Written by Ferran Pardo-Zamora
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Oral cancer, which originates in the oral cavity tissues, ranks as the eighth most common cancer globally, contributing to high mortality rates due to its often late detection. Although tissue biopsy remains the conventional method for diagnosis, it is invasive. Recently, liquid biopsy has emerged as a non-invasive diagnostic alternative. This method evaluates the tumor and its surrounding microenvironment by analyzing biomarkers found in bodily fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, and breast mi
Written by Srivarsha Ranjeet
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), responsible for the vast majority of head and neck cancers (90–96%), remains a major global health concern. Molecular-level insight into this disease is critical for developing targeted therapies and enhancing patient care. This study explores the potential of Gymnema sylvestre (G. sylvestre), a natural compound, as an alternative anticoagulant to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for preserving blood samples intended for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) ex
Written by Arnold A Mtenga
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
The development of cancer during pregnancy is an uncommon occurrence. While breast and cervical cancers are more commonly reported in pregnant individuals, malignancies affecting the head and neck region—such as osteosarcoma—are particularly rare. Osteosarcoma of the jaw is exceptionally unusual during pregnancy and presents significant diagnostic difficulties. When diagnosed during gestation, this condition can adversely affect both maternal and fetal outcomes. This case report presents a 29-ye
Written by Michał Miciak
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is an uncommon neuroendocrine tumor that originates from the parafollicular C cells in the thyroid. Unlike the more common papillary carcinoma, MTC tends to progress more aggressively and is prone to metastasis that is often unresponsive to chemotherapy. The main therapeutic approaches for MTC include surgical intervention and pharmacological treatments. Recent years have seen significant progress, particularly in the pharmacological management of MTC. This revi
Written by Ling Xu
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most prevalent and fatal cancers worldwide, with high rates of both incidence and mortality. Unfortunately, most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, often through routine screenings, missing the best time for intervention. In this research, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify key gene modules and hub genes associated with GC. Using the “limma” package in R, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were examined from
Written by Delia Nica-Badea
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a family of small, DNA-based viruses that can cause either benign conditions or contribute to the development of cancerous tumors in humans. Some of the oncogenic strains, as supported by existing research, primarily infect epithelial cells and can be found in various areas of the skin and mucous membranes, including the genital, anal, oral, and respiratory tracts. Persistent HPV infection is a major risk factor for the development of numerous malignant tumors i
Written by Junpei Hiroshi Tanaka
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Colorectal cancer (CRC) frequently metastasizes to the liver, which is the main driver of patient mortality. While circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators in cancer, their role in promoting CRC liver metastasis is still poorly understood. We examined circ-YAP expression using qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization, and assessed its impact on CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through CCK-8, wound healing, and transwell assays. Mechanistic studies were performed using
Written by Lee Min-Ho
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Deletion of the 9p21 chromosomal region is among the most frequently observed homozygous genomic events in human cancers. This locus contains the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene along with CDKN2A and CDKN2B, and its loss has been associated with inferior clinical outcomes and diminished benefit from immune checkpoint blockade. Recent therapeutic strategies have highlighted MTAP deficiency as a targetable vulnerability through synthetic lethal interactions involving MAT2A and PRMT5
Written by Daniel Patrick O’Connor
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
The decision to pursue pregnancy after breast cancer treatment raises concerns, particularly in women with hormone receptor-positive tumors, due to fears of recurrence or compromised survival. Despite growing evidence suggesting safety, uncertainty persists among both patients and clinicians. A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library was performed through 31 March 2023 without restrictions on date or language. Studies eligible for inclusion were retrospective or prospective
Written by Sandra Eva Novak
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Male breast cancer (MBC) represents an uncommon yet rising malignancy that suffers from a scarcity of prospective research. International cooperation is essential to better comprehend and manage MBC, particularly its prognostic aspects, across various nations. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical, histopathological, and molecular-genetic features, therapeutic approaches, and survival results for cases of MBC identified from 2007 to 2017 within the Czech Republic. Factors influe
