Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
A surgical case of posterior mediastinum chordoma requiring differentiation from neurogenic tumor.
Nishihira M, et al
Researchers report a rare surgical case of chordoma — a malignant tumor originating from remnants of embryonic tissue — found in the posterior mediastinum, the central chest cavity near the spine, in a 46-year-old man discovered during a routine check-up. Mediastinal chordomas are exceptionally uncommon, representing only 1–3% of all chordomas, and this case was initially mistaken for a neurogenic (nerve-derived) tumor due to its location and cystic appearance on imaging. The surgical team successfully removed the tumor using robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, achieving complete resection without complications or signs of invasion into surrounding tissues. Pathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of chordoma after surgery, highlighting the challenge of correctly identifying this tumor type before operation. Two years after surgery, the patient remains cancer-free, demonstrating a favorable outcome with complete resection. This case underscores the importance of including chordoma in the differential diagnosis of posterior mediastinal masses, even when imaging strongly suggests a more common neurogenic tumor.
General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery cases
Source →RayTractAb-C: A novel multipurpose adjustable self-retaining retractor system for cytoreductive surgery and peritonectomy.
Ray M
Researchers have developed RayTractAb-C, a novel self-retaining retractor system specifically engineered for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), procedures used to treat peritoneal surface malignancies such as pseudomyxoma peritonei, mesothelioma, and advanced ovarian or colorectal cancers. These cancers, often classified as terminal stage IV diseases, have seen dramatically improved five-year survival rates of 50–60% thanks to CRS combined with HIPEC, yet the surgery requires specialized equipment that is currently prohibitively expensive and inaccessible in many parts of the world. The RayTractAb-C device features a modular rail clamp, an adjustable horizontal rod with arms, and six curvilinear blades designed to simultaneously expose pelvic, abdominal, and chest wall compartments during the extensive peritonectomy procedure. Prototyping has demonstrated significant ergonomic and practical advantages, including reduced dependence on surgical assistants and improved surgical efficiency. By offering a cost-effective alternative to international systems priced between approximately 15 and 50 lakh rupees, this innovation holds strong potential to standardize and expand access to life-saving CRS-HIPEC procedures in resource-constrained settings worldwide.
Journal of cancer research and therapeutics
Source →Volumetric comparison of gross tumor volume between PET-CT fused and CT based simulation in head and neck radiotherapy planning.
Kumar SS, et al
A prospective study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics compared two imaging approaches for planning radiation therapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: conventional CT-based simulation versus PET-CT fusion imaging. Fifteen patients underwent both imaging modalities, and radiation oncologists independently delineated tumor volumes on each set of images to assess differences. The results revealed that PET-CT consistently identified larger tumor volumes than CT alone, with a statistically significant mean increase of 17.3% across all patients, and TNM cancer staging was revised upward in 20% of cases, including one patient whose lymph node involvement was only detected by PET-CT. These findings indicate that relying solely on anatomical CT imaging systematically underestimates the true extent of head and neck tumors, potentially leaving areas of active disease outside the radiation treatment field. For clinicians, this study supports the integration of PET-CT into routine radiotherapy planning for head and neck cancer to improve tumor coverage and reduce the risk of geographic treatment failure.
Journal of cancer research and therapeutics
Source →Decoding serotonin in endometriosis: unveiling its role in disease pathogenesis via the gut-reproductive microbiota axis.
Wang X, et al
A new study published in Human Reproduction investigated the role of serotonin in endometriosis by examining the gut-reproductive microbiota axis using samples from multiple anatomical sites, including vaginal secretions, endometrial tissue, peritoneal fluid, feces, and ectopic lesions from 44 patients and additional validation cohorts. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and Mendelian randomization, researchers identified serotonin as a key metabolite significantly elevated in endometriosis patients compared to controls. Specific bacterial species, notably Akkermansia muciniphila, were found to be enriched across both gastrointestinal and reproductive tract sites in endometriosis patients and were strongly correlated with elevated serotonin levels. Laboratory and mouse model experiments demonstrated that serotonin actively promotes endometriosis progression by enhancing cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and inflammation while reducing apoptosis. These findings suggest that the gut microbiota may drive endometriosis through serotonin signaling, opening potential new avenues for microbiome-targeted or serotonin-pathway therapies for this common and often debilitating condition.
Human reproduction (Oxford, England)
Source →Calcification and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes predict upgrade of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-negative ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosed on core needle biopsy.
Marabi M, et al
A new study published in Histopathology investigated which tissue features observed during core needle biopsy (CNB) can predict whether a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) — a non-invasive form of breast cancer — will be upgraded to invasive cancer after surgical removal of the lesion. Researchers analyzed 228 CNB cases and found that 36% were upgraded at excision, with the majority reclassified as frank invasive breast cancer. Beyond known risk factors such as large tumor size, palpable mass, high grade, and necrosis, the study identified that features of the tumor microenvironment — specifically calcification and stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) — were strongly predictive of upgrade, particularly in HER2-negative cancers. Adequate tissue sampling, measured by the number and length of biopsy cores, also played an independent predictive role. These findings are clinically important because they can help doctors better identify which patients with a DCIS diagnosis are at higher risk of harboring invasive disease, allowing for more personalized treatment planning and potentially reducing both overtreatment and undertreatment.
Histopathology
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