Head and Neck Cancer

Warning - Emotional Attitude Impact On Cancer Patients

2009-05-26T03:28:00.000-07:00

Does the emotional state of a cancer patient have an impact on the progress of a cancer? This very sensitive question understandably never fails to generate controversy.

Recent media reports might lead many to conclude that the question has now been answered with a study claiming that there is no connection between attitude and cancer. However, looking deeper into the study these reports are based on shows that the jury is likely still very much out on the question.

Recently, a study from the University of Pennsylvania (still yet to be published) was reported as concluding that the emotional attitude of a patient had no impact on survivor rate. This conclusion was widely and prominently carried in the North American media. The front page lead headline in my Montreal newspaper was typical "Attitude Can't Beat Cancer" (Montreal Gazette, October 22, 2007).

The apparent strength of the study was in the number of the patients. The study, expected to be published in the Dec. 1 issue of Cancer, apparently drew data from almost 1,100 patients enrolled in two phase III clinical trials for new head and neck cancer treatments. The patients completed questionnaires about their attitude and social networks at the beginning of the study and at follow-up. The questionnaire included five questions to assess emotional well-being, including such items as "I am sad" and "I am losing hope in my fight against my illness." By the end of the five-year study, 646 patients died. When the data was analyzed, the researchers found that emotional status had no effect on the course of the cancer or the patient's survival.

In the rush for attention grabbing headlines and to get out a story, relevant and important criticism of the study was missed by many of those in the media. The conclusion as reported sounds plausible and authoritative. However, such reporting may be doing a great disservice to cancer patients and their families. One could easily assume from reading these reports that the case of the impact of attitude and cancer was now closed.

What many of the reports failed to include was that this study is already drawing criticism from other experts. In digging a little deeper, examples of published reports of this criticism can be found.

For example, Dr. David Spiegel (associate chairman of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine in California) is reported (U.S. Health News, 22/10/07) as observing, "The authors (Coyne et al) vastly overstate the quality of their data and the findings. They used a subscale of a quality-of-life measure which is hardly a reliable measure of depression and provides, by definition, limited variance in mood, making it, by design, difficult to show a relationship with any other variable."

Dr. Spiegel noted further "But positivity or negativity are not the issue. What matters is the way in which a cancer patient approaches the stresses in his or her life."

Just these two aspects indicate to me that the study's conclusion is far from the definitive last word on the subject that it is portrayed to be. If an expert of the caliber of Dr, Spiegel challenges both the methodology and the relevance of the questions that the study asks, the least I can conclude is that the jury is still very much out on this important question.

The truly sad thing about all this is that people's attitudes may be unnecessarily negatively influenced by reading such reports with who knows what damaging implications for their health. We need to demand higher standards from our press when they are dealing with such important questions. This is no area for simplistic thinking. What it does emphasize again to me is the need for much more thorough research in this area.

Types of Skin Cancer - Warning Signs of Skin Cancer to Watch Out For

2009-05-26T03:25:00.000-07:00

You might not realize it yet, but exposing yourself unprotected to the sun can lead to different types of skin cancer. That stubborn itch or redness can be something more than just an irritation. It's important that you arm yourself with the right knowledge, so you won't have any regrets later on.

If you live in a tropical country, you have a greater chance of getting different types of skin cancer. Of course, this doesn't automatically mean that countries located away from the equator are exempted. As long as you have skin and are exposed to the sun, it's better to learn as much as you can.

1) Basal Cell Carcinoma

Among the different types of skin cancer, Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common. It starts from the basal layer of the skin-the deepest layer of your epidermis. You can just imagine how deep the sun's UV rays can reach your skin!

While normally not dangerous, Basal Cell Carcinoma can take different forms. Sometimes, it can even be confused with psoriasis. This type of skin cancer normally occurs in sun-exposed parts of the body like the face and neck.

2) Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. It is usually found on sun-exposed parts of the body.

Compared to Basal Cell Carcinoma, this type has a higher risk of metastasis-the spread of a disease from one part of the body to another. Symptoms include ulcer, a reddish plaque and even cyclical bleeding from the tumor (usually on the lip). Squamous Cell Carcinoma can also lead to head and neck cancer.

3) Melanoma

Children, males and Caucasians have a higher risk of getting Melanoma. While considered one of the rare types of skin cancer, this accounts for 75% of skin cancer related deaths. Symptoms include moles that grow to 6mm, melanomas (usually black but can be multi-colored), asymmetrical skin lesion and irregular border of lesion.

These are the three different types of skin cancer. They are usually caused by overexposure to the sun or UV rays. If you are fair-skinned or are exposed to the sun for most of the day, don't forget to slather on some sun block before leaving the house.

Cancer - Treatment strategy

2009-05-26T03:24:00.000-07:00

The aim of treatment in patients with cancer is either kill cancer cells or modify their growth. The selectivity of antitumour drugs is marginal at best. Many cancers are characterized by localized tumour masses but surgery or radiotherapy often fail to eradicate it which can become widespread.

Treatment for malignant diseases with drugs started after 1940 when nitrogen mustard was used. From then very rapid progress has been made in new drug discovery for cancer, new effective combination of drugs and pathobiology of the disease.

Drugs used to treat cancer inhibit cell proliferation by inhibiting certain mechanisms of cell proliferation. Therefore they are toxic to both tumour and other normal proliferating cells present in bone marrow, gastrointestinal epithelium and hair follicles. The malignant tumours have a higher proportion of cells undergoing division than in normal proliferating cells in the body. So, the selectivity of cytotoxic drugs occurs.

In addition to leukemias and lymphomas, drugs, are also used in conjunction with surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy in a combined approach for many solid tumours, like metastatic. The anticancer drugs are used with the aim of:

1. Cure or prologed remission: This is now possible in cancers like

Acute leukemias

Choriocarcinoma

Wilmis tumour

Hodgkin's disease

Ewing's sarcoma

and Mycosis fungoides

2. Palliation: In this gratifying results are obtained and life is prolonged. This is used in the following cases,

Breast cancer

Chronic lymphatic leukemia

Ovarian carcinoma

Chronic myeloid Leukemia

Prostatic carcinoma

Non Hodgkin lymphomas

Lung (small cell) cancer

Head and neck cancers

Many other malignant tumours are less sensitive to drugs - life may or not be prolonged by chemotherapy. Tumours that are largely refractory to presently available drugs are:

Colorectal carcinoma

Malignant melanomas

Carcinoma pancreas

Bronchogenic carcinoma (non small cell)

3. Adjuvant chemotherapy: Not all radiotherapy and surgery eradicate the cancer cells completely. So adjuvant chemotherapy is used to mop up any residual cancer cells. This is routinely employed now.

Radioactive Seed Implants - A Promising Way of Treating Prostate Cancer

2009-05-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

Various types of treatment for prostate cancer have been studied and approved by science. One of the proven ways of treatment is radioactive therapy. One approach in treatment is called radioactive seed implants and there is also an option for radiation beam in killing cancer cells which is, of course, another way of treatment.

Brachytherapy is a form of radiation treatment in which tiny pellets containing radioactive material, such as Iodine-125, are implanted directly into the tumor containing organ. This form of radiation therapy has long been used in other types of malignancies including cervical, breast, endometrial as well as head and neck cancers. It offers the appealing concept of delivering high doses of radiation to the prostate while limiting the exposure to the adjacent organs.

Radiation Treatment Really Works:

Radiation kills cancer cells by interfering with their ability to reproduce. The radiation oncologist places the metallic radioactive "seeds"; (either Iodine 125 or Palladium 103) into the prostate gland guided by ultrasound. The seeds only give a high dose of radiation to a small area, minimizing damage to the surrounding tissue. Studies have shown that these seeds effectively destroy cancer cells.

This type of procedure in treating prostate cancer usually lasts with one to two hours together with an anesthesia administered to the patient. Men who have small or medium-sized prostates or those who have low-grade prostate cancers are recommended to undergo this procedure.

The implanted radioactive seeds do not require removal after its use. It constantly provides radiation treatment on the cancer cells for a year. The patient is to stay away from pregnant women because the radiation might have undesirable side effects on the baby.

Radiation emitted from the implanted radioactive seeds is effective in just a few millimeters from the patient's location. In some cases, the patient's urethra has been affected, thus giving way to painful urination. A doctor's prescription might be needed in cases like this in order to recognize whether medication is required.

Precautions while Radiation Treatment:

Every man considering radiation therapy should be aware of all the side effects of radiation treatment for prostate cancer. Most of these are life changing and while it may save your life from deadly cancer, it may irrevocably change the way you use to enjoy it. Here are all the side effects of radiation treatment for prostate cancer and its causes.

A patient should carefully choose a procedure most appropriate for his condition. Comparison with other available treatment choices is a good decision in order for one to have the right choice for his body and well being. Always consider the side effects associated with any procedure you undergo. These side effects may only be temporary but others are permanent. A doctor's participation is really necessary for this kind of task since doctors are in better position to know what would be the most effective procedure for your condition.

You can also find more info on laser prostate and enlarged prostate. Prostatecancertreatmenthelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about prostate cancer treatment.

The History of head neck cancer

2009-05-25T03:16:00.000-07:00

Ancient Egyptians described the earliest record of Cancer, between the ages of 3000 BC to 1500BC. Theorists acknowledge the fact that cancer has probably been around for as long humans have been, however, the Ancient Egyptians where the first to record it. They described it on seven papyri. The two more famous ones, known as “Edwin Smith” and “George Ebers” hold descriptions that perfectly describe modern day cancer. They go into details about tumors and ulcers in the breasts.

Unfortunately, back in those days, common treatment was more religious then scientific, and contained compounds of barley, pig’s ear, animal parts, castor oil and various other materials. However, their observations lead them to diagnose tumors and recognize benign abnormal cells, and malignant tumors.

Scientists have managed to find (to-date) the oldest specimen of human cancer on the remains of a skull. The skull is believed to have belonged to a woman who lived during the Bronze Age (1900 – 1600BC). It is suggested she had head and neck cancer. Surprisingly, she is the only specimen found that dates back to this time period. A mummified skeleton shows signs of malignant melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer. The skeleton dates back to about 2400 years ago.

Louis Leakey, so far, has found the oldest specimen of cancer on a body of a Homo Erectus or a Australopithecus. The body seems to have suffered from a tumor, possible of type Burkitts Lymphoma. The actual word “Cancer” comes from the Greek Physician, Hippocrates. He is well known to have investigated in the medicine, especially in cancer. Originally he named it after the word “Crab” in greek “Karkinos” as the blood vessels around the tumor, to him, looked like the claws of a crab.

It was only in the Renaissance Period, that cancer started getting clinical treatment. They still believed the theory that cancer was created from an excess amount of black bile. This carried on till the 16th century. It was only in the 17th century when Gaspare Aselli discovered the lymphatic system that the rumour came to an end. It was a French Physician, Claude Gendron, who recognized that cancer had to be surgically removed.

In the 18th Century, physicians, spurred on by Jean Astruc and chemist Bernard, started doing autopsies on cancer patients to find a better way of diagnosis and treatment. Surgery had to wait until Wells, in 1844, discovered anesthesia, which allowed the physicians to operate. The study of the cancer cells took on a turn for the better when Leeuwenhoek, in the late 17 century, created the microscope.

By the early 20th century, doctors where well on their way to understanding the dynamics of cancer and the cellular mechanisms related to the cell growth and division of it. However, some types of cancers have taken longer then others. The reason behind cervical cancer only becoming known in the 1970’s was due to the cells, which created it, papillomavirus (HPV) was only identified then. Today, modern scientist realize that it’s not the cell that should be the concern, but the DNA within the cells, which is a long way away from the diagnosis of the Ancient Egyptians.

Apoptosis: New Approaches to Cancer Therapy

2009-05-25T03:15:00.000-07:00

The demise of cells by programmed cell death referred to as apoptosis, a Greek
word that means “dropping off“ or “falling off“ as in leaves from a tree, has been
recently a topic of intense interest in biomedical sciences. Apoptosis is a well-
defined sequence of morphological changes of cells that shrink and condense and
then fragment, releasing small membrane-bound apoptotic bodies, which are
phagocytosed by other cells. Importantly, the intracellular constituents are not
released into the extracellular milieu where they might have deleterious effects on
neighboring cells. On the contrary, cells that die in response to tissue damage or
other reasons exhibit very different morphological changes generally called
necrosis. The cells that undergo this process swell and burst, releasing their
intracellular contents, which can damage surrounding cells and often cause
inflammation. Apoptosis refers to a particular morphology in which a chromatin
condenses or coalesces to a heterochromatin in one or more masses in the nucleus.
It usually settles along still-intact nuclear membrane referred to as margination of
the chromatin. One of the essential functions of apoptosis is the elimination of cells
in which DNA damages, faulty proliferation or improper adhesion to extracellular
matrix that cannot be repaired. In cancer cells, the mechanism of apoptosis
induction is broken. Therefore, more and more ideas and hypotheses for selective
inducing apoptosis in cancer cells are tested in a growing number of laboratories all
over the world. The subject of programmed cell death has been recently discussed
in almost 80 000 publications. As it is known, cell apoptosis may be induced by
various stress factors (e.g. hypoxia, expression of oncogenes, mutations, DNA
damages). On the other hand, apoptosis may be induced via internal or external
signals, for instance proteins. Some of such endogenous and exogenous
proapoptotic proteins have been found and described. Their genes may be used in
modern anticancer therapies.

For example, introducing into cancer cells proapoptotic genes as Bax, Bcl-X5 or
E2F-1 significantly increases induction of apoptosis. Some clinical trials concern
therapeutic application of a 121-amino acids apoptin originated from chicken
anemia virus (CAV). Recent data suggest that apoptosis induced by this protein
involves caspases, a family of cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinases. In vitro
results show that apoptin is very active against cancer cells without inducing toxicity
to normal cells. This tumor-specific effect may be explained by the nuclear
localization of the protein in tumor cells required for its action. Moreover, apoptin is
equally active, such as p53-mutant, Bcl-2-overexpressing or BCR-ABL-expressing
tumor cells. Other investigations showed that E4orf4 induces apoptosis in cancer
cells by linking with 2A (PP2A) phosphatase. Unfortunately, induction of apoptosis
by introducing genes encoding proapoptotic proteins has been little known. One
possible mechanism is associated with destruction of mitochondrial membranes
and, in consequence, disturbing electrons transport, oxidative phosphorylation and
ATP synthesis. Finally, the cell dies but the death is slightly different than that
during typical apoptosis induced by caspases due to prolonged time of this process.
Proapoptotic proteins cannot be directly introduced to cancer cells because there
are no specific receptors. They are transported through membranes in complexes by
special fusion proteins called ligands.

Other method is introducing them as genes by vectors and this approach has been
already successfully applied. Clinical trials are presently underway to test efficiency
of new apoptosis-triggering drugs. A large number of adenoviral agents are being
constructed, including replication-incompetent and replication-selective oncolytic
adenoviruses. One of them is ONYX-015, a replication-competent virus genetically
engineered to selectively replicate in and lyse p53-deficient cancer cells. Other
agent, INGN 201, was shown to deliver a p53 expression. Preclinical studies in
human cell lines and animals with head and neck cancers have shown that the p53
gene is transcribed and translated into p53 protein. Respectively, 5% and 58% of
patients receiving three intratumoral injections of INGN 201 in conjunction with
radiation therapy for over 6 weeks were shown to have achieved complete and
partial responses. Other example may be a gene encoding the proapoptotic Vpr
protein that was successfully transferred into cancer cells by the HIV-1 virion. These
agents are introduced by intravascular infusion or intratumoral or epitumoral
injections. An example of a target therapy against cancer is an intravenous
administration of liposomal form of tretinoin (ATRA). Treatment of acute
promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with ATRA alone or in combination with chemotherapy
results in an almost complete remission rate as high as 85% to 95%.

Other proapoptotic anticancer therapeutics is Genasense developed by the Genta
Company. Genasense is a phosphothioate oligonucleotide consisting of 18 modified
DNA bases. First, the single-stranded DNA molecule must be incorporated into a
cancer cell and then target the mRNA by having a complementary sequence to it.
This drug inhibits the production of a protein known as Bcl-2 that is widely
expressed in many types of cancer. This up-regulation of Bcl-2 blocks the release
of cytochrome C from the mitochondria thereby preventing apoptosis. Furthermore,
Bcl-2 appears to be a major contributor to both inherent and acquired resistance to
current anticancer treatments. By inhibiting production of Bcl-2, Genasense enables
the cancer cells to be killed by apoptosis when treated with current state of the art
therapy. Interesting apoptosis-inducing drug is Velcade jointly developed by NCI
and Millenium Pharmaceuticals. Activity of Velcade is mainly associated with
reversible inhibition of the proteasome and building up many proteins including
BAX. In the normal cells, the BAX protein induces apoptosis by blocking the activity
of Bcl-2. When BAX level increases, BAX inhibition of Bcl-2 also increases and the
cells undergo apoptosis. Non-clinical studies have demonstrated that cancer cells
are more sensitive to the effects of the proteasome inhibition than normal cells.

Selected references

Adachi, S.L.L., Carson, D.A., Nakahata, T., 2004. Apoptosis induced by molecular
targeting therapy in hematological malignancies. Acta Haematologica 111, 107
-123.

Ferreira, C.G., Epping, M., Kruyt. F.A.E., Giaccone, G., 2002. Apoptosis: Target of
Cancer Therapy. Clinical Cancer Research 8, 2024-2034.

Ghobrial, I.M., Witzig, T.E., Adjei, A.A., 2005. Targeting Apoptosis Pathways in
Cancer Therapy. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 55, 178-194.

Hengartner, M.O., 2000. The biochemistry of apoptosis. Nature 407, 770-776.

Lowe, S.W., Lin, A.W., 2000. Apoptosis in cancer. Carcinogenesis 21, 485-495.

Tamm, I., Dorken, B., Hartmann G., 2001. Antisense therapy in oncology: new hope
for an old idea? Lancet 358, 489-197.

Tamm, I., Schriever, F., Dorken, B., 2001. Apoptosis: implications of basic research
for clinical oncology. Lancet Oncology 2, 33-42.

What Causes Cancer? Cancer, Genes, and Epigenetics

2009-05-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

There are multiple causes of cancer. It is a very complicated process but can be simplified to lifestyle choices, chronic inflammation, infections, and genes.

Lifestyle choices are the most important predictors of risk of diseases, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and cancer. What we eat, drink, or smoke are instrumental in what kind of diseases we suffer from. Likewise, failure to exercise will affect our health.

Tobacco use is the most common preventable cause of cancers. It is associated with many cancers including mouth cancer, head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, and lung cancer among others.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned in February 2008 that 1billion people worldwide could die of tobacco-related causes this century unless urgent action is taken. The WHO's report includes these global statistics on tobacco deaths:

100 million people died of tobacco-related causes during the 20th century.
Tobacco currently kills 5.4 million people per year.
Tobacco use makes six of the World's eight leading causes of death -- including heart disease, stroke, and cancer -- more likely

Another cause of cancer is chronic inflammation. Some examples of chronic inflammatory conditions that lead to cancer include ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and Barrett's esophagus.

Inflammation stimulates tumor development at all stages; initiation, progression, and metastasis. Tumor recruited leukocytes secrete cytokines that enhance DNA damage and encourage growth of the cancer cells through production of blood vessels (proliferation and angiogenesis).

Infections are well documented to lead to malignancy. Some examples include:

Helicobacter pylori; Gastric lymphoma
Schistosomiasis; gallbladder and bladder
Epstein Barr Virus; lymphoma
Human Herpes Virus 8; Kaposi's sarcoma
Chlamydia species; ocular lymphoma, lung cancer, and cervical cancer
Human Papilloma Virus; cervical cancer, oral cancer, and anal cancer

GENES AND CANCER

Genes are the blueprint to the body. There are 20,500 protein encoding genes (exons) in the human genome (Human Genome Project) and many more non-encoding sections (introns). There are 2-3 meters DNA/cell, 2 X 10¹³ meters per human body. There are two major types of cancer genes, tumor suppressor and oncogenes.

Tumor Suppressor Genes have multiple functions. Some slow down cell division such as the retinoblastoma gene (RB1). Others are involved in DNA repair such as the mismatch repair genes in hereditary colon cancer (hMSH2, hMLH1). Finally, some genes are involved in regulating natural cell death. This is called apoptosis and the p53 tumor suppressor gene works in this area.

Proto-oncogenes control normal growth, mutated, they become oncogenes. These cause normal cells to grow out of control and become malignant. Oncogenes can exert their effect on a wide array of cellular processes including growth factors, growth factor receptors, signal transducers, transcription factors, and programmed cell death regulators. There are more than 100 known oncogenes. Common oncogenes and their function appear below.

Common Oncogenes

Growth factors: sis (PDGF)

Growth factor receptor: erb B-1, erb B-2

Signal transducer: abl, ras

Transcription factor: myc

Apoptosis: bcl-2

There is no inevitability between presence of genes and cancer (or disease). For instance, protein transcripts for the bcr-abl gene involved in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) are present in up to 69% of the population but only 1:100,000 people will ever get CML. Many of us have cancer genes in our bodies, but the majority of us will not get the diseases because the genes are turned off. The process by which genes are turned on or off is called epigenetics and it is a growing field of study in cancer and other diseases.

EPIGENETICS

Epigenetic changes are modifications to the genome that are heritable during cell division but do not involve a change in DNA sequence. Expression of genes is not regulated by the DNA sequence, which is the same in every cell, but by epigenetic marking and packaging. This process regulates chromatin structure through DNA methylation, histone variants, post-translational modifications, nucleosome positioning factors or chromatin loop and domain organization.

How can this cause cancer? Well, if a tumor suppressor gene is abnormally turned off, or an oncogene is turned on, then carcinogenesis can occur. One key to abnormal gene expression is methylation of the genome. To go further, some explanation of terms is necessary.

DNA contains four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymidine, but there is a fifth base methylated cytosine. DNA methyl-transferase (DNMT), produces methyl-cytosine where cytosines preceed guanine (CpG). The CpG areas are not symmetric but clustered in CpG islands located at promoter regions. The promotor region is the region at the beginning of a gene and it controls the start of gene transcription. If the promotor is off, then the gene nevers is expressed. Abnormal methylation in cancer has been known for 20 years. Hypo-methylated areas turn on normally silent areas such as virally inserted genes or inactive X-linked genes. Hyper-methylated areas silence tumor suppresser genes. Both of these processes can mean trouble.

In conclusion, many factors lead to cancers. Probably the most important is our lifestyle choices such as what we eat or smoke. Other factors include chronic inflammation, infections or abnormal gene function. The study of how genes cause cancer by being turned on or off is called epigenetics. It is a fascinating area of research and will surely change our whole perception of cancer and disease in the future.

Throat Cancer

2009-05-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Smokers are at the Highest Risk of Developing Throat Cancer

If you are a smoker, consume alcohol on a frequent basis, or if you use chewing tobacco, you are at an increased risk of developing throat cancer. If you fall into any of these categories, (and even if you don’t), you may have developed throat cancer if you have any of the following symptoms: a sore throat, head or neck, feeling like there is a lump in your throat or neck, having a hard time swallowing, constantly clearing your throat and sounding like your voice is hoarse, and/or noticing a change in the sound of your voice.

Being a smoker puts you at the greatest risk for developing throat cancer. Most (up to 95 percent) of throat cancer patients are or were smokers, and the more years you smoke the greater your risk.

Most cases of throat cancer can be prevented. Prevention is much more pleasant than undergoing the treatments, and advice and suggestions on how to prevent throat cancer are available from the American Cancer Society.

Other Throat Cancer Symptoms

There are other symptoms that may indicate you have throat cancer. Less obvious symptoms of throat, head and neck cancer can include feeling like your headache never goes away, having a hard time taking a deep breath, noticing that your nose bleeds all the time, tooth pain, and unexplained swelling in general throat area.

Throat Cancer Treatments

Throat cancer can be treated in a number of ways. Depending on the severity of the throat cancer, any combination of the following may be used to treat it:

Surgery – The surgery complexity will depend on the severity and extent of damage caused by the throat cancer.

Radiation – The radiation dose will vary depending on the size of the throat cancer tumor.

Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy will attack the throat cancer cells and (hopefully) eliminate them. Side effects from chemotherapy are generally extremely unpleasant.

Throat Cancer Can be Prevented

There are many factors that contribute to the risk of developing throat cancer. If you do everything you possibly can to avoid smoking or breathing in second-hand smoke, and if you limit your alcoholic beverage intake, you will greatly reduce your risk of developing throat cancer.

Get Help from the American Cancer Society

If you suspect that you may have throat cancer, the American Cancer Society can be a good resource for you. The Society can provide you with more information regarding throat cancer – symptoms, treatment, after-care, and general support. Remember, if you are a throat cancer patient, there is help available.

Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Throat Cancer blog for more information.

Cancer Causes

2009-05-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

There is not possible a single cause of any disease. Cancer is a group of 200 diseases in which the cells of body become abnormal and being out of control. Before describing the main causes of the cancer I am first defining in short the various types of cancer.

