for sexual activity among youth. With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of Gardasil-9 — a vaccine that protects against nine of the most common strains of HPV that account for approximately 90 percent of cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancers — there is both a renewed interest and concern that calls for a nuanced and comprehensive review of the science. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, with nearly all sexually active men and women believed to contract at least one form of it during their lifetime. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 79 million Americans have HPV, and about 14 million become newly infected annually. While most infections clear the body within two years, some can persist and result in genital warts, cervical cancer or other types of cancers in men and women. Of the many HPV strains that exist, HPV types 16 and 18 have been identified as high risk, accounting for about 70 percent of all cervical cancer, as well as a large proportion of other HPV-related cancers. While cervical cancer was previously a leading cause of death among women in the U.S., death rates declined substantially after [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2016-01-26T15:17:35-07:00January, 2016|Oral Cancer News|

Multisite HPV16/18 Vaccine Efficacy Against Cervical, Anal, and Oral HPV Infection

Source: www.oxfordjournal.comAuthors: Daniel Bleacher, Aimee Kreimer, Mark Schiffman, Rolando Herrero, Ana Cecilia Rodriguez, Douglas Lowy, Carolina Porras, John Schiller, Wim Quint, Silvia Jiminez, Mahboobeh Safaeian, Linda Struijk, John Scchussler, Allan Hildesheim, Paula Gonzalez Background: Previous Costa Rica Vaccine Trial (CVT) reports separately demonstrated vaccine efficacy against HPV16 and HPV18 (HPV16/18) infections at the cervical, anal, and oral regions; however, the combined overall multisite efficacy (protection at all three sites) and vaccine efficacy among women infected with HPV16 or HPV18 prior to vaccination are less known. Methods: Women age 18 to 25 years from the CVT were randomly assigned to the HPV16/18 vaccine (Cervarix) or a hepatitis A vaccine. Cervical, oral, and anal specimens were collected at the four-year follow-up visit from 4186 women. Multisite and single-site vaccine efficacies (VEs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for one-time detection of point prevalent HPV16/18 in the cervical, anal, and oral regions four years after vaccination. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: The multisite woman-level vaccine efficacy was highest among “naïve” women (HPV16/18 seronegative and cervical HPV high-risk DNA negative at vaccination) (vaccine efficacy = 83.5%, 95% CI = 72.1% to 90.8%). Multisite woman-level vaccine efficacy was also demonstrated among women with evidence of a pre-enrollment HPV16 or HPV18 infection (seropositive for HPV16 and/or HPV18 but cervical HPV16/18 DNA negative at vaccination) (vaccine efficacy = 57.8%, 95% CI = 34.4% to 73.4%), but not in those with cervical HPV16 and/or HPV18 DNA at vaccination (anal/oral HPV16/18 VE = 25.3%, 95% CI = [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-10-16T10:10:13-07:00October, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Research Leader Discusses FDA-Funded Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer

Source: www.onclive.comAuthor: Gina Columbus Brett Miles, MD, DDS The investigational immunotherapy axalimogene filolisbac (ADXS11-001) has emerged as a potentially practice-changing agent in the treatment of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer. Shown to generate T cells directed against a cancer antigen and neutralize suppressor regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells that protect the tumor microenvironment from an immunologic attack and contribute to tumor growth, ADXS11-001 is the first of its kind—a therapeutic vaccine for the disease. The agent is being examined in an ongoing phase II trial, which was reported as one of 18 recipients of research grants recently awarded by the FDA’s Office of Orphan Product Development. The grants, given to sites for product development in rare diseases, total more than $19 million. The ADXS11-001 grant provides collaborating researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai with more than $1.1 million over 3 years. Eligible patients for the phase II study are newly diagnosed with stage II to IV HPV16-positive oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma who are scheduled to receive ablative transoral robotic surgery. In an interview with OncLive, the study’s surgical principal investigator, Brett Miles, MD, DDS, associate professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, co-chief, Division of Head and Neck Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses the potential of ADXS11-001 in HPV-associated head and neck cancer and other emerging therapies and treatment strategies. OncLive: Congratulations on your study being awarded a research grant from the FDA. How does it [...]

