Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Rhenium-188 resin therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer.
Martínez Albero E, et al
Researchers reviewed the use of Rhenium-188 (Re-188) resin as a treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), which includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and is the most common cancer worldwide. The therapy works by delivering high doses of targeted beta radiation directly to skin lesions up to 3 mm deep, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue through a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure. Published clinical series show complete response rates exceeding 90–95%, with low recurrence rates and mostly mild (grade 1–2) side effects, as well as generally good to excellent cosmetic outcomes. The treatment shows particular promise for patients who are not surgical candidates or have lesions in anatomically difficult locations, such as the face or ears. Emerging evidence also suggests potential benefits in rare conditions like extramammary Paget's disease and keloid scars, broadening the possible applications of this approach. The authors conclude that wider adoption of Re-188 resin therapy in specialized centers will help standardize treatment protocols and generate stronger clinical evidence.
Revista espanola de medicina nuclear e imagen molecular
Source →TNF-a alters Dedifferentiation of Enterochromaffin Cells, Redirecting Towards Neuroendocrine tumors.
Sei Y, et al
Researchers investigated how enterochromaffin (EC) cells — specialized gut cells that secrete serotonin — can give rise to small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs), a process that has remained poorly understood. Using intestinal organoids (enteroids) derived from genetically engineered mice with targeted loss of tumor suppressor genes RB1 and Trp53, with or without amplification of the Myc oncogene, the team modeled EC cell-derived tumor development outside the constraints of whole-animal studies. Strikingly, when the inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha was added to the culture medium, EC cells formed clusters and developed into well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors rather than the non-endocrine adenomas seen without TNF-alpha. This indicates that TNF-alpha blocks EC cells from losing their identity and reverting to intestinal stem cells, instead preserving their neuroendocrine character and steering tumor formation toward SI-NET-like pathology. These findings reveal that the tumor microenvironment — specifically inflammatory signaling — plays a decisive role in determining what type of cancer arises from EC cells. For patients and clinicians, this work opens new avenues for understanding SI-NET origins and may point toward anti-inflammatory strategies as potential targets in neuroendocrine tumor prevention or treatment.
American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology
Source →FAT1 is differentially expressed in cancers affecting the serosal cavities.
Davidson B, et al
Researchers investigated whether the FAT1 protein, which is frequently mutated in various cancers, could serve as a diagnostic marker in fluid samples collected from body cavities such as the abdomen and chest. The study analyzed FAT1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry in 256 fluid effusion samples from 256 patients with a range of cancer types, including ovarian, breast, lung, gastrointestinal, uterine, and mesothelioma. FAT1 was most commonly detected in gastrointestinal carcinomas (92%), followed by lung (60%), breast (55%), and uterine cervical (50%) carcinomas, while it was rarely found in tubo-ovarian carcinomas (5%) and was entirely absent in mesotheliomas. These findings suggest that FAT1 expression patterns differ markedly across cancer types and could potentially help distinguish between certain cancers when analyzing effusion fluids. However, FAT1 expression showed no association with survival outcomes in breast cancer patients, and further studies are needed before FAT1 can be reliably integrated into routine diagnostic practice.
Pathobiology : journal of immunopathology, molecular and cellular biology
Source →Rational adjustment of dose to reduce adverse reactions (RADAR) in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer: Results from the phase II NEWTON trial (ENGOT-ov49).
Colombo N, et al
A phase II clinical trial called NEWTON (ENGOT-ov49) investