In Memory of Phyllis Wolff
Recently, we received a substantial donation from Michaeline Moran. The donation was made in the memory of Phyllis Wolff, an oral cancer victim. As a foundation, we’d like to thank Michaeline for her donation and offer our condolences to the friends and family of Phyllis Wolff.
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Together we fight oral cancer… Together we save one life every hour.
Oral Cancer Detection Devices
Recently, we had a Twitter follower ask us what the latest methods of detecting oral cancer are. With Twitter’s allowances of only 140 characters to answer the question, we decided to post a blog that gives a more in depth look at the state of oral cancer detection devices.
The main oral cancer detection devices that are on the market today are:
- Brush biopsy – “The OralCDx® BrushTest®is an easy, painless and definitive way for dentists to test the common small white and red oral spots that most people have in their mouth at one time or another. The BrushTest is used to determine if a common oral spot contains abnormal cells (known as dysplasia) that, if left alone for several years, may develop into oral cancer.”
- ViziLite Plus, MicroLux DL – A light technology that “in combination with a regular visual examination, provides a comprehensive oral screening procedure for patients at increased risk for oral cancer.”
- Velscope - “The ‘white light’ exam. The VELscope exam is actually the second step in a comprehensive oral cancer exam. The first step is a conventional ‘white light’ exam in which the dentist or hygienist looks for lesions in the oral cavity with the naked eye and uses palpation to feel for any bumps in the neck or face.”
- Trimira OCS 3000 – Trimira’s®, new Identafi® 3000 ultra uses the Identafi® Multi-Spectral Fluorescence and Reflectance technology to enhance visualization of mucosal abnormalities such as oral cancer or premalignant dysplasia that may not be apparent to the naked eye. But unlike other fluorescence technologies and dye systems, the Identafi® 3000 ultra is Multi-Spectral with three distinct color wavelengths, making it easier to distinguish lesion morphology and vasculature thereby reducing false positives.
The oral cancer detection devices mentioned above are only tools for screening and are not designed to diagnose oral cancer. They result false negatives if not used appropriately. The ideal screening is a conventional visual oral tactile exam at the dental office first.
Visiting a pathologist in suspicious cases is highly recommended. A second opinion can save you a lifetime. Do not wait and watch the cancer grow in your mouth.
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Together we fight oral cancer. Together we save a life every hour.
May Is National Fight Oral Cancer Month
May is the National Fight Oral Cancer Month. The May Cover of The Journal of the American Dental Association magazine (JADA) is about oral cancer. Below is an excerpt from the article.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 35,720 new cases of cancer of the oral and pharyngeal region in the United States in 2009, with 7,600 deaths from the disease.1 When focusing specifically on the oral cavity, ACS estimated that in 2009, there would be 23,110 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity (hereafter referred to as “oral cancer”) and 5,370 deaths. Nearly 90 percent of these malignancies are squamous cell carcinomas. More than 97 percent of U.S. cases of these cancers occur among adults 35 years and older. Although the incidence rate (IR) of oral and pharyngeal cancers is decreasing overall, the IR of cancers of the tongue, oropharynx and tonsil is increasing. The 2002–2006 age-adjusted (to the 2000 U.S. population) IR of oral and pharyngeal cancers in the United States was 10.3 per 100,000 per year. The age-adjusted IR was more than twice as high among men (15.9) as among women (6.0), as was the mortality rate (men, 4.0; women, 1.5).
Among the groups described in data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results program, African-American men are at the highest risk of developing oral and pharyngeal cancers of any group in the United States (IR 16.7 per 100,000 per year). The five-year relative survival rate varies widely by stage at the time of diagnosis, from 81.8 percent for patients diagnosed in localized stages and 52.1 percent for patients with regional lymph node involvement to 26.5 percent for patients with distant metastasis. Yet, oral and pharyngeal cancer is diagnosed at a localized stage in only one-third of patients in the United States. The overall five-year relative survival rate for the 1999–2005 period was 61.0 percent and varied significantly by race (62.4 percent for white men and 38.2 percent for black men). Much of the racial disparity in survival rates was due to the greater proportion of tumors diagnosed at late stages among black men than among white men.
Click here for the full PDF of the ADA article on oral cancer.
Be a Life Saver
Ever since we began The Fight Oral Cancer Foundation in 2008 with the slogan “Be a Life Saver”, we’ve been dedicated to giving towards the cause of fighting oral cancer.
Every dollar counts when it comes to saving a life.
Your donations* will go toward:
Educational pamphlet to be distributed at schools, hospitals, health fairs and public libraries locally and nationwide.- Provide dental care and dental hygiene educational programs for children.
- Hold free oral cancer screenings locally and nationwide.
- Sponsor speakers to raise awareness and promote screening.
- Fund oral cancer research.
*95% of all donations go toward the foundation’s cause and only 5% is used to cover administrative expenses.
Join others as together we fight oral cancer. Click here to donate.
Together we fight oral cancer. Together we save a life every hour.
New Surgery Kills Inoperable Cancers
When we hear the term “inoperable cancer”, a sense of hopelessness can often times accompany it. Thus, when we hear of a new surgery that is making waves in the medical community and positively affects cancers that have been termed, inoperable, hope comes. There is a new laser surgery that holds the following claim: “Patients with inoperable head and neck cancer have had tumours “drop off” after treatment with a new form of laser therapy, doctors say.”
