Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
A Primitive Endobronchial Tumor Derived by Salivary Gland on FDG PET/CT.
Zheng K, et al
Researchers report a rare case of a primary endobronchial tumor of salivary gland origin in a 55-year-old man who presented with cough, expectoration, and brief episodes of coughing up blood. Imaging with contrast-enhanced CT revealed a soft-tissue nodule in the left upper bronchus causing partial lung collapse, and initial bronchoscopic biopsy pointed toward adenoid cystic carcinoma. Staging with 18F-FDG PET/CT showed elevated metabolic activity in the tumor with no signs of spread to other parts of the body. After surgical removal, the final pathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis as intermediate-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma, a salivary gland-type cancer that is exceptionally rare in the airways. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by endobronchial salivary gland tumors, where pre-surgical biopsy may be misleading, and underscores the value of FDG PET/CT in staging these uncommon malignancies to guide treatment decisions.
Clinical nuclear medicine
Source →Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis in patients with thymic epithelial tumors: a retrospective cohort analysis.
Zeng H, et al
A retrospective study from Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in China examined 31 patients with thymic epithelial tumors (TET) who received immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy between 2018 and 2024, focusing on the risk of ICI-related myocarditis, a serious inflammation of the heart muscle. Researchers found that myocarditis occurred at a strikingly high rate of 58.3% among thymoma patients specifically, with 7 out of 12 thymoma patients developing this complication. Overall mortality in the cohort was substantial, with 13 of 31 patients dying during a median follow-up of 494 days, and nearly half of those deaths attributed to cardiovascular causes. The blood biomarker creatine kinase (CK) emerged as a significant predictor of death, with each doubling of CK levels associated with a 22% increase in all-cause mortality risk. These findings underscore the urgent need for close cardiovascular monitoring in all TET patients undergoing immunotherapy, and the authors call for larger multicenter studies to confirm and expand upon these results.
Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII
Source →Bright side of the dark genome: antigens for next-gen cancer vaccines.
Wang X, et al
Researchers have published a comprehensive review examining an emerging class of cancer targets known as 'dark matter' antigens, which are derived from previously overlooked regions of the genome including non-coding DNA, aberrant splice variants, and non-canonical open reading frames. Unlike conventional cancer vaccine strategies that focus on mutation-derived neoantigens, these so-called short-lived proteins (SLiPs) are naturally stabilized on the surface of cancer cells by immune-recognition molecules called HLA class I, making them highly visible to the immune system. Critically, many of these antigens are shared across multiple patients and even different cancer types, a property that could enable the development of 'off-the-shelf' vaccines that do not need to be custom-made for each individual. The review traces four decades of cancer vaccine development, explaining how advances in mass spectrometry technology allowed scientists to detect this hidden immunopeptidome for the first time and why earlier neoantigen vaccine trials may have underperformed. These findings challenge the prevailing assumption that personalized neoantigen vaccines are the most promising path forward, and instead point toward a new generation of universal cancer vaccines built on shared, immunogenic dark-genome antigens. For patients, this could mean faster access to effective cancer vaccines at lower cost, transforming cancer immunotherapy from a bespoke treatment into a broadly deployable medicine.
Journal for immunotherapy of cancer
Source →CT predictors of visceral pleural invasion in subsolid nodular pulmonary adenocarcinoma: differences between direct and indirect tumor-pleura contact.
Wang Y, et al
A new study published in Cancer Imaging investigated how CT scan features can predict visceral pleural invasion (VPI) in patients with subsolid pulmonary nodules later confirmed as lung adenocarcinoma. Visceral pleural invasion is an important staging factor that upgrades early-stage lung cancer and influences decisions about surgery and adjuvant therapy. The researchers specifically examined whether the type of tumor contact with the pleura — direct versus indirect — produces different CT imaging patterns and predictive factors for true pleural invasion. Their findings identified distinct CT characteristics associated with VPI depending on the contact type, offering radiologists more refined criteria for preoperative assessment. These results are clinically meaningful because accurately predicting VPI before surgery helps thoracic surgeons plan appropriate resection margins and assists oncologists in stratifying patient risk. Ultimately, improved non-invasive identification of VPI through CT imaging may lead to better surgical planning and more personalized treatment decisions for lung adenocarcinoma patients.
Cancer imaging : the official publication of the International Cancer Imaging Society
Source →Oesophagus Bioengineering.
Gazzaneo M, et al
This review article examines the current state of oesophageal tissue engineering as a potential treatment for complex congenital and acquired oesophageal disorders, with a particular focus on oesophageal atresia in children. Researchers evaluated strategies involving synthetic and biological scaffolds, cell-based therapies, and hybrid approaches that combine scaffold materials with living cells to promote tissue regeneration and reduce inflammation. The evidence shows that partial-thickness defect repair and patch models have yielded encouraging results and have begun to support early clinical translation, while full-thickness circumferential oesophageal reconstruction remains a major unsolved challenge due to complications including narrowing of the oesophagus, anastomotic leakage, and incomplete restoration of muscle and nerve structures. The authors stress that standardised, reproducible preclinical protocols and transparent reporting of experimental outcomes are essential steps before these techniques can safely reach patients. For children born with oesophageal atresia — a condition where the oesophagus does not form correctly — advances in bioengineering could one day offer a life-changing alternative to current surgical options that carry significant risks and limitations.
European journal of pediatric surgery : official journal of Austrian Association of Pediatric Surgery ... [et al] = Zeitschrift fur Kinderchirurgie
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