Pfizer Expands its Oncology Team by Acquiring Array BioPharma

Already a leader in the treatment of prostate and breast cancer,Pfizer,the world's largest pharmaceutical company,has further enlarged its oncology portfolio by completing its acquisition of Array BioPharma,Inc.,the company announced on 30 July 2019.This will advance breakthrough science for the discovery,development and commercialisation of targeted small molecule medicines to treat cancer and other diseases of high unmet need,Pfizer said.*
Array's portfolio included the approved combined use of BRAFTOVI (R) and MEKTOVI (R) for the treatment of two forms of unresectable or metastatic melanoma skin cancer,with significant potential for long-term growth with expansion into additional areas of unmet need.The combination is also being investigated as a potential first-in-class combination for the treatment of BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC),based on interim results the company feels are compelling from the pivotal Phase 3 BEACON trial,according to Pfizer.They believe this application has industry-leading potential.*
Pfizer says it will maintain Array's operations in Cambridge,Massachusetts;Morrisville,North Carolina;and Boulder,Colorado.Array is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the New York-based pharma titan.The all-cash deal had a value of around 11.4 billion dollars.*
Pfizer Inc (PFE)

Head and Neck Exam:The Standard of Dental Care

The head and neck exam has become the gold standard of dental care in light of the increase in cancers of this area of the body in recent years,and the window into overall health that it provides.The combined Intraoral/Extraoral exam is the recommended practice for dental clinicians today,as a part of regular dental checkups.Dentists have been enlisted to serve on the frontlines of cancer detection by means of this screening procedure.The exam only takes about five minutes.*
The thorough head and neck exam consists of systematic visual inspection and palpation of structures of the head and neck region.It should be a routine part of every patient's dental care.Some of the main features of the screening are evaluation of the patient's symmetry and profile;cutaneous area;lips;lymph nodes;salivary glands;thyroid gland;temporomandibular joint;oropharynx;tonsillar crypt;soft palate and uvula;hard palate;tongue;and gingiva.*
According to Jaisri Thoppay,DDS,Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine and Orafacial Pain at the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Dentistry's Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery:
Anyone can get oral cancer and everyone should have periodic oral,head and neck cancer screening.Preventative screening facilitates early detection.Screening tests are given when one does not have any cancer symptoms.*
About 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancer this year.Just slightly more than half of them will still be alive in five years.*
Besides oral,head and neck cancer,the exam facilitates early detection of skin cancers of this high risk area of the body and even autoimmune disorders.

Health Uncle:What Are Moles-and when they should be evaluated

Moles are concentrations of melanocytes,the cells that give your skin its color.They may be flat or raised.Normal moles are evenly shaped and colored.A mole with irregular borders;a size greater than a pencil eraser;an uneven shape;or more than one color or shade is atypical.Any mole that has changed,looks weird or suddenly appeared if you are over 40,should  be examined by a health professional as soon as possible.In rare cases,moles can be precancerous or cancerous.
Cancerous moles are called malignant melanomas.They are a kind of tumor of the skin.Some melanomas metastasize slowly;but others can spread rapidly to other organs,often with fatal consequences.Young people can get and die from malignant melanomas.
Melanomas are diagnosed by biopsy.The suspicious mole is normally removed in a doctor's office.Mole removal is one of the most common surgeries.It only takes about ten minutes and is done under local anesthesia.The tissue will be sent to a lab for analysis.If the mole is cancerous,it must be staged,or assessed to see if it has spread.If it is superficial,no further treatment is required.If it has spread,an oncologist,or cancer specialist,will draw up a treatment plan following tests to definitively stage the cancer.Treatment of these more advanced melanomas may involve more surgery,radiation and chemotherapy of various types,depending on the patient's situation.
Exposure to ultraviolet radiation and heredity are significant factors that predispose to developing malignant melanomas.If any moles are worrying you,don't hesitate to have them examined.Remember,they don't have to be grotesque to be dangerous.

From Cancer To Commitment:Baseball Great Johnny Bench Promotes Skin Cancer Awareness

Hall of Fame baseball legend Johnny Bench,64,who was the Cincinnati Reds' star catcher in the 1970s,is promoting skin cancer awareness for Major League Baseball's Play Sun Smart campaign.Bench has quite a bit of personal experience with the topic,as he himself was recently diagnosed  with,and successfully treated for,basal cell carcinoma,the most common form of skin cancer.It was found on his lower eyelids.
The problem with skin cancer is,you can easily overlook it,just dismissing those small lesions on your face or elsewhere on your body.It often takes a dermatologist to determine just what those bumps,moles or rough patches really are.They could be malignant or precancerous,even though they may not look particularly menacing to the naked eye.At his doctor's suggestion,Johnny Bench had those little bumps on his lower eyelids biopsied by a specialist.When they turned out to be basal cell carcinomas,he underwent highly sophisticated surgery called Mohs surgery,in which the surgeon basically slices off minute layers of skin cells,checking each layer under a microscope until there are no more cancerous cells left.This preserves more of the surrounding healthy tissue.
Bench fully recovered from his January operation,but he wants to make sure others don't have to go through the ordeal of skin cancer.He committed himself to the MLB skin cancer awareness program,becoming its 2012 spokesman and appearing in a Play Sun Smart video with Harlem youths.Play Sun Smart is a joint educational project of Major League Baseball;the Major League Baseball Players' Association;and the American Academy of Dermatology.
Skin cancer is linked to cumulative exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.It is estimated that 20% of Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes.Organizations such as the American Academy of Dermatology and MLB are trying hard to get the word out about this potentially deadly disease.Besides basal cell carcinoma,the other,less common forms of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma,the  rarest and most dangerous form.

Advances in Oncology

Our knowledge of cancer grows with each passing month,moving us to an ever greater understanding of the processes and origins of these complex diseases.British researchers have been cataloging the abnormalities which cause cancer across the human genome.There are 23,000 mutations in every cancer cell.Specifically,the scientists have mapped the genetic code for two common cancers:lung cancer and malignant melanoma.This had never been done before.Over time,such detailed knowledge should enable the development of new screening tests and treatments.The research was published in the science journal Nature.
One cause of genetic mutations is exposure to radiation.For instance,CT scans have now been found to cause more cancers than was previously thought.This important diagnostic procedure peers deep inside the body,resulting in radiation exposure worse than that caused by conventional x-rays.A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine says that,of all the patients that had CT scans in 2007,27,000 will develop cancers as a result of the scans,and 15,000 of them will die.The lead researcher commented that it is clear that many CTs are unnecessary.
While some oncology research leads to new treatments or screening techniques,other studies cause testing guidelines to be revised or reinforced,and may be just as important to patient welfare.

Health Uncle:Summer Hazards

The hazards of summer are mainly related to the sun on the one hand,and water on the other.Not everyone is active on the water,but we all deal with the sun.Heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and dehydration are threats,especially to vulnerable populations,but the spectre of skin cancer is a less immediate threat,though a more widespread occurrence.More than 10,000 Americans die of skin cancer every year-mostly from melanoma.If diagnosed early,melanoma patients can survive quite a long time.Five years after diagnosis,99% of melanoma patients are still alive.
Besides melanoma,there are more than a million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed each year in the U.S.These are also mainly sun-related,but they tend not to spread to other organs,unlike melanoma.Non-melanoma skin cancers are typically found on the face,lips,ears and neck,which are exposed to the sun more.The eyes are at risk from the sun's UV rays as well.Cataracts and macular degeneration have been linked to the solar rays.Light-colored clothing,sun glasses,sunscreen and hats keep us feeling and looking cooler through those hot,bright summer days,and help preserve our health.