Types of cancer :

Breast Cancer

Brain Tumor

Bone Cancer

Bladder Cancer

Anal Cancer

Appendix Cancer

Gastrointestinal Cancer

Head & Neck Cancer

Leukemia

Lung Cancer

Lymphoma

Prostate Cancer

Skin Cancer

Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Causes of cancer :

Tobacco

Tobacco is the main cause of cancer. Cigarette smoking also comes in this category.
Smoking can cause cancers of the lungs mouth, throat, bladder, kidneys and several other organs. According to the records smoking causes 30% of all cancer deaths in the U.S.

Drinking of alcohol

Drinking a lot of alcohol also been increase a person’s chance of getting cancer of the mouth cavity, throat, and some other organs.

Sun Exposure

Ultra Violet rays are the main cause of skin cancer. Sun burn and UV rays can damage your skin and this damage can lead the skin cancer.

Genetics

If your family belongs to any kind of cancer history, it means you need to extra precautions because genetics plays very important role for many hereditary cancers,
And their may a grate chance of them to develop in your body. Breast cancer genes The BRCA1 and BRCA2 are examples of genetic predisposition.

Infectious diseases

Viruses are also cause of some cancers. The main viruses which affect the human cancer are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human papillae virus.

Environmental Factors:

Today’s environment is so stressful that most people are affected by a depressed immune system. Various immune problems you can face such as allergies, asthma, yeast infection, frequent cold and flu etc which may cause of cancer of various categories.

Hormonal imbalances

Harmonic imbalance is also a big cause of cancer. Hormone imbalance is a type of allergic reaction which promotes the "endometrial" cancer.

Unsafe Sex:

Unsafe sex can increase your risk for human papillae virus infection. If one has more the one sex partners then the possibilities of cancer in the uterus increases. Researchers also think during the oral sex the same case can be drawn to tonsil cancer.

Age Factor

Various types of cancer become when a person get older. That’s cause is the changes that cause a cell to become cancerous in the first place take a long time to develop. There have to be a number of changes to the genes within a cell before it turns into a cancer cell. The changes can happen by accident when the cell is dividing. Or they can happen because the cell has been damaged by carcinogens and the damage is then passed on to future 'daughter' cells when that cell divides.

Author is running a health information site Health Online where information on several diseases like allergies, blood disorders, cancer, children’s health, digestive disorder, liver diseases etc. and tips on dieting, nutrition and improving lifestyle has been provided. Find some useful articles on cancer here cancer causes

What Is Cancer And How Can I Prevent It

2009-05-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

Cancer is An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).

Cancer is not one disease. It is a group of more than 100 different and distinctive diseases.

Cancer can involve any tissue of the body and have many different forms in each body area. Most cancers are named for the type of cell or organ in which they start. If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), the new tumor bears the same name as the original (primary) tumor.

The frequency of a particular cancer may depend on gender. While skin cancer is the most common type of malignancy for both men and women, the second most common type in men is prostate cancer and in women, breast cancer.

Cancer frequency does not equate to cancer mortality. Skin cancers are often curable. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women in the world today.

Benign tumors are NOT cancer; malignant tumors are cancer. Cancer is NOT contagious.

Cancer is the Latin word for crab. The ancients used the word to mean a malignancy, doubtless because of the crab-like tenacity a malignant tumor sometimes seems to show in grasping the tissues it invades. Cancer may also be called malignancy, a malignant tumor, or a neoplasm (literally, a new growth).

ORIGIN OF CANCER

All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells.

The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells.

But sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

COMMON TYPES OF CANCER

A. Bone Cancer

B. Brain Cancer

C. Breast Cancer

D. Endocrine Cancer

E. Gastrointestinal Cancer

F. Gynecologic Cancer

G. Head & Neck Cancer

H. Leukemia

I. Lung Cancer

J. Lymphoma

K. Multiple Myeloma

L. Prostate Cancer

M. Skin Cancer

N. Soft Tissue Sarcoma

CAUSES OF CANCER

some causes of cancer, such as smoking, can be controlled. Others, like a person's age or family history, can't be changed.

Causes

Scientists have found many factors that make a person more likely to get hepatocellular liver cancer.

1.Gender

Men are more likely to get liver cancer than are women. This could be because of the behaviors listed below, such as smoking and alcohol abuse.

There are also some inherited liver diseases that increase the risk of liver cancer.

2. Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis (suh-row-sis) is a disease in which liver cells are damaged and replaced with scar tissue. This can often lead to cancer. In this country, the major causes of liver cirrhosis are alcohol abuse and hepatitis B and C. Another cause is a disease that results in too much iron in the liver.

3. Diabetes

Diabetes can increase the risk of liver cancer. This is more common in diabetics who have other risk factors such as heavy drinking or viral hepatitis.

4. Obesity

Obesity might increase the risk of getting liver cancer.

5. Aflatoxins

These cancer-causing substances are made by a fungus that can contaminate peanuts, wheat, soybeans, groundnuts, corn, and rice. Long-term exposure to aflatoxins can increase the risk of liver cancer. In the United States and Europe, these foods are tested for aflatoxins.

6. Vinyl Chloride and Thorium Dioxide (Thorotrast)

These chemicals are risk factors for several types of liver cancer. They have become much less important since Thorotrast is no longer used and exposure to vinyl chloride is strictly controlled.

7. Anabolic Steroids

These male hormones are used by some athletes to increase their strength. Long-term use of these can slightly increase the risk of liver cancer.

8. Arsenic

In some parts of the world, drinking water contaminated with arsenic increases the risk of liver cancer. This is a concern in some areas of the United States.

Less Certain Risk Factors for Liver Cancer

Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills may slightly increase the risk of liver cancer. Most of the studies linking birth control pills and cancer involve types of pills that are no longer used. Birth control pills are now made in a different way, and it is not known if they increase liver cancer risk.
Tobacco

Some studies have found a link between smoking and liver cancer, but the extent of this is not known.

CANCER SYSTOMS TO NOTE

Local Symptoms

Unusual Lumps

Swelling

Hemorrhage/Bleeding

Pain

Ulcers

Jaundice

Systemic Systoms

Weight Loss

Poor Appetite

Fatigue

Cachexia (Loss of weight, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, and significant loss of appetite)

Excessive Sweating

Night Sweats

Anemia

Thrombosis

Hormonal Changes

HOW TO PREVENT CANCER

Food: Eat organic produce, especially fruits whose peels are eaten, and avoid red meat. Eat low on the food chain, choosing more fresh produce and grains and less meat.

Cleaning products: Look under the kitchen sink, and avoid using anything that carries a skull and crossbones. Buy baking soda and vinegar instead - they're just as good.

Cellphones: Limit your calls as much as possible, to lower direct microwave penetration to your brain.

Non-stick cookware and stain repellents: Throw out any old, cracked non-stick pans, since the chemical, PFOA, used to make the non-stick coating has been linked to cancer. It is also presernt in stain-resistant clothing, and waterproof fabrics. Rain-proof gear is OK,, but not next to the skin.

Personal care items: Avoid anything that contains parabens - butylparaben, methylparaben - which in some studies have shown estrogenic activity, and which have also been found in human breast tumours. "We have to create political change so young mothers and fathers don't need to be chemists to decide on a shampoo for their baby." - Devra Davis.

Prevention is the best single opportunity we have to stop the cancer epidemic in The world.I invite you to join Me now!

Abayomi Aje

for your health and fitness Tips visit : http://yourhealthdoctor.blogspot.com

Do Bacteria Cause Cancer?

2009-05-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

Microbes are all around us, on our skins, in our nasal passages and in our intestines, and even in our blood and tissues.

Usually they exist in harmless balance with the immune system. Some are even beneficent : bacteria in the human intestine help digest food, produce vitamins, and crowd out toxic pathogens. In fact, the human body contains more bacterial cells than somatic (body) cells.

Mitochondria, organelles which produce energy within human cells, have their own DNA and are thought to be descended from free-living bacteria. Bacteria are highly integrated into functions of the entire human body.

The mainstream medical community is now willing to accept that a few type of bacteria or viruses may indeed be responsible for a few forms of cancer, such as Kaposi's sarcoma, stomach and cervical cancer, but they are unwilling to recognize that infectious agents may be inextricably linked to the development of most other tumors as well.

Yet, there scientific evidence dating back more than one hundred years which points to an bacterial cause cancer, a pleomorphic (many-formed) bacteria, related to or resembling mycoplasma, which has been seen in microscopic slides of numerous tumors.

At the beginning of the 20th century, bacterial genesis of cancer was considered a mainstream theory, and papers about it were published in the Lancet. However, it was eventually sidelined despite a large body of substantiating evidence.

Over the past century hundreds of independent researchers have noted a link between bacteria and cancer in both animals and humans, but their findings were treated as a scientific curiosity and rarely followed up by the general medical establishment.

However, the theory never went away, and individual scientists continued searching for ways to identify and eliminate the suspect bacteria.

In 1890 the German physician and bacteriologist Robert Koch formulated a standard criteria still in use today for judging whether a given bacteria is the cause of a given disease.

"Koch's Postulates," while not always valid, provide a useful benchmark for disease investigators.

Koch's postulates are as follows:

The bacteria must be present in every case of the disease.

The bacteria must be isolated from the host with the disease and grown in pure culture.

The specific disease must be reproduced when a pure culture of the bacteria is inoculated into a healthy susceptible host.

The bacteria must be recoverable from the experimentally infected host.

However, Koch's postulates have their limitations, which even Koch recognized. They may not hold if:

The particular bacteria (such as the one that causes leprosy) cannot be "grown in pure culture" in the laboratory.

Animal test subjects are immune to the infection.

In addition, a usually harmless bacteria may cause disease if:

It has acquired extra virulence factors making it pathogenic.

It gains access to deep tissues due to trauma, surgery, an IV line, etc.

It infects a patient with a compromised immune system.

Not all people infected by a bacteria develop serious disease; subclinical, low-grade infection may be more common than clinically obvious, symptomatic infection.
The different species of infectious agents linked to various cancers fit fairly well within Koch's postulates, since they can be isolated from tumors and grown in a petri dishes or cell cultures, and they sometimes produces tumors when injected into test animals.

However, many are also found in lower concentrations in healthy subjects, and it appears that these microbes only cause disease when their host is weakened.

The host's immune system limits the amount of damage any infectious agent can cause. For instance, H. pylori stomach infections can lead to stomach ulcers and gastric cancer, but many people are asymptomatic carries. Not every woman who has been infected with HPV develops cervical cancer.

Similarly, we should not expect all carriers of other “cancer microbes” to become ill. Also, these bacteria may have the potential to produce diseases besides cancer, since H. pylori can cause stomach ulcers as well.

History

Probably the first official mention of "cancer microbe" occurred on December 3, 1890 when William Russell, a pathologist in the School of Medicine at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, gave an address to the Pathological Society of London. He described histopathologic findings of ”a characteristic organism of cancer” that he observed microscopically in fuchsine-stained tissue sections from all forms of cancer that he examined, and also from some cases of tuberculosis, syphilis and skin infection.

The microbe was seen both around and within tissue cells, and ranged in size from barely visible to one and half times the size of a red blood cell. Russell felt that the large size of some of these organisms was suggestive of a yeast or fungal infection.

Russell tentatively called the microbe a possible "blastomycete” (a type of fungus); and called the round forms ”fuchsine bodies” due to their bluish-red staining qualities.
Nine years later in 1899, Russell published a report in the Lancet on "The parasite of cancer,” and stated that finding the suspect bacteria present in diseases other than cancer presented a ”stumbling block” to the idea of a definitive function for the organisms.

Cultures yielded numerous species of bacteria, and injection of the bacteria into animals gave ambiguous results. Subsequently, many scientists concluded that Russell bodies were merely the result of cellular degeneration.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the scientist Royal Raymond Rife pioneered the use of radiofrequency devices to kill bacteria. Rife discovered that a certain spectrum of radio waves was lethal to bacteria, while harmless to human tissue. He also invented a new form of microscope which used monochromatic light, and was accurate enough to see viruses without the use of electron microscopy.

Working from a laboratory in La Jolla in the 1930s, Rife claimed to have a 100 percent success rate in treating cancer. Rife's lab was shut down due to political pressure by the American Medical association , most of his papers were destroyed, and currently the only known example of his microscopes exists in a museum.

Rife's discovery of radiofrequency devices to kill bacteria was picked up by Hulda Clark, a Canadian scientist, who began her work in the 1960s. Clark also claimed that many other diseases, including diabetes, allergies, epilepsy, Crohn's disease, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, are caused by bacteria and parasites such as liver flukes.

She improved on Rife's technology, and invented a small raidofrequency device she called the "Zapper" that she claimed eradicated bacteria and other parasites from the body. Instructions on how to build the devices were made available to the public, and can be found on the Internet today.

Clark was harassed by the American authorities until she left to set up her cancer clinic in Mexico, where in 2001 the authorities forbade her from offering alternative treatment for cancer. Like Rife, Clark claimed an extremely high success rate in treating cancer, nearly 100 percent, but no independent analysis of her claims, or those of Rife, exist.

In the 1960s, Dr. Virginia Livingston antagonized the scientific establishment by claiming to have found the microbe responsible for causing cancer, naming it “Progenitor cryptocides”, which means “hidden killer”. She felt that that the microbe had an intrinsic, symbiotic function in the human body, that was responsible for initiating life and for healing of tissue, and that the microbe was ultimately responsible for eventual degeneration and death of all life.

When the cultured organism was injected into animals, it caused tumors to develop in some, but not all, of the test subjects.
In 1974, Livingstone became the first scientist to discover that both cancer bacteria and cancer cells produce the human hormone HCG. This hormone, normally secreted by the human fetus to protect it from the maternal immune system, also protects cancers from immune system attack.

Livingstone concluded that bacteria secrete mutagenic factors such as actinomycin-D with damage human cell DNA, and that they can also interchange genetic material such as bacterial growth factors with human cells. Vaccines targeting HCG-producing and cancer-promoting bacteria deprive cancer cells of a key source of HCG.. As the levels of HCG are lowered, the immune system's ability to launch an assault on cancer cells increases.

Livingstone cultured patients' own bacteria from blood and urine to create "autogenous" vaccines to stimulate the immune system. She published many articles and books, such as "Cancer, A New Breakthrough" (1972); "The Microbiology of Cancer" (1977); and "The Conquest of Cancer" (1984).

Her research has been confirmed by other scientists, such as microbiologist Eleanor Alexander-Jackson, cell cytologist Irene Diller, biochemist Florence Seibert, and dermatologist Alan Cantwell, among others.

Milton Wainwright, a microbiologist at the University of Sheffield, UK, has written extensively about the bacteriology of cancer in recent publications such as: “Nanobacteria and associated ‘elementary bodies’ in human disease and cancer” (1999); “The return of the cancer germ; Forgotten microbiology – back to the future” (2000); “Highly pleomorphic staphylococci as a cause of cancer” (2000); and “Is this the historical ‘cancer germ’”? (2003).

Currently, one of the most well-known popular proponents of the link between cancer and bacteria is Dr. Alan Cantwell, who has written numerous articles and books on the subject. Cantwell isolated and reported cell wall deficient bacteria in breast cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma and Hodgkin's disease. He states, " If a disease like cancer is indeed caused by microscopic bacteria, it would indicate physicians have been unable to see what was quite plain for some nineteenth and twentieth century scientists to observe using simple light microscopy.

And with powerful electron microscopes there is now little excuse for not “seeing” bacteria."

Mycoplasma

Mycoplasma, the oldest suspect in the bacterial theory of cancer, has also been implicated as a direct cause or a signficant cofactoer in a host of other degenerative and inflammatory diseases.

Mycoplasmas are frequently found in the oral and genito-urinary tracts of normal healthy subjects, with females four times more frequently infected than males, which just happens to be the same gender-skewed incidence rate as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and other related auto-immune disorders.

In 1997, the National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, published the article, Mycoplasmas : Sophisticated, Reemerging, and Burdened by Their Notoriety, by Drs. Baseman and Tully who stated:

"Nonetheless, mycoplasmas by themselves can cause acute and chronic diseases at multiple sites with wide-ranging complications and have been implicated as cofactors in disease.

Recently, mycoplasmas have been linked as a cofactor to AIDS pathogenesis and to malignant transformation, chromosomal aberrations, the Gulf War Syndrome, and other unexplained and complex illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn's disease, and various arthritides."

The first strains of mycoplasma were isolated from cattle with arthritis and pleuro-pneumonia in 1898 at the Pasteur Institute. The first human variety was isolated in 1932 from a wound abscess.

The first connection between Mycoplasmas were identified as a cause of rheumatoid diseases in 1939 by Drs. Swift and Brown. In the late 1950's a specific strain was identified as the cause of atypical pneumonia, and named Mycoplasma pneumonia.

The association between immunodeficiency and autoimmune disorders with mycoplasmas was first noted in the mid 1970s in patients with primary hypogammaglobulinemia (an autoimmune disease) due to infection with four species of mycoplasma localized in joint tissue.

Since that time, more than 100 different mycoplasma species have been identified and recorded in plants, animals, and humans.
There are hundreds of studies from scientists all around the world linking various species of mycoplasma with cancer.

The research of Dr Shy-Chung Lo at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C., confirms the multistage, malignant transformation of embryo cell lines persistently exposed to mycoplasma infection as well as animal models so exposed.

According to research by P.J. Chan, published in Gynecologic Oncology (1996), "The oncogenic potential of mycoplasmas was only recently realized when they were shown to cause chromosomal changes and in vitro cell transformations through gradual progressive chromosomal loss and translocations." Chan and colleagues also report the prevalence of mycoplasma DNA in ovarian cancer.1

In 1993, a research team led by C. Ilantzis at the McGill Cancer Centre, Montreal, Canada analyzed cancer-related markers which are specific to various organs in the body. These markers, called "organ-specific neoantigens" (OSNs), elicit specific immune responses. After analyzing OSN proteins from human colon adenocarcinomas, researchers found the OSNs to be mycoplasmal in origin.2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Chan P.J et al Prevalence of Mycoplasma Conserved DNA in Malignant Ovarian Cancer Detected Using Sensitive PCR-ELISA Gynecologic Oncology 1996 pp. 258-260(3) (2). C Ilantzis, DM Thomson, A Michaelidou, S Benchimol Identification of a human cancer related organ specific neoantigen Microbiol Immunol, 1993;37(2):119-28

Microscopic Findings

The "cancer bacteria" have a variable appearance, both in tissue samples and in cultures. They can appear as cocci (spheres) 0.1 micrometer in size (a micrometer is 1/1000 of a millimeter), called "ultramicroscopic" since they can still be seen by an ordinary light optical microscope.

Scientists have used the term "nanobacteria" to describe extremely small bacteria which range from .05 to 0.2 micrometer in size. Viruses, which measure 0.01 to 0.02 micrometers, can be viewed only with an electron microscope. The smallest forms of bacteria pass easily through a standard viral filter with pores 0 .2 micrometers in size, which microbiologists assumed (until recently) would catch all bacteria, which tend to be much larger.
Once these tiny cocci are placed in a petri dish and the resulting culture is observed over time, the bacteria also produce larger rods and branching, fungus-like strands.

Mycobacteria are known to exist in different forms, and the tuberculosis microbe, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a good example of this complex life cycle. Some forms of the bacillus are round “coccoid” forms; other forms are more typically “acid-fast” and “rod” forms. All mycobacteria form a phylogenetic link or bridge between the bacteria and the “higher” fungi. “Myco” is Greek for fungus. This is the origin of the term "mycobacteria." Mycoplasmas also have a flowing plasma-like structure without a cell wall - hence "plasma".

Unlike common bacteria, the suspected cancer microbe Mycoplasma has no cell wall. It invades tissue cells, and uses the cell to replicate itself, much like a retrovirus. When the Mycoplasma breaks out of the cell, it takes a piece of the host cell membrane with it. When the immune system attacks the Mycoplasma, it may also mistakenly attack the host cell, causing an autoimmune condition. It can invade the Natural Killer cells of the immune system, causing immune system disorders. Because it can hide deep within cells, it is extremely difficult to detect and eradicate.

Treating Mycoplasma With Antibiotics

Antibiotic treatment must be tailored to the specific bacterial infection. Many bacteria, especially mycoplasma, are unaffected by many common antibiotics. However, some targeted treatments which are known to kill specific cancer-causing bacteria have proven effective, at least in the early stages of disease.

Mycoplasmal infections are treatable with long cycles of high-dose antibiotics such as doxycycline and tetracycline, followed by a long period of low dose antibiotics. Due to their lack of cell walls, mycoplasma are unaffected by penicillins. Since the organism is a slow-growing, intracellular species with a long life cycle, several long term courses of antibiotics may be necessary. The infection may need to be treated for several months or years, much the same protocol as for Lyme Disease.
No clinical trials have been published in regards to the treatment of cancer with antibiotics against mycoplasma.

Vaccines Against Mycoplasma

Maruyama vaccine is similar to BCG vaccine, both of which are made from mycobacteria tuberculosis isolates. Both have been used extensively as immune system stimulants in cancer patients. Murayama vaccine is made from mycobacteria tuberculosis isolates, and BCG is derived from an attenuated bovine tuberculosis bacillus. However, BCG has more side effects than Maruyama vaccine.

Maruyama vaccine, invented by Dr. Chisato Maruyama more than 50 years ago, can be used by itself or in combination with standard therapies. Some Japanese physicians claim to have achieved complete remissions in poor-prognosis cancers, but no large scale clinical trials exist. No negative side effects from the vaccine have been reported.

Murayama vaccine is approved by the FDA to treat terminal cancer patients. Some forms of health insurance will cover the cost if the vaccine is used as part of standard therapy, because it is officially approved only as an immune system stimulant to counteract the side effect of bone marrow suppression caused by radiotherapy.

Maruyama vaccine is supplied by The Research Institute of Vaccine Therapy for Tumors and Infections Disease, Nippon Medical School Hospital in Tokyo, as long as the patient supplies a request from their physician. It is not expensive, approximately 9000 yen (100 USD) for a 40 day course of treatment.

According to an article published in Cancer Detection And Prevention, 2003, by Tetsuo Kimoto M.D., Ph.D., Maruyama vaccine does not have direct cytotoxic effects on tumors, but rather causes their encapsulation by collagen fibers.

This leads to the containment and sometimes necrosis (death) of tumors and their metastasis. Survival time increased in both animal and human subjects with tumors, and Kimoto stated that Murayama vaccine "may benefit patients in whom the tumor is inoperable and resistant to conventional chemotherapy." 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Tetsuo Kimoto M.D., Ph.D The antitumor effects of Maruyama vaccine (SSM) Cancer Detection and Prevention Volume 22 Issue 4 Page 340 - August 1998 .

Herpes Virus

Cervical cancer, caused by the human papilloma virus, strikes more than 10,000 U.S. women each year, killing more than 3,700. A new vaccine against the virus, Gardasil, was approved by the FDA in 2006. The vaccine is effective against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers and against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause approximately 90 percent of genital warts.

Less well known is the fact that HPV is also implicated in squamous cell head and neck cancers, especially cancer of the tonsils. 1,2 Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center tested tumor tissues from 253 patients with head and neck cancers and found 25 percent of the cases were HPV-positive. In 90 percent of those HPV-positive tumors, HPV16, the type of virus most often associated with cervical cancer, was present.3

Multiple studies confirm the link between HPV and head and neck cancer. Approximately 31,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, which causes 8,500 deaths annually.

The vaccine against HPV only works if it administered before infection, indicating the importance of immunization before potential exposure to the virus. Also, Gardasil does not protect against less common HPV types not included in the vaccine, thus routine and regular pap screening remain critically important to detect precancerous changes in the cervix to allow treatment before cervical cancer develops. It is a preventative measure, not a treatment for existing cervical or head and neck cancer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Paz IB et al., Human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck cancer. An association of HPV 16 with squamous cell carcinoma of Waldeyer's tonsillar ring. Cancer 1997 Feb 1;79(3):595-604. (2) Klussman JP et al., Human papillomavirus-positive tonsillar carcinomas: a different tumor entity? Med Microbiol Immunol (Berlin) 2003 Aug;192(3):129-32. Epub 2002 Sep 14.

(3). Gillison ML, Koch WM, Capone RB, Spafford M, Westra WH, Wu L, Zahurak ML, Daniel RW, Viglione M, Symer DE, Shah KV, Sidransky D, Evidence for a causal association between human papillomavirus and a subset of head and neck cancers. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2000 May 3;92(9):709-20

Stomach Cancer

In the December 2000 edition of the Journal of The National Cancer Insitute, a research team led by Columbian pathologist Pelayo Correa reported that antibiotics, vitamin C, or beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A) can reverse precancerous stomach conditions caused by Helicobacter pylori.

Stomach cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, and is most common in countries such as Colombia and China, where H. Pylori infects more than half of the population in early childhood. In the U.S., where H. pylori is less common, stomach cancer rates have decreased since the 1930s.

The two main risk factors for stomach cancer are H. pylori infection, and a diet low in vitamin C and beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. There is also ample evidence that a diet including fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in those nutrients, protects against stomach cancer.
In 1992, the researchers studied 631 patients with aberrant gastric cell growth, which falls into one of three successive premalignant stages—multifocal nonmetaplastic atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia.

