Cancer Research UK recently revealed that cases of oral cancer are on the rise in the United Kingdom, an increase attributed to increasing rates of infection by human papillomavirus (HPV).

For the first time, cases of oral cancer have increased above 6,000 a year. Two-thirds of the 6,200 cases that were diagnosed in the United Kingdom last year involved men.

As many as 8 in 10 Britons may become infected with HPV at a certain point in their lives. The virus is essentially harmless, except for a few strains that cause problems. one particular strain, identified as HPV-16, may lead to changes in the cell that may develop into cancer.

“We have seen a rapid increase in the number of HPV16-positive cases of oral cancer,” Richard Shaw, a Cancer Research UK expert in head and neck cancers based at the Liverpool Cancer Research UK Center, shared. “We have also noticed that patients with HPV-related oral cancers tend to be younger, are less likely to be smokers and have better outcomes from treatment than those whose tumours show no evidence of HPV. This raises questions as to exactly how these cancers develop and why they only affect a small proportion of people who are exposed.”

Sara Hiom, director of information at Cancer Research UK, said that it was important for people to become aware of the symptoms of oral cancer, as early detection of the disease increases one’s chances of survival. these symptoms include mouth ulcers that do not heal; lumps or thickening in the mouth, lips, or throat; or persistent red and white patches in the mouth.

Tags: human papillomavirus, oral cancer in UK, oral cancer virus

When we come down with the flu, we might think the worst is over after a week of a sore throat and body aches. But such viral infections may have lasting, unseen effects on the brain, emerging research suggests.

Viruses such as influenza and herpes may leave brain cells vulnerable to degeneration later in life, and increase the risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, research suggests. That’s because these the viruses can enter the brain and trigger an immune response — inflammation — which can damage brain cells.

Viruses and other sources of inflammation “may be initiating factors in some of the most common neurological diseases,” said Dr. Ole Isacson, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, who discussed the topic in an article published today (Feb. 15) in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

It’s unlikely one bout of the flu will cause significant damage. But over a lifetime, injuries to cells accumulate, Isacson said, and along with environmental stresses, this can kill cells and the development of brain diseases. Variations in the number of infections we get may be the difference between a person developing Parkinson’s disease at age 65 or at age 95, Isacson said.

It’s possible that toning down the inflammation that occurs shortly after viral infection could reduce cell damage and the risk of subsequent brain disease, Isacson said. Isacson pointed to a 2011 study of 135,000 men and women found that those who took ibuprofen (a medication that can reduce inflammation) were 30 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s over a six year period compared to those who did not take the medication.

Brain infection

One of the earliest pieces of evidence for the virus-brain disease link comes from the 1918 influenza pandemic, according to Isacson’s article. After that outbreak, there was a dramatic increase in cases of a disease called postencephalitic parkinsonism, which has many of the same symptoms as Parkinson’s.

In a more rigorous test of the link, a 2009 study showed that mice injected with the H5N1 flu virus developed infections in cells in a brain region known to be significantly impacted by Parkinson’s disease, Isacson said.

Research has also shown that infection with certain herpes viruses can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. and very rarely,encephalitis, or brain inflammation caused by viruses, can lead directly to an acute, but transient, form of Parkinson’s disease.

But more often, viral infections in our brain are silent, Isacson said. we don’t see the full impact of these infections until brain degeneration is substantial, he said.

Preventing disease

Several weeks after infection, inflammatory molecules known as cytokines reach a peak concentration, Isacson said. It’s this “cytokine storm” that Isacson and his colleagues suspect is responsible for the brain cell damage associated with viral infections.

If researchers could find a way to block this peak from occurring, they might reduce the risk of certain neurological diseases, Isacson said.

In addition, researchers could also try to identify viruses that cause particularly severe cytokine storms, to better understand which infections pose the greatest risk to the brain, Isacson said.

The idea that immune system inflammation may influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders is just one hypothesis out of many that are being investigated today, said Heather Snyder, senior associate director of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer’s Association. more research is needed to understand what, if any, effect the immune system has on brain diseases, Snyder said.