Charlotte Parker2015-09-29T11:26:02-07:00September, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Vaccine law should cover HPV cancers

Source: www.sacbee.com Author: Brandon Brown Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. Gov. Jerry Brown rightly signed a law that requires, starting July 1, 2016, that all children enrolled in public or private schools or day care be vaccinated against whooping cough, measles, polio and other diseases, regardless of parents’ religious or personal beliefs. But frustratingly, the California mandate does not include the vaccine to protect against cervical, anal and oral cancers, and genital warts. HPV vaccines have been around for 10 years. Three types exist, with the newest providing the highest protection against chronic infection and precancerous conditions among boys and girls. Despite the recommendations of major health groups, national data show only 57 percent of adolescent females and 35 percent of males received at least one dose of the three-dose HPV vaccine series in 2013. HPV vaccine has the lowest completion rate of any vaccine in the United States. There may be several explanations for this. One is the short time that providers have available to stress the need for early vaccination during a normal medical visit, much less to address parents’ concerns about implicitly sanctioning sexual activity. But the vaccine is linked to age rather than sexual activity, and postponing it until after boys and girls start having sex decreases its effectiveness. Another reason for low vaccination rates is that it requires tremendous work, including training health care providers on how to promote HPV vaccine as a cancer-prevention tool similar to hepatitis B vaccine, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-09-23T07:26:41-07:00September, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

An HPV-E6/E7 immunotherapy plus PD-1 checkpoint inhibition results in tumor regression and reduction in PD-L1 expression

Source: www.nature.comAuthor: A E Rice, Y E Latchman, J P Balint, J H Lee, E S Gabitzsch and F R Jones We have investigated if immunotherapy against human papilloma virus (HPV) using a viral gene delivery platform to immunize against HPV 16 genes E6 and E7 (Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-E6/E7) combined with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1) blockade could increase therapeutic effect as compared to the vaccine alone. Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-E6/E7 as a single agent induced HPV-E6/E7 cell-mediated immunity. Immunotherapy using Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-E6/E7 resulted in clearance of small tumors and an overall survival benefit in mice with larger established tumors. When immunotherapy was combined with immune checkpoint blockade, an increased level of anti-tumor activity against large tumors was observed. Analysis of the tumor microenvironment in Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-E6/E7 treated mice revealed elevated CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs); however, we observed induction of suppressive mechanisms such as programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on tumor cells and an increase in PD-1+ TILs. When Ad5 [E1-, E2b-]-E6/E7 immunotherapy was combined with anti-PD-1 antibody, we observed CD8+ TILs at the same level but a reduction in tumor PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and reduced PD-1+ TILs providing a mechanism by which combination therapy favors a tumor clearance state and a rationale for pairing antigen-specific vaccines with checkpoint inhibitors in future clinical trials. *This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.

Charlotte Parker2015-09-08T09:28:07-07:00September, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

HPV vaccine now free for ‘at-risk’ boys and men under 26

Source: www.vancitybuzz.com Author: Jill Slattery The government of B.C. announced this week the HPV vaccine for human papilloma virus will now be available free of charge to boys and men under age 26 who classify as ‘at-risk’. Beginning in September, the free HPV vaccine program currently only available to young women will become available to men who have sex with males or who are “street-involved”. “Providing the vaccine for all girls protects heterosexual boys as well, but leaves at-risk boys and young men unprotected. This change will address that gap,” said the province in a media release. “The human papilloma virus is the most common sexually transmitted infection,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “It can lead to serious health problems and could develop into an HPV-related cancer. Our vaccination program will help protect all young British Columbians from cancers and other diseases caused by HPV infection.” HPV can be contracted by having sex with another person infected by the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV is “spread easily during anal or vaginal sex, and it can also be spread through oral sex or other close skin-to-skin touching during sex. HPV can be spread even when an infected person has no visible signs or symptoms.” While HPV may cause little to no symptoms in some, it can lead to genital warts and certain kinds of cancer. In men, oropharyngeal cancers (cancers at the back of the throat) are the most common. “In general, HPV is [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-10T12:36:14-07:00July, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Hey, Ontario — boys deserve protection from HPV, too

Source: news.nationalpost.com Author: Robyn Urback For years now, groups including the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Cancer Society and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization have been petitioning the Ontario government to cover the cost of the HPV vaccine for boys. Since 2007, the province has paid to immunize girls against the common sexually transmitted infection — which is known to cause cervical, vaginal and other cancers in women, and mouth and throat cancers in men — but boys still have to shell out around $400 or more for three doses (though recent studies show that two doses may be sufficient) of the demonstrably effective, safe vaccine. Alberta and Prince Edward Island already cover the cost of the immunizations for both boys and girls, and so too will Nova Scotia as of this coming fall. And there’s good reason for that: doctors say that the rates of oral cancers among men have risen dramatically over the past several years, with HPV present in about two-thirds of cases. The good news is that the survival rate of these HPV-positive cancers is about 80 per cent; the bad news is that there can be lifelong effects, including problems with swallowing, hearing, tasting and in extreme cases, dependence on a feeding tube. But here’s more good news: we know the HPV vaccine works. In the U.S., for example, it has been shown to reduce the rates of infection among 14- to 19-year-old girls by more than 56 per cent since it was introduced [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-07-03T18:37:03-07:00July, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Single Dose of HPV-16/18 Vaccine Looks to Be Sufficient

Source: www.medscape.comAuthor: Jenni Laidman A single dose of a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) may prevent cervical cancer as effectively as the standard three-dose regimen, researchers concluded after analyzing the combined results of two large vaccine trials. The HPV vaccine in these studies was Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline), which is effective against HPV strains 16/18. If randomized controlled trials ultimately support the result of this post hoc analysis, it could broaden protection against cervical cancer in areas of the world where vaccination programs are hardest to administer and where cervical cancer is disproportionately burdensome, the study authors say. "Even if you ignore the expense, the feasibility of implementing and getting back to individuals for a second and third dose is quite challenging, especially in places where there is no infrastructure," coauthor Cosette Wheeler, PhD, Regents Professor, Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, told Medscape Medical News. The studies are published online June 10 in the Lancet Oncology. The possibility of a single-dose HPV vaccine is "a huge public health win," coauthor Aimée R. Kreimer, PhD, Investigator, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, told Medscape Medical News. "Even if one dose protects only against HPV types included in the vaccine formulation, if we vaccinated most girls, we would have the chance to reduce cervical cancer by around 75%." That's the exciting part, Dr Wheeler added. "If we're able to achieve success with one dose, or frankly even with two doses, that makes the possibility [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-06-15T12:33:51-07:00June, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Three things you might not know about HPV

Source: www.huffingtonpost.ca Author: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre April 26 to May 2 is National Immunization Awareness week in Canada. One immunization known for raising a lot of questions is the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, provided free of charge in Ontario to girls in grades 8-12, and following provincial schedules across the country. While there is lots of information online, at school and at the doctor's office about HPV, there is still a lot of confusion about what it may mean for your loved ones. Dr. Nancy Durand, gynecologist at Sunnybrook, explains three little-known facts about HPV. 1) HPV causes cancer in men, too When Michael Douglas candidly revealed his oral cancer was caused by HPV, many people expressed surprise. Even though HPV has traditionally been thought of as a disease that affects women and mainly causes cervical cancer, men are actually at higher risk of being diagnosed with certain types of HPV-positive cancers than women. "It's not well understood why men are at higher risk for HPV-positive oral cancer, but it does point out that vaccination in men is even more important than we may have previously thought," says Dr. Durand. Physicians are learning more and more that HPV can also cause other cancers in both women and men, such as anal cancers and head & neck cancers (cancers of the base of the tongue, tonsils and soft palate). 2) Not all HPV infections lead to cancer You've probably read some of the (slightly scary) statistics about HPV: Three in [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-04-29T13:19:58-07:00April, 2015|Oral Cancer News|

Nova Scotia to include boys in HPV vaccination schedule

Source: www.theglobeandmail.com Author: Kelly Grant, Health Reporter Boys in Nova Scotia will begin receiving free vaccinations against the human papillomavirus next fall, a move that makes the Maritime province only the third in Canada to extend public funding of the cancer-thwarting shot to all children, regardless of gender. In the budget unveiled on Thursday, Nova Scotia’s Liberal government announced it would make the HPV vaccine available to Grade 7 boys as part of the regular school-based immunization program. The expansion is expected to cost $492,000 a year. Every province in Canada already covers the HPV vaccine for girls in an effort to prevent genital warts and cervical cancer, both of which can be caused by some strains of the virus, which is transmitted through sex and skin-to-skin contact. But in recent years, oncologists and major health organizations – including the Canadian Cancer Society and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization – have begun calling for HPV vaccinations for boys, too. Until this week, only Prince Edward Island and Alberta had heeded that call with a publicly funded program. HPV can lead to cancers of the penis, anus, oral cavity and throat in men, as well as genital and anal warts. “We have a vaccine. It can prevent cancers in men and women, so we want Canadians to be vaccinated against it, because we can actually prevent cancers from starting in the first place,” said Robert Nuttall, the assistant director of cancer control policy at the Canadian Cancer Society. Nova Scotia’s [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2015-04-12T07:33:38-07:00April, 2015|Oral Cancer News|