Patients received either a placebo pill, a vitamin C or beta-carotene supplement, or antibiotics against H. pylori. Some others received a combination of drugs and supplements.
The scientists took stomach biopsies of the patients after 3 and 6 years of treatment. Patients with atrophy were roughly five times as likely to experience regression of this premalignant cell growth as those getting a placebo.

Among those with metaplasia, the volunteers who were taking supplements or drugs were three times as likely to improve as those getting placebos were. However, patients with dysplasia, the last stage of stomach disease before cancer, showed no significant improvement with any of the treatments. "The earlier in the process [that we intervened] the better the chance of regression," Correa said. 1

This study is encouraging because it shows that treating carcinogenic bacteria produces clear benefits against precancerous conditions. However, once the tissue damage caused by infection had progressed to the premalignant stage, the antibiotics produced no benefits, and would likely produce no improvement in cases of outright malignancy either.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Correa, P., et al. 2000. Chemoprevention of gastric dysplasia: Randomized trial of antioxidant supplements and anti-Helicobacter pylori therapy. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 92(Dec. 6):1881-1888

Lymphoma

The common antibiotic doxycycline effectively treats a type of ocular lymphoma associated with chlamydia infection, according to a study published in the October 4 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

A team of researchers led by Andres J. M. Ferreri, M.D., of the San Raffaele H Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy, gave 27 patients with ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) a 3-week course of doxycycline therapy, whether they tested positive or negative for chlamydia.

The researchers observed for tumor progression every 6 months, and found that doxycycline caused caused lymphoma to regress in patients regardless of whether they tested positive or negative for chlamydia.
The study suggested that doxycycline is a useful therapy even in patients where other treatments have failed, and it is a valid alternative to chemotherapy and radiation without causing the same toxic side-effects. Patients treated with doxycycline had a 66% rate of disease-free survival. 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Andrés J. M. Ferreri, Maurilio Ponzoni, Massimo Guidoboni, Antonio Giordano Resti, Letterio S. Politi, Sergio Cortelazzo, Judit Demeter, Francesco Zallio, Angelo Palmas, Giuliana Muti, Giuseppina P. Dognini, Elisa Pasini, Antonia Anna Lettini, Federico Sacchetti, Carlo De Conciliis, Claudio Doglioni, Riccardo Dolcetti Bacteria-Eradicating Therapy With Doxycycline in Ocular Adnexal MALT Lymphoma: A Multicenter Prospective Trial Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2006 98(19):1375-1382

Cautionary Note On Indiscriminate Use Of Antibiotics

So far, no antibiotic treatment has been discovered that is successful in treating most types of cancer, and a study linking antibiotic use to an increased risk breast cancer appeared in the February 2004 Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, which examined 10,000 Washington state women, found that those who took more than 25 courses of antibiotics over an average of 17 years had double the risk of breast cancer compared to women who did not take antibiotics. Women who took between one and 25 prescriptions over the same period had a one-and-a-half times increased risk for breast cancer. 1

Correlation does not always imply causation, and this study raises intriguing questions as to the mechanism of this effect. Perhaps it is due to direct cellular damage by the antibiotic. Maybe the disruption of the body's normal bacterial homeostasis by antibiotics causes proliferation of pathogenic bacterial species.

It could be that women with poorly functioning immune systems (due to genetics or poor living conditions) are more prone to infections as well as cancer. A need for antibiotics may indicate an underlying inflammatory or infectious condition which is responsible for the development of cancer.

However, the study illustrates the perils of using broad spectrum antibiotics indiscriminately. This practice evidently does not ward off cancer, and cannot be recommended.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Roberta B. Ness, MD, MPH. Jane A. Cauley, DrPH Antibiotics and Breast Cancer—. What’s the Meaning of This? Journal of The American Medical Association Feb 2004 291:77, 880-881

Antibiotics To Treat Cancer

In 2006, researchers at the University of Illinois discovered that siomycin, a poorly known antibiotic first discovered in the 1960s, caused cancer cells to undergo apoptosis (cell death) while leaving normal cells unharmed. This is due to a direct effect on the FOX M1 gene, which is activated in tumor cells and causes their rapid growth. Siomycin is currently being evaluated for possible clinical trials. 1

Neomycin, another old antibiotic first discovered in 1949, inhibits angiogenesis (development of blood vessels) of prostate tumors, and prevents them from growing and spreading in animal subjects, according to researchers Hu and Yoshioka in the Sept 2006 edition of the Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences. 2

In both cases, the action of these antibiotics is due to a direct chemotherapeutic effect, not antibacterial action. However, both of these agents show promise for the development of chemotherapy without the current horrendous side effects.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1). Senthil K. Radhakrishnan, Uppoor G. Bhat, Douglas E. Hughes, I-Ching Wang, Robert H. Costa and Andrei L. Gartel Identification of a Chemical Inhibitor of the Oncogenic Transcription Factor Forkhead Box M1 Cancer Research 66, 9731-9735, October 1, 2006 (2). Hu G-F. Neomycin inhibits angiogenin-induced angiogenesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95: 9791-9795, 1998

Integrated Treatment Clinics

Livingstone-Wheeler claimed an 82% success rate in her book "the Conquest of Cancer".

One of the largest clinics offering treatment based on the bacterial hypothesis of cancer is the Livingstone Wheeler Foundation Medical Center, San Diego, California. Livingstone-Wheeler claimed an 82% success rate in her book "the Conquest of Cancer". Here, patients are given vaccines and other measures purported to enhance immunity to the pleomorphic bacterium believed to be the cause of cancer.

BCG vaccine is used along with a multifocal treatment program: vegetarian diet, vitamins, antioxidants, detoxification, nutritional counselling, support groups. Patients are monitored with tests of immune function and vitamin levels.

However, a 2001 study by the Centre for Alternative Medicine Research at the University of Texas found poor outcomes the 191 clinic patients followed, approximately half of whom had metastatic cancer. Only 28 patients out of 193 were found to be still alive five years later, giving a five-year survival rate of 14.5%, no better than conventional therapy for advanced cancer. These results refute Livingstone's claims of success.

However, other practitioners have had better results. The Issels Clinic, founded in 1951 in Germany by Dr. Josef Issels, specializes in immunotherapy (along with other alternative treatments) and and has a significant success rate documented by independent studies.

Since the late 1960s, German public health insurance has covered treatment at the Issels Clinic. From 1981 until his retirement in 1987, Dr. Issels served as expert in the Federal German Government Commission In The Fight Against Cancer.

In the Clinical Trials Journal (London 1970) a peer-reviewed study showed that Issels treatment plus standard therapy (chemo and radiotherapy) improved the five-year survival rate of patients with metastatic cancers to 87%, as compared to 50% with standard therapy alone.

In 1959, A. G. Audier, M.D., from the University of Leiden, Holland, reported that Issels therapy produced a 16.6% cure rate in 252 patients with metastatic malignant melanoma, which has only a 2% cure rate by conventional therapy.

This was confirmed by a study in 1971 by John Anderson, M.D., from King's College Hospital, which found a 17% cure rate for metastatic melanoma. The Issels clinic has documented long term cures (greater than 10 years) of advanced metastatic cancer, including astrocytomas (malignant brain tumors) and melanomas, which are virtually incurable by conventional treatment.
There are two Issels Medical Centers in the United States, in Phoenix, Arizona, and Santa Barbara, California.

Summary

Evidence for a causal link between infection and cancer appears to be overwhelming, but so far no universally applicable treatment has been developed from this knowledge.

In some cases, such as intraocular lymphoma, eradication of infection cures cancer; but in other cases, such as gastric cancer, it has no effect once the disease has progressed from pre-malignant to cancerous. So far, some success has been achieved by immunotherapy, but be sure to look for a reputable clinic with proven results, since patient outcomes vary greatly between practitioners.
This is definitely a field to watch closely, since new discoveries are being made constantly.

Head Scarves - Perfect For Chemotherapy and Cancer Treatments

2009-05-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

One of the most frightening diseases you can get is cancer. However, thanks to the improvement modern medicine has made, there is hope for thousands of people suffering from this dreaded and life-threatening disease. This said, the treatment for cancer can be quite debilitating, especially chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can cause a lot of side effects ranging from severe nausea, anemia and, of course, hair loss.

Hair loss is a difficult to handle for any cancer patient. Besides feeling sick with the disease and subsequent treatment, you now have to cope with being self-conscious. This feeling is completely natural and it the person's family, doctor and friends should reach out and lend support at this hour.

One way to handle the stress of hair loss is to use chemotherapy head scarves, caps and hats. These hats for cancer are more popular for women than men. In addition, the scarves are not expensive at all and you can purchase many in different colors and styles to complement the outfits you wear. Many of the chemo head scarfs are long so that they can be wrapped around the head. Many of our styles are made from cotton, any textured fabric, linen and silk.

If you're suffering from cancer, you should not consider chemotherapy head scarves as a way of hiding your disease. You should view these scarves positively as they can be used over and over again even after the disease is cured and your hair grows back. Even as a cancer patient, wearing the scarf is like a fashion statement rather than proclaiming your illness.

Some women undergoing cancer treatment are afraid to use chemotherapy head scarves because they feel that tying the scarves will be an issue. Tying a head scarf is not as difficult as it looks and you can concentrate on honing your scarf tying skills. A simple method of tying the head scarf is by folding it into a triangle, putting the scarf on your head with the point of the triangle facing your back. Take the two ends of the scarf and tie them behind your neck towards the base of your head. Make sure that you tie the knot over the point of the triangle. Of course, this is only necessary for head scarves and not required for a cap or hat.

As mentioned earlier, the good thing about chemotherapy head scarves is that you can continue wearing them even after your hair grows back. But, it is not necessary then to wear them on your head. You can drape them round your shoulders, tie them round your neck, use them as belts or just wear them in different styles on your head. The difference will be that when you do this, you will have a head full of hair!

To discover the many choices in womens head scarves, caps and hats, you'll want to visit http://www.FashionScarvesAndShawls.com They have many head scarfs that are perfect for anytime... around the house, doing errands, going to the grocery store, plus are perfect for chemotherapy and cancer treatment patients. Check out this online store today. They have thousands of satisfied customers worldwide.

Throat Cancer Doesn't Exist - But Be Careful

2009-05-22T04:11:00.000-07:00

Actually there is no such medical condition called 'throat cancer', although several types of cancer can arise in the throat and neck. The correct medical term for the throat is the 'pharynx', which can be defined as the passage that ensures that food and drink go to the stomach and that air goes to and from the lungs. The pharynx is made up of three parts: the oropharynx (the back of the mouth, including the soft palate and base of the tongue); nasopharynx (connecting the back of the nose to the back of the mouth); laryngopharynx (connecting the oropharynx and nasopharynx to the start of the gullet (oesophagus) and the windpipe (trachea) via the voice box (larynx)). The laryngopharynx is sometimes called the hypopharynx. 'Throat cancer' can be cancer of any of these, although the most common form of 'throat cancer' is nasopharyngeal cancer.

Just to make the term of 'throat cancer' even more useless and confusing, some people apply it to cancer of the thyroid gland (situated at the front of the base of the neck), cancer of the voice box (larynx), cancer of the gullet or cancer of the windpipe (trachea), which actually comes in the lung cancer group.

Most head and neck cancer cells are squamous, which means they do not travel far from their origin, although they often affect the lymph nodes. In fact, the first indication of head or throat cancer is often an enlarged neck lymph node, which is also sometimes referred to as throat cancer. Another sign could be appearance of white patches or spots in the mouth that will not respond to treatment. Known as leukoplakia, 33% of them become cancerous. It is estimated that 7,000 Americans die of a throat cancer every year, often because it was detected late. Ethnicity may also play a part, since African American men are 50% more at risk of throat cancer than Caucasian men. These cancers are relatively painless in early stages and can be confused with toothache, earache, sore throat or hoarseness. Once established however, they develop very quickly, although if detected at an early stage, they can almost always be successfully removed.

There is a wide variety of reasons why someone can be at a heightened risk for a throat cancer, including smoking; chewing tobacco and other things, such as betel nut, gutkha, marijuana or pan; heavy alcohol consumption; poor diet resulting in vitamin deficiencies (worse if this is caused by heavy alcohol intake); weakened immune system; asbestos exposure; prolonged exposure to wood dust or paint fumes; exposure to petroleum industry chemicals and being over the age of 55 years. The presence of acid reflux disease (gastroesphogeal reflux disease - GERD) or larynx reflux disease can also be a major factor. In the case of acid reflux disease, stomach acids flow up into the oesophagus and damage its lining, making it more prone to throat cancer. Because successful treatment depends on early detection, regular oral examination is suggested. Your dentist will have been trained to be on the look out for early signs, making a bi-annual visit to him even more rewarding.

Vitamin E - Friend Or Foe During Radiation Therapy?

2009-05-22T04:10:00.000-07:00

Many people believe that Vitamin E is beneficial, and therefore take Vitamin E supplements. Despite the absence of proven advantages, antioxidant vitamins are widely used for prolonged periods of time and at high doses by healthy people, those at risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer, and by individuals with cancer.

Intuitively, one would think that Vitamin E protects the body from the toxic effects of radiation. Thus, many people take Vitamin E during radiation therapy, hoping it will reduce potential side effects, but do not report it to their physicians.

Study Design
To test whether or not Vitamin E administration during radiation therapy could prevent second cancers from developing in the future, a clinical trial was conducted in Canada. Its results were published recently in The International Journal of Cancer. Five hundred forty patients with early stage cancer of the head and neck who were to undergo radiation therapy were the subjects of the study.

Head and neck cancer originates in the area of the head and neck and includes malignant tumors of the mouth, throat, voice box, sinuses and lymph glands in the neck The most common type of head and neck cancer is squamous (pronounced SKWAY-miss) cell cancer, which describes the type of cell from which the cancer originated. The standard of care for squamous cell cancer of the head and neck often includes radiation therapy, as well as surgery and chemotherapy.

Nearly half of the patients received 400 IU (International Units) of Vitamin E and the other half received placebo, an inactive substance. The people in the former group continued to use Vitamin E for three years after radiation therapy. Patients were followed for a total of six and a half years.

Outcome
The results of the study were astonishing and revealed not only that Vitamin E was not beneficial, but in fact, was associated with a nearly 40% increase in the risk of death when compared to those counterparts who received a placebo.

Conclusions
The researchers concluded that is Vitamin E is not protective, and in fact, it might actually be harmful to patients with head and neck cancer who are receiving radiation therapy.

Discussion
Vitamin E falls into the category of anti-oxidants. Theoretically, the adverse outcome can be attributed to Vitamin E having a paradoxical effect, that is, instead of serving as an anti-oxidant, Vitamin E might have promoted oxidation; by displacing other antioxidants within the cells of the body, these cells might have become more vulnerable to damage from oxidation.

Recommendations
People who are undergoing radiation therapy should inform their physicians of all non-prescription medications and supplements they are taking. The good news is that doctors can then counsel patients wisely as to which products may be used safely. For more information about radiation therapy, visit www.ASTRO.org, the official website of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Dr. Kornmehl is a board certified radiation oncologist at Passaic Beth Israel Regional Medical Center, Passaic, NJ and author of the critically acclaimed consumer health book, “The Best News About Radiation Therapy” (M. Evans, 2004). Her website is http://www.RTSupportDoc.com

Head And Neck Cancer Causes And Treatments

2009-05-14T04:22:00.000-07:00

According to the National Cancer Institute, head and neck cancers account for approximately 3 to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States. These cancers are more common in men and in people over age 50.

There are many causes of head and neck cancers. Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) and alcohol use are the most important risk factors for head and neck cancers, particularly those of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. When administering Beverly Hills thyroid cancer treatment, head and neck cancer specialists find that eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.

Other risk factors for cancers of the head and neck include the following:

Oral cavity. Sun exposure (lip); possibly human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Salivary glands. Radiation to the head and neck. This exposure can come from diagnostic x-rays or from radiation therapy for noncancerous conditions or cancer and may require Beverly Hills parotid gland surgery.
Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. Certain industrial exposures, such as wood or nickel dust inhalation. Tobacco and alcohol use may play less of a role in this type of cancer.
Nasopharynx. Asian, particularly Chinese, ancestry; Epstein-Barr virus infection; occupational exposure to wood dust; and consumption of certain preservatives or salted foods.
Oropharynx. Poor oral hygiene; HPV infection and the use of mouthwash that has a high alcohol content are possible, but not proven, risk factors.
Hypopharynx. Plummer-Vinson (also called Paterson-Kelly) syndrome, a rare disorder that results from iron and other nutritional deficiencies.
Larynx. Exposure to airborne particles of asbestos, especially in the workplace.

Immigrants from Southeast Asia who use paan (betel quid) in the mouth should be aware that this habit has been strongly associated with an increased risk for oral and Los Angeles salivary gland cancer. Also, consumption of mate, a tea-like beverage habitually consumed by South Americans, has been associated with an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and larynx.

People who are at risk for head and neck cancers should talk with their Los Angeles oncologist about ways they can reduce their risk. They should also discuss how often to have checkups.

Disclaimer: This blog is for information purpose only, and should not be treated a professional advise or price protection guarantee. This blog is mainly used to help our customers blog their information to the readers who may find articles listed on this blog interesting, Intact Info Solutions may also use this blog for commercial purpose or for higher search engine ranking via SEO-search engine optimization or website optimization - web 2.0 search technology. It is advised that readers seek professional consultation in the field of interest for more information.

HEAD AND NECK CANCER: EMERGING PERSPECTIVES

2009-05-14T04:21:00.001-07:00

By Evangelist town Ensley, Silvio Gutkind, Evangelist A. Jacobs, histrion Lippman,

Publisher: Academic Press
Number Of Pages: 625
Publication Date: 2002-08
Sales Rank: 4404990
ISBN / ASIN: 0122399900
EAN: 9780122399909
Binding: Hardcover
Manufacturer: Academic Press
Studio: Academic Press
By detailing empiric and base research, from premalignancy to full intrusive tumors, this aggregation has panoramic pertinency to every manlike carcinomas. No another assemble of manlike cancers is meliorate positioned for the covering of fresh matured new and targeted therapies, and this aggregation uniquely presents the extraordinary opportunities tumors of the nous and cervix wage for clinical, translational, and base power research. Cutting-edge and empiric communication approaches are presented, along with forthcoming strategies and an assessment of aborning technologies.

Key Features
* Presents a multi-disciplinary appearance from polity in different fields
* Addresses state-of-the prowess approaches in cancer investigate as substantially as another technological opportunities in this field
* Provides broad still easily comprehendible maker of information

http://rapidshare.com/files/45785004/Head.and.Neck.Cancer-Emerging.Perspectives.rar

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DAHANCA Initiates Head And Neck Cancer Study With Genmab’s HuMax-EGRr

2009-05-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

COPENHAGEN, Denmark –Genmab A/S (OMX: GEN) announced today the initiation of a Phase III study of HuMax-EGFr(TM) (zalutumumab) to treat head and neck cancer in cooperation with the Danish Head and Neck Cancer Group (DAHANCA). The study will include approximately 600 previously untreated head and neck cancer patients to assess whether concomitant therapy with HuMax-EGFr can improve the efficacy of primary curative radiotherapy.

“We are excited for DAHANCA to begin the largest HuMax-EGFr trial to date,” said Lisa N. Drakeman, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab. “We hope that HuMax-EGFr provides additional benefit to head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.”

About the trial Patients in the study will be randomized to treatment with radiotherapy or HuMax-EGFr plus radiotherapy. All patients will receive treatment with accelerated radiotherapy plus nimorazole and may also receive cisplatin chemotherapy. Patients receiving HuMax-EGFr will receive six weekly doses of 8 mg/kg of HuMax-EGFr. Patients will be followed for at least 5 years and will be clinically evaluated at months 2, 5, 8 and 12 after completion of treatment. Evaluations will continue every 4 months in the second year and every 6 months the third and fourth year and once a year thereafter.

The objective of the study is to determine the efficacy of HuMax-EGFr in combination with radiotherapy in treating patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The primary endpoint is loco-regional control and secondary endpoints are overall survival, disease free survival and acute and late side effects.

Head and neck cancers may affect the mouth, nasal cavities, sinuses, larynx and pharynx. Most are squamous carcinomas but others include lymphoepithelioma and lymphoma. Head and neck cancers account for 3 % of all cancers in the U.S., with 40,000-60,000 cases diagnosed and 12,000 deaths annually. Worldwide incidence is about half a million with nearly 250,000 deaths.

Genmab is a leading international biotechnology company focused on developing fully human antibody therapeutics for unmet medical needs. Using unique, cutting-edge antibody technology, Genmab’s world class discovery and development teams have created and developed an extensive pipeline of products for potential treatment of a variety of diseases including cancer and autoimmune disorders. As Genmab advances towards a commercial future, we remain committed to our primary goal of improving the lives of patients who are in urgent need of new treatment options. For more information on Genmab’s products and technology, visit www.genmab.com

Strategic plans to promote head and neck cancer translational research within Radiation Therapy Oncology Group: A report from the Translational Resear

2009-05-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Head and neck cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the U.S. with an overall survival rate of approximately 40–50%. In an effort to improve patient outcomes, research efforts designed to maximize benefit and reduce toxicities of therapy are in progress. Basic research in cancer biology has accelerated this endeavor and provided preclinical data and technology to support clinically relevant advances in early detection, prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Recent completion of the Human Genome Project has promoted the rapid development of novel “omics” technologies that allow more broad based study from a systems biology perspective. However, clinically relevant application of resultant gene signatures to clinical trials within cooperative groups has advanced slowly. In light of the large numbers of variables intrinsic to biomarker studies, validation of preliminary data for clinical implementation presents a significant challenge and may only be realized with large trials that involve a significant patient numbers. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Head and Neck Cancer Translational Research Program recognizes this problem and brings together three unique features to facilitate this research; 1) availability of large numbers of clinical specimens from homogeneously treated patients through multi-institutional clinical trials, 2) a team of physicians, scientists and staff focused on patient-oriented head and neck cancer research with the common goal of improving cancer care, and 3) a funding mechanism through the RTOG Seed Grant Program. In this position paper we outline strategic plans to further promote translational research within the framework of the RTOG.

Types of treatment used for head and neck cancer

2009-05-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

There are three main types of treatment for head and neck cancer:

— surgery

— radiotherapy

— chemotherapy

— Two other treatments may sometimes be used:

— photodynamic therapy (PDT)

— biological therapies

Sometimes the treatment of head and neck cancers will involve two or more treatments combined together.

— For most people, the treatment is aimed at:

— removing the visible cancer

— reducing the chances of the cancer coming back

Cancers affecting the head and neck are uncommon and therefore people with this type of cancer are usually treated in specialist cancer hospitals (centres). This may mean that you have to travel for your treatment.

Cancer of the Oral Cavity Throat and Neck

2009-05-09T02:46:00.001-07:00

Any lesion in the mouth which does not go away within a few days needs investigation. A malignancy may present as a white lesion (sometimes white and red), an ulcer which does not heal or a lump. This lump may be in the mouth, on the face or in the neck. Any of these require proper examination by a doctor who specializes in treating head and neck lesions.

A small biopsy (tissue sample) may be necessary to confirm a diagnosis. This can usually be undertaken under local anaesthetic in the surgery and is quite minor. It is imperative that any undiagnosed lesion or lump is not ignored. A "wait and see" approach is unacceptable. Delaying diagnosis of head and neck cancer can greatly affect prognosis and subsequent quality of life after treatment. In other words, the earlier treatment commences, the better!

Some examples of Oral Cancer are shown below:

Types of Head and Neck Cancer

2009-05-09T02:37:00.000-07:00

There are several different types of head and neck cancer, categorized according to the specific tissue or organ where the cancer originates—from cancerous lesions on the lower lip to paranasal sinus tumors deep within the skull. Click on one of the links below for detailed information on each type of cancer, including staging and treatment guidelines.

Tumors of the Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses
The nasal cavity is the passageway just behind the nose. When we breathe through our nose, air passes through the nasal cavity en route to the pharynx and tracheobronchial tree, which leads into the lungs. The paranasal sinuses are air-filled cavities around the nose.

Nasopharyngeal Cancer
The nasopharynx is the upper part of the throat behind the nose - the nostrils lead into it, and openings on the sides of the nasopharynx connect to the ears.

Cancers of the Oral Cavity
The oral cavity includes all the various parts of the mouth: the lips; the lining inside the lips and cheeks (the buccal mucosa); the bottom of the mouth; the front of the tongue; the front part of the top of the mouth (the hard palate); the gums; and the area behind the wisdom teeth (the retromolar trigone).

Tumors of the Oropharynx
The oropharnyx is the part of the throat at the back of the mouth (the throat is technically known as the pharynx). It's a 5 inch, hollow tube that extends all the way from the nose down to the top of the trachea (the windpipe that leads to the lungs). Parts of the oropharnyx include the back of the tongue, the soft palate (the back part of the roof of the mouth), the tonsils and the part of the throat behind the mouth.

Hypopharyngeal Tumors
The hypopharynx is the bottom part of the pharynx, or throat. The pharynx is a 5-inch hollow tube that extends from the nose, down the neck to the esophagus. Both air and food pass through the pharynx. The air continues on through the trachea to the bronchi and lungs. Food continues on to the esophagus and digestive system.

