Ten Minutes That Could Save Your Life

Oral, head and neck cancers most of which are preventable account for approximately 3 percent of all cancer cases in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2009, more than 35,000 Americans were diagnosed with these cancers and 7,600 died.

To help combat cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and pharynx, Loyola University Medical Center will offer free screenings for oral, head and neck cancers as part of the 12th annual Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week, April 12-18, sponsored nationally by the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance, formerly the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation).

"Oral and other head and neck cancers remain a target for early detection. When diagnosed very early, it is easier to treat and cure," said Dr. Chad Zender, assistant professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood.

The screenings will take place from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, April 19, in the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, 2160 S. First Ave., Maywood, Ill. Screenings will be open to the public and will be done by Loyola physicians and nurses. The screenings, which take less than 10 minutes to perform, will include a visual examination of the inside of the mouth and a check for areas of swelling or lumps in the head and neck.

The event will also include information on how to prevent oral, head and neck cancers and counseling on ways to reduce risk factors and make lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and cutting down on alcohol use, said Patricia Mumby, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Stritch School of Medicine.

"More than 85 percent of head and neck cancers are related to tobacco use, making this one of the most preventable diseases of our time," said Mumby, who provides counseling to patients in Loyola's Smoking Cessation Clinic. "It's heartbreaking to see people suffering who didn't have to. We hope to encourage people to get regular checkups and to eliminate high-risk habits like smoking."

Common warning signs of oral, head & neck cancer include:

-- A red or white patch in the mouth that lasts more than two years

-- Change in voice or hoarseness that lasts more than two weeks

-- Sore throat that does not subside

-- Pain or swelling in the mouth or neck that does not subside

-- Lump in the neck

Warning signs that occur during the later stages of the disease include:

-- Ear pain

-- Difficulty speaking or swallowing

-- Difficulty breathing

Source: Loyola University Health System

Acupuncture Effective in Easing Breast Cancer Treatment Symptoms

Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, and the second leading cause of death in women. The American Cancer Society estimates that the chance of a woman getting breast cancer at some point during her life is slightly less than 1 in 8, and the chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. However, as a result of early detection and vast improvements in treatment over the past two decades, breast cancer death rates have been decreasing. Today in America, there are more than 2.5 million survivors.

Although each person’s treatment will be slightly different, it most often involves some combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, followed by five years of hormone therapy and drugs like tamoxifen, which counters the effects of hormones. These treatments often cause uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating side effects, including decreased sexual desire and in younger women, early menopause—hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Venlafaxine, an antidepressant drug also known as Effexor, has been the treatment of choice for women undergoing breast cancer treatments, but it comes with its own set of side effects: dry mouth, decreased appetite, nausea and constipation. However, researchers say there is another option for these patients; one that works as well as drugs, without the side effects—acupuncture.

Previous studies have shown that acupuncture can reduce hot flashes in healthy postmenopausal women. So, researchers decided to find out if it could also benefit premenopausal women being treated for breast cancer. “We need something that’s accessible that doesn’t add adverse effects,” said Dr. Eleanor Walker, division director of breast services in the department of radiation oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. For the study, 50 women with breast cancer were randomly chosen to receive either 12 weeks of acupuncture (twice a week for four weeks then once a week) or daily Effexor. They were followed for a year.

Initially, both groups experienced a similar reduction (about 50 percent) in hot flashes, depression and other menopausal symptoms as well as improvement in mental health. But two weeks after treatment stopped, hot flashes increased in the antidepressant group but remained minimal in the acupuncture group. It wasn’t until three months after the last treatment that hot flashes began to return for those receiving acupuncture. Additionally, about 25 percent of women receiving acupuncture reported better sex drive and many reported increased energy and clearer thinking. Adverse effects, including nausea, headache, difficulty sleeping and dizziness were reported by the antidepressant users, whereas no adverse effects were reported with acupuncture. “Acupuncture offers patients a safe, effective and durable treatment option for hot flashes, something that affects the majority of breast cancer survivors,” Walker said. “Compared to drug therapy, acupuncture has benefits, as opposed to more side effects.”

Janet Konefal, a licensed acupuncturist and assistant dean of complementary and integrative medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, theorized that acupuncture operates as a balancing tool. “It is a regulator for the systems of the body. It doesn’t add or take anything—it simply increases activity or decreases activity depending upon the points used,” she explained. “In this situation, it helped regulate the endocrine system, thus helping to balance the activity of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other biochemical reactions that regulate the body.”

But other experts say it’s too early to take the findings too seriously. “It’s provocative but the problem is it’s a small number of patients and, having participated in research trials in vasomotor (hot flashes, night sweats, etc.) symptoms in women, it’s a field that has a large placebo effect,” said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology/oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge. “It needs to have a bigger trial.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends acupuncture as an effective treatment for over 40 medical problems, including allergies, respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, gynecological problems, nervous conditions, and disorders of the eyes, nose and throat, and childhood illnesses, among others. Acupuncture has also been used in the treatment of alcoholism and substance abuse.

The study results are published online in the Journal of Oncology.