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(CBS) A British woman reportedly made a shocking discovery following a nasty coughing fit. when she brought the odd-looking tissue that came out of her mouth to a doctor, the doctor told her she had hacked up a cancerous tumor.

PICTURES: 10 ways to tumor-proof your breasts

Claire Osborn, 37, felt a tickle in her throat moments before the mass – which she described as looking “like a strip of liver” – came out, reports The Daily Mail. Once a doctor performed a biopsy on the mass, it was revealed the woman had a metastatic adenocarcinoma in the back of her throat.

Osborn was given only a 50 percent chance of survival after being diagnosed with the aggressive cancer that grew in the back of her throat, saying the cancer had likely spread to other parts of her body. Follow-up scans, however, failed to detect any tumors. Doctors removed some cancerous cells from Osborn’s tongue and her doctor gave her a clean bill of health.

“I was totally flabbergasted,” Osborn told the Daily Mail. “If I hadn’t coughed it up, the tumor would have grown and almost certainly spread to my other organs.”

The woman’s head and neck surgeon, Dr. Gary Walton, a doctor at the University Hospital Coventry in the U.K., told the Mail that he suspected the cancer had spread but the body scans showed she was clear of cancer.

“We suspect the tumor grew on a stalk at the back of her mouth which is very difficult to detect,” Walton said. “Somehow she dislodged this and the stalk snapped and she coughed up the tumor.”

“It is very uncommon to cough up cancer, but she did it,” he said.

Dr. Edward Kim, chief of head and neck medical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, told ABC News the woman’s coughing fit might have acted like a surgeon’s scalpel.

“It’s very rare that these types of tumors don’t require other treatments beyond surgery,” Kim, who was not involved in the woman’s care, told ABC News. He said metastatic adenocarcinomas often need to be treated with radiation and chemotherapy.

According to the National Cancer Institute, tobacco and alcohol use, and HPV are risk factors for head and neck cancers. Typical symptoms include a lump or sore in the mouth or throat that doesn’t heal, difficulty swallowing, a sore throat that doesn’t go away, or hoarseness in the voice.

More than 52,000 men and women in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with head and neck cancers this year.

PANAMA CITY — Sniffles, wheezing and coughing are all part of the cold and flu season.

But, is there really a difference between a cold and flu and an allergy?

Bay County Health Department Director of Nursing Kerry Hunt said when it comes to the flu and cold season, “It’s all about the virus.”

Allergies usually cause runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, watery and itchy eyes, but there is no fever, Hunt said. Allergies are usually caused by objects, like flowers, dust or pet hair.

Flu or colds may cause runny nose, aches and pains, sore and scratchy throat along with sneezing and coughing, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

“Colds and flus are caused by viruses,” Hunt said. “It is not caused by weather.”

So, Hunt related, just because you go outside without your jacket doesn’t mean you’ll catch cold.

“not true,” Hunt said.

Hunt said the cold and flu season usually comes around during January and February.

“before H1N1 they were most common during the cold periods of the year,” she continued. “H1N1 was a particular strain of the flu that was a novel strain, which means it was never identified before. we had more cases of the H1N1 in the spring and summer.”

The World Health Organization declared the new strain of swine-origin H1N1, also known as the “swine flu,” as a pandemic back in 2009. The “novel virus” spread worldwide and had caused about 17,000 deaths by the start of 2010.

The H1N1 stain is covered in this year’s vaccine edition.

“You really need to get the flu vaccine every year,” Hunt said. “It’s not too late, but I do suggest people come on in and get the flu shot.”

It does take time to develop an immunity to the virus, Hunt said.

Make it stop

To stop spreading the flu or cold, Hunt recommends a couple of things.

“first, don’t go to work,” she said.

Sneezing into the sleeve of a garment rather than your hands helps. It may be best to sneeze into a paper tissue. Avoid touching your face. The flu is transmitted through touch.