Laryngeal Cancer
The larynx is more commonly known as the "voicebox." It's a 2 inch, tube-shaped organ in the neck. Air passes through the larynx on its way into or out of the lungs, and when we talk the vocal cords inside of the larynx tighten up and vibrate, producing sound.

Salivary Gland Cancer
Salivary glands are located throughout the oral cavity. They are responsible for making saliva, a substance that keeps the mouth moist and aids in digestion.

Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis

2009-05-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

Anyone experiencing symptoms of head and neck cancer for more than 2 weeks should see their physician as soon as possible for a thorough examination and laboratory tests.If a diagnosis cannot be obtained, your physician will refer you to a specialist.

Establishing a diagnosis for head and neck cancers typically begins with an examination and biopsy of any identified suspected cancerous lesions or tumors. This involves extracting a piece of suspicious tissue and sending it to a laboratory for examination. In some cases the biopsy can be performed in the physician's office, although it is more common for the procedure to be done in an operating room under anesthesia.

Head and neck cancer overview

2009-05-08T03:09:00.001-07:00

Head and neck cancer actually includes many different malignancies. The way a particular head and neck cancer behaves depends on the site in which it arises (the primary site). For example, cancers that begin on the vocal cords behave very differently than do those that arise in the back of tongue, just an inch or less from the vocal cords.

The most common type of cancer in the head and neck is squamous cell carcinoma, which arises in the cells that line the inside of the nose, mouth and throat. Other less common types of head and neck cancers include salivary gland tumors, lymphomas and sarcomas.

Cancers spread in three main ways. The first is direct extension from the primary site to adjacent areas. The second is spread through the lymphatic channels to lymph nodes. The third is spread through the blood vessels to distant sites in the body. In head and neck cancer, a spread to the lymph nodes in the neck is relatively common.

The lymph nodes most commonly involved are located along major blood vessels underneath the sternocleidomastoid muscle on each side of the neck, particularly the internal jugular vein node at the angle of the jaw. The risk of spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream is closely related to whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the neck, how many nodes are involved, and their location in the neck. The risk is higher if cancer is in lymph nodes in the lower part of the neck rather than only in those located in the upper neck.

One in 17 UK Baby Boom Carpenters Will Die of Mesothelioma

2009-05-07T21:07:00.001-07:00

Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive tumor that has a tendency to grow rapidly and after diagnosis the cancer is difficult to control, and there is no cure.

In the largest global study of its kind, more than 600 patients with mesothelioma and 1,400 healthy people were interviewed to examine rates of the disease linked to different occupations.

The researchers calculated that men born in the 1940s who worked as carpenters for more than 10 years before they reached 30 have a lifetime risk for mesothelioma of about one in 17. For plumbers, electricians and decorators born in the same decade who worked in their trade for more than 10 years before they were 30, the risk is one in 50 and for other construction workers one in 125.

For every case of mesothelioma, asbestos also causes about one case of lung cancer so the overall risk of asbestos related cancer for this particular group of carpenters is about one in 10.

The risk was also increased in other industries and the study showed that two-thirds of all British men and one quarter of women had worked in jobs involving potential asbestos exposure at some time in their lives. There was also a small increased risk in those who had lived with someone who had been exposed to asbestos.

The risk of mesothelioma for the rest of the UK population who have not experienced these occupational exposures is about one in 1,000 and these apparently unexposed cases account for 60 per cent of all mesothelioma in women and 15 per cent in men.

Professor Julian Peto, lead researcher said: "The UK has the highest death rate from mesothelioma in the world. The risk is highest in people who were exposed to asbestos before age 30. By getting information on all the jobs people had ever done we have shown that the risk in some occupations, particularly in the building industry, is higher than we previously thought.”

"New regulations introduced in 1970 reduced exposure to asbestos in factories but heavy exposure to the much larger workforce in construction and various other industries continued."

Steve Coldrick, Head of HSE's Disease Reduction Programme, said: "The Health and Safety Executive and Cancer Research UK commissioned this research to learn more about the impact of asbestos related cancers upon our workforce, but particularly for those born in the 1940s who have potentially been more exposed to asbestos than later born tradesmen.

"We must continue to remember that asbestos maintained in good condition on-site is not a threat unless it's disturbed and the fibers become airborne. Also, other potential 'risk factors' such as residence in certain types of housing, living near industrial sites, or engagement in DIY activity, were not associated with an increased risk."

"In 2010, the second part of this research should provide more information about the role of amosite in causing mesothelioma in the younger generation. This is underway now and will provide valuable information about the extent of recent exposure levels (compared to past exposure levels) on our future tradesmen."

There are three main types of asbestos, white, blue and brown. White asbestos was the type most commonly used in the UK. Blue asbestos was not used in Britain after 1970, but the use of brown asbestos continued into the 1980s, and carpenters often cut and drilled brown asbestos insulation board with power tools. The researchers believe this was a major factor underlying Britain's mesothelioma epidemic.

There are just over 2,100 people diagnosed with mesothelioma in the UK each year with about five times as many cases in men as in women.

Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of information, said: "This research is important in revealing who is at greatest risk from asbestos exposure. We now need to ensure that accurate information for workers and regulation of the asbestos still in buildings keeps pace with what we’ve learned."

What causes head and neck cancers

2009-05-05T03:44:00.000-07:00

Tobacco (including smokeless tobacco, sometimes called “chewing tobacco” or “snuff”) and alcohol use are the most important risk factors for head and neck cancers, particularly those of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Eighty-five percent of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.

Other risk factors for cancers of the head and neck include the following:

Oral cavity. Sun exposure (lip); possibly human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Salivary glands. Radiation to the head and neck. This exposure can come from diagnostic x-rays or from radiation therapy for noncancerous conditions or cancer.

Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. Certain industrial exposures, such as wood or nickel dust inhalation. Tobacco and alcohol use may play less of a role in this type of cancer.

Nasopharynx. Asian, particularly Chinese, ancestry; Epstein-Barr virus infection; occupational exposure to wood dust; and consumption of certain preservatives or salted foods.

Oropharynx. Poor oral hygiene; HPV infection and the use of mouthwash that has a high alcohol content are possible, but not proven, risk factors.

Hypopharynx. Plummer-Vinson (also called Paterson-Kelly) syndrome, a rare disorder that results from iron and other nutritional deficiencies. This syndrome is characterized by severe anemia and leads to difficulty swallowing due to webs of tissue that grow across the upper part of the esophagus.

Larynx. Exposure to airborne particles of asbestos, especially in the workplace.

Immigrants from Southeast Asia who use paan (betel quid) in the mouth should be aware that this habit has been strongly associated with an increased risk for oral cancer. Also, consumption of mate, a tea-like beverage habitually consumed by South Americans, has been associated with an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and larynx.

People who are at risk for head and neck cancers should talk with their doctor about ways they can reduce their risk. They should also discuss how often to have checkups.

What kinds of cancers are considered cancers of the head and neck

2009-05-05T03:42:00.000-07:00

Most head and neck cancers begin in the cells that line the mucosal surfaces in the head and neck area, e.g., mouth, nose, and throat. Mucosal surfaces are moist tissues lining hollow organs and cavities of the body open to the environment. Normal mucosal cells look like scales (squamous) under the microscope, so head and neck cancers are often referred to as squamous cell carcinomas. Some head and neck cancers begin in other types of cells. For example, cancers that begin in glandular cells are called adenocarcinomas.

Cancers of the head and neck are further identified by the area in which they begin:

Oral cavity. The oral cavity includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gingiva (gums), the buccal mucosa (lining inside the cheeks and lips), the floor (bottom) of the mouth under the tongue, the hard palate (bony top of the mouth), and the small area behind the wisdom teeth.

Salivary glands. The salivary glands produce saliva, the fluid that keeps mucosal surfaces in the mouth and throat moist. There are many salivary glands; the major ones are in the floor of the mouth, and near the jawbone.

Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. The paranasal sinuses are small hollow spaces in the bones of the head surrounding the nose. The nasal cavity is the hollow space inside the nose.

Pharynx. The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and leads to the esophagus (the tube that goes to the stomach) and the trachea (the tube that goes to the lungs). The pharynx has three parts:
- Nasopharynx. The nasopharynx, the upper part of the pharynx, is behind the nose.
- Oropharynx. The oropharynx is the middle part of the pharynx. The oropharynx includes the soft palate (the back of the mouth), the base of the tongue, and the tonsils.
- Hypopharynx. The hypopharynx is the lower part of the pharynx.

Larynx. The larynx, also called the voicebox, is a short passageway formed by cartilage just below the pharynx in the neck. The larynx contains the vocal cords. It also has a small piece of tissue, called the epiglottis, which moves to cover the larynx to prevent food from entering the air passages.

Lymph nodes in the upper part of the neck. Sometimes, squamous cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes of the upper neck when there is no evidence of cancer in other parts of the head and neck. When this happens, the cancer is called metastatic squamous neck cancer with unknown (occult) primary.

Cancers of the brain, eye, and thyroid as well as those of the scalp, skin, muscles, and bones of the head and neck are not usually grouped with cancers of the head and neck.

UK Parents Unaware of Lifestyle's Impact on Children's Future Health

2009-05-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Parents in the UK do not realize that a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet can increase their youngsters' risk of serious health problems in later life, according to the results from a survey of over 800 parents whose children were aged up to 11 years published by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK.

The survey found that a staggering 83 per cent of parents had no idea that a lack of exercise in childhood could increase the risk of cancer in later life.

As many as half were unaware of the link between physical inactivity and type 2 diabetes, and 18 per cent did not know that a sedentary lifestyle increases a person's risk of heart disease.

A worrying 12 per cent of respondents had no idea that physical inactivity was linked to any of these health problems.

Many parents were also unaware of the importance of a healthy diet, with 59 per cent ignorant of the link between a poor diet and cancer, 23 per cent not knowing of its link with type 2 diabetes, and 17 per cent not realizing its association with heart disease.

Meanwhile, many parents did not know that being overweight in childhood increases a person's future risk of cancer (66 per cent), type 2 diabetes (13 per cent) and heart disease (eight per cent).

Ed Yong, Cancer Research UK's health information manager, said: "Keeping a healthy bodyweight is one of the most important ways of reducing the risk of cancer, after not smoking.

"We know that early habits can follow children into adulthood so it's important to instill the importance of healthy eating and regular activity at an early age. Doing so will mean dramatic benefits for their health down the line."

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, added that the lack of awareness among parents was "frightening".

He said: "We are supporting the Change4Life campaign, which aims to encourage parents to get their children moving more and eating well.

"However, if the government is to deliver on its public health promises it has a major role to play in committing to legislation on restricting junk food advertising and supporting the traffic light system of food labeling, it will go a long way in helping people make informed choices."

Charred Meat May Increase Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

2009-05-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

According to researchers, meat cooked at high temperatures to the point of burning and charring may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.

The finding was linked to consumption of well and very well done meats cooked by frying, grilling or barbecuing. Cooking in this way can form carcinogens, which do not form when meat is baked or stewed.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with approximately 32,000 deaths a year. Only five percent of individuals with pancreatic cancer live for at least one year after diagnosis.

Kristin Anderson and colleagues conducted a prospective analysis that included 62,581 participants. “My research has been focused on pancreatic cancer for some time, and we want to identify ways to prevent pancreatic cancer because treatments are very limited and pancreatic cancer is often rapidly fatal,” she said.

Anderson and colleagues used information from surveys that were a part of the PLCO (Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian) Multi-center Screening Trial. Participants provided information about their meat intake, preferred cooking methods and doneness preferences.

Over the course of nine years, researchers identified 208 cases of pancreatic cancer. Preferences for high temperature cooked meat were generally linked with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer; subjects who preferred very well done steak were almost 60 percent as likely to get pancreatic cancer as compared to those who ate steak less well done or did not eat steak. When overall consumption and doneness preferences were used to estimate the meat-derived carcinogen intake for subjects, those with highest intake had 70 percent higher risk than those with the lowest intake.

“We cannot say with absolute certainty that the risk is increased due to carcinogens formed in burned meat,” said Anderson. “However, those who enjoy either fried or barbecued meat should consider turning down the heat or cutting off burned portions when it’s finished; cook meat sufficiently to kill bacteria without excess charring. In addition, the precursors of cancer-causing compounds can be reduced by microwaving the meat for a few minutes and pouring off the juices before cooking it on the grill.”

Full Head of Hair Does Not Protect Against Skin Cancer

2009-05-02T22:40:00.001-07:00

Whether your scalp is covered with a full head of hair or not, dermatologists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston say play it safe and protect your scalp.

"While most cases of skin cancer on the scalp are found in balding men, a full head of hair doesn't mean you are fully protected," said Dr. Ida Orengo, professor of dermatology at BCM.

Dark thick hair gives more protection compared to blond wispy locks, but some type of extra protection should be used at all times. Drug stores now carry shampoo or leave-in conditioners that include sunscreen.

"The best prevention method is to wear a hat with at least a three-inch brim around the entire head. If not a hat, which can be uncomfortable in the heat, then carry an umbrella for shade."

Treatment for skin cancer on the scalp is the same as treatment for cancer on any other part of the skin, it must be cut out. Since there is not a lot of extra skin on the scalp, it is more difficult to close a hole left behind after removal, and there is a chance for a bald spot. However, there is a large blood supply found on the head so incisions usually heal well.

The most common forms of skin cancer found on the scalp are basal, squamous and melanoma, which can be deadly.

"Early detection is important, so if you have a regular hair dresser you might want to ask him or her to keep an eye out for any new moles or bumps. Most patients say it's their hair dresser or barber that finds the skin cancer first."

Those at risk for skin cancer should also have an annual full-body skin check, which includes the scalp.

Orengo cautions that it's not just the scalp, but also the skin along the hairline and ears that is often forgotten when sun block is applied.

"You have to be diligent. Even if you have protection with shade, always wear sun block."

New compound could offer ovarian cancer hope

2009-05-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

Scientists say they have discovered a potential new treatment for a range of cancers that is effective and does not have such a detrimental effect on patients as other medications.

Led by Rathindra Bose, a team from Northern Illinois University found a new class of compounds - phosphaplatins - can kill ovarian, testicular, head and neck cancer cells with "potentially less toxicity than conventional drugs".

While conventional treatments can affect cell enzymes, leading to kidney dysfunction and hair loss, the phosphaplatins are not as harmful because they do not penetrate the cell nucleus.

In the study, a dose of phosphaplatins equal to half that of conventional drugs killed ovarian cancer cells but appeared to be "just as potent", the study concluded.

Ovarian and testicular cancers are commonly treated with cisplatin, which is around 95 per cent effective, especially in patients who have been diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.

Women with cancer insurance might know there are different kinds of ovarian forms of the disease but they are all currently treated in a similar way. Adfero Ltd provides live and tailored breaking industry news for AIG Direct. All industry news is prepared by Adfero Ltd and as such does not represent the views or opinions of AIG Direct a trading name of UNAT Direct Insurance Management Limited.

Department of head and neck surgery

2009-05-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

In the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, our mission is to deliver the highest possible clinical care for patients with cancer of the head and neck. Using an interdisciplinary approach, experts from across disciplines come together to provide state-of-the-art care for patients with all types and stages of head and neck cancer.

Our team of specialists treats patients with tumors of the thyroid gland, salivary glands, oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, paranasal sinus, and skull base; melanomas; nonmelanoma skin cancers; sarcomas of the soft tissue and bone; and ocular, orbital, and ocular adnexal malignancies. In the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, a highly qualified staff with special expertise in head and neck surgery, otology, oral oncology, ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology, speech pathology and audiology offers patients with these tumors the latest and most effective treatment options.

The Department of Head and Neck Surgery comprises four subsections, which provide focused centers of excellence for the treatment of patients and development of research. These subsections are:

Section of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
Section of Oncologic Dentistry and Prosthodontics
Section of Ophthalmology
Section of Speech Pathology and Audiology

In addition, M. D. Anderson's Skull Base Tumor Program, led by world-renowned head and neck surgery and neurosurgery experts, offers patients with benign or malignant tumors of the skull base the most current diagnostic and treatment options available. And the new Oral Cancer Prevention Center, located in the Head and Neck Center, provides a specialized setting for the diagnosis of disease and the monitoring and treatment of patients with precancerous lesions of the oral cavity.

At M. D. Anderson, treatment for head and neck cancer is specifically tailored to address the needs of each patient by a team of experts who specialize in tumors of the head and neck. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of therapies. Comprehensive treatment plans are designed to provide the highest level of care and to optimize functional outcome. Patients discover that they can exceed the initial limitations after surgery through the help of caring professionals in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery and throughout M. D. Anderson.

High-Dose Chemo Doesn't Help Breast Cancer

2009-05-02T02:43:00.000-07:00

Getting diagnosed with cancer is difficult enough, but choosing the right treatment from the bewildering array of options can be just as challenging. For breast cancer patients, that decision just got a little less complicated, with a new study showing that a once-popular therapy doesn't provide any additional survival benefit.

Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston announced at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium today that high-dose chemotherapy (followed by a stem-cell transplant to rebuild the immune system) after surgery does not extend the life of breast-cancer patients. The new findings, which come after a thorough analysis of 15 trials involving 6,200 patients, should close the book on a controversial treatment that was popular during the 1980s and 1990s. At the time, doctors believed that more was better when it came to chemotherapy following cancer surgery: While it was painful for patients, oncologists thought ramping up chemo would ultimately benefit patients by destroying any cancer cells that had eluded the surgeon's knife.

Not everyone agreed with that theory, but advocates for breast-cancer patients, desperate for more and better options, pushed for access to the therapy, resulting in wrangling with some health insurers who refused to cover the treatment, saying it was too experimental. With more sophisticated cancer drugs becoming available in recent years, the demand for high-dose chemotherapy has died down, but, until now, many patients and doctors have still had questions about the usefulness of the treatment.

The multistep therapy requires doctors to extract bone-marrow stem cells from breast-cancer patients prior to surgery. After the tumor-removal operation, patients are exposed to brutal doses of chemotherapy, then re-infused with their stem cells, which restore immune cells destroyed by the chemotherapy. But ultrahigh doses of chemo are extremely toxic, and in fact, some of the 20,000 women who have received the treatment in the U.S. have died from the toxicity.

The M.D. Anderson study, led by Donald Berry, chair of biostatistics, included women with all types of breast cancer, all at the beginning stages of the disease. All had tested positive for cancer in some lymph nodes even after surgery, but none had been diagnosed with cancer that had spread any further. While women receiving the treatment enjoyed a few extra cancer-free months before relapse, they did not survive any longer than women who never underwent the rigorous therapy. "I was surprised by the results," says Berry. "I was expecting some subsets of women to show some survival benefit. Many studies had been suggesting that there were some patients, such as young patients and women with triple negative cancer" — that is, cancer cells that lack receptors for estrogen, progesterone or HER2, which makes them difficult to treat with drugs — "that would benefit. But our analysis shows that's not true."

"This report should absolutely, definitively and for all time close the door on this treatment," says Dr. Larry Norton of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Despite its negative results, Berry and Norton say the study holds a valuable lesson: that perhaps more important than the size of the dose is which chemo drug the doctor decides to use. Certain cancer cells will either respond to a drug or not — so boosting the dose, particularly of the wrong drug, is not likely to make any difference in these cases. Timing may also be key — spacing apart chemotherapy doses can increase the likelihood of catching tumor cells at their weakest. Taken together, lessons like these are making a difference where it counts most — in giving breast cancer patients the best chance at surviving their disease.

Head & Neck Cancer Clinic

2009-05-02T02:42:00.000-07:00

The Head & Neck cancer clinic offers comprehensive, specialized care for patients with benign and malignant tumors located between the skull base and the clavicle including tumours of :

Mouth
Face
Jaw
Tongue
Pharynx (throat)
Larynx (voice-box)
Salivary
Thyroid glands
Skull base

The head and neck cancer clinic specialises in complex anatomical and functional problems, and excels in voice restoration surgery following laryngectomy, laser surgery, endoscopic surgery and reconstructive rehabilitation of patients with functional and cosmetic defects as a result of ablative surgery. Microvascular free flaps and osseo-integrated implants are routinely utilized to restore patient’s ability to swallow, speak and chew normally, and to maintain normal appearance. Post-operative care is closely coordinated with the referring physician and geared towards monitoring the patient for recurrence of tumors. Since head and neck cancer is usually related to smoking and alcohol consumption, patients are counseled with regard to lifestyle changes.

Our surgeons and physicians offer :

Interdisciplinary specialisation in head and neck oncology and
Reconstructive surgery

Microvascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, neuro-otologists, ophthalmologists, maxillofacial prosthodontists, general dentists, medical and radiation oncologists are incorporated into a patient’s care as needed.

Hodgkin's disease

Hodgkin's disease, sometimes called Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a cancer that starts in lymphatic tissue. Lymphatic tissue includes the lymph nodes and related organs that are part of the body's immune and blood-forming systems. Hodgkin's disease can start almost anywhere, but most often starts in lymph nodes in the upper part of the body. The most common sites are in the chest, neck, or under the arms. Hodgkin's disease enlarges the lymphatic tissue, which can then cause pressure on important structures. It can spread through the lymphatic vessels to other lymph nodes.

The diagnosis of a benign or malignant tumor can be an emotionally catastrophic event. The physicians and staff at the Saifee Hospital are especially trained to deal with cancer patients in a supportive, informative and caring manner. We aim to inspire your confidence and trust.

Endometriosis And Cancer

2009-04-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

Although Endometriosis affects one out of seven women throughout the world, not much is known about the disease. It occurs when tissue that is usually found inside the uterus appears in other parts of the body. The cause of endometriosis is unknown, though researchers have several theories.

Endometriosis is often compared to cancer since both are characterized by cell invasion and unstrained growth. Other similarities between the two diseases include the development of new blood vessels and the decrease in the number of cells undergoing apoptosis. Doctors have debated since 1925 and researched the idea that endometriosis transforms into cancer without reaching a conclusion.

Recent research has found a possible connection between endometriosis and cancer. It has been found that women suffering from endometriosis are more susceptible to some forms of cancer including ovarian, endocrine, brain and breast cancer. Although doctors agree that this risk exists, further research is still needed since no conclusive proof has been found.

The studies done so far suggested that the cancer risk for women suffering from endometriosis is only slightly higher than average. Also women who had a hysterectomy at or before the time endometriosis was diagnosed did not show increased risk of cancer.

The main difference between endometriosis and cancer, of course, is that endometriosis is not deadly, whereas cancer invariably kills unless treated for life. Endometriosis per se can be very painful, and it can be associated with other conditions, such as problems with the pelvis, but it is not cancer. You can get endometriosis treated with pain management, laparoscopic surgery, and/or hormone treatments.

Cancer Awareness Ribbon Pins

2009-04-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

Most people are familiar with the pink cancer awareness ribbons that symbolize breast cancer, it seems that these pink beauties are everywhere. But, did you know that there are many other kinds of cancer awareness ribbons out there that represent different kinds of cancer that affect women all around the world? You might have seen one or two different colored cancer awareness ribbon pins and not even known what they meant. Here are some of the other colors of cancer awareness ribbons so you will know what they mean the next time that you see them:

Teal – This color of cancer awareness ribbons are for ovarian cancer. While this cancer isn’t as prevalent as breast cancer, its numbers are, unfortunately, on the rise. So, when you see a teal cancer awareness ribbon or pin, you will know what they stand for.

Peach – This color of cancer awareness ribbons are for uterine cancer. This type of cancer is also not one that is mentioned much, but is a killer if not detected early enough and fought correctly.

Lavender – This color of cancer awareness ribbons are for gynecological cancer. This encompasses several different kinds of cancers, from ovarian to cervical, basically anything that has to do with the female reproductive organs falls under this category.

Teal and White – This color of cancer awareness ribbons are for cervical cancer. This cancer is hard to detect as well, unless it is screened for, but, when caught early, can be removed and treated.

All of these cancer awareness ribbons and pins are different colors to distinguish between the different types of cancer. It helps for survivors and loved ones to spread their message of hope and survival to those who may not have heard of this particular type of cancer and make sure that other women have their screenings to ensure that they catch these potentially fatal diseases early enough for treatments to be effective. So, the next time that you see different colored cancer awareness ribbon pins, be sure to ask the wearer about it and share their story with you. It might just be the motivation that you need to see your doctor and get screened or to push a friend or family member to get their screening. After all, women are more likely to push their friends and family to get in to see their doctors sooner than later. And, like the breast cancer pins and other types of cancer awareness merchandise, most of the proceeds go toward research and the search for a cure.

ABC of Cancer

2009-04-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

Cancer is multifaceted with over 100 kinds of cancer. Cancer occurs in any organ in the human body, starting from the brain to toe. Cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of the cells that results in illness of our body. These cells are basically the minute units that frame up the living things, and we humans have over 10 trillion of such cells!

Symptoms of cancer: Generally cancer doesn’t have any symptoms or signs in the beginning of the disease. However, there are some common symptoms such as:

Persistent cough: This could be symptoms of cancer in lung, head or in neck. Anyone with a continuous cough more than a month or with blood in the mucus that is coughed should seek immediate medical attention.

Irregular bowel movements: People with cancer sometime have continuous diarrhea or constipation. Hence the bowl movement is very irregular.

