Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Lateral reinforcement of anastomoses enhances mechanical strength in fragile neonatal oesophageal tissue.
Guo Y, et al
Researchers investigated a surgical suture modification called lateral reinforcement to address anastomotic leakage, one of the most serious complications in neonatal esophageal surgery, particularly in cases of long-gap esophageal atresia where tissue is extremely fragile. The technique was evaluated using artificial esophagus models and rat intestinal tissue, with mechanical testing showing that lateral reinforcement increased tissue-tearing resistance by 3.5-fold in artificial models and 2.3-fold in animal tissue compared to standard sutures. Reinforced constructs also tolerated greater displacement before failure, suggesting that the modification distributes mechanical stress more evenly and reduces dangerous focal tension at the repair site. In a clinical application of the technique, six neonates undergoing thoracoscopic repair complicated by intraoperative tissue tearing were treated with lateral reinforcement, and none experienced postoperative anastomotic leakage. These findings indicate that this straightforward suture modification could meaningfully reduce the risk of life-threatening anastomotic failure in high-risk newborns without requiring complex equipment or extensive retraining. The authors call for larger clinical studies to confirm long-term benefits and to assess whether the technique influences rates of stricture formation at the repair site.
Scientific reports
Source →18F-FDG PET/CT in Progressive Oncocytic Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland-Case Study.
Stefanovski DT, et al
This case study examines the use of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in monitoring a rare and aggressive cancer known as oncocytic carcinoma of the parotid gland, one of the salivary glands located near the jaw. A 60-year-old male patient was diagnosed with this malignancy that had already spread to cervical lymph nodes at the time of initial staging, and PET/CT imaging successfully identified suspicious metabolic activity in those nodes before surgery. Following radical surgery, the patient received immunotherapy, but repeated PET/CT scans revealed continued disease progression with metastases spreading to axillary, mediastinal lymph nodes and the thyroid gland, prompting a switch to chemotherapy. Despite treatment efforts, the patient died four years after the initial diagnosis, highlighting the aggressive nature of this extremely rare salivary gland malignancy. This case underscores the clinical value of 18F-FDG PET/CT as a tool for detecting and tracking disease progression in rare salivary gland cancers, and contributes to the very limited body of literature available to guide clinicians managing such patients.
Molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy
Source →Dental, mandibular and parotid gland radiation doses in curatively treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.
Kärkkäinen VE, et al
Researchers at Oulu University Hospital conducted a retrospective study examining the radiation doses delivered to teeth, the jawbone, and parotid glands in 91 patients treated for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) between 2018 and 2021. The study focused on understanding how different radiation therapy approaches — ipsilateral (one-sided) versus bilateral (both sides) — affect dose distribution across oral structures during curative treatment. Key findings showed that ipsilateral radiation therapy effectively spared the contralateral and frontal dental regions from high doses, particularly in oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers, while cancers of the hypopharynx and larynx rarely exposed teeth to doses exceeding the 40 Gy threshold associated with complications. Bilateral radiation therapy, by contrast, frequently surpassed this 40 Gy threshold in the jaw and parotid gland regions, especially in oral cavity cancers. These findings are clinically significant because they suggest that patients receiving ipsilateral radiotherapy may not require pre-treatment extraction of teeth in the contralateral jaw, potentially reducing unnecessary dental procedures and preserving oral health. The study provides a practical evidence base for tailoring dental care strategies to the specific radiation plan of each patient, helping clinicians better balance effective tumor control with long-term quality of life.
BDJ open
Source →Artificial Intelligence-Assisted reflectance confocal microscopy for Real-Time intraoperative margin assessment in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Hosseinzadeh F, et al
Researchers evaluated an artificial intelligence-powered system for real-time assessment of surgical margins during oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) operations, using a non-invasive imaging technology called reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). A deep learning model was trained on over 4,000 annotated microscopic images and its performance was compared to expert pathologists and RCM specialists. The AI model achieved near-perfect diagnostic accuracy, with a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 95%, outperforming human expert readers who reached 90% sensitivity and 98% specificity. This technology could replace or supplement frozen-section analysis — the current gold standard during surgery — which is slow, prone to sampling errors, and requires specialist interpretation. For patients with oral cancer, faster and more accurate margin assessment during surgery means a lower chance of leaving cancerous tissue behind, which directly reduces recurrence risk and improves survival. This study represents an important step toward a point-of-care AI diagnostic platform that could be deployed in operating rooms worldwide.
Oral oncology
Source →The impact of COVID-19 on head and neck cancer in Northern Ireland - a population-based study.
McAllister M, et al
A population-based study from Northern Ireland investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the diagnosis, staging, treatment, and survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients between 2016 and 2023. The pandemic caused a dramatic 78% drop in primary dental care examinations, falling from an annual average of 965,000 to just 218,000 during the initial pandemic period, which limited opportunities for early cancer detection. While the overall number of HNC patients seen by the regional multidisciplinary team remained relatively stable, the proportion of oral cancers diagnosed at a late stage rose significantly during the pandemic, from 51.7% to 67.1%, before partially recovering in subsequent periods. Surgical treatment as a first-line approach declined and did not return to pre-pandemic levels, and two-year net survival for oral cancer fell from 64.7% to 57.3% during the initial recovery period, a trend approaching statistical significance. These findings highlight the broader consequences of healthcare disruption during the pandemic and underscore the critical role of routine dental examinations in the early detection of oral and head and neck cancers.
Journal of dentistry
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