According to the Health Department, the seasonal flu replicates better in cold weather, which makes it easier to spread. of course, flu seasons are unpredictable and can start early or run late.

To prevent getting a flu, Hunt said to get a flu shot every year, frequently wash your hands, use a disinfectant and be careful when sneezing and coughing around others.

“we still have flu shots available,” Hunt said.

The cost for the regular flu vaccine at the Health Department is $29. A high dose flu vaccine specifically for individuals 65 years and older is available at a cost of $42.

According to the AAFA, if you have the flu you should get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and eat healthy foods. Over-the-counter medications, like a decongestant or a nasal sprays, can help relieve your symptoms, but they do not cure your cold; only time can do that.

The Florida Department of Health urges residents and visitors to take precautions to protect themselves and their families during flu season. Roughly 36,000 individuals in the U.S. die annually from influenza and related complications. In 2010, more than 2,000 people in Florida died from influenza and pneumonia — 26 of whom were from Bay County.

Popular Today by Zoe Abel  Posted: 2:00 AM January 09, 2012

My son, Silas, is always sick. you wouldn’t know this to look at him, though. If you were to come over to our house you’d see him screaming and laughing and refusing to eat his dinner.

Silas must be very brave to be able to laugh and play through his illness. In fact, I’ve rarely seen a symptom of his illness. be he does seem to have an intense desire several times a month to call home sick from the elementary school office.

Since I always work the night shift, Silas is extremely considerate of my sleep time during the day. He’ll tell the office secretary, “My mom worked last night, can you call my grandpa to pick me up?” Not only is Silas considerate of my sleep, but extremely smart: He’s obviously figured out that his grandpa is about a million times nicer than I am.

Being a big boring grown-up, I am sure that nothing cures illness better than some good sleep. When Silas tells me he doesn’t feel good, the first thing out of my mouth is usually, “Oh! We should probably take a nap then!” I actually get kind of excited about being sick myself — it finally gives me the chance to sleep 18 hours a day and not feel guilty about it. Silas’ naps are much shorter. He usually closes his eyes just long enough to make sure his mother has passed out asleep and then sneaks out of bed to play Legos and watch “iCarly.” Grandpa, on the other hand, doesn’t require sick people to take naps.

Silas’ other reason for usually calling his grandpa to pick him up from school is that Grandpa doesn’t immediately grill Silas on his symptoms. Grandpa will say, “Oh, he said he didn’t feel good, and he looked a little flushed,” and leave it at that.

I have two reasons for grilling Silas on the symptoms of his illness. first, I’m a nurse and intensely curious about disease and want to know in advance what the chances will be of a 2 a.m. emergency room visit. Secondly, I have grown to be suspicious of these “stomach aches” and “headaches.” I hate to call my child a liar, but I do think there are values more important to him than medical truthfulness, and one of the things he holds most valuable is his time away from school.

I’m sure plenty of people will disagree with this (including his teacher), but what does it really matter? Silas is having a bit of a tough time socially at school. If he feels like he needs a few extra days off every month, what’s the big deal? If taking days off was such a terrible thing then they wouldn’t have so many three- and four-day weekends to start with. Of course, at the next teacher/parent conferences I will adamantly deny ever saying that. Besides, I seem to remember having quite a few “stomach aches” and “headaches” myself while I was in school, and I turned out perfectly fine. The only lingering effect is that now, as an adult, I have chronically enlarged tonsils which require removing. I am sure my tonsillitis is karma for all the sore throats I would suddenly develop to get out of Spanish during high school.

When Silas is truly ill, he looks up at me from his bed, looking just about as sweet as can be, and says, “I’m lucky to have a nurse for a mom.” but what Silas is truly lucky to have is a grandpa as nice as his for those days when he’s simply sick of school.

Zoe Abel was a little late submitting this column because of a sore throat that required her to take long naps and get caught up on several seasons’ worth of “Dr. Phil.” you can contact her at

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The end of the year is fast approaching, and with it comes an end to many holiday indulgences. Overeating and related weight gain spur many people to resolve to improve their diets and increase their activity level with the new year.