Blood in stools: Hemorrhoids often causes rectal bleeding, and hemorrhoids are very common and they may exist with cancer.

Anemia: It is a condition resulting in less number of red blood cells in the blood.

Lumps or swollen glands: Lumps may signify cancer or an enlarged lymph gland. Sometimes these lumps can be non-cancerous also.

Apart from this there are other common symptoms such as sores that don’t heal, headaches, back pain, pelvic pain, bloating and digestive disorders.

Treatment for cancer:

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs or medicines. This is administered in the form of injection, pill, IV or as an applied on the skin.

Surgery: This is usually the first preference by the physicians. However, this is not helpful if the cancer has already spread. A surgery is done to remove the tumors or masses.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy is used for certain energy to destroy cancer cells and shrink the size of tumors.

Immunotherapy/Biological Response Modifiers: Immune therapy, which is also called Biological Response Modifiers, which is a treatment that uses our body’s own defense mechanism to fight cancer.

Facts on cancer:

Cancer is the second most common cause of death after heart disease. From 58 million deaths worldwide in 2005, cancer accounts for 7.6 million (or 13%) of all deaths.

Cancer is curable if detected in early stage. Even though some cancers develop completely with no symptoms, hence the disease can be fatal if the symptoms are ignored.

Deaths due to cancers across the globe are expected to rise, with an estimate of 9million people dying from cancer in 2015.

Cell Phone Radiation Cancer

2009-04-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

It used to be that physical injury was associated with Huns and Barbarians pillaging your village. When a man calls me “Honey” is he really sending me a mixed message? While you are sitting there reading this absolute baloney in front of your computer screen or instant messaging your hordes of buddies you are actually nuking yourself to death. Isn’t it always the case that the things that are the most fun in life are the things which tear your cells limb from limb hurling you into life long unbearable pain and death?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Does this mean that two ounces of prevention are worth two pounds of cure? One in three people die of cancer and we spend trillions of dollars on cancer research and cancer drugs and radiation machines and we suffer in agony for years like dogs during cancer treatments medicating and radiating ourselves and then we succumb. This is our medical and economic system. Every school child and even my aunt Jenny knows that car exhaust fumes and smokestacks are the cause of cancer. Why don’t we just do away with them? What many people don’t know is that electro magnetic radiation shooting out of your cell phone and computer monitor and hard drive also cause the big C.

An agoraphobic like Howard Hughes aka Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator locks himself away in his hotel suite for 6 years afraid to come out for fear of catching a germ which in his mind is a dirigible sized alien monster attacking him mercilessly. Howie Hughes sits alone in his room watching Deal or No Deal and running Trans World Airlines, Hughes Aircraft and directing Jane Russell in “The Outlaw” armed only with his cell phone and desktop computer thinking that he has successfully shielded himself from the dangers of the industrial revolution, rampant crime and viruses and bacteria which mutate into new illnesses every day. If you don’t believe me then just ask the birds and killer bees and the cows. One of my favorite Hughes pictures was the “Killer Bees from Arizona” trilogy.

The obvious cure for cancer is to stop poisoning the air water and earth we are made of by doing away with cars and smoke stacks and cell phones and computers as our super brilliant pyramid and space ship building ancestors did for 5 million years but human beings don’t like it plain and simple. Furthermore bloggers would never allow it. What would they do all day? Instead of riling up millions of people with their brainwashed prejudiced minds they would have to go back to simpler times and gossip among their fellow village people.

You are lying in your bed trying to go to sleep only this incredibly excruciating electrical pain is shooting from your wrists up into your arm and you are as likely to fall asleep as Jane Russell is to go on a second date with Mickey Rooney. So you go to your medicine cabinet and dope yourself up with codeine and morphine from Afghanistan supplied by your doctor and your pharmacist. Heaven forbid humans should ever eliminate the root cause of their problems the economy would collapse these people would have you believe. The Huns had quite a prosperous economy not to mention the perks. So where did this unbearable wrist pain come from? Did some Barbarian sneak into your home late at night like John Mark Karr and twist your arm for you to go out on a second date with him promising that he had remedied his problem at the new naturopathic halitosis specialist who moved in two doors down from his cousin Jenny?

Picture the inside of your wrist. Your wrist is a circular bone. Inside of your wrist there is a spinal cord running from your arm to your hand. Every one of the million times a day that you hit a key on your keyboard your hand moves down and the circular wrist bone hits the wrist spinal cord. Then the wrist spinal cord get inflamed and injured and the carpal tunnel person has arrived to ruin your life. The prevention and the cure is to stop your hand from moving down. You do this by going out to the store and buying two nicely fitting wrist splints with an iron bar running along the bottom which prevents your hand from moving down every time you hit the keys. The key to happiness in life is to eliminate all of the men. Now that we can freeze sperm and clone who needs them? They buy you a new computer, profess their undying love to you and a month later they can’t remember your name. Another cool trick is to forget the proper way of typing. Begin to hunt and peck and never use your thumbs. The second that you use your thumb your hand rolls over and you are well on your way to Carpalville Ohio. It is also bad to use a roll mouse because rolling down the page leads to index finger pain which can easily add 6 shots to your handicap.

Your computer monitor and hard drive and cell phone are all giving off cancer causing radiation which causes stress, irritability, erectile dysfunction and finally cancer. It is well known that cell phones cause brain cancer. The antenna placed close to your head in frying your brain. The cell phone makers know this and market their most expensive models like Carol Alt as having the least amount of radiation. If you go to the health show in your city you will find booths with people selling little metallic circular stickers which when placed on your monitor and hard drive and cell phone actually eliminate the deadly radiation. In your search engine boxes type in cell phone radiation and you will find the solution to the problem that you didn’t even know that you had. People think that because they cannot see something like a radio signal that it doesn’t exist. Here is a coded message to all Al Qaeda members: “Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, I’m still Jen Jen Jenny from the block.” Osama Bin Laden is sitting in his cave grooving to the new J Lo DVD but his doctor Ayman Al Zwahiri can’t do a darn thing for his carpal tunnel syndrome. All of that instant messaging with Jenna Bush as he pretends to be Professor Ernst Kirkland from the Kabul Institute of Technology has finally caught up with him. What the combined forces of Britain and the United States could not do Steve Jobs has done. He has brought Osama Bin Laden to his knees. And those are the bees knees. Attention all CIA agents. Bees are little insects that fly around biting people.

Best Herbs for Memory Improvement

2009-04-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

The herbs for memory improvement are numerous. According to the scientists who have performed studies on these medicinal herbs, only some of the have an increased efficiency and offer an effect that lasts for a long time.

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most popular herbs for memory improvement. It represents the basic ingredient of many memory supplements. It improves the blood flow to the brain, but the other organs benefit from its effects, too. The best results are obtained on early-stage Alzheimer’s disease and on mild memory loss patients.

However, this herb does much more than improving the memory. It assures the necessary amount of oxygen to the brain. This organ consumes 20% out of the total amount of oxygen that is used by the body. If oxygenation of the brain is not performed properly, people experience dizziness, vertigo, poor concentration and memory loss.

Many herbs for memory improvement enhance the blood flow throughout the entire body by helping the blood vessels to expand and to relax. This effect can also be observed on the brain. In addition, ginkgo biloba can improve the circulation by doing something more. The herb can prevent cholesterol to turn into plaque.

Without the substances from ginkgo biloba to neutralize the cholesterol, the plaque forms deposits on the arteries and determines the blood to circulate with difficulty. Eventually, this would lead to stroke, which is a life threatening problem that determines memory loss, among other effects.

Green tea, as well as many other herbs for memory improvement, such as ginkgo biloba, contains significant amounts of antioxidants. Ginkgo biloba contains more than 40 active substances, but the flavonoids and the terpenoids, which are the antioxidants, seem to be responsible for most of the effects. The antioxidants prevent brain from aging and improve the immune system.

The flavonoids and terpenoids protect the body from the free radicals. The latter represent chemical substances that help in the development of cancer and heart diseases. Brain cancer or brain tumors, in general, as well as the stroke, represent major causes of memory disorders.

Ginseng is believed to be one of the herbs for memory improvement that act as energy boosters. By being like this, they decrease the stress and the depression levels. As people already know, stress and depression represent the main causes of memory loss. Both ginseng and ginkgo biloba are anticoagulants, so a treatment for memory improvement must never include both of them.

Ocular Lymphoma – A Major Indicator of Brain Involvement in Patients

2009-04-29T02:08:00.000-07:00

Ocular lymphoma, also referred to as intraocular large cell lymphoma, is a subtype of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma that primarily affects the central nervous system. The incidence of ocular lymphoma among the global population has known a pronounced decrease since 1960, although paradoxically it has slightly increased in the last few years. Although there isn’t enough evidence to support this theory, medical scientists believe that the recently increased incidence of the disease is mainly caused by prolonged treatments with immuno-suppressing drugs. However, in the absence of conclusive findings, this supposition has been disregarded by most oncologists.

Ocular lymphoma has the highest incidence among the male gender, and predominantly affects people with ages over 50. The categories considered to present the highest risk of developing this subtype of lymphoma are patients diagnosed with AIDS, patients who have suffered complicated surgeries and persons with native impairments of the immune system – especially people affected by the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. The implication of lymphoma at ocular level generally occurs in the incipient stages of the disease at brain level. Recent studies have revealed that in the majority of cases, ocular symptoms precede the occurrence of symptoms at the central nervous system level.

Patients diagnosed with Non-Hogkin’s Lymphoma at the level of the central nervous system may either present with intracranial nodules, meningeal or periventricular lesions, retinal affections or localized spinal malignant excrescences. Ocular lymphoma generally produces symptoms such as decreased vision, and inflammation of the eye. Despite the fact that ocular lymphoma may cause serious decreases in visual acuity and pronounced inflammation, pain is a rare symptom of this variety of lymphoma. Ocular lymphoma may at first affect only one eye, affecting both eyes in later stages of disease. Although this lymphoma subtype can be overcome with the aid of existing treatments, its occurrence often announces the occurrence of serious impairments at brain level, problems that are more difficult to cure. Thus, ocular lymphoma can be considered a major indicator for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at brain level, allowing doctors to timely intervene in order to minimize the development of further complications.

Patients with suspected ocular lymphoma need to go through a series of neurological investigations. The presence of symptoms such as headache, reduced vision, poor concentration, confusion or memory loss, corroborated with clinical signs of ocular lymphoma clearly point to involvement of the central nervous system in the disease. In order to slow down the progression of the lymphoma and to reduce the risks of complications, doctors often prescribe a series of medication treatments and therapies. Radiation therapy is generally recommended to patients with ocular lymphoma and in more severe cases, this form of therapy is combined with chemotherapeutic drugs.

Everybody Dies, But What is the Cost?

2009-04-29T02:07:00.000-07:00

I am a 38 year old single mom. My philosophy about life and death has changed numerous times over my life. I belief this is true of most people because of life altering changes we experience. My mother has always called me a pessimist, whereas I call it being a realist. One of my beliefs that has never changed, and which is a source of grief between my mother and me is that I am constantly saying, “We all die.” Which is true in a morbid sort of reality.

I am no stranger to death. When I was 15 years old, I met a guy who was five years my senior. We started dating, much to the dismay of my parents. We had been dating for over a year when I was finally seeing the light that he was too old for me and we didn’t have a lot in common. It was over my spring break that I told him I wanted to break up. To make a long story short, he ended up committing suicide because I wouldn’t stay with him. Shortly after this loss, I lost my closest cousin in a car accident, followed on the heels by the death of my Great-Grandmother and then two classmates. My 16th year wasn’t too great to say the least.

As devastating as that year was, it never seems to affect me tremendously. My outlook and motto still remained and remains, “We all die.” Basically, it’s my way of saying get over it already. Life is too short to daddle with the small and insignificant items. Move onto the meat of it.

My mother has two sisters and one brother. Our family has always been very close. In fact, most people that have married into our family, even those that have been it for 30 years or more, say that they feel like outsiders. My mother’s brother, my Uncle, was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago. He fought like the dickens and overcame it. As my mom and I live in Arizona and my uncle and grandparents live in Oklahoma, there was a lot of traveling back and forth those years.

Just as I was thinking that my uncle was in the clear, I got a phone call from my aunt telling me my uncle was in the hospital with brain cancer: 6 tumors to be exact. Surely I misunderstood her. Surely it was the lung cancer that came back. No. Brain cancer. No possible treatment.

My uncle was diagnosed in July, he passed away 5 1/2 months later on January 4 (three days after my birthday). I can’t describe what it was like to watch my grandparents watch their only son die. It was clear they were fighting the worse battle of their lives and could nothing but stand by and watch. It cost them not just 5 1/2 months of time. It cost them not just more gray hair. It cost them not just weight loss. It cost them everything for the loss of a child is without a doubt the most painful experience known to man. It doesn’t take a special occasion such as his birthday, my grandparents’ birthdays, Christmas, etc. to make us think about him. It can be something as insignificant as a car that drives by or something someone says. To lose a loved one costs a lot, but to watch someone you love lose a loved one costs even more.

Brain Disease

2009-04-28T03:19:00.000-07:00

Antibodies for tissue transglutaminase found in the intestines of blood test negative celiac disease patients are also found in the intestine and brain in people with brain disease due to gluten. Gluten ataxia is a brain disorder characterized by balance disturbances not explained by any other cause but due to the ingestion of gluten. The disorder responds to a gluten free diet if irreversible brain damage has not already occurred. Calcifications can be seen in the brain on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Deposits of gluten related antibodies have been found in brain tissue obtained on biopsy and autopsy specimens. Mario Hadjivassiliou, M.D. from Sheffield England recommends gluten ataxia be added to a list of gluten related diseases that includes peripheral neuropathy and the skin disorder dermatitis herpetiformis. He has called for a new paradigm to be accepted where celiac disease is not considered primarily as an intestinal disease.

Dr. Hadjivassiliou and colleagues recently published a report of nine patients with gluten ataxia compared with seven patients with ataxia due to other causes. They found tissue transglutaminase IgA deposition on jejunum intestinal tissue on all nine patients with gluten ataxia but none of the control patients. Brain tissue from an autopsy of one patient with gluten ataxia was also found to have IgA tTG deposits in the cerebellum, pons and medulla of the brain but not in a control brain.

Previous studies have found negative celiac blood tests in patients with gluten ataxia suggesting that they may not have celiac though they had a gluten related disease. In light of a new report that blood test negative celiac disease can have intestinal tTG and advanced intestinal damage it is curious to wonder if the gluten ataxia patients with blood tests negative are seronegative celiacs. It is increasingly appearing that there is a very broad spectrum of gluten related disease and there are non-celiac gluten related symptoms that include the brain, skin, musculoskeletal system as well as the gut.

Many patients I have seen with gluten sensitivity describe symptoms of balance difficulty, concentration problems or “brain fog”, headaches, and neuropathy and a few report symptoms such as “bug crawling” sensations and strange muscle twitches. These symptoms commonly improve with a gluten-free diet and return with intentional or accidental gluten exposure. For some, intestinal symptoms or skin rashes occur but not all. The concept of gluten as a cause of brain symptoms is still not one widely known or accepted by many doctors, especially in the United States. However in Europe, especially England, Germany and Scandinavian countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand the gluten brain-gut connection is more accepted.

Casein causing brain symptoms is also not commonly accepted by doctors in the U.S. though many lay public organizations and support groups have found a casein-free diet to be associated with improvement of brain function as well as helping autism.

What is needed is more openness of U.S. doctors to the role of diet and foods in such symptoms and diseases and much more scientific research. I ask you to join me on the journey of the food, bacteria, gut-brain-joint-skin connection to disease and health.

Beware of Chronic Wasting Disease

2009-04-28T03:18:00.001-07:00

Chronic Wasting Disease is a member of group of transmittable brain diseases that affect elk and deer. What causes this horrible disease? Even scientists in the field really do not know fully. Some say it is a little protein called a prion which causes the brain to manufacture toxic chemicals horribly toxic to your brain. The brain becomes riddled with holes looking almost like a sponge. Hence Chronic Wasting Disease is referred to as being in the spongiform group of wasting diseases.

You may have heard of other similar brain diseases such as “Scrapie” which affects sheep. Scrapie disease has been around for a long time - 200 years at least. Next is “Mad Cow Disease” which kills domestic cattle and has been known to be transmittable to humans. Lastly is a disease, which is the model for “Mad Cow Disease” called “Ceeutzfeldt-Jacob Disease”, referred to simply as “CJD”. The point is the exercise is that CJD serves as the model; “Mad Cow Disease” has been known to be somehow transmittable to human beings after eating infected or tainted meat. So far it appears that the Chronic Wasting Disease found in America and Canada does not infect or transfer to people who have eaten this infected meat. It is true that any effects take up to decades to appear. Still Chronic Wasting Disease does not appear to be able to spread by eating infected meat - obtained by hunting big game in North America.

To give you an idea of the time frame scientists first discovered this Chronic Wasting Disease in a captive mule deer near Fort Collins in Colorado in 1977. Shortly thereafter it appeared in mule deer at a sister research station nearby. Whether it existed previously in captivity in the wild is not known and will probably never be known. In the area known as the heart of the disease problem - in certain areas of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska- rates of infection are as high as 15 % of the mule deer population and 1 to 2 % of the sparse population of elk that reside there. That should give you some idea of the incidence and history of reports of Chronic Wasting Disease in big game animals.

CWD is definitely spreading. There are reports as far away geographically, across national borders, as to the north in Canada. However this seems to be the result of game farms, not the spread in wild animals.

In terms of reassurance to people who have eaten wild game, or plan to do so in the future no cases of Chronic Wasting Disease or even Mad Cow Disease have been produced or reported among people who have eaten deer meat or elk meats. People who did get Mad Cow Disease acquired it by eating infected beef from infected cattle. I seem that no people acquired this horrible disease by eating infected game products. In a similar vein sheep scrapie has been around a very long time and does not appear to produce any disease or diseases in human beings. People have been eating sheep and sheep products for eons and no case of human scrapie diseases have ever been reported.

Be reassured that this horrible disease is not transmittable through hunting and eating wild game.

Brain Vitamins Increase your Memory Retention

2009-04-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

One of the most complex organs in the body, the brain requires plenty of nutrition and nourishment for good health, proper functioning as well as long life. To provide ‘fuel’ to the brain one must take brain vitamins for not only boosting brain metabolism but also to protect against age-related memory loss.

As we grow old our memories begin to fade. We no longer remember the small details of our past and some people even lose connection with their past. This often leads to depression and social isolation for people with acute memory loss and diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Brain enhancing vitamins facilitate the brain to manufacture the right amount of proteins and fats to enable its smooth functioning. These can be taken as natural and easy-to-use nutritional supplements, thanks to the modern science which has enabled manufacturing of a large number of vital vitamins for the brains.

Some of the most important nutrients that help preserve the memory are antioxidants that are popular for their cell-protecting properties. A recommended dose of antioxidants combined with vitamins for the brains such as vitamins C and E are known to support having strong memories. Simple intake of these brain vitamins may help stave off Alzheimer’s disease, reduce the degeneration of brain cells and eventual loss of memory.

The brain enhancing vitamins C and E may also help prevent age-related dementia. People can naturally find these nutrients in fruits and vegetables including berries, prunes, raisins, and garlic. Fish oil supplements, fatty acids found in salmon, tuna or sardines are also a good source of essential brain enhancing vitamins.

Although brain vitamins can be found in various foods, it is not always possible to eat all kinds of fruits, vegetables or fish in any given day. It is therefore a logical to take some natural food supplements available easily in the stores. It is always advisable though to consult your doctor before you begin supplementation of any kind. Since there are a wide variety of products on shelves which claim to have brain enhancing vitamins and other essential nutrients, it would help to know what to look for when buying such products.

In addition to brain vitamins, there are some other important nutrients such as Tyrosine,
amino acids and Boron which play a role in enhancing the memory. Tyrosine is naturally found in protein rich foods such as beef and chicken; amino acids such as Tryptophan, are extracted from whole grains, and Boron are found in avocados, apples and nuts.

Another popular brain booster is Choline, which is found in eggs and milk. By consuming products containing brain vitamins, critical amino acids, and antioxidant and other important nutrients, you can give adequate support to your nervous system functioning and enhance brain health.

Brain Tumors in Dogs and Cats

2009-04-25T20:11:00.001-07:00

Though relatively uncommon, a brain tumor has always made a grim prognosis for unfortunate animal that is diagnosed with one. Traditionally they were often assumed but seldom confirmed, but since MRI and CT scanning has become more mainstream they can be diagnosed correctly. Here we discuss the different types of brain tumor that affect dogs and cats, the clinical investigations that can be performed, the treatments available and the likely outcomes.

Brain tumors seem to be more common in dogs than cats, and certain breeds are over represented such as Boxers, Golden Retrievers, Dobermans, Scottish Terriers and Old English Sheepdogs.

Primary vs Secondary

Brain tumors can be primary or secondary (metastasis from other sites). Primary brain tumors are usually solitary, the most common ones in the dog being gliomas and meningiomas. In cats, the most common type are meningiomas and these can occur at multiple locations.

Secondary tumors in dogs include extension of a nasal tumor, metastases from breast, lung or prostate cancer, hemangiosarcoma or extension of a pituitary gland tumor. Nerve sheath tumors and skull tumors have also been reported. Secondary tumors in cats include pituitary gland tumors, metastatic carcinomas, local extension of nasal tumors, skull tumors and middle ear cavity tumors.

What causes a brain tumor?

The cause of brain tumors is not known. Diet, environment, chemical, genetic, viral, immunologic and trauma have all been considered. In cats with meningiomas, because they often occur in very young animals, a genetic element is suspected.

Benign vs Malignant

The terms benign and malignant must be used with care when referring to brain tumors. Normally these terms apply to various characteristics on a cellular level, but on a biological level, even benign brain tumors can kill the animal due to the secondary effects like increased intracranial pressure or cerebral edema. In short, any brain tumor can kill.

What are the symptoms?

There can be huge variety here. Many animals will present with vague signs, such as one or several of the following:

1. Loss of trained habits

2. Decreased levels of activity

3. Decreased frequency of purring in cats

4. Disorientation

5. Confusion More specific symptoms are dependent upon where exactly the tumor is located within the brain, the size of the tumor and how quickly it is growing. As a tumor enlarges, symptoms tend to become more severe. These can include:

6. Seizures (often indicate a tumor in the cerebral cortex)

7. Facial paralysis (may indicate a brainstem tumor)

8. Tremors (may indicate a tumor in the cerebellum)

9. Wobbliness (may indicate a tumor in the cerebellum)

10. Full or partial blindness (may indicate tumor in hypothalamus or optic nerve)

11. Loss of smell (may indicate tumor of olfactory system)

The physical presence of the tumor can cause knock on effects due to inflammation and edema of the surrounding area. This can cause symptoms such as:

12. Changes in behaviour or temperament (irritability, lethargy)

13. Compulsive walking

14. Circling

15. Pressing head against a wall or hard surface

Animals can sometimes carry brain tumors for several years before presenting to a veterinary clinic, if the tumor is slow growing. In these cases the symptoms develop gradually, and the owner tends to get used to them so that by the time the animal is examined, the tumor has reached a considerable size.

How is a brain tumor diagnosed?

History and Clinical Examination

The first step for a veterinarian is to take a thorough history of all of the clinical signs, and when they developed. This is followed by a full general clinical examination and a full neurological examination.

Bloods

After that, blood should be taken for routine haematology and biochemistry profiles. This is to look for any disease outside the brain. Results will be normal for brain tumors, with the possible exception of some pituitary gland tumors.

Radiography

Plain skull radiographs (xrays) under general anesthetic have little value in detecting a brain tumor, but they can be useful if there is a tumor in the nasal cavities or the middle ear which could extend into the skull. On rare occasions, they can identify bony changes in the skull which can accompany a brain tumor, or mineralization within the tumor itself. Radiographs and ultrasound of the chest and abdomen are useful to look for a tumor elsewhere in the body, in cases where the brain tumor is a secondary metastasis.

MRI and CT Scans

Confirmation of a brain tumor can is usually only achieved using the advanced imaging techniques, CT scans or MRI. Both of these have pros and cons when compared to one another. CT is better for bony changes, while MRI is better for soft tissue definition, for the detection of many of the knock on effects of brain tumors such as edema, cysts and bleeding. MRI is the preferred option for diagnosing primary brain tumors.

Biopsy

This is the only way to definitively diagnose a brain tumor. The advanced imaging techniques above offer much information, but they can occasionally confuse a tumor with a non cancerous mass or a cyst, and they also do not tell us the exact type of tumor present, and therefore the appropriate treatment and prognosis. The best type of biopsy is the CT guided stereotactic brain biopsy system, which is rapid, accurate and quite safe. Since exploratory surgery is high risk, it is not usually attempted unless there is a reasonable chance of removing the whole tumor with minimal collateral damage. Many brain tumors in cats and dogs are not categorized on a cellular level until post mortem.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis

CSF analysis is useful for ruling out inflammatory causes of the symptoms, but tumor cells are rarely identified here. Increased levels of white blood cells and increased protein levels may be present in the CSF with many brain tumors, though this is not diagnostic. This test can be high risk when intracranial pressure is increased, as brain herniation can occur.

