Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Calcifying Fibrous Tumor of the Pancreas.
Shalaby A, et al
Researchers report the first documented case of calcifying fibrous tumor (CFT) involving the head of the pancreas, a location not previously described in the medical literature. CFT is a rare, non-cancerous tumor of connective tissue origin that has been found in various parts of the body, with only two prior cases reported anywhere in the pancreas, both in the pancreatic body. The authors provide a comprehensive review of all previously reported pancreatic CFT cases, examining how these tumors develop, their characteristic appearance under the microscope, and how they can be distinguished from other, more dangerous conditions. Because CFT can mimic malignant or pre-malignant pancreatic lesions on imaging, accurate diagnosis is critical to avoid unnecessary aggressive surgery. This report highlights the importance of awareness of CFT as a benign entity in the pancreas, with an excellent prognosis following surgical removal.
International journal of surgical pathology
Source →Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor Presenting Atypically in von Hippel-Lindau Disease: A Case Report.
Chang J, et al
Researchers report the first documented case of a gastric neuroendocrine tumor (gNET) occurring in a patient with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, a rare inherited condition caused by mutations in the VHL gene that predisposes individuals to tumors in multiple organs. The patient harbored a pathogenic germline VHL mutation (c.351 G>T) and developed a gNET with an unusual microscopic feature called clear cell change, a morphological characteristic previously associated with VHL-related tumors in other locations but never before described in gastric neuroendocrine tumors. Over the course of their illness, the patient was treated surgically for retinal hemangioblastoma, the gastric tumor, and renal cell carcinoma, and also received endocrine therapy and antiangiogenic drugs, surviving for 17 years. This case expands the known spectrum of VHL-associated neoplasms to include the stomach and suggests that clear cell morphology in a gastric neuroendocrine tumor may serve as a diagnostic clue pointing to an underlying VHL germline mutation. Clinicians managing VHL patients should be aware that neuroendocrine tumors may arise in atypical locations, and further research is needed to clarify how specific VHL mutation sites relate to tumor type and location.
Journal of kidney cancer and VHL
Source →Risk Factors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Findings from a Case-Control Study in Vietnam.
Pham GA, et al
A hospital-based case-control study conducted in Hanoi, Vietnam investigated non-viral risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, by comparing 30 confirmed HCC patients with 118 healthy controls. Researchers found that older age, male sex, diabetes, and several liver function markers — including elevated INR, high AST levels, low albumin, and low HDL cholesterol — were each significantly associated with increased HCC risk. Notably, elevated INR (greater than 1.0) was linked to a more than 32-fold increase in HCC risk, while diabetes conferred a 10-fold increase compared to individuals without diabetes. Factors such as BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, and several non-invasive fibrosis scores were not found to be statistically significant risk factors in this study. These findings are important because they highlight metabolic and hepatic biomarkers that clinicians in Vietnam and similar low- and middle-income settings can use to identify high-risk individuals beyond the well-known hepatitis B virus infection. The study represents the first evidence of non-viral HCC risk factors specifically characterized in a Vietnamese population, laying the groundwork for improved early detection strategies.
Research square
Source →Long-term and short-term outcomes of curative-intent resection for elderly and younger patients with gallbladder carcinoma: a multicentre propensity score-matched cohort study.
Pan Y, et al
A new multicentre study published in eGastroenterology examined whether elderly patients (over 70 years) with gallbladder cancer (GBC) fare differently from younger patients when undergoing surgery aimed at curing the disease. Researchers analyzed data from 575 patients who had curative-intent resections between 2016 and 2020, using advanced statistical techniques including propensity score matching to ensure fair comparisons between age groups. The study found that elderly patients faced a significantly higher risk of serious postoperative complications within 90 days compared to younger patients, confirming that surgery in this group carries greater short-term risks. Surprisingly, however, elderly patients demonstrated better cancer-specific survival than their younger counterparts even after accounting for non-cancer-related deaths, suggesting that age-related biological differences in tumor behavior may play a favorable role. The authors conclude that advanced age alone should not be used as a reason to deny elderly patients potentially life-saving surgery, provided they are carefully selected, as they may actually achieve superior long-term cancer outcomes despite the higher surgical risk.
eGastroenterology
Source →Palliative endoscopic biliary drainage for malignant hilar biliary obstruction.
Mitsuhashi S, et al
This review article examines the current strategies for palliative endoscopic biliary drainage in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHBO), a serious condition most often caused by cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder cancer that blocks bile flow and causes jaundice, itching, and infection. The standard treatment involves placing plastic or metal stents through an endoscope via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to relieve the obstruction and restore bile drainage. The authors highlight that successful drainage covering more than 50% of functional liver volume leads to the best outcomes, and that atrophic liver segments should be avoided when placing stents. When standard endoscopic access fails, alternative techniques such as percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage can be used as rescue options. Emerging adjunctive therapies like photodynamic therapy and radiofrequency ablation show promise in improving local tumor control and extending stent function. The review concludes that ongoing advances in stent technology and endoscopic techniques are expected to make management of MHBO increasingly personalized and effective, benefiting both palliation and access to systemic chemotherapy.
Clinical endoscopy
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