Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Iatrogenic Kaposi Sarcoma in an HIV-Negative Patient With Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura Treated With Rituximab and Corticosteroids: A Fatal Extracutaneous Presentation.
Khader R, et al
This case report describes a rare and fatal occurrence of iatrogenic Kaposi sarcoma in a 43-year-old HIV-negative man receiving rituximab and corticosteroids for immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a condition in which the immune system attacks platelets. After rituximab was restarted, the patient developed worsening cough, severe low blood oxygen, a lesion inside his cheek, and swollen lymph nodes throughout his body, but notably no skin lesions — the hallmark sign of Kaposi sarcoma. Biopsies of the buccal lesion and a lymph node confirmed Kaposi sarcoma driven by Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), while CT imaging revealed extensive lung and nodal disease including pleural fluid and pulmonary nodules. Treatment with weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy initially stabilized the patient, but he ultimately died from pulmonary hemorrhage caused by his underlying platelet disorder. This case highlights the critical but underappreciated risk of Kaposi sarcoma arising as a complication of immunosuppressive therapy in HIV-negative patients, and it demonstrates that the disease can present without any skin changes, making early diagnosis especially difficult. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for Kaposi sarcoma in immunosuppressed HIV-negative patients with unexplained respiratory or mucosal symptoms, and prompt tissue biopsy is essential to avoid dangerous diagnostic delays.
Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.)
Source →Hyperglycemia Leads to BMSC Impaired Osteogenesis, Enhanced Adipogenesis, and Altered Metabolism.
Shirazi S, et al
A study published in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry investigated how chronically elevated blood glucose levels — a hallmark of diabetes — affect bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs), the stem cells responsible for generating both bone and fat tissue. Researchers demonstrated that high glucose strongly suppresses bone formation, reducing alkaline phosphatase activity and downregulating key osteogenic genes such as RUNX2, while simultaneously driving BMSCs toward fat cell differentiation through increased expression of adipogenic genes including PPARγ2 and CEBPα. Beyond altering cell fate decisions, high glucose conditions also caused significant cellular damage, including reduced proliferation, elevated DNA damage, increased oxidative stress, and accelerated senescence — effects that worsened with successive cell passages. Metabolomic profiling revealed that two molecules, NAD+ and alpha-ketoglutarate (α-KG), are critical regulators of the metabolic imbalance between bone and fat formation, and supplementation with either compound restored bone-forming capacity even under high glucose conditions. These findings offer new mechanistic insight into diabetes-related bone disease and identify NAD+ and α-KG as promising therapeutic targets for combating osteoporosis in diabetic patients.
Journal of cellular biochemistry
Source →Sex differences in gene regulation and its impact on cancer incidence.
Lopes-Ramos CM, et al
A new study published in iScience examined 8,279 gene regulatory networks across 29 non-cancerous human tissues to understand why cancer occurs at different rates in men and women. Researchers found that cancer-related genes are controlled differently by transcription factors depending on sex, with notable differences concentrated on the X chromosome — particularly among genes that escape X-chromosome inactivation — and in key signaling pathways including WNT, NOTCH, and p53. Strikingly, tissues that develop tumors more frequently in women, such as breast, lung, and thyroid, showed higher female targeting of cancer-related regulatory pathways, while tissues with higher male cancer rates, including stomach, colon, and liver, showed the opposite pattern. The sex-biased transcription factors identified were enriched for sex hormone response elements, suggesting that hormonal signaling shapes the gene regulatory landscape differently in men and women even in healthy tissue. These findings indicate that fundamental differences in how genes are regulated in normal tissue — not just tumor biology — help explain well-known disparities in cancer rates between the sexes. Clinicians and researchers developing cancer prevention strategies should account for these sex-specific regulatory programs, which may open new avenues for targeted, sex-aware interventions.
iScience
Source →Analysis of Prevalence and Mortality Among Neonates and Children With Intestinal Atresia: A Multinational Study, 1974-2015.
Carreño A, et al
A large multinational study examined the prevalence and mortality of small intestinal atresia (SIA), a congenital condition in which part of the small intestine is blocked or absent at birth, drawing on data from 25 surveillance programs across 17 countries spanning 41 years (1974–2015). The global prevalence was found to be 2.1 per 10,000 births, but varied sharply by geography, with Iran recording the highest rate at 11.5 per 10,000 and certain regions of Mexico and Colombia among the lowest. Most deaths in affected newborns occurred between the second and sixth day of life, and first-year mortality stood at 4.3%, though the specific causes of death could not be determined from available data. Notably, prevalence estimates in South America were higher than those previously reported in the year 2000, suggesting possible improvements in detection or genuine regional increases. These findings highlight the need for enhanced neonatal surveillance, early diagnosis, and prompt surgical care, and call for future research to evaluate how advances in treatment are influencing survival outcomes worldwide.
Birth defects research
Source →Early-Onset Metastatic Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Incidence and Survival Among Patients Younger Than 50 Years.
Jooste V, et al
A large population-based cohort study published in JAMA Network Open examined trends in early-onset metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (mADC) among patients younger than 50 years, drawing on data from more than 37,000 individuals diagnosed in France between 2004 and 2021. While the incidence of single-site metastases did not increase in any age group, multiple-site metastases rose sharply among young adults aged 15 to 39, increasing by approximately 9.5% annually in males and 10.3% in females. This rise was driven primarily by peritoneal metastases, with the probability of peritoneal involvement being 6.2-fold higher in 2021 than in 2004 among young males aged 15 to 39. Net survival improved over the study period for most metastatic subtypes, but critically did not improve for peritoneal metastasis, and younger patients aged 15 to 49 consistently demonstrated better overall survival than those aged 50 to 75. These findings reveal a worrying epidemiological shift in colorectal cancer among young adults and underscore the urgent need for more intensive and specialized treatment strategies targeting this population.
JAMA network open
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