Further claims of the new surgery as reported by the Health Correspondent for Times Online state:
Colin Hopper, a head and neck surgeon at the hospital, is leading the study. He said that patients with advanced or recurring cancers who had stopped responding to chemotherapy had experienced benefits.
One patient with an inoperable tumour on his tongue saw it disappear completely, while another, with advanced sarcoma on his jaw, lived for six months, far longer than doctors previously predicted.
Although news of oral cancer never falls on a willing ear, there is still hope. Technology is advancing and the world is standing strong as we support those that are working feverishly to find a cure.
Click here for the complete article titled: Inoperable cancers killed by new laser surgery
Free Oral Cancer Screening, Saturday, April 17th, Baylor Downtown Dallas
A FREE Oral Cancer Screening will be held at Baylor between 9am and 12 noon on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at Baylor in Downtown Dallas. For the full sized brochure click this link: Oral Cancer Screening.
Roger Ebert’s Fight with Oral Cancer on Oprah
Roger Ebert, the acclaimed movie critic from the group Siskel and Ebert, is an oral cancer survivor that is still thriving today. The Oprah.com published a recent article on Roger Ebert highlighting his fight and how he overcame the disease. His fight with cancer left him in a spot where he lost his voice completely. However, he didn’t let that stop him. According to Oprah,
Another blow came in 2002, when Roger was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which later spread to his salivary glands and jaw. He endured surgery after surgery, and the cancer eventually took Roger’s voice. In 2006, he was forced to leave his show after more than 30 years on the air.
Although cancer has left Roger unable to speak, eat or drink, it hasn’t slowed him down one bit. More than forty years after he started, his words are as powerful as ever. His reviews are still featured in more than 200 newspapers worldwide, and readers flock to his popular blog.
Follow this link for the full article on Roger Ebert’s fight with oral cancer.
**Photo Credit: Time Magazine
SIBLING Proteins and Oral Cancer Treatment
Recently Science Daily posted an article entitled: SIBLING Proteins May Predict Oral Cancer. This article is interesting as it offers greater hope in the advancement of oral cancer treatment. A SIBLING stands for Small Integrin-Binding Ligand N-linked Glycoproteins.
“Several years ago we discovered that three SIBLINGs — osteopontin, bone sialoprotein and dentin sialophosphoprotein — were expressed at significantly high levels in oral cancers,” said Dr. Kalu Ogbureke, an oral and maxillofacial pathologist in the MCG School of Dentistry. “Following that discovery, we began to research the potential role of SIBLINGs in oral lesions before they become invasive cancers.”
Up to this point it’s been so difficult to determine which cells were precancerous that early oral cancer treatment has been difficult. With the research on SIBLING proteins, there is hope for better results for treatment.
Dr. Ogbureke’s next step is to design a multi-center study that incorporates oral cancer risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, to further investigate their relationship with SIBLING protein expression.
New HPV Salivary Test to Detect Oral Cancer
One of our goals here at The Fight Oral Cancer Foundation is to stay informed on new research and developments as they relate to oral cancer. Recently OralDNA Labs introduced a new test that will help dentists diagnose particular forms of oral cancer.
Shockingly, recent results have show that 50% of oral cancer cases are the resultant of HPV virus. This is a huge percentage, which is a leading factor in OralDNA Labs’ interest in finding a better way to diagnose and detect HPV in at-risk patients. According to OralDNA Labs, at-risk includes:
- Sexually active
- Family history of oral cancer
- Signs and symptoms of oral cancer
- Traditional risk factors for oral cancer
- Suspicious oral lesions
Chief Dental Officer, Thomas W. Nabors, DDC offers this information regarding the effectiveness of the detection tool:
“Oral HPV is a silent, serious infection that can now be detected adn closely monitored by the dental professional. Specifically, the laboratory report derived from the OraRisk HPV salivary diagnostic test helps dental professionals identify the specific types(s) of HPV present, as well as the associated risk profile for each type of HPV variant detected in the patient’s oral cavity.”
Having these types of salivary test should be a part of every patient’s plan as together we all fight oral cancer.
“Together we fight oral cancer. Together we save a life every hour.“
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Green Tea and Oral Cancer
All too often we hear of things we must take out of our diets in order to decrease the risk of cancer. But what if I told you that by adding something to your diet, you could decrease the risk of oral cancer?
Green tea has been known to help with:
- Heart Disease
- Arthritis
- Liver Disease
- Weight Management
- Tooth Decay
- Cancer
A recent study from MD Anderson reveals that:
Green tea extract may prevent oral cancer in patients with oral leukoplakia, a pre-malignant condition that develops on the tongue or inside of the cheek in response to chronic irritation or tobacco carcinogen exposure.
In this study researchers took a test group of people that are at high risk for oral cancer and and gave three different doses to each along with placebo tests. Following the entire testing process they found that 50% had clinical results. Of the 41 that participated, only 15 ended up developing oral cancer.
The study yielded encouraging results:
• 58.8% of patients receiving the two highest doses had a clinical response (50% or more reduction in the size of all measured areas of oral leukoplakia)
• 36.4% of patients receiving the lowest dose had a clinical response
• 18.2% of patients receiving a placebo had a clinical response
All of these results prove one thing… more research is warranted.
Click her to view the full-page article on Green Tea.
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Photo Courtesy of: The Inquisitr