Making those changes is often easier said than done if the healthier foods seem to cause physical distress.

But you are not alone. It is estimated that 10 percent to 15 percent of people in the U.S. report regular difficulties with stomach pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation related to the types of food they’ve eaten.

many of these people have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS sufferers often report difficulties with one or more different foods. sometimes, though, they just aren’t sure what is causing their distress.

Taking a hard look at a person’s daily food intake, along with any symptoms suffered can start to decode what food items may be the most at fault. this involves carefully looking at all ingredients on food labels, as well as keeping a food and symptom record listing all foods eaten daily and any gastrointestinal (GI) side effects.

If problem foods are unknown, a good starting point should be a close look at your food record for the four most common food intolerances: Milk, soy, fructose and gluten.

Milk

Intolerance most commonly involves milk sugar and lactose. Lactose intolerance affects 15 percent of the general population. In certain ethnic groups, such as Native Americans and Asians, the rate is even higher.

It can also develop as we age when our bodies produce less lactase, which is the enzyme needed to digest lactose. It might also be a side effect of other GI issues, such as Crohn’s or gluten intolerance.

Avoid: Milk, yogurt, cream, curds, ghee, ice cream, butter, buttermilk, cheeses, nougat, rennet, whey, casein and milk solids.

Soy

A person doesn’t have to eat tofu or drink soymilk to have soy in their diet. Soy is used in many foods in the U.S. Soy oil use is widespread by food manufacturers, and it is also used as a meat extender.

Avoid: Soy (all forms), hydrolyzed soy protein, miso, natto, shoyu sauce, soya, tamari, tempeh, tofu, textured vegetable protein (TVP), edamame and soy sauce.

Fructose

Fructose intolerance involves a sensitivity to the sugar found in fruit. this is especially true for foods that have a higher fructose content than glucose content.

Avoid: Fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juices, large portions of fruit. some fruits such as apricots, apples, pears, cherries, watermelon and dried fruits may be especially bothersome because of their higher fructose content.

Gluten

those with a gluten intolerance need to avoid the protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

Wheat is widespread in the U.S. food supply, which makes this task quite tricky.

Eating foods in their most-natural, least-processed form helps to make following a gluten-free diet easier.

those with a gluten intolerance should also avoid sauces, gravies, salad dressings and other condiments unless labeled gluten-free.

Avoid: Wheat, barley, rye, bran, bulgur, couscous, durum, farina, flour, gluten, kamut, matzo, seitan, semolina, malt, malt flavoring, malt vinegar, spelt, triticale, graham flour, soy sauce, chicken broth, brown rice syrup and bouillon.

A food log will allow you to better determine whether GI issues are because of one or more of these common food intolerances. the log will allow you to look at when you developed symptoms and what you ate in the previous 24 to 72 hours. If some of the same food groups keep showing up before you have symptoms, you have likely identified a problem food.

the stronger the intolerance, the sooner the connection with a problem food can be identified.

once identified, try eliminating a problem food from the diet for two weeks to see if symptoms disappear.

If they do, challenge yourself by eating some of the problem food to see if symptoms reoccur. If they do pop up again, you have successfully identified an intolerance to that food.

Learning what foods cause you distress gives you freedom to enjoy all the rest.

Note: Severe reactions to foods such as throat and lip swelling, difficulty breathing, hives or rashes are not intolerances but are symptoms of food allergy and require immediate medical attention and continued avoidance of that food item.

Cathie Brookhart is a clinical/outpatient dietitian Gettysburg Hospital. Healthy Helpings is a column written by nutritionists in York and Adams counties.

By Dr. Katherine Seibert Published: 2:00 AM – 12/07/11

Influenza viruses Types A and B cause annual outbreaks of flu affecting approximately 5-10 percent of adults each year, with higher rates in children.

There are multiple varieties of A and B viruses; the swine origin H1N1 virus is one of the Type A viruses. in the United States, influenza causes an average of more than 36,000 deaths per year and more than 130,000 hospitalizations.

People over age 65 constitute about half of the excess hospitalizations from the flu and more than 85 percent of the deaths.

However, in the U.S., most people who become ill with the flu recover without requiring any medical treatment. the flu occurs annually in this climate between December and March.

The flu virus changes its surface proteins so fast that no one becomes fully immune. This year’s virus is not a carbon copy of last year’s, thus necessitating a change in the composition of the yearly flu vaccine.

Symptoms of the flu come on abruptly, and usually include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and loss of appetite. Sore throat and dry cough may occur early in the illness. Secondary bacterial pneumonia can follow within one to three days, with rapidly progressing symptoms.

Influenza is thought to spread mainly person to person through coughing or sneezing by infected people. it may also be spread by touching infected objects, such as a phone, then touching one’s nose or mouth.

In many circumstances, the diagnosis of influenza can be made clinically. Several laboratory tests are available, but viral cultures do not yield timely results. Rapid antigen tests are available, but sensitivities are variable, between 60 and 90 percent. Specimens for influenza testing are aspirates and swabs from the nasopharyngeal area.

The flu is often treated symptomatically with rest and fluids. People who are at high risk of serious complications from influenza may benefit most from antiviral medications. Several antiviral drugs are available for treatment of influenza. These antivirals, if begun early, will reduce the duration of fever and symptoms by one to three days and provide more rapid overall recovery.

Little or no benefit is seen when treatment is initiated two days or more after the onset of uncomplicated influenza symptoms. the greatest effect occurs when antivirals are begun within the first 24 hours.

Influenza vaccines are available in two forms:

Flu vaccine protection is recommended for all persons 6 months old and older. the intranasal vaccine is currently approved only for healthy people ages 2-49 who are not pregnant.

Administration of the inactivated vaccine is associated with arm soreness in about one-third of people, and other side effects are infrequent. Adequate immunity is achieved in about two weeks after vaccination, and it is very effective in preventing the flu.

To protect yourself and others from the flu, it is important to follow good hand-washing and hygiene practices.

If you become sick with flu-like symptoms, stay at home for least seven days after the onset of illness or until 24 hours after your symptoms resolve, whichever is longer.

Katherine Seibert, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, is a practicing internist who sees patients at Hudson River HealthCare in Monticello. she is also a doctor of microbiology and a Sister of Charity of new York. she has been serving Sullivan County as a physician for the past 20 years.

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LOVELAND — after her husband got thyroid cancer, Loveland resident Evi Buckner-Opler figured she couldn’t go wrong by attending a free clinic Saturday at the physician’s office where he got treatment.

“I thought I better have my neck checked to see if there was anything,” Buckner-Opler said just after Dr. Sarvjit Gill, an otolaryngologist at Alpine Ear, Nose and Throat P.C., gave her a head and neck cancer screening.

Buckner-Opler and most of the 100 other people who attended the 14th annual Northern Colorado Head and Neck Cancer Screening got a clean bill of health.

“Every year, we put fears to rest,” said Gill, who joined Alpine 14 years ago – two years after it opened. “Every year, we find one to three malignant conditions that can be life-threatening.”

More than a dozen physicians, as well as many other medical professionals and their friends and family members, gave up either the morning or afternoon to help serve the community at the Loveland office, 3820 N. Grant Ave.

The medical professionals came from Northern Colorado and Wyoming and included family practice physicians, physician assistants and nurses.

“You find a lot of people who are underinsured or who are worried about lingering problems,” said Dr. Chris Eriksen, an otolaryngologist and founder of Alpine, which has offices in Loveland and Fort Collins. “I look for head and neck cancer all the rest of the year. This is a little more different and fun.”

Eriksen likes that during the clinic, he and the other volunteers are not required to fill out electronic medical records, he said.

“The paperwork’s less. There’s no insurance woes,” he said.

Typically, 300 people turn out to the event. the word got out late this year, resulting in a lower turnout, Gill said.

Each year, Gill and the medical volunteers usually find 12 to 15 people with suspicious symptoms and refer them back to their family physicians or a community clinic with a form describing their conditions. They conduct a thorough history and examination of any potential signs of head and neck cancer.

Risk factors include excessive alcohol or tobacco use, and symptoms include a lump in the neck, a change in the voice, a sore in the mouth, a persistent cough, difficulty swallowing and earache or pain when swallowing.

The patients, as well as the volunteers, benefit, Gill said. the family physicians, for instance, learn how to do more in-depth head and neck evaluations, such as assessing the nasal passageway, throat and using a flexible scope to examine the vocal cords.

“The physicians also get a sense of satisfaction. They’re helping the community,” Gill said. “It’s nice to be able to do something and not have to worry about anything other than patient care.”

Darla Woodman, a registered nurse who works in the operating room at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, typically works with patients after they have been diagnosed with a condition.

“It’s nice to see that they don’t have cancer. They get a clean bill of health versus the patients we see,” Woodman said.

Shelley Widhalm can be reached at 669-5050, ext. 531, or swidhalm@reporter-herald.com.

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D. November 20, 2011 12:00 AM

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: In January of 2007, I was a passenger in a friend’s car when it was involved in an accident. I received two fractured vertebrae and severe bruising across my stomach. In June of 2007, I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. I was paralyzed from my feet to my neck, and stayed in the hospital for 63 days. Could the onset of GBS have been triggered by the stress and trauma of the auto accident? I did have a sore throat right after the accident. can GBS start in the throat? You have stated that GBS occurs one to two months after a respiratory or digestive-tract infection. is the incubation period set in stone?

Guillain (gee-YAWN)-Barre (buh-RAY) syndrome first begins as funny sensations in the feet. A paralysis then sets in, starting in the legs and moving upward in the body. the paralysis results from an antibody attack on nerves by the immune system. Antibodies are proteins that serve as ammunition for the immune attack. In 70 percent of GB patients, the ascending paralysis is preceded by a respiratory or digestive-tract infection by one to three weeks. I’m sure there are different time intervals for this; nothing in medicine is set in stone. the germ causing the digestive-tract illness is most often the bacterium Campylobacter (KAM-puh-low-BACK-tur). one of the viruses causing a preceding respiratory illness is the Epstein-Barr virus — the virus of mononucleosis, which features a sore throat as part of its symptoms. the bacteria and viruses don’t actually cause GB. They cause the immune system to produce antibodies against these germs. Those antibodies also are directed against nerves. It’s the antibodies that are responsible for GB. I cannot find information supporting stress or trauma as causing this illness.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: my doctor refuses to prescribe prednisone for my problem. my feet, hands and knees are stiff. She says my problem isn’t bad enough. I am in pain. how should I get help?

Joint stiffness is a sign of many illnesses. Osteoarthritis is the leading cause in older people. Rheumatoid arthritis is another illness featuring stiff joints. Shortly after the discovery of cortisone (prednisone is a cortisone drug), it was used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with great success. However, side effects from giving the drug in high doses for prolonged periods of time created more problems than the illness itself. Prednisone isn’t used for the more common osteoarthritis. Tylenol, Advil, Aleve and many other similar drugs are. Hot packs are another useful treatment. If you give me the diagnosis your doctor has made for your stiffness, I can expand on it for you.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: each year, my cholesterol stays around 205. it might be 215 or 195, but mostly it hovers around 205. my HDL is 95 (2.4 mmol/L), and my LDL is 91 (2.35). do I need to be concerned about a cholesterol of 205?

You don’t need to be concerned about a cholesterol of even 215 mg/dL (5.3 mmol/L). There’s leeway in cholesterol measurement. It’s not exactly the most precise science. Rejoice at your readings, and rejoice even more at your HDL and LDL readings. both are terrific. an HDL (good cholesterol) of greater than 40 (1.04) is good and one greater than 60 (1.5) is excellent. an LDL (bad cholesterol) of 91 is very good. A value less than 100 is optimal. stop obsessing about cholesterol.

Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

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