Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Autologous bone marrow transplantation in non-hodgkin lymphoma patients following different conditioning regimens: an 11-year single-center quasi-experimental study.
Tavakoli Shiraji S, et al
A new study published in Blood Research examined whether replacing the drug carmustine with carboplatin in a standard chemotherapy conditioning regimen affects survival outcomes for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The retrospective study followed 240 NHL patients over an 11-year period at a single center, comparing two versions of the EAM conditioning regimen — one with and one without carboplatin — due to a shortage of carmustine. Researchers found no statistically significant differences in overall survival or disease-free survival between the two groups, with 5-year overall survival reaching 74.8% and 5-year disease-free survival at 62.1%. Notably, patients with B-cell lymphomas had significantly better survival outcomes compared to those with T-cell lymphomas. These findings provide reassuring real-world evidence that carboplatin can serve as a practical substitute for carmustine in ASCT conditioning regimens without compromising patient survival, which is clinically important when drug shortages occur.
Blood research
Source →Unintended Consequences: Vagal Nerve Injury During Continuous Neuromonitoring in Thyroidectomy.
Zhang D, et al
Researchers analyzed a decade of thyroidectomy data to characterize injuries to the vagus nerve (VN) caused by continuous intraoperative neuromonitoring (CIONM), a technology used to protect nerves during thyroid surgery. Among 1,060 thyroidectomies involving 2,120 nerves monitored between 2014 and 2024, nine vagus nerve injuries were identified, yielding an overall incidence of 0.42%. The vast majority of injuries (eight out of nine) were temporary and resolved within approximately four months, while only one resulted in permanent vocal fold paralysis. Most injuries occurred during initial dissection of the carotid sheath or when the monitoring probe was first applied, and were more common in patients with anatomically challenging neck anatomy or when older probe designs were used. Importantly, complete loss of nerve electrical signal during surgery predicted the single permanent injury, whereas partial signal changes uniformly resolved, giving surgeons a real-time warning tool. These findings provide practical guidance for surgeons: awareness of nerve position, prompt cessation of manipulation upon signal change, and early voice therapy can minimize and manage this rare but meaningful complication.
Head & neck
Source →Initial Clinical Diagnosis of Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Microscopic Disease Involving Minimally Invasive Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma.
Kefeli M, et al
This report from Mayo Clinic Proceedings describes a rare and diagnostically challenging case in which intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL), an aggressive blood cancer, was identified through its microscopic involvement of a minimally invasive follicular thyroid carcinoma. IVLBCL is notorious for its elusive clinical presentation, often mimicking other systemic diseases and evading standard diagnostic workups. In this case, the lymphoma was discovered incidentally when pathologists examined thyroid tissue removed during surgery for thyroid cancer, highlighting how one malignancy may serve as an unexpected gateway to diagnosing another. The findings underscore the importance of thorough microscopic examination of surgical specimens, even those from seemingly unrelated cancers. For clinicians, this case serves as a reminder that IVLBCL can present in unusual anatomical sites and that concurrent malignancies may complicate or delay its recognition. Early identification remains critical, as IVLBCL carries a poor prognosis if left untreated.
Mayo Clinic proceedings
Source →Interconnection between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Immune Disorders, and Reproductive Outcomes.
Romero TB, et al
A new narrative review published in Reproduction & Fertility examines the complex relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), immune system dysfunction, and reproductive outcomes in women. The review reveals that women with PCOS exhibit chronically elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, along with immune cell infiltration in ovarian and endometrial tissues, which impairs egg quality, disrupts hormone production, and reduces the uterus's ability to support embryo implantation. Imbalances in key immune cell populations—including Th1/Th2 and Th17/regulatory T cell ratios—as well as the presence of autoantibodies, are linked to implantation failure and recurrent miscarriage. Women with PCOS are also at higher risk for autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes, pointing to a broader systemic immunometabolic imbalance. The authors propose an integrative framework connecting systemic and local immune dysregulation in reproductive tissues, and discuss how metabolic treatments like metformin and GLP-1 receptor agonists may also modulate immune pathways. These findings open the door to personalized immunological therapies targeting specific immune subtypes of PCOS to improve fertility outcomes.
Reproduction & fertility
Source →Minimally invasive adrenalectomy for the treatment of large pheochromocytoma: A single-centre experience.
Çarkıt S, et al
Researchers at a single centre investigated whether minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery is safe and effective for removing large pheochromocytomas, rare hormone-secreting tumours of the adrenal gland, in a study spanning 2007 to 2023. Of 275 patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy, 75 were operated on for pheochromocytoma, and these were divided into groups with tumours smaller than 6 cm and those 6 cm or larger. The study found that complication rates, conversion to open surgery, and hospital stay lengths were similar between both size groups, suggesting that minimally invasive surgery is viable even for larger tumours. However, tumour size between 6 and 8 cm increased the odds of a prolonged operation more than three-fold, while tumours of 8 cm or more increased those odds more than six-fold. These findings are clinically significant because they confirm laparoscopic adrenalectomy as a safe first-choice treatment for pheochromocytoma regardless of size, while alerting surgical teams to plan for longer operating times when dealing with tumours of 6 cm and above.
Journal of minimal access surgery
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