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Main Category: Cancer / Oncology

Also Included In: Ear, Nose and Throat; Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 06 Aug 2010 - 0:00 PDT

UC Davis researchers have developed a laser probe for the early detection of oral cancer. A trial with
human subjects shows that the device could also be used during surgery to locate the edges of a tumor.

Approximately 43,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with tumors of the mouth, pharynx and larynx
each year. The main risk factor is smoking, but a recent rise in cases has been linked to human
papillomavirus. Most cases are not diagnosed until thecancer has reached an advanced stage.

"There's a lot out there about breast, prostate and brain cancer, but people are not so aware about oral
cancer and its devastating consequences," said Laura Marcu, a professor of biomedical engineering at
UC Davis. "People don't think to look for it, and there isn't any routine screening."

Marcu's laboratory collaborated with Dr. Gregory Farwell's group in the Department of Otolaryngology at
the UC Davis Cancer Center to develop the fiber-optic probe.

The probe stimulates molecules in the patient's tissues with a laser. Some of these molecules naturally
respond by re-emitting fluorescent light. The device rapidly detects and analyzes this light using a
process called "time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy" (TR-LIFS), which provides information about
the types of molecules present.

During surgery, blood can distort the intensity of the fluorescence signal but not its duration. By using
sensitive measurements of the change in fluorescence over time, surgeons can see the tumor margins
even as they are cutting the tissue.

Based on encouraging results in animal tests, Marcu and Farwell's team recruited nine human volunteers
from among patients who arrived at the UC Davis Medical Center for surgical therapy of the mouth, throat
and larynx. They compared readings from spectroscopy with biopsy samples from the same locations and
found that the probe could accurately diagnose the cancer in the surgical environment.

The probe is similar to one that Marcu has already developed for use with brain tumors. In clinical trials,
surgeons have used her technology to delineate the margins of tumors during surgery.

Details of the human oral cancer study will be published in an upcoming issue of the
journal c


 
 . The pilot study in patients was supported in part by the
Cancer Center and the Clinical and Translational Science Center at the UC Davis School of Medicine and
the UC Davis Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology.

Source:
Andy Fell University of California - Davis - Health System
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Main Category: Ear, Nose and Throat

Also Included In: Dentistry; Cancer /
Oncology
Article Date: 05 Aug 2010 - 3:00 PDT  

Doctors have used a genetically engineered herpesvirus to help treat patients suffering from mouth, neck
and head cancer. In a trial run by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden NHS
Foundation Trust, 17 patients were given injections of the virus, as well as being treated with
chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The cold sore virus, known as Onco VEX, was modified to multiply inside cancer cells but not in healthy
ones. It would then burst and kill tumour cells, as well as releasing a human protein that would help
stimulate patients' immune systems.

The virus was injected into cancer affected lymph nodes of the patients, in up to four doses.

Tumour shrinkage could be seen on scans for 14 patients, and over three quarters of the participants
showed no trace of residual cancer in their lymph nodes during subsequent surgery to remove them.
More than two years later, over three quarters of the patients involved in the study had not succumbed to
the disease.

Dr Kevin Harrington, Principle Investigator for the ICR and The Royal Marsden said: "Around 35 to 55 per
cent of patients given the standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment typically relapse within two
years, so these results compare very favourably.

He added: "This was a small study so the results should be interpreted with caution; however the very
high rates of tumour response have led to the decision to take this drug into a large scale Phase III trial."

The treatment's side-effects were mild to moderate, and most (except fever andfatigue) were thought to
be caused by the chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said: "This study is very positive
news. Mouth cancer is a devastating disease, and an increasing number of people are being affected.
While any treatment that can be found to fight the disease is a great step forward, it is also vital that
awareness of the illness, the early symptoms and the risk factors is made common knowledge. Early
diagnosis improves survival rates from five in ten to nine in ten people. That highlights how important it is
that the public know the facts."

Mouth cancer claims one life every five hours in the UK and more than 5,000 new cases are diagnosed
each year.

Tobacco use is the main cause for mouth cancer, with those who drink and smoke to excess being 30
times more likely to develop the disease.

The human papilloma virus has also been identified as a threat. Transmitted via oral sex, and also a
known cause of cervical cancer, experts suggest HPV may rival tobacco as a key risk factor within the
next 10 years.

An unhealthy diet can also have an impact, with a third of mouth cancer cases being linked to poor eating
habits. Growing evidence suggests an increased intake of fruit, vegetables, fish and eggs can help to
lower the risks.

Early warning signs of the disease include a non-healing mouth ulcer, red or white patches and any
unusual changes in the mouth. If you are suffering any of these symptoms or have any concerns the
Foundation advises you visit your dentist or doctor.

Source: British Dental Health Foundation