Written by Katarina Jelena Markovic
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) who no longer respond to platinum-based chemotherapy have few effective treatment options, and outcomes with current therapies are modest. This phase II, single-arm, multicenter study evaluated the combination of the PD-1 inhibitor penpulimab (200 mg) with the anti-angiogenic agent anlotinib (12 mg) in R/M HNSCC patients who progressed following at least one platinum-based chemotherapy regimen.Out of 38 enrol
Written by Anna Marie Nielsen
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Ribociclib is an approved cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor for the treatment of hormone receptor–positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HER2−) advanced breast cancer (ABC) when combined with endocrine therapy. Although pivotal clinical trials have clearly described hematologic, hepatic, and cardiac toxicities, data regarding ribociclib-associated cutaneous adverse events (CAEs) are still scarce. This retrospective cohort study included all patients with HR+/HER2−
Written by Carlos Alberto Medina
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) diminish the absorption levels of multiple oncology agents. The potential influence of PPIs when administered alongside cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors remains under debate. This investigation sought to establish if concurrent PPI administration alters the therapeutic benefits of palbociclib and abemaciclib in managing breast cancer. A retrospective observational analysis was performed across multiple centers involving 4 healthcare facilities in Japan. Eligib
Written by Natalia Sofia Alvarez
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
The effectiveness of targeted therapies in prolonging survival for gastric cancer patients remains limited, largely due to off-target effects and tumor immune evasion. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abundant in tumor tissues and serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The role of hsa_circ_0136666 in promoting gastric cancer cell proliferation was examined using Western blot, qRT-PCR, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and flow cytometry. Tumor immune evasion was investigated
Written by James Anderson
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
In high-risk neuroblastoma, the presence of metastases in bone marrow (BM) or bones after induction therapy is linked to a worse outlook, although anti-GD2 antibodies such as naxitamab can produce responses in these sites. Here we present the outcomes from a phase I/II clinical study. Treatment cycles consisted of GM-CSF and naxitamab, given intravenously (over 30–90 minutes) on days +1, +3, and +5. During the phase I segment, naxitamab doses were increased stepwise; in the phase II expansion, i
Written by Hans Müller
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
For patients with unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), durvalumab given as consolidation treatment after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) without disease progression has become the worldwide standard approach. Nevertheless, many individuals in real-world settings are treated with sequential chemoradiotherapy (sCRT) instead. The PACIFIC-5 study was therefore initiated to examine the clinical effectiveness and tolerability of consolidation durvalumab in this population fol
Written by Sofía Martínez
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Although BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy has achieved notable success in treating multiple myeloma (MM), disease recurrence remains common. This is largely driven by T-cell dysfunction and the selection of BCMA-negative tumor variants. Identifying new antigens is essential to counteract antigen escape. We analyzed B7-H3 (CD276) surface expression on primary MM patient specimens. Nanobody-derived CAR T cells (nanoCARs) targeting B7-H3 were constructed and assessed for their ability to kill targe
Written by Kenji Tanaka
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Olutasidenib is a potent, orally administered selective blocker of mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (mIDH1). It secured FDA approval for the treatment of relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) following positive results from a pivotal, open-label, multicenter phase 2 clinical study. Data from the scheduled interim review were reported earlier (data cutoff [DCO]: June 2021). This final analysis extends the follow-up by two additional years and presents updated efficacy and saf
Written by João Silva
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive cancer type marked by few effective therapies and generally unfavorable survival rates. Although rs3810151 (p.Val94Ala) in the ZNF526 gene has been linked to breast cancer risk as a susceptibility variant, its precise biological contributions and mechanisms of action in TNBC remain unclear. Here, we report that ZNF526 is strongly upregulated in TNBC specimens, and higher levels of this protein are associated with significantly wor
Written by Emma Wilson
Published in Vol 4 Issue 1, 2024
CIC::DUX4 sarcoma (CDS) is an exceptionally aggressive cancer characterized by very few available treatment choices. In this work, we describe a doxycycline-inducible CIC::DUX4 fusion mouse model and its derived cancer cell line, imChCDS, which accurately reproduces the molecular, histological, and immunological traits of human CDS. Our results establish that CIC::DUX4 expression alone is sufficient to initiate tumor development in susceptible soft connective tissue lineages. The imChCDS line pr
