Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Comparative Analysis of Homologous Recombination Repair Status Across Gynecologic and Breast Cancers in Chinese Populations.
Huang Y, et al
Researchers in China analyzed the genomic profiles of 270 patients with four types of female cancers — breast, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial — to better understand how homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), a form of DNA repair failure, varies across these tumor types. Using a comprehensive 520-gene sequencing panel, the team measured HRD scores alongside tumor mutation burden and microsatellite instability to identify patterns linked to genomic instability. The study found that breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers share similarly elevated HRD scores, while endometrial cancer showed significantly lower scores, suggesting distinct underlying biology. Mutations in well-known genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 were confirmed as strong predictors of high HRD, but the researchers also identified additional potential markers: SMARCA4, EPHA5, and JAK2 in breast cancer, and a possible negative association with PIK3CA in ovarian cancer. Importantly, some patients with high HRD had no detectable mutations in known HR-related genes, highlighting gaps in current testing approaches. These findings underscore the need for cancer-type-specific HRD assessment strategies to better identify patients who may benefit from targeted therapies such as PARP inhibitors.
Current cancer drug targets
Source →Restorative effects of Thai Mucuna pruriens seed extract on reproductive, hormonal, and fertility impairments in letrozole-induced PCOS rats.
Bunsueb S, et al
A new study investigated whether seed extract from Thai Mucuna pruriens (TMP), a leguminous plant with traditional medicinal use, could restore reproductive and hormonal function in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) induced by the drug letrozole. Female rats with PCOS showed persistent hormonal imbalances, abnormal ovarian structure, disrupted reproductive cycles, and complete infertility before treatment. After 30 days of oral TMP extract administration, particularly at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight, treated animals showed normalized estrous cycles, improved hormone levels with increased FSH and estradiol and decreased LH and testosterone, healthier ovarian tissue with active follicle development, and restored fertility with successful embryo implantation. The extract also reduced body weight and downregulated key ovarian proteins including androgen receptor, estrogen receptor alpha, and the inflammatory marker TNF-alpha, suggesting multiple mechanisms of action. These findings are significant because PCOS is the leading cause of female infertility worldwide and current pharmaceutical treatments carry side effects, making plant-based alternatives highly desirable. The study positions Thai Mucuna pruriens seed extract as a promising natural therapeutic candidate for managing PCOS-related reproductive dysfunction, although further research in humans will be necessary before clinical application.
Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia
Source →Föhn-induced melting over Larsen C modulated by atmospheric river shape, direction and landfall location.
Zou X, et al
This study, published in Nature Communications, investigated how atmospheric rivers — long, narrow corridors of intense moisture in the atmosphere — interact with föhn winds to cause surface warming and melting over the Larsen C Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula. Using high-resolution Polar WRF weather simulations, researchers identified four distinct shapes of atmospheric rivers (zonal-perpendicular, zonal-like, convex, and concave) that each produce different warming patterns across the ice shelf. Zonal-like and convex atmospheric rivers were found to generate the strongest föhn warming, while zonal-perpendicular and concave shapes produced only moderate to weak warming due to weaker intensity or unfavorable curvature. The study also found that downward shortwave radiation is the dominant driver of surface warming, though increased moisture from atmospheric rivers can partially offset warming by suppressing cloud clearance, while sensible heat flux plays a notable role near mountain foothills. These findings are critical for understanding the future stability of Antarctic coastal ice shelves, as atmospheric rivers are projected to intensify under climate change, potentially accelerating ice shelf loss and contributing to global sea level rise.
Nature communications
Source →TNFRSF17 as a complementary biomarker to PD-L1 for predicting the response to immunotherapy in urothelial bladder cancer.
Chen J, et al
Researchers investigated whether TNFRSF17, a gene marker specific to plasma cells, could complement the existing PD-L1 biomarker for predicting which bladder cancer patients will benefit from immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Using publicly available transcriptomic and clinical datasets, the team found that higher TNFRSF17 expression strongly correlated with greater plasma cell infiltration in tumors and was linked to better overall survival and improved response rates to immunotherapy. When TNFRSF17 was assessed together with CD274 (the gene encoding PD-L1), patients whose tumors showed high levels of both markers had the most favorable survival outcomes, with a hazard ratio of 0.38, and their tumors displayed an immune-inflamed profile rich in antigen presentation pathways. These findings suggest that TNFRSF17 can help identify a distinct subgroup of bladder cancer patients within the PD-L1-high category who are especially likely to respond well to immunotherapy. For clinicians, combining both biomarkers could improve patient selection for ICB treatment, potentially sparing non-responders from ineffective therapy while ensuring that those most likely to benefit receive it.
PloS one
Source →Expression of lncRNA-ATB and miR-200c in patients with bladder cancer: a pilot study.
Kaytaz M, et al
Researchers conducted a pilot study investigating the roles of two molecular markers — long noncoding RNA activated by TGF-β (lncRNA-ATB) and microRNA-200c (miR-200c) — in bladder cancer tissue from 50 patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Using quantitative PCR analysis, the team compared expression levels of these molecules in tumor tissues versus adjacent normal tissues collected during surgical removal of tumors. The study found that lncRNA-ATB was significantly elevated in tumor tissues, while miR-200c, although generally upregulated in tumors, was notably lower in high-grade compared to low-grade tumors, suggesting its expression decreases as cancer becomes more aggressive. Diagnostic analysis showed that both markers could distinguish tumor from normal tissue with moderate accuracy, with lncRNA-ATB achieving 72% sensitivity and 68% specificity. This is the first study to simultaneously examine both markers in early-stage bladder cancer, and the findings suggest that the lncRNA-ATB/miR-200c axis may serve as a potential indicator of tumor aggressiveness and metastatic risk, opening new avenues for biomarker-based monitoring of bladder cancer patients.
Laboratory medicine
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