Treatment

Treatment is aimed at being either curative or palliative. Curative treatment eradicates the tumor or reduces its size, whilst palliative therapy reduces the surrounding cerebral edema and slows down the growth of the tumor. Palliative therapy also involves administering antiepileptic drugs, if seizures are occurring as a result of the tumor.

Surgery

Whether this is an option depends on the general health of the animal, and the precise location, size, extent, invasiveness and nature of the tumor. Tumors such as meningiomas in cats can be removed successfully by surgery. However, surgery to remove tumors in certain locations such as the brainstem can be extremely dangerous, possibly resulting in death. Even partial removal can benefit the animal though, particularly if the tumor is slow growing.

Radiotherapy

This is probably the most widely used form of treatment for brain tumors. Radiation therapy can be used alone or in combination with other treatments. It is also useful in the treatment of secondary brain tumors. The aim is to destroy the tumor without harming the normal tissue too much.

Chemotherapy

The main problem with chemotherapy for brain tumors is that many drugs do not cross the blood brain barrier. In addition, the tumor may only be sensitive to high doses, doses which are toxic to normal brain tissue and therefore unsuitable for use. However, several drugs have been used for this purpose that can cross the blood brain barrier with reported success, including cytosine arabinoside, lomustine and carmustine.

Probable Outcome

Studies of animals that receive palliative treatment (corticosteroids) for brain tumors show a survival range post diagnosis of 64 to 307 days. This demonstrates the inability to accurately predict life expectancy in these cases. What is certain is that the survival times significantly increase with surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy seems to offer the best results, alone or in combination with other treatments. Generally, the more severe the symptoms, the shorter the life expectancy.

Meningioma Facts and Symptoms

2009-04-24T21:03:00.001-07:00

Meningiomas are brain tumors that develop in the small membranes or meninges that essentially cover and protect the brain as well as the spinal cord. Meningioma brain tumors normally grow at a slow pace and won’t affect the tissue surrounding the brain tumor.

In most cases the meningioma brain tumor is benign (non-cancerous) and will not spread to other parts of the body or nervous system. However, there are very rare cases of malignant meningiomas that are more aggressive.

When a neurologist has actually diagnosed an individual as having this type of brain tumor the person should find out as many facts as possible. Depending on the symptoms, size and location, the neurologist will determine the type of treatment that best suits the individual circumstance. Although Meningioma brain tumors can affect people of all ages, studies have shown that they are most common in women and are most likely to be found in people that are between the ages of forty and sixty years of age. Some of the possible meningioma symptoms are:-

Vision Blurring
Memory blocks
Seizures
Vomiting
Persistent or severe headaches that occur frequently
Extreme feeling of pressure felt on the inside of the skull
Blind spots at the back of the eye

Keep in mind these are only a few of the possible symptoms; a physician can do several test to evaluate the situation and see if a meningioma is in fact the cause of these problems. Tests such as mental function and vision testing may be carried out but the most conclusive test in the determination of a diagnosis of a brain tumor is an MRI scan of the brain. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) The MRI scan uses magnetic and radio waves, meaning that there is no exposure to X-Rays or any other damaging forms of radiation. During the MRI test a contrast dye may be administered through your system to make the images clearer.For medium to large meningioma brain tumors your neurologist and physician will most likely recommend surgery to remove the brain tumor if it is in an accessible location. This is the most successful and primarily effective way to remove the meningioma. In some patients, if full removal is not possible, recurring meningiomas might require more treatment that would include radiation therapy.

The rate of successfully treating and removing this type of brain tumor is very high. For more information as well as details and more symptom information, there are several web sites via the Internet that are associated with meningiomas. Some of the web sites refer to the treatments and diagnosis of the brain tumor and may be a little daunting if you come across one that is written specifically for the medical profession. There are support groups and survivor stories that will be very useful to the non-medical profession and these offer encouragement, resources and further fact sheets for the recently diagnosed.

Having a meningioma brain tumor is certainly life threatening if not treated. Listen to what your body is telling you. If you are experiencing any strange or unusual symptoms that you are uncomfortable about, a visit to your physician is always the best remedy.

Read one woman’s uplifting story of survival after being diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. Meningioma facts and symptoms from diagnosis, through surgery and on to recovery.

Popularity: 24%

Alternative Treatment of Brain Tumor

2009-04-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Prasanta Banerji and Dr. Pratip Banerji of the Prasanta Banerji Homeopathic Research Foundation, Kolkata , India (PBHRF), have pioneered in evolving an unique system of treatment in Homeopathy, where specific medicines are administered for specific diseases. This is something different from Classical Homeopathy. Diseases are diagnosed using latest technologies, and medicines are prescribed accordingly.

Aptly named the Banerji Protocol of Treatment, this treatment procedure is the outcome of four decades of research activities. The doctors have a prestigious lineage in dispensing Homeopathy treatment for four generations. The social cause to help the needy always played an important role, which lead to the establishment of a charitable clinic in Kolkata, where around four hundred patients are treated daily.

The path breaking research initiatives of the doctors have lead towards safe and proven treatment of different varieties of malignant tumors, especially brain tumors, using a combination of Ruta graveolens and Calcaria Phosphorica 3X. Case studies and a Best Case Series have proven time and again, that the combination helps in killing cancer cells, while activating the growth of normal cells. Their research and the concurring results have established Homeopathy as a complete alternative solution for the treatment of malignant tumors and cancers.

The doctors have signed an agreement with the US-based National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicines (OCCAM), both being part of The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland. This agreement is the first ever tie up of its kind regarding the implementation of a Practice Outcomes Monitoring and Evaluations Systems Study (POMES) for lung cancer at the PBHRF’s clinic in Kolkata.

A different milestone was achieved when in June 2007, the duo presented a paper on Possible Use of Ultra-Diluted Medicines For Health Problems During Lunar Missions at the Rutgers Symposium on Lunar Settlements.

Dr. Prasanta Banerji and Dr. Pratip Banerji have given presentations at various international conferences in the US, Canada, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, and Argentina, among others. Papers have been published in various international medical journals, including the International Journal of Oncology.

Their research and its results have sparked the development of self-help groups of tumor and cancer patients in USA and Spain , who continue taking medication at the doctors’ instructions. The patients keep in touch with the doctors through e-mails, and have even formed user groups among themselves to monitor the recovery patterns. They are delivered medicines from the doctors’ office against nominal charges.

Popularity: 23%

Cell Phones Really Give You Brain Tumors

2009-04-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Can cell phones really give you brain tumors? While I may not be an expert on the subject, this question has undoubtedly plagued people’s minds since cell phones were invented.

Both sides of the argument make valid points, and it may be true that if you are susceptible to cancer (tumors) or have it in your gene pool you run a greater risk. Such a brain tumor is extremely rare, however. I believe in order to really examine how you might get a tumor from a mobile, we should first delve into a little electrical engineering knowledge, coupled with some biochemistry.

It has been known for some time that every electrical device produces EMI. EMI is electrical magnetic interference. It is also believed that the body has it’s own bio-electric field, and EMI pierces this field, contorting and twisting cells in the body. I may not be a doctor - but if this is true, would we all not have cancer? And, if someone did receive a brain tumor from using a mobile, would they not have sued mobile companies? I mean, honestly. In the United States of America, you can sue anyone for just about anything. And you usually win, too. People who got cancer from smoking cigarettes filed against tobacco companies and won, and websites like http://ash.org/sue-tobacco-companies.html encourage people to sue tobacco companies.

Because we are subjected to EMI everyday, and most of us are fine, this theory begs for research done on the subject. You may notice that if you place your cell phone next to your computer monitor and let it ring, your monitor will flicker (may not be the same for all phones). This is the electromagnetic radiation I speak of. While the spectrum may be broad enough to disrupt your monitor, it is highly unlikely it can pierce your skull and your brain. It is yet to be clinically, better yet scientifically proven that an electromagnetic radiation spectrum can disrupt higher or lower brain functions.

Did you know your regular phone displaces EMI as well? Perhaps not as much, but it does.

Maybe the whole idea of getting a brain tumor from a mobile is just a scare so people will give the mobile companies (or third party companies) money for a headset/headphones. It worked, didn’t it?

My opinion may be somewhat biased, but if you have heard of someone getting a brain tumor from a cell phone please let me know. This would change my views on the subject. (May God Forbid this happens to someone you know or love).

Popularity: 70%

Tumor Brain Swelling

2009-04-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

Originally, the word Tumor, means “swelling”. Often times it is still used with this mean, but more so a Tumor meaning swelling is among the five major classic characteristics of imflammation. In modern science the term Tumor is primarily saved to denote the abnormal growth of tissue.

There are two major types of tumors: Malignant and Benign

Malignant Tumors are called also known as cancer. Cancer in this form has the readily available potential to invade and destory bordering tissues. Benign Tumors on the other hand do not invade the bordering tissues, or create metastases, rather they may localy grow to a great size. Under normal circumstances Benign Tumors will not return once they have been removed surgically.

The older a person gets the more mutations they have accumulated amongst their DNA, which makes them more prone to tumors. With that in mind, age is a factor, and with increasing age, the likelyhood of developing a tumor increases. Also known is that the older an individual who is affected with a tumor is, the higher the odds that the tumor will be malignant.

Tumors are causes by mutations that can occur in DNA of our bodies cells. A single mutation is not sufficient for a tumor to develop but rather an accumulation of multiple. The most common type of tumor that we hear about on a day to day basis is a “Brain Tumor”

Popularity: 73%

Four Emerging Breakthroughs In Solving Brain Tumors

2009-04-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Despite significant advances in cancer research and treatment, one form of cancer - brain tumors - remain particularly feared, and for good reason. Because of their location, brain tumors can severely impact an individual’s personality, memories and basic motor skills, robbing the patient of their very being. The impact on family and friends is felt greatly, as their loved one may be “lost” to them even earlier than feared. While there are more than 120 types of brain tumors, for the most common and serious adult tumors, Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the chances of living 5 years is less than 3%. Most patients will live no more than a year or two despite aggressive therapy.

However, few maladies manage to both simultaneously confound researchers in their mystery, yet hold such promise for the cure and management as prominently as brain tumors. There is strong belief that some significant breakthroughs in brain tumor treatment may only be 4-6 years away. Complementing traditional chemotherapeutic and surgical approaches, four emerging breakthroughs are discussed here which are rapidly transforming the treatment of brain tumors and related conditions.

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy approaches involve the insertion of genes into growing brain tumors, rendering them more sensitive to some chemotherapeutic agents that are relatively non-toxic to the rest of the body. Some promising experiments have demonstrated that with insertion of genes into animal brain tumor cells and administration of chemotherapy, complete destruction of the tumor may be possible without spread of the tumor. Other approaches in gene therapy include substitution of abnormal genes for normal genes, the repair of abnormal genes via selective reverse mutation, and gene regulation (i.e., altering the instructions within a gene to “turn on or off”).

Vaccines

One area showing substantial promise in brain tumor treatment is based on an immunotherapeutic approach; that is, using a patient’s immune system as an instrument for cancer therapy. This approach is premised on a body’s immune response toward cells bearing tumor markers or antigens. One major focus area has been “active immunotherapy”, described as the administration of the tumor antigenic material to help “vaccinate” a patient against their own tumor. Other vaccine approaches, including Dendritic cell-based vaccines, Cytokine immunogene therapy, Bacterial and viral tumor vaccines, and GBM-specific molecular pathway vaccines are also being considered. The vaccine approach holds challenges that need to be evaluated against other treatment options that may require crucial patient choices, but they are continuing to emerge as an area of significant promise.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Radiotherapy

There is growing usage of stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy among neurosurgeons. The tools, used for the non-invasive treatment of tumors and other brain, head, spine and neck conditions, use sophisticated mechanical systems and image-guided technology to treat tumors, using high, targeted doses of radiation (in a single session) to attack the tumor and minimizing contact with healthy tissue. The image guidance systems direct the radiation to the tumor; some systems shape the radiation beam to map to the exact shape of the tumor, and software can help direct the ideal access points to the tumor.

Dual Agent Drug Therapies

Some of the field’s leading researchers have concluded that traditional treatment for many brain tumors has started with a faulty premise; namely, that interventions for brain tumors were simply a palliative effort designed to decrease patient discomfort and increase stabilization. The conclusion is that while these therapies have shown some success on their own, when multiple therapeutic agents are combined, (an approach more commonly used with cancers not as fatal) an increasing number of brain tumor patients are seeing increases in survival. Also, newer drugs are showing the ability to block the growth of tumors by attempting to interfere with their proteins that control tumor growth. And other, specialized treatment regimens are being formulated for patients whose tumors are shown to grow at an accelerated rate compared with typical tumors.

These are but four of the emerging approaches where we may continue to see major breakthroughs in treatment or management of brain tumors. The hope in all these courses is that ultimately, brain tumors may in some cases be curable or at least achieve status as a manageable disease, as with many other serious and chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Brain Tumor Right in Front of Eyes

2009-04-22T21:08:00.001-07:00

A woman, working as a health aide, was accompanying her ‘patient’ to the doctor’s office. She was in a van that was transporting her and her patient for a routine office visit. On the way, the van was involved in a car accident. The woman hit her head during the accident and both she, and the patient were taken to the emergency room by ambulance. Ironically, the accident happened in front of the hospital they were taken to.

Because of her head injury, the woman had an MRI of her head. She also had x-rays and blood work done while she was in the emergency room. The x-rays were normal, as was the blood work. She was also told that her MRI was normal as well. “Go home, take some tylenol, and you’ll be fine,” said the emergency room doctor.

About five months later, this woman started having difficulty seeing out of one of her eyes. She thought she needed eyeglasses. She went to her local eyeglass store where an optometrist examined her and gave her a prescription for eyeglasses. He noticed something in the eye that was troubling her and suggested she see an eye doctor for further evaluation. Shortly afterward, she made an appointment with a local eye doctor who also noticed something abnormal. By this time, her vision was getting worse by the day. It got so bad that this woman could barely see anything out of her eye. Her eye doctor ordered an MRI.

The MRI showed that there was a brain tumor compressing the nerve that controls sight in the eye- the optic nerve. “Do you know that you have brain tumor?” the doctor asked this patient. No. In fact, only five months ago, I had an MRI of my head done at the local emergency room, and they said everything looked good. “Get me a copy of the MRI, will you?” asked the eye doctor.

The patient made arrangements to send her MRI and MRI report from the hospital to her eye doctor. Contained within the report was this statement “Patient has a mass that appears to be close to the optic nerve. Follow-up recommended.”

“You were never given a copy of this report?” asked the eye doctor with disbelief.
“No, they told me my MRI was normal,” said the patient.
“Did anyone ever call you from the hospital and tell you to return for follow-up treatment regarding this mass in your brain?” asked the eye doctor.
“Nobody from the hospital ever called me,” responded the patient.

What this patient learned after coming to us to investigate her potential medical malpractice matter was that the emergency room doctors treated her correctly. The doctors ordered the appropriate tests for her as well. The problem started after the MRI was read and nobody ever informed the patient that she had this abnormal mass in her brain.

If this observation had been communicated to the patient, she would have had elective surgery to remove the tumor (it was a benign tumor that was creating a mass-effect, causing compression on all the structures surrounding the tumor). The tumor would have been removed before it started to change her vision in one eye. Over the five months since the car accident, the tumor had grown so large as to cut off the blood supply in the optic nerve, causing her to go blind on that one eye.

Even though this woman had surgery to remove the tumor, there was nothing anyone could do to restore the vision in her eye. She was permanently blind in that eye. Why? Because the radiologist who read the MRI never communicated this finding to the emergency room doctor. Another factor causing miscommunication was that the emergency room doctor never received a copy of the MRI report. What happened was that the radiologist dictated his report- which was an accurate report. We had no issue with what he found in the MRI.

The big problem was that nobody in the hospital communicated the abnormality in the patient’s brain TO THE PATIENT! The radiology report was simply filed in the patient’s chart, which was no longer in the emergency room, since the emergency room doctor discharged the patient shortly after the MRI was done. Nobody ever ‘red-flagged’ the report to see if the patient was recalled to the hospital, or to see if she received treatment for the abnormal mass in her head.

Here, the tumor was right in front of the doctors’ eyes. Yet nobody ever told the patient she had this tumor. As a result, the tumor continued to grow causing the optic nerve to die. This patient lost vision in her eye solely as a result of the mistakes made by the doctors in the hospital. This was a preventable occurrence. Unfortunately for this patient, she will never regain her sight.

This is one example of how we helped an injured victim in her quest for justice. A thorough investigation and prosecution of the case resulted in a favorable settlement right before a jury was selected for trial.

Gerry Oginski is an experienced medical malpractice and personal injury trial attorney practicing law in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, New York, Staten Island, Nassau & Suffolk. He has tirelessly represented injured victims in all types of medical malpractice and injury cases for over 19 years. As a solo practitioner he is able to devote 100% of his time to each individual client. A client is never a file number in his office.

Mobile Phones: "Russian Roulette with your Brain"

2009-04-21T21:29:00.001-07:00

Cancer Researcher Warns on Cell Phone Use

In science news, the head of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute has issued what has been described as an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff to limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer. Dr. Ronald Herberman said children should only use cell phones for emergencies and that adults should keep the phone away from their heads by using a wireless headset or the speaker phone. According to the Associated Press, no other major academic cancer research institutions have sounded such an alarm about cell phone use. Devra Lee Davis, the director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Environmental Oncology, said, “The question is do you want to play Russian roulette with your brain. I don’t know that cell phones are dangerous. But I don’t know that they are safe.”

Acupuncture reduces pain after head and neck cancer surgery

2009-04-21T08:04:00.001-07:00

Acupuncture helps alleviate lingering pain and decreased shoulder mobility in people who have had surgery, according to scientists.

The U.S researchers studied patients who had surgery for head and neck cancer.

They also found the ancient Chinese therapy also significantly improved extreme dry mouth or xerostomia, which often occurs in people who have had radiation treatment for head and neck cancer.

The study highlights the potential benefits acupuncture has for people who had head and neck cancer surgery

Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York studied 70 patients who were at least three months past their surgery and radiation treatments.

About half got standard treatments, which include physical therapy and treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs. The other half got standard treatment plus a weekly acupuncture session.

After four weeks, 39 per cent of those who got acupuncture reported improvements in pain and mobility, compared with only seven per cent in people who got typical care.

'Although further study is needed, these data support the potential role of acupuncture in addressing post neck-dissection pain and dysfunction, as well as xerostomia,' Dr David Pfister said at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

Acupuncture, which has been used for more than 2,000 years, involves stimulating certain points on the body with needles, heat, pressure or electricity.

It is often used to treat cancer pain or help with chronic fatigue and depression.

Head and Neck Cancers Fact Sheet

2009-04-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

Head and Neck Cancer is a group of cancers that includes tumors in several areas above the collar bone. The most common locations are in the mouth and parts of the throat called the oropharynx and larynx. Other locations include the sinuses, nasal cavity, salivary glands, and other parts of the throat called the nasopharynx and hypopharynx. This document will discuss Head and Neck Cancer within its three major subdivisions: Oral Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer, and Nasopharyngeal Cancer.

Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer originates in the oral cavity (mouth) and the oropharynx (the part of the throat at the back of the mouth). The oral cavity includes the lips, the buccal mucosa (the lining inside the lips and cheeks), the teeth, the floor of the mouth under the tongue, the front two-thirds of the tongue (the portion that moves), the hard palate (the bony top of the mouth), the gums, and the small area behind the wisdom teeth. The oropharynx starts where the oral cavity stops, which includes the back one-third of the tongue, the soft palate, the tonsils, and the part of the throat behind the mouth.

Both benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumors can develop in the oral cavity and the oropharynx. About 90% of cancers in the oral cavity and the oropharynx develop from squamous cells. These thin, flat cells form the epithelium (lining layer) of the larynx and hypopharynx. Cancers beginning in this layer of cells are called squamous cell carcinoma or squamous cell cancer.

Laryngeal Cancer

Laryngeal Cancer originates in the larynx, which is the medical term for the voice box. The larynx includes the vocal cords, the area above the vocal cords (the supraglottis) and the area just below the vocal cords (subglottis). The larynx is at the top of the windpipe (trachea). Its walls are made of cartilage. The cartilage that is known as the "Adam's apple" and the cartilage just below it are the outer parts of the larynx. The vocal cords, of course, come together to produce a voice. They also open somewhat when a person breathes in to allow more air to get into the lungs. The voice box also serves the purpose of preventing food and liquids from getting into the lungs. The tissue above the vocal cords within the larynx (the supraglottis) close off during swallowing to protect the airway and lungs from getting food and water within them.

Like Oral Cancer, nearly all cases of Laryngeal Cancer develop from squamous cells, which are the lining layer of the tissue.

Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Nasopharyngeal Cancer originates in the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx lies behind the nose, below the skull base and just above the soft palate.

Most nasopharyngeal tumors are malignant, or cancerous. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common malignant tumor of the nasopharynx. NPC tumors are classified into three categories, but all are treated the same way. Some NPC contain lots of lymphocytes. This type of NPC is called lymphoepithelioma.

Lymphomas can also sometimes arise from immune system cells normally found in the nasopharynx. The treatment of nasopharyngeal lymphomas is different from that of NPC. The remainder of this document will refer exclusively to NPC.

Who gets it?

About 150 Rhode Island residents a year are diagnosed with a Head and Neck Cancer. Almost three times as many RI men are affected as RI women.

Oral Cancer

This year in the U.S., about 30,200 people are expected to be newly diagnosed with Oral Cancer (20,000 in men and 10,000 in women). About 7,800 persons (5,100 men and 2,700 women) will die of this disease in 2000.

Laryngeal Cancer

This year in the U.S., about 10,100 people are expected to be newly diagnosed with Laryngeal Cancer (8,100 in men and 2,000 in women). About 3,900 persons (3,100 men and 800 women) will die of this disease in 2000. Race seems to be a factor in determining the likelihood of developing Laryngeal Cancer. Laryngeal Cancer is about 50 percent more common among African Americans than among whites.

Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is relatively rare in most parts of the world. However, the incidence is much higher in areas of Asia and North Africa. In Southeast China, it accounts for about 18% of all cancers.

Risk Factors

There are certain risk factors that have been associated with a higher probability of developing Head and Neck Cancers. Some of these include:

*TOBACCO USE* - Tobacco users have a 6 times greater chance of developing Oral Cancer, a 5-35 times greater chance of developing Laryngeal Cancer, and a comparably increased chance of developing Nasopharyngeal Cancer. Dipping snuffers and tobacco chewers are at particular risk of developing oral cancer.
Alcohol Use - Alcohol consumption strongly increases the risk of Oral Cancer and Laryngeal Cancer. However, for people who use both alcohol and tobacco, the risk of developing these cancers is even higher.
Ultraviolet light - Prolonged exposure to sunlight put you at higher risk for cancers of the lip.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection - Some studies demonstrated that infection of some subtypes of HPV is strongly associated with increasing risk of Oral Cancer, especially Oropharyngeal Cancer.
Dyes - Some preserved foods, such as salt-cured fish and meat may be associated with high incidence rate of NPC in Asia.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection - EBV infection is quite common in most parts of the world. In general, EBV infection alone does not cause NPC. The exact link between EBV infection and development of NPC remains unclear.
Asbestos - Working with Asbestos can increase the risk of Laryngeal Cancer and other cancers.
Saw Dust - Working around sawdust without a mask can, over time, increase your risk of Laryngeal Cancer and Sinus Cancer.

How is it detected?

There are several different tests that can be performed by a doctor to determine the actual cause of the symptoms and whether or not it is cancer. Each patient's individual case determines which tests are appropriate for him or her. The following descriptions are meant to provide patients with information to aid them in discussing their options with their physician.

Diagnostic Tests:

Complete medical history and physical examination.
Indirect Laryngoscopy: The doctor inserts a small, long-handled mirror in the back of patient's throat to check for abnormal areas and to see if the vocal cords move as they should.
Direct Laryngoscopy: A lighted fiber optic tube is placed through the patient's nose or mouth that allows doctor to look at the larynx and other adjacent structures directly. This exam is done in the doctor's office.
Biopsy: Tissue samples are removed and examined to determine if there is a cancerous state of the cells.
CT, MRI and other imaging studies: Used to determine the size of the tumor and if the cancer had spread to other organs.
Panendoscopy: (including laryngoscopy, esophagoscopy, and possible bronchoscopy): When patients newly diagnosed with oral and oropharynx cancers are carefully examined, about 15% will have another cancer in nearby areas such as the larynx (voice box), esophagus (the part of the digestive system between the throat and stomach), or lung. Panendoscopy is done in the operating room with the patient under general anesthesia (asleep). Careful exam of the entire upper airway and digestive tract is critical.
Nasopharyngoscopy: Indirect nasopharyngoscopy uses small mirrors to look at the nasopharynx, base of tongue and larynx. If a suspicious growth is found, the doctor will probably want to do a biopsy.
Pharyngoscopy: Indirect pharyngoscopy uses small mirrors to look at the pharynx. Direct pharyngoscopy is done with fiber optic scopes.

