Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
The prostatic acid phosphatase in prostate cancer: A novel theranostic target.
Seifert KE, et al
This review article examines prostatic acid phosphatase (ACP3) as a new theranostic target — meaning a molecule that can be used for both imaging and treatment — in prostate cancer. While PSMA-targeted theranostics have become a standard approach, they are limited by inconsistent tumor expression and unwanted uptake in salivary glands, tear glands, and kidneys; ACP3, expressed in over 95% of prostate cancers, offers a promising alternative or complement. Recent advances in ligand discovery using DNA-encoded chemical libraries led to the development of high-affinity ACP3-targeting compounds, and first-in-human PET imaging with [68Ga]Ga-OncoACP3-DOTA demonstrated diagnostic performance comparable to PSMA-PET with significantly reduced off-target organ uptake. Early clinical data also show favorable pharmacokinetics, with tumor uptake increasing and tumor-to-background ratios improving over time, which is advantageous for both diagnosis and radioligand therapy. These findings position ACP3 as a next-generation theranostic target with the potential to expand precision treatment options, particularly for patients whose tumors show low or absent PSMA expression.
Seminars in nuclear medicine
Source →Medial retropharyngeal nodal region sparing radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: five year analysis of open label, non-inferiority, multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial.
Wang S, et al
A pre-specified five-year follow-up analysis of a randomised phase 3 clinical trial investigated whether sparing the medial retropharyngeal lymph node (MRLN) region during radiotherapy is as effective as standard radiotherapy for patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The trial enrolled 568 patients across three Chinese medical centres and found that MRLN-sparing radiotherapy achieved comparable five-year local relapse-free survival (89.2% vs 90.6%) and overall survival (89.2% vs 90.3%) to standard radiotherapy, confirming long-term non-inferiority. Critically, patients receiving the sparing approach experienced significantly less swallowing difficulty, with rates of grade 1 or higher dysphagia reduced from 32% to 22%, and lower rates of severe dry mouth compared to the standard treatment group. Objective videofluoroscopic swallowing studies confirmed meaningful functional benefits, including dramatically lower rates of food residue, prolonged pharyngeal transit, and aspiration in the sparing group. These findings indicate that MRLN-sparing radiotherapy can safely replace standard radiotherapy for eligible nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, preserving survival outcomes while meaningfully improving quality of life through reduced treatment-related toxicity.
BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
Source →Oncological Outcomes for Primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma in the United Kingdom: Results From a National Cross-Sectional Cohort Study.
Green FR, et al
A large UK-wide retrospective study examined survival outcomes for 1,286 patients diagnosed with primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who received definitive treatment decisions between September and November 2021 across 50 cancer centres. The study found that two-year overall survival was nearly 80%, with disease-free survival at 72.2% and disease-specific survival at 84.8%, reflecting generally encouraging outcomes in a real-world national cohort. Survival varied markedly by tumour location, with hypopharyngeal cancers showing the poorest two-year overall survival at 55.4%, while oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancers fared considerably better at 84.6% and 83.5%, respectively. Key independent prognostic factors identified on multivariate analysis included tumour stage, patient age, performance status, and p16 protein status, the latter reflecting the role of human papillomavirus in certain head and neck cancers. These findings provide a contemporary national benchmark for HNSCC outcomes in the UK and highlight persistent survival disparities between cancer subsites that clinicians and health policy makers should address. The authors call for longer-term data collection to determine whether advances in diagnosis and treatment are translating into meaningful improvements in patient survival across the UK.
Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery
Source →Successful management of near-infrared photoimmunotherapy-induced skin injury using pedicled flap transfer.
Shigeyama M, et al
Researchers from Japan report a case study examining the management of severe skin complications caused by near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT), an innovative cancer treatment that combines a light-sensitive antibody with near-infrared light to destroy tumor cells. The patient, a 71-year-old man with advanced tongue cancer, developed a large skin ulcer and tissue death around the front of his neck following NIR-PIT treatment. After stabilizing the wound with antibiotics and surgical cleaning, and confirming that the cancer had not returned, surgeons successfully repaired the damaged area using a pedicled flap — a technique that transplants nearby tissue with its own blood supply to cover the wound. This case highlights that careful timing is essential: flap surgery should only be performed after ruling out tumor recurrence, and interim wound care with antibiotics and debridement can bridge that waiting period. The findings are clinically significant because NIR-PIT is an emerging therapy with no established guidelines for handling its skin-related side effects, and this report offers a practical management framework for treating physicians.
Auris, nasus, larynx
Source →Plasma Cell Neoplasm Mimicking Metastatic Bone Disease in a Breast Cancer Survivor: A Case Report Highlighting the Role of Serum Protein Electrophoresis.
Anjum A, et al
Researchers present a case report of a 44-year-old breast cancer survivor who developed bone lesions and anemia one year after completing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery, raising immediate suspicion of metastatic bone disease. Rather than proceeding solely on that assumption, clinicians noted elevated serum total protein and globulins, which prompted serum protein electrophoresis — a targeted laboratory test that revealed a distinct M band in the gamma region, a hallmark of plasma cell neoplasm. Further diagnostic workup confirmed the diagnosis of a plasma cell neoplasm, a rare but recognized secondary hematological malignancy in breast cancer survivors, and targeted treatment was initiated. The case illustrates a critical pitfall in oncology: bone lesions in breast cancer patients do not automatically signal disease recurrence and may instead reflect a separate, treatable blood cancer requiring an entirely different therapeutic approach. Clinicians are encouraged to incorporate serum protein electrophoresis and to consider elevated total protein, elevated globulins, and an abnormal albumin-to-globulin ratio as potential red flags for primary bone marrow disorders when assessing breast cancer patients who present with bone involvement.
EJIFCC
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