Symptoms:

Although there are some differences, the symptoms of Head and Neck Cancers often are very similar. Some common symptoms associated with Head and Neck Cancers include:

A lump or mass in the neck or cheek is the most common presentation.
Hoarseness or other changes in the voice is the most common symptom for Laryngeal Cancer.
Sore in the mouth that does not heal is the most common symptom of Oral Cancer.
White or red patch on the gums, tongue, tonsil, or lining of the mouth
Sore throat or a feeling that something is caught in the throat
Difficulty chewing or swallowing
Difficulty moving the jaw or tongue
Numbness of the tongue or other area of the mouth
Swelling of the jaw that causes dentures to fit poorly or become uncomfortable.
Loosening of the teeth or pain around the teeth or jaw
Voice changes
Unintended weight loss
Persistent cough
Difficulty breathing
Persistent ear pain
Hearing loss
Nasal blockage or stuffiness
Persistent pain in the head or neck
Nose bleeds

The above symptoms can be caused by a number of different things and do NOT necessarily mean you have a cancer of the head and neck. However, report any symptoms to your doctor immediately so that the cause can be determined. EARLY DETECTION IS THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. An early diagnosis could mean the difference between a minor procedure and a major operation!

Head and Neck Cancers: Treatment Options

2009-04-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

How is it treated?

As with any other cancer, treatment of Head and Neck Cancers is best undertaken at the earliest stage. This maximizes chances of successful treatment. Smaller areas may be treated by radiation or surgery while larger areas will often necessitate combined therapy. Radiation therapy and/or Surgery are the most common types of treatment for Head and Neck Cancers. Treatment options are different for each individual case, but there are several common procedures listed below. In some cases, the patient is referred to a team of specialists, including a surgeon, ENT specialist, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, speech pathologist, nurse, and dietitian. A dentist may also be an important member of the team, especially for patients who will receive radiation therapy. The information presented is intended to provide patients with treatment information that they can use in discussing treatment options with their physician.

Surgical Treatments

When a patient needs surgery, the type of operation depends mainly on the size and exact location of the tumor. Surgery or surgery combined with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy is commonly used for Head and Neck Cancers. A surgical treatment plan that combines radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy has a definite advantage. Radiation and chemotherapy reduce the amount of tissue that needs to be surgically removed. This allows for a greater amount of organ preservation. In other words, a larger portion of the affected structure (the larynx, tongue, jaw, etc.) can be saved and will remain functional. Speech, breathing, eating, and appearance are often less affected when radiation and chemotherapy are added to a surgical treatment.

Oral Cancer

Primary Tumor Resection: The entire tumor along with some normal surrounding tissue is removed to assure the adequate margins. Smaller tumors can be removed through the mouth without cutting the jawbone. Larger tumors may require splitting the jawbone with a saw (mandibulotomy) to get access to the tumor.
Mandible Resection or Maxillectomy: If the tumor invades the jawbones (mandible: lower jaw bone; maxilla: upper jawbone), a full or partial resection of jawbone may be required dependent upon the extension of the tumor.
Mohs' Micrographic Surgery: Skin cancer involving the lip can be removed by Mohs' chemosurgery. This method removes the tumor in thin slices, which will be examined under microscope immediately. The surgeon continues to remove more slices until no more cancer cells can be seen under the microscope.
Neck dissection: The surgeon removes the lymph nodes from the neck. It is performed to remove cancerous lymph nodes from the neck and possibly cancerous lymph nodes from the body.
Some cancers of the tongue, tonsils, or other parts of the mouth can be cured by radiation alone or with chemotherapy.

Laryngeal Cancer

Total Laryngectomy: The whole voice box is removed. With the removal of the voice box, the windpipe is then brought up to the skin of the neck as a stoma (or hole) through which the patient will breathe. This is called a tracheostomy. In total laryngectomy, the stoma is permanent.
Partial Laryngectomy: The surgeon removes only part of the voice box with preservation of the voice. Smaller cancers of the larynx can often be removed without taking out the entire voice box. If a stoma is performed during a partial laryngectomy, it is normally only temporary. After a brief recovery period, the tracheostomy tube is removed, and the stoma closes up.
Laser surgery: When the tumor on the vocal cord is very small, the surgeon may use a laser to remove cancer.
Neck dissection: The surgeon removes the lymph nodes from the neck. It is performed to remove cancerous lymph nodes from the neck and possibly cancerous lymph nodes from the body.
Some laryngeal cancers can be cured by radiation alone without loss of the voice box.

When the entire voice box is removed, patients must learn to speak in a new way. There are various ways of talking after a total laryngectomy. Some patients can swallow air into the esophagus and create a belching type of speech (esophageal speech). The patients may also use electrical devices to produce a mechanical voice (electrolarynx). One of the most significant advances in restoring speech has been the development of the tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP). The surgeon creates a small opening between the trachea and the esophagus. A plastic or silicone valve is inserted into this opening through the stoma. The valve keeps food out of the trachea. After this operation, patients can cover their stoma with a finger to force air out of their mouths, producing sustained speech.

It takes practice and patience to learn new ways of speech after total laryngectomy. Speech therapists help in this regard. There is a "New Voice" club for people with permanent tracheostomies who share experiences and give each other support.

Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Because the nasopharynx is close to vital nerves and blood vessels and not easy to reach, it is very difficult to remove the entire tumor with an adequate margin. Most patients require radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. Surgery can be used for patients with recurrent disease who have received a maximal dose of radiation. Neck dissection is sometimes performed in conjunction with radiation therapy for patients with a neck lump or mass.

Other treatments

There are several non-surgical treatment options that may be combined with surgery or used in place of surgery. These treatment options are applicable to all types of Head and Neck Cancers. For Head and Neck Cancer, alternate treatments are important to reduce the need for extensive surgical procedures resulting in loss of function or disfigurement.

Radiation Therapy - Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. External beam radiation therapy uses radiation from outside the body to focus on the cancer. Radiation can also come from radioactive materials placed directly into or near the tumor. This is called brachytherapy. Radiation therapy can be given either in daily fractions, five days per week or two treatments per day (altered fractionation). Radiation treatment can be used in conjunction with surgery and/or chemotherapy for selected group of patients. You should discuss these options with your doctor to explore different treatment approaches.
Chemotherapy - Drugs are administered by mouth or injection to kill the cancer cells. The drugs enter the blood stream and can, therefore, reach areas of the body where the cancer may have spread. Some recent studies have demonstrated the advantage of combining radiation therapy and chemotherapy for patients with advanced Head and Neck Cancers.
Clinical Trials - With the introduction of many new drugs that affect Head and Neck Cancers and combinations with radiotherapy, there are new experimental treatments being tested that have promising results. The effectiveness and side effects of clinical trials are not always known, but they can sometimes offer hope of survival especially for end-stage cancer patients. Consult your physician or the Rhode Island Cancer Council to find out what clinical trials are going on near you and if you are eligible.

What are the side effects of the treatments?

Possible side effects from Surgical Treatment

Surgery to remove a small tumor in the mouth usually does not cause any lasting problems. More extensive surgery, such as mandible resection and maxillectomy, is likely to change the patient's ability to swallow, chew, or talk. The patient may also look different. Reconstruction surgery may be needed to repair defects in the mouth, throat, or neck caused by removal of larger tumors.

Total Laryngectomy - The patient will permanently have a hole in the neck (stoma) from which to breathe for the rest of his/her life. Like any surgeries, wound infection and bleeding may occur.
Partial Laryngectomy - The stoma is temporary. As soon as the skin around the stoma heals, the tracheostomy tube is removed. The voice may change after partial laryngectomy.
Neck Dissection - There are a number of important structures in the neck (blood vessels, nerves, other structures) that are at risk of injury during a neck dissection. The top of the lungs actually enter the neck and the lining of the lung can be injured during a neck dissection resulting in a collapsed lung requiring a tube in the chest for a short time to reinflate the lung. All of these risks occur in just a small minority of cases but must be understood by the patient before agreeing to undergo a neck dissection.

Possible Side Effects from Non-Surgical Treatments

*Most side effects are temporary and can often be relieved with medication.

Radiation Therapy
- Skin problems, looks like sunburn
- Dry mouth (may persist and even be permanent)
- Sore throat
- Worsening of hoarseness, especially at beginning
- Difficulty swallowing
- Decreased taste
- Fatigue
- Difficulty breathing
Chemotherapy
- Nausea and vomiting - Loss of appetite
- Loss of hair
- Mouth sores
- Decreased blood count
- Increased susceptibility to infection

Every Mothers Nightmare: The death of their child

2009-04-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

May 18th-a day full of joy and pride because my middle son Ryan was graduating for Lawrence Tech Summa Cum Laude in engineering. We were so looking forward to all of us being together for something great and not (as it has been the last 2 years) for a funeral. My heart swelled with pride as Ryan walked down the aisle! I saw my daughter in law crying that morning and hugging Shane’s father and I really just thought she was totally exhausted making this day special for Ryan. I could not have been more wrong. Everyone knew the terrible news but Ryan and I. I guess my allotment of joy can only last a couple of hours God or whatever made my day of joy into every parents worst nightmare-my oldest son Shane Beebe was killed that morning around 3AM in a car accident. I cannot think of anyone viscous enough to do this to a human being.

I realize this is just a tragedy in my little sphere of the world-but I am selfish at this time. I cannot imagine how parents living in China, Thailand and Iraq feel when they lose their children en mass? For now however, I reserve the right to grieve for my son.

Where to start-I’m lost. I have tried to shut the truth out, tried to be ‘ brave” and stay busy but all I fell is pain-the kind of pain that will never leave-like an abscess tooth that throbs all the time and then you bite into something hot and the searing pain consumes you,overwhelms you and drops you to your knees.

It’s hard to type-the tears are blinding me; how to come to grips that my firstborn will never feel the thrill of being a father-won’t hug me anymore. He won’t argue politics with me anymore.I listen to his voicemail’s over and over trying to figure out was he happy? Did he ever feel the joy of tranquilly and peace?

Shane in white, his brother Ryan in blue and his cousin Joe in beige.

When Shane was baptized the priest keep telling me that my child was only “on loan” to me. I silently cursed ( blasphemed) the priest for those statements-in truth it was the beginning of the end of my church going ritual. I asked myself if indeed it was God who stooped in pain from the C-section scars-did he have milk overflowing from his breast? No I really believed that Shane “belonged to his father and I!

I’m not sure who’s child he really was because if I could have protected him for every pain I would have. If I could have kept the ravages of diabetes from effecting his daily life I would have; if I could have off the road on May 18th I would have. I guess some higher power wether it be God or fate made the point–Shane really did not belong to me-I would have been a better caretaker!

Your child is born and as they grow your expectations change . It really does not matter if they are financially successful or have a great career-you just want them to be happy. I guess happy means different things to different people. I am not talking about fun laughter the highs of life-I speak of the inner joy of being totally comfortable in your own skin.

I think Shane was happy when he did his photography. I think he was happy with Anna and their little family. I know Shane was proud of his work - it was spectacular!

Shane would have been shocked and thrilled to see so many people from different eras of his short life. He often felt like an outsider and if his spirit was there he would have been proud.

Thanks to all of my friends and family for all their love support and prayers. I will write about the memorial and more shortly’

Britney Spears Shaved Head For Cancer Victim Aunt

2009-04-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

So we all know about the controversial shaving of pop star Britney Spears head, but we are still left pondering why she done it – was it a publicity stunt? An attempt to tell the paparazzi to “back off”? She saw a picture of ‘G.I Jane’ Demi Moore and liked her look?

Well apparently none of those. Recent reports have a friend of the singer claiming that Spears shaved her head as a tribute to her aunt who had died from cancer, according to a friend of the star.

Spears stunned the world when she cut off all her hair in full view of paparazzi camera crews at a Los Angeles salon in February and left us all asking, “Huh?”

The stunt was followed by a stint in rehab - though a pal claims Spears was suffering post-partum depression and grief and shaved off her hair as an act of “solidarity”.

The friend tells PageSix.com, “Britney’s aunt had just died of cancer. She was feeling very guilty because she hadn’t been there with her, she was overwhelmingly depressed and she shaved her head in solidarity.”

Risk Factors, Pathology

2009-04-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

Risk Factors

Factors known to contribute to the risk of developing head and neck cancers include smoking (both tobacco and marijuana) or chewing tobacco and frequent alcohol use. Leukoplakia (white spots or patches in the mouth) also may be considered a risk factor for head and neck cancer, as this condition becomes cancerous in approximately one-third of patients.

Pathology

Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, tumors that develop in the tissue lining the hollow organs of the body. However, other tumor types also may be seen and include lymphoepithelioma, spindle cell carcinoma, verrucous cancer, undifferentiated carcinoma and cancers of the lymph nodes, called lymphoma (most often diffuse non-Hodgkins lymphoma).

Anatomy of the Head and Neck

2009-04-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

nasopharynx: area behind the nose
pharynx: hollow tube at the upper part of the throat that starts behind the nose, runs down to the neck, and becomes part of the esophagus, the tube that goes to the stomach
oral cavity: lips, floor of mouth, tongue, buccal mucosa (lining inside the lips and cheeks), gingiva (gums) and hard palate (bony top of the mouth), salivary glands (parotid, submandibular and minor salivary glands)
oropharynx: base of tongue, tonsillar region, soft palate and pharyngeal walls
hypopharynx: bottom part of the throat
larynx (voice box): supraglottic, glottic (vocal cords), and subglottic regions
nasal cavity: paranasal sinuses (ethmoid and maxillary)

Heavy Drinking Increases Risk of Esophageal and Head-and-Neck Cancer, Study Reveals

2009-04-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

According to Canadian researchers, stopping heavy drinking may significantly diminish the associated risk of esophageal and head-and-neck cancers.

"The risk reductions are quite large, especially for esophageal cancer," the authors wrote.

Jürgen Rehm, Ph.D., of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and colleagues, took 13 available studies and pooled their data. What the research found is that after 20 years calculated risk of getting esophageal and However, the researchers also found that immediately after drinking stopped (the first few years) the risk associated with both types of cancers increased substantially.

They explained this increase by saying that may be the participants experienced what they called the "sick quitter" effect, in which patients stop drinking because they are already suffering symptoms of cancer, although it had not yet been diagnosed.

Risks of both types of cancer begin to decrease after 5 years (for esophageal) and after 10 years for head and neck cancer.

More specifically, the study examined 13 case-control studies (five in esophageal cancer and eight in head and neck cancer), which totaled about 5,000 cases, The majority of the studies involved squamous-cell carcinoma type.

Participants who have never used alcohol had a risk ratio for esophageal cancer of 0.37 and for head and neck cancers of 0.46 when compared with current drinkers both risk reductions were significant.

Additionally the study found that for former drinkers (compared with current drinkers) the risk first rose and then fell:

* Esophageal cancer risk ratio in the first two years after stopping was 2.5

* Sometime between five and 10 years after stopping, the risk of esophageal cancer was significantly reduced

* After 15 years, the risk ratio for esophageal cancer was the same as that for a person who had never used alcohol

* The risk for head and neck cancers remained high for the first 10 years

* Sometime between 10 and 15 years later, the risk ratio was 0.67

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer

2009-04-15T20:42:00.000-07:00

Evaluation of Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer

A comprehensive evaluation of dysphagia should include several medical disciplines including the surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, speech pathologist, radiologist, and dietitian. While each has a role to play, it is usually the speech pathologist who conducts a clinical or instrumental assessment of swallowing function and makes recommendations for therapeutic intervention. A thorough examination begins with a clinical swallow assessment that includes a detailed history of subjective complaints and medical status, pertinent clinical observations, and a physical examination. Swallowing trials can be initiated with a range of food textures. An oromotor examination assesses the function of the oral structures for swallowing. Blue dye testing can be utilized with patients who are tracheostomized to accurately determine the relative risk of aspiration.^[1] Cervical auscultation uses a stethoscope on the larynx to detect the sounds of swallowing and respiration.^[2] The goals of a clinical assessment are screening for the presence of dysphagia, contributing information as to the possible etiology of the impairment, determining the relative risk of aspiration, ascertaining the need for non-oral nutrition, and recommending additional assessment procedures.

Several instrumental assessments of swallowing exist to provide objective information about swallowing function and safety. The most widely used procedure is a videofluoroscopic assessment of swallowing.^[3] It is performed in the radiology department by a radiologist and speech pathologist. Benefits include the ability to view the complex interaction of the phases of swallowing, describe the anatomy changes and dynamics of the swallow, identify the etiology of aspiration, and assess the benefit of treatment strategies during the study. The modified barium swallow is thought to be the "gold standard" for assessment of swallowing. However, the fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is a useful tool in the assessment of swallowing in the head and neck cancer patient.^[4-6] It consists of passing a thin, flexible endoscope into the pharynx and observing the act of swallowing. It provides excellent visualization of postsurgical or postradiation anatomical changes. It can also be used as biofeedback to retrain swallowing function. Scintigraphy,^[7] manofluorography,^[8] and ultrasound^[9] have all been used as methods of assessment. However they are generally used as an adjunct to modified barium swallow or FEES rather than an alternative.

Instrumental assessment of swallowing in the head and neck cancer population provides useful information about both the structure and function of the swallowing mechanism. Patients with oral cavity lesions generally demonstrate swallowing symptoms specific to bolus preparation, containment, and posterior movement to the pharynx. Oral phase deficits that can be identified using the modified barium swallow include insufficient lip seal, impaired mastication, poor bolus control, oral stasis, premature leakage of foods to the pharynx, and structural abnormalities. Tumors located in the oropharynx and/or pharynx may demonstrate a delayed or absent swallow response, reduced pharyngeal contraction, reduced epiglottic inversion, decreased laryngeal elevation, or diminished or uncoordinated cricopharyngeal sphincter relaxation (Fig 1). Laryngeal penetration or tracheal aspiration may occur as a result of the aforementioned deficits (Table and Fig 2).

Figure 1. (click image to zoom) Post swallow oral (thick arrow) and pharyngeal (thin arrow) stasis in a patient with base of tongue cancer.

Figure 2. (click image to zoom) Laryngeal penetration (thick arrow) or tracheal aspiration (thin arrow) may occur as a result of post swallow stasis in the valleculae.

Swallowing evaluation using FEES provides information regarding the structure and functions of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. It offers optimal visualization of the tumor, reconstructed anatomy, and associated treatments, as well as their effects on swallowing. FEES also allows assessment of palatal function in patients with palatal resections and assists the maxillofacial prosthodontist in developing palatal obturators. It also permits inspection of secretion management, a known indicator of swallowing safety.

Translational Head -Neck Cancer Research Group

2009-04-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Cisplatin otoprotection using transtympanic N-acetylcysteine

This pilot project evaluates the potential of utilizing N-acetylcysteine for hearing protection in patients undergoing cisplatin chemotherapy, and is the first human study of its kind.

Cisplatin is a highly effective drug useful against a broad spectrum of tumours. Although effective, cisplatin dose is limited by associated ototoxicity leading to hearing loss. The team is exploring the hypothesis that transtympanic treatment with the reactive oxygen species scavenger L-N-acetylcysteine can reduce

cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.

The overall goal is to preserve hearing in patients receiving therapeutic cisplatin treatment and reduce the number of patients requiring hearing amplification following chemotherapy. Such a protective result would have a major impact on the quality of life of thousands of cancer patients.

The Head and Neck Collaborative team of co-investigators on this project include Drs. John Yoo, Scott Hamilton, Lorne Parnes, Eric Winquist, Jason Franklin, Kevin Fung, and Denise Lewis.

PET/CT to image hypoxia in head and neck tumours

Drs. Jim Koropatnick, Ting Lee, John Yoo, Alan Driedger, Eric Winquist, Bret Wehrli, Keith Kwan, and Peter Ferguson are using PET and CT scanning to measure metabolism and blood flow, respectively, in head and neck cancer patients, then using the relationship between the two to gauge the degree of hypoxia in tumours and regions of tumours.

They are correlating the degree of hypoxia, obtained relatively non-invasively, with “gold standard” gene expression changes in hypoxia-inducible genes using tumour tissue obtained at surgery to determine the amount of hypoxia required toinduce a molecular response in tumour cells likely to mediate treatment resistance. The overall goal is to obtain information that will be valuable in planning treatments, and in non-invasively evaluating tumour response soon after treatment.

Microvascular changes in radiation-induced oral mucositis

Oral mucositis is a frequent complication of radiotherapy regimens for cancers of the head and neck, with clinically significant toxicity occurring in greater than two thirds of patients undergoing standard treatment.

Drs. Scott Hamilton, John Yoo, Amit Badhwar, Varagur Venkatesan, Alex Hammond, Nancy Read, Kevin Fung, Jason Franklin, Daryl Gray, Neil Parry, Richard Potter are investigating the effects of radiation on the microvascular circulation of the oral mucosa in real-time, using innovative imaging technology called Orthogonal Polarization Spectral (OPS) Imaging.

OPS imaging has been used in recent years to study the microcirculatory changes in sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver transplantation and burns. This is the first clinical investigation in the world using their technique for evaluating irradiated cancer patients.

OPS imaging has the potential to significantly contribute to the treatment of mucositis by earlier detection of tissue toxicity, and earlier intervention.

Semi-Automated Computed Tomographic Volumetric Analysis of Laryngeal Carcinoma

Drs. Kevin Fung, Hanif Ladak, Amanda Hu, Varagur Venkatesan, Alex Hammmond, Irene Gulka, Jason Franklin, and John Yoo are applying a novel, state-of-the-art computer algorithm, developed in H. Ladak’s laboratory, to semi-automatically perform CT volumetric analysis of laryngeal carcinomas.

The volume of the laryngeal carcinoma is important for several reasons. Firstly, computed tomographic (CT) volumetric analysis of laryngeal carcinoma has been shown to predict local control with definitive radiation therapy. Secondly, radiation oncologists use this volume to plan radiation therapy. Thirdly, volume is such a strong prognostic factor that investigators have argued it should be included in the TNM classification of laryngeal carcinoma.

The standard and current method is labour intensive and requires assessing volumes directly on each slice of the CT scan. Semi-automated volumetric analysis has tremendous potential to reduce analysis time while being more accurate.

A low variability volume calculation will be a better predictor of therapeutic outcome, may improve staging classification, and facilitate radiation planning for the treatment of laryngeal carcinoma.

The application for autologous platelet-rich plasma for post-surgical wound healing in patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery

Patients undergoing salvage surgery following chemotherapy and radiotherapy for mucosal cancers of the upper aerodigestive suffer from increased tissue fibrosis and higher complication rates.

Autologous alternatives such as platelet rich plasma, which is derived from the patients’ own blood, can provide supra-physiologic concentrations of various growth factors such as transforming growth factor (TGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and many others that have demonstrated beneficial wound healing properties.

In addition, platelet-poor plasma (PPP) contains the full compliment of coagulation proteins that may improve tissue adhesion and coagulation. Investigators John Yoo, Shamir Chandarana, Kevin Fung, and Jason Franklin are world leaders in using PRP and PPP to reduce fibrosis and enhance wound healing in soft-tissue surgery.

The use of autologous PPP/PRP in soft-tissue surgery in head and neck cancer patients may provide a significant enhancement of tissue healing and long-term quality of life.

Most head and neck cancers

2009-04-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

Most head and neck cancers begin in the squamous epithelium that line the structures found in the head and neck. Because of this, head and neck cancers are often referred to as squamous cell carcinomas. Some head and neck cancers begin in other types of cells. For example, cancers that begin in glandular cells are called adenocarcinomas.

Cancers of the head and neck are further identified by the area in which they begin:

Oral cavity—The oral cavity includes the lips, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the gums (gingiva), the lining inside the cheeks and lips (buccal mucosa), the bottom (floor) of the mouth under the tongue, the bony top of the mouth (hard palate), and the small area behind the wisdom teeth (retromolar trigone).

Salivary glands (major & minor) —The salivary glands are in several places: under the tongue, in front of the ears, and under the jawbone, as well as in other parts of the upper digestive tract.

Paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity—The paranasal sinuses are small hollow spaces in the bones of the head surrounding the nose. The nasal cavity is the hollow space inside the nose.

Pharynx—The pharynx is a hollow tube about 5 inches long that starts behind the nose and leads to the esophagus (the tube that goes to the stomach) and the trachea (the tube that goes to the lungs). The pharynx has three parts:

Nasopharynx—The nasopharynx, the upper part of the pharynx, is behind the nose.

Oropharynx—The oropharynx is the middle part of the pharynx. The oropharynx includes the soft palate (the back of the mouth), the base of the tongue, and the tonsils.

Hypopharynx—The hypopharynx is the lower part of the pharynx posterior pharyngeal wall, cricoid.

Larynx—The larynx, also called the voicebox, is a short passageway formed by cartilage just below the pharynx in the neck. The larynx contains the vocal cords. It also has a small piece of tissue, called the epiglottis, which moves to cover the larynx to prevent food from entering the air passages.

Lymph nodes in the upper part of the neck—Sometimes, squamous cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes of the upper neck when there is no evidence of cancer in other parts of the head and neck. When this happens, the cancer is called metastatic squamous neck cancer with unseen (occult) primary.

Cancers of the brain, eye, and thyroid usually are not included in the category of head and neck cancers. Cancers of the scalp, skin, muscles, and bones of the head and neck are also usually not considered cancers of the head and neck.

Upper aerodigestive tract cancers account for 3 percent of all cancers in the United States. These cancers are more common in men and in people over age 50. It is estimated that almost 38,000 men and women in this country will develop head and neck cancers in 2003.

Interstitial photodynamic therapy as salvage treatment for recurrent head and neck cancer

2009-04-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Alveolar soft part sarcoma in an 8-year-old girl. (A) Palate viewed immediately before the first IPDT. A retractor (dark arrows) was applied to the upper lip (UL) exposing the bulky tumour that occupied the whole hard palate with extension to the soft palate and the right palatine tonsil. Black shields (B) were used to protect the tongue (T) and normal oral mucosa. White arrows indicate the endotracheal tube. (B) Palate viewed 4 weeks after her second IPDT. A mirror was put on her tongue and chin (C) to show the post-treatment condition. Dark arrows indicate the lateral edge of the mirror. There was no visible tumour, although an oronasal fistula (white arrows) had developed. A biopsy at this time showed persistent tumour microscopically, but after a local excision and radiotherapy, she became disease free and has remained well for 5 years.

Small breast tumours can also dangerous

2009-04-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Washington, Dec 17: Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville have revealed that even small breast tumours can be aggressive, and that they may require a more comprehensive therapy than what is routinely offered to patients.

The study led by Indian scientist Surabhi Amar, M.D., a fellow in Hematology/Oncology at Mayo Clinic, suggested that breast tumours that are 1 centimeter in size or smaller or are not more than 0.4 inch in length can be hazardous and require intensive treatment.

The findings revealed that the outcome of two types of breast cancer classified as HER2 positive (HER2+) and triple negative, may not depend on size alone.

However, Dr Amar claimed that the study can’t make treatment recommendations.

“This is a small study and so we can't make treatment recommendations from it, but it appears that biology and not only size matters when it comes to selecting therapy for small, invasive tumours, " she said.

The researchers examined 401 women who were treated for breast cancer between 2001 and 2005 at the breast cancer clinics in Jacksonville and Scottsdale.

The findings revealed 87 percent of women had tumours that were classified as ER/PR positive and HER2 negative, 6.7 percent had tumours that were HER2+ and 5.9 percent were detected with triple negative cancer.

Generally, studies have shown that in all patients diagnosed with breast cancer, 15 to 20 percent of breast cancers are HER2+ and about 10 to 15 percent are triple negative.

Tumours are graded 1-3, and higher-grade tumours are more likely to grow faster and be more difficult to treat than lower grade tumours.

Dr. Amar also said women with HER2+ and triple negative tumours should receive as much treatment

“The findings suggests that women with HER2+ and triple negative tumours should receive as much treatment as possible in order to prevent cancer relapse, ” said Dr. Amar.

The researchers also discovered that only 35 percent of women with triple negative cancer were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy after surgery) despite the higher grade of the tumours.

"Chemotherapy may not work as well as we would like in these tumours, but, still, physicians who treat patients with triple negative cancer should be aware of the higher risk of relapse, even if tumours are quite small, " she added.

Dr Amar said that this study definitely highlights the fact that HER2 positive tumours, even if very small, may warrant more aggressive therapy.

Cancer patients with HPV-positive fare better than HPV-negative patients

2009-04-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

Washington, Feb 13 : A new study has found that head and neck cancer patients with HPV-positive tumours survive longer and are more responsive to treatment than patients who are HPV-negative.

In studies, it has been shown that human papillomavirus is involved in the development of some head and neck cancers, particularly cancers of the upper throat, or oropharynx.

Looking at the studies conducted, it was indicated that patients with HPV-positive tumours generally have a better prognosis than those patients with HPV-negative tumours, however these findings are yet to be confirmed in clinical trials.

Maura Gillison, M. D., Ph. D., of Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and colleagues examined the association between HPV infection and cancer prognosis, and studied 96 patients with stage III or IV cancer of the oropharynx or larynx (voicebox).

The patients were all placed in the same phase II clinical trial and they were all given the same treatment. The researchers collected data on the patients’ response to treatment and their survival times, as well as whether their tumours were HPV-positive or -negative.

It was found that patients with HPV-positive tumours had higher response rates after chemoradiation therapy, compared to patients with HPV-negative tumours (84 percent vs. 57 percent), and their two-year overall survival rates were also higher (95 percent vs. 62 percent).

“Our data suggest that the risks and benefits of…therapies should be considered separately for HPV-positive and -negative patients,” the authors wrote.

The study has been published online February 12 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. (ANI)

Combo therapy improves survival time for advanced liver cancer patients

2009-04-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Washington, April 9: A new study has found that combining a type of chemotherapy with radiothermal therapy can result in longer survival time for patients with advanced liver cancer, compared to receiving the therapies alone.

The rate of liver cancer is increasing worldwide. Most liver cancers are diagnosed at intermediate or advanced stages, and until now, no standard therapy has been established for treatment of liver cancer, according to background information in the article.

The therapy called transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) slows tumour progression and improves survival by combining the effect of targeted chemotherapy with that of blocking the blood supply to the tumour. Radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA) is an emerging technology that typically is performed by advancing a specially designed probe into the tumour and applying radiofrequency energy.

However, both TACE and RFA have limitations, with neither resulting in adequate control of liver cancer tumours larger than 3 cm (1.2 inches). TACE combined with RFA therapy has been used for patients with large liver cancer tumours, but the survival benefits are not known.

Bao-Quan Cheng, M. D., Ph. D., and colleagues from Shandong University, Jinan, China, conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the long-term benefits of combining TACE and RFA therapies for liver cancer tumours larger than 3 cm.

The trial was conducted from January 2001 to May 2004 and included 291 patients at a single center in China. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with combined TACE-RFA (n = 96), TACE alone (n = 95), or RFA alone (n = 100).

At the end of follow-up, 80 patients in the TACE group (84 percent), 84 in the RFA group (84 percent), and 66 in the TACE-RFA group (69 percent) had died. The lower rate of death in the TACE-RFA group was the result of fewer deaths due to tumor progression in this group than in the TACE group or the RFA group.

Median (midpoint) survival times were 24 months in the TACE group, 22 months in the RFA group, and 37 months in TACE-RFA group. Survival rates were significantly better in the TACE-RFA group than in the TACE or RFA group.

For patients with a type of liver cancer known as uninodular or multinodular, overall survival was statistically significantly better in the TACE-RFA group than in the RFA group, and TACE group, respectively.

Thirty-three patients (35 percent) achieved an objective response to treatment that was sustained for at least six months in the TACE group, 36 (36 percent) in the RFA group, and 52 (54 percent) in the TACE-RFA group.

“The current study demonstrates that combination therapy with TACE and RFA was an effective and safe treatment that may improve long-term survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [liver cancer] larger than 3 cm,” the authors said.

Human trials start on new liver cancer treatment

2009-04-12T20:33:00.001-07:00

Singapore - Researchers have started human trials on a new way to treat an advanced form of liver cancer, a published report said Monday.

Doctors at Singapore's National Cancer Centre (NCC) said that the method is a combination of existing treatments including the injection of a radioactive particle into the tumour to help patients with cancers that are too advanced for surgery.

The centre is holding the trial with other hospitals in the Asia- Pacific region.

"We're trying to find a better way to treat this dismal disease that is inoperable liver cancer," The Straits Times quoted NCC Director Soo Khee Chee as saying.

Doctors implant a tiny radioactive particle into the tumour to shrink the cancerous growth during an operation at Singapore General Hospital, Soo said.

About two weeks later, patients start taking a pill called sorafenib. Studies have shown that the drug has extended the lives of patients by an average of three months, the report said.

By combining the two treatments, doctors said they hope to prolong the lives of patients or improve their condition so that they can undergo surgery.

The trial, involving 31 patients, is expected to take two years. If it is successful, the centre and other hospitals will carry out a larger trial involving several hundred patients.

Each year, 393 people are diagnosed with liver cancer in the city- state. (dpa)

Marijuana does not boost risk of head, neck cancer

2009-04-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

Washington, Mar 5: A study by researchers from New Zealand and Britain has revealed that smoking marijuana does not increase head and neck cancer risk.

For the study, the researchers scrutinized 75 cases of head and neck cancer.

The findings revealed that the relative risk associated with smoking cannabis and head and neck cancer in marijuana users was the same (1.0) as in those who had never smoked cannabis.

These results differ from the relative risk associated with cigarettes smoking and cancer at 2.1 and heavy alcohol intake at 5.7.

However, the authors said that a larger study is needed for clear understanding.

The head and neck cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer with 500,000 new cases diagnosed each year globally.

The study is published in the March 2008 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. (ANI)

Quality of life predicts survival in head and neck cancer patients

2009-04-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

Washington, May 30 : Quality of life can be an important indicator in determining survival among patients with head and neck cancer, according to a new study.

The study indicates that identifying patients with poor quality of life could help in recognizing patients with aggressive tumours.

Researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Centre analysed 495 people at four hospitals with head and neck cancer within the previous two years. They were asked about physical and emotional quality of life, including pain, eating and swallowing, speech and emotional well-being.

"Low quality of life may have value in screening patients for recurrence. By identifying patients with poor quality of life, we may also be able to identify early on those who have particularly aggressive tumours," said Carrie A. Karvonen-Gutierrez, lead study author and research associate at the U-M School of Public Health and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

The findings revealed that general physical health and quality of life issues had an impact on survival.

Also patients who reported difficulty with pain, eating and speech were significantly less likely to survive.

"Our findings validate the concept that doctors have long recognized: that persistent or increasing pain is a worrisome clinical finding,” said Sonia A. Duffy, study author, a research scientist at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, associate professor of nursing at the U-M School of Nursing and research assistant professor of otolaryngology at the U-M Medical School.

“Perhaps in the future, quality of life data will be routinely collected in a standardized way, and trends in pain scores will trigger more aggressive examinations for cancer recurrence,” she added.

"While patients are monitored and screened after cancer treatment, small recurrences of cancer may be difficult to detect, even with standard imaging techniques,” said Dr Jeffrey Terrell study author, associate professor of otolaryngology at the U-M Medical School.

The team would be conducting further studies to understand whether treatments that improve quality of life can improve survival.

"Although it is not yet clear how the association works between survival and quality of life related to head and neck pain, it is clearly advantageous to minimize pain for patients,” Duffy said.

The study appears in the June 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. (ANI)

Head and Neck Cancer

2009-04-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Definition

The term head and neck cancers refers to a group of cancers found in the head and neck region. This includes tumors found in:

The oral cavity (mouth). The lips, the tongue, the teeth, the gums, the lining inside the lips and cheeks, the floor of the mouth (under the tongue), the roof of the mouth and the small area behind the wisdom teeth are all included in the oral cavity.
The oropharynx (which includes the back one-third of the tongue, the back of the throat and the tonsils).
Nasopharynx (which includes the area behind the nose).
Hypopharynx (lower part of the throat).
The larynx (voice box, located in front of the neck, in the region of the Adam's apple). In the larynx, the cancer can occur in any of the three regions: the glottis (where the vocal cords are); the supraglottis (the area above the glottis); and the subglottis (the area that connects the glottis to the windpipe).

The most frequently occurring cancers of the head and neck area are oral cancers and laryngeal cancers. Almost half of all the head and neck cancers occur in the oral cavity, and a third of the cancers are found in the larynx. By definition, the term "head and neck cancers" usually excludes tumors that occur in the brain.

Description

Head and neck cancers involve the respiratory tract and the digestive tract; and they interfere with the functions of eating and breathing. Laryngeal cancers affect speech. Loss of any of these functions is significant. Hence, early detection and appropriate treatment of head and neck cancers is of utmost importance.

Roughly 10% of all cancers are related to the head and the neck. It is estimated that more than 55,000 Americans will develop cancer of the head and neck in 1998, and nearly 13,000 will die from the disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 1998, approximately, 11,100 new cases of laryngeal cancer alone will be diagnosed and 4,300 people will die of this disease. Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the United States. Approximately 40,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and it causes at least 8,000 deaths. Among the major cancers, the survival rate for head and neck cancers is one of the poorest. Less than 50% of the patients survive five years or more after initial diagnosis. This is because the early signs of head and neck cancers are frequently ignored. Hence, when it is first diagnosed, it is often in an advanced stage and not very amenable to treatment.

The risk for both oral cancer and laryngeal cancer seems to increase with age. Most of the cases occur in individuals over 40 years of age, the average age at diagnosis being 60. While oral cancer strikes men twice as often as it does women, laryngeal cancer is four times more common in men than in women. Both diseases are more common in black Americans than among whites.

Causes and symptoms

Although the exact cause for these cancers is unknown, tobacco is regarded as the single greatest risk factor: 75-80% of the oral and laryngeal cancer cases occur among smokers. Heavy alcohol use has also been included as a risk factor. A combination of tobacco and alcohol use increases the risk for oral cancer by 6-15 times more than for users of either substance alone. In rare cases, irritation to the lining of the mouth, due to jagged teeth or ill-fitting dentures, has been known to cause oral cancer. Exposure to asbestos appears to increase the risk of developing laryngeal cancer.

In the case of lip cancer, just like skin cancer, exposure to sun over a prolonged period has been shown to increase the risk. In the Southeast Asian countries (India and Sri Lanka), chewing of betel nut has been associated with cancer of the lining of the cheek. An increased incidence of nasal cavity cancer has been observed among furniture workers, probably due to the inhalation of wood dust. A virus (Epstein-Barr) has been shown to cause nasopharyngeal cancer.

Head and neck cancers are one of the easiest to detect. The early signs can be both seen and felt. The signs and symptoms depend on the location of the cancer:

Mouth and oral cavity: a sore that does not heal within two weeks, unusual bleeding from the teeth or gums, a white or red patch in the mouth, a lump or thickening in the mouth, throat, or tongue.
Larynx: persistent hoarseness or sore throat, difficulty breathing, or pain.
Hypopharynx and oropharynx: difficulty in swallowing or chewing food, ear pain.
Nose, sinuses, and nasopharyngeal cavity: pain, bloody discharges from the nose, blocked nose, and frequent sinus infections that do not respond to standard antibiotics.

When detected early and treated appropriately, head and neck cancers have an excellent chance of being cured completely.

Chest scans can help monitor head and neck cancer spread

2009-04-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

Washington, Oct 21 : Researchers from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan suggest that chest scans can help keep a check on head and neck cancer progression in high-risk patients.

Chest X-rays are the most commonly used screening tool for detecting head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, which accounts for most head and neck cancers.

For the study, the research team led by Dr Yen-Bin Hsu evaluated 270 screening chest CT scans performed over 42 months in 192 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The scans were categorized as new cases, follow-up cases or recurrent cases, and results classified as normal or abnormal.

Of the 270 scans, 79 were considered abnormal, including 54 that identified a malignant neoplasm of the lung and 25 showing indeterminate abnormalities.

Neoplasm is the abnormal proliferation of cells that usually causes a lump or tumour.

"The rate of an abnormal scan was significantly higher in the follow-up case group (44.2 percent) than in the new case group (14.2 percent)," the authors write.

"Indeterminate lesions were common on chest CT in our study, and special attention should be paid to them," the authors write.

"Based on the progressive changes in follow-up scans, 44 percent of indeterminate lesions were eventually considered a malignant neoplasm of the lung.

“We also found that small (less than 1 centimeter) solitary nodules, which were usually resectable [operable], carried significantly higher chances (66.7 percent) of being a malignant neoplasm.

"For patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, chest diagnosis is crucial and may influence their treatment plan," they continue.

The researchers suggest chest CT for high-risk patients after every six months for the first two years during the follow-up period.

The study appears in Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. (ANI)

Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

2009-04-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

Treatment for head and neck cancer depends on several factors, including the type of cancer, its size and stage, its location and your overall health. Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treating head and neck cancers, including cancers of the sinus, nasal cavity, hard palate, lip, nasopharynx, soft palate, tonsil, larynx (voice box), tongue, floor of mouth and epiglottis.

- Diagram of the structures of the mouth and throat. Head and neck cancers include cancer cells in any of these areas.

For many head and neck cancers, combining two or three types of treatments may be most effective. That’s why it is important to talk with several cancer specialists about your care, including a surgeon, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist.
An important concept in treating head and neck cancers is organ preservation. An organ preservation approach uses radiation and sometimes chemotherapy to shrink or completely eliminate the tumor. This can allow some patients to avoid the need for surgery.

Head and Neck Cancer Facts: Diagnosis and Treatment Options

2009-04-09T20:18:00.001-07:00

Diagnosing Head and Neck Cancer

There are a few different types of healthcare providers that may be involved in the diagnosis of your head and neck cancer. Your dentist may have initially discovered the cancer and sent you to an oral surgeon or ENT surgeon, who will generally diagnose your cancer. They may then refer you to a team that includes a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist. These two physicians will further evaluate the cancer and discuss treatment options.

If your healthcare provider suspects that you may have head and neck cancer, he or she will perform a physical exam, ask you questions about your signs and symptoms, go over your medical history, and perform diagnostic tests in order to rule out or confirm a diagnosis of head and neck cancer.

Your doctor may use one ore more of the following tests to diagnose head and neck cancer and determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body:

Endoscopy: Your doctor may perform an endoscopy that examines the inside of the body using a flexible, skinny tube with a light on it (called an endoscope). The endoscope is inserted through either the nose or mouth, depending on what parts of the head and neck need to be examined. This is usually done as an EUA (examination under anesthesia)
Laboratory Tests: Your doctor may take a urine, blood , or other type of sample.
X-Rays: Your doctor may take X-rays to closely examine areas of your head and neck on film.
(CT) Scan: A CT scan, created by a computer connected to an X-ray machine, will help your doctor see a series of detailed pictures of your head and neck.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Your doctor may take an MRI scan, which uses strong magnets connected to a computer, to see detailed pictures of your head and neck.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET): A PET scan, which uses radioactive sugar injected into your vein, may help your doctor spot cancerous tissue.
Biopsy: A biopsy (removing tissue for examination) is the only sure way your doctor can determine if your lesion is in fact cancerous.

Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Options

Once you have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer and your doctor knows the extent of your cancer, you and your doctor will discuss and select the most appropriate treatment. There are many treatment options available, and the decision can be overwhelming. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about any concerns you may have.

The stage of the head and neck cancer treatment varies depending on the location of the cancer and other factors. Your treatment may include one, a combination or none of the treatment options presented below.

Surgery: Surgery may be performed to remove the cancer and surrounding tissue. In addition, lymph nodes in the neck may be removed to check if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy (using drugs to help kill cancer cells) may be used to treat head and neck cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Chemotherapy works by killing rapidly proliferating cells in the body, including cancer cells. Chemotherapy administered before radiation therapy is know as induction chemotherapy. This could treat both your local cancer and any potential cancer outside the field of the radiotherapy that would follow.
Radiation Therapy: Doctors may treat head and neck cancer patients with radiation therapy. Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by using high-energy rays. When radiation therapy is delivered through the outside of the body, it is called external-beam radiation therapy. It also can be delivered through radioactive materials placed inside or close to the area where the cancer cells are. This is called internal radiation therapy or radiation implant.
Chemoradiotherapy: Chemoradiotherapy refers to the use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy at the same time, and can be used either after surgery or after induction chemotherapy. Adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy enhances the effect of radiotherapy because of biological and chemical reasons.

Head and Neck Cancer Facts: Screening, Signs and Symptoms

2009-04-09T04:07:00.002-07:00

Head and Neck Cancer Screening

It is not easy or common to screen for head and neck cancer. Professional health organizations such as the American Cancer Society do not recommend screening for head and neck cancer because it is not a common type of cancer. Screening tests require specialized doctors, and it is unknown if screening decreases the risk of developing the cancer. However, some physicians and dentists may be able to detect head and neck cancer while doing routine exams. The oral cancer screening (head and neck exam) is one of the most critical components of a routine dental hygiene exam. Dental hygienists and dentists can alert patients to suspicious growths or changes and urge them to seek medical care.

Since screening for head and neck cancer is limited, it is important to try and reduce your risk factors and learn to recognize signs and symptoms. Many types of head and neck cancer can be found early if you share your signs and symptoms with your doctor right away.

Signs and Symptoms of Head and Neck Cancer

Many types of head and neck cancer can be found early. Therefore, it is important to contact your doctor if you think you notice signs and symptoms in order to start treatment as soon as possible.

Many Types of Head and Neck Cancer Share the Following Symptoms:

Lump or sore that does not heal
Sore throat that does not go away
Difficulty swallowing
Voice changes or hoarseness

Other cancer symptoms may vary, depending on location.

Oral Cavity (Mouth): Symptoms may include red or white patches on the tongue, gums or mouth lining; jaw swelling; or unusual pain or bleeding in the mouth.
Salivary Glands: Symptoms may include swelling around the jawbone or under the chin; paralysis or numbness of face muscles; or face, neck or chin pain that will not go away.
Nasal Cavity and Sinuses: Symptoms may include blocked sinuses that won't clear, long-term sinus infections that do not respond to antibiotics, nose bleeds, frequent headaches, eye swelling or other problems, pain in the top teeth, or denture problems.
Nasopharynx: Symptoms may include trouble speaking, trouble breathing, frequent headaches, ringing or pain in the ears, or problems hearing
Oropharynx: The most common symptom is ear pain.
Larynx: Symptoms may include voice changes, hoarseness, ear pain or pain when swallowing.
Locally Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: The most common symptom is a painless swelling of the neck. Another common symptom could be neck throat pain that will not go away.

Be sure to discuss any signs or symptoms with your doctor. He or she will be able to determine if the cause of your symptoms may be head and neck cancer or another condition.

Head and Neck Cancer Facts: Risk Factors

2009-04-09T04:07:00.001-07:00

There are several factors that may increase the risk of developing head and neck cancer. The number one risk factor for head and neck cancer is tobacco use - smoking it or chewing it. According to the National Cancer Institute, tobacco use is linked to 85% of head and neck cancer cases. Another large risk factor is consuming alcohol.

Head and neck risk factors depend on location.

Oral Cavity (Mouth): Risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol use, sun exposure, and possibly human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Salivary Glands: Risk factors include radiation therapy or diagnostic X-rays.
Paranasal Sinuses and Nasal Cavity: Risk factors include inhalation of certain industrial elements (like wood or nickel dust) and possibly tobacco or alcohol use.
Nasopharynx: Risk factors include work-related exposure to wood dust, consuming certain salted foods or preservatives, and the Epstein-Barr virus. It is also worth noting that those of Asian ancestry (part Chinese) appear to develop Nasopharynx cancer more easily than the general population.
Oropharynx: Risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol use, poor oral hygiene, and possibly HPV.
Larynx:(Voicebox) Risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol use, and exposure to airborne asbestos (especially in the work environment).

Other risk factors for head and neck cancer may include the following:

Use of paan (betel quid) in the mouth - typically used by Southeast Asian immigrants
Consuming Yerba mate - a beverage similar to tea typically consumed by South Americans

Reducing Your Risk of Head and Neck Cancer

While some risk factors are beyond your control, like previous radiation treatment or genetics (your ancestry), there are things you can do to help prevent the development of head and neck cancer. The two most important measures are to quit using tobacco and consuming less alcohol. Consult your doctor to learn more about what you can do to reduce your risk of developing head and neck cancer and how often to have medical checkups.

About Head and Neck Cancer: Get the Facts

2009-04-09T04:04:00.000-07:00

According to the National Cancer Institute:

The overall five-year survival rate for people with cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx is approximately 59%.
Tobacco, including smokeless tobacco such as chewing tobacco or snuff, is thought to be the cause of 85% of all head and neck cancers, especially cancer of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx.
People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk for developing cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.
3%-5% of all cancers in the United States are types of head and neck cancer.
Head and neck cancer is most common in men and people over age 50.
An estimated 39,000 American men and women developed head and neck cancer in 2005.

What Is Head and Neck Cancer?

Head and neck cancer includes different types of cancer that can develop in the mouth, nose and throat. Head and neck tumors are made up of different types of cells. Most types of head and neck cancer are considered squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN), while some are considered adenocarcinoma.

Types of Head and Neck Cancer

The different types of head and neck cancer are identified by where they begin:

Pharynx: The pharynx is located between the esophagus and the mouth. Cancer of the pharynx can occur in any of the pharynx's three parts:
- Nasopharynx: Upper part of the pharynx behind the nose
- Oropharynx: Middle part of the pharynx that includes the back of the mouth, tonsils and base of the tongue
- Hypopharynx: Lower part of the pharynx

Oral Cavity: Cancer of the oral cavity occurs in the lips, gums, lining of the lips and cheeks, bony top of the mouth, small area behind wisdom teeth, front part of the tongue, or underneath the tongue.

Salivary Glands: Cancer of the salivary glands occurs mostly in the bottom of the mouth, near the jawbone.
Paranasal Sinuses and Nasal Cavity: Cancer of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity occur in the sinuses around the nose or the nasal cavity.

Larynx: The larynx, or voice box, is the short pathway below the pharynx in the neck and includes the vocal cords and epiglottis.

Lymph Nodes in the Upper Neck: Sometimes head and neck cancer is found exclusively in the lymph nodes in the upper neck. This type of cancer is known as locally advanced incarcinoma with unknown origin.

Head and neck cancer should not be confused with cancers of the thyroid, brain, or other areas of the head and neck like the eyes, scalp, skin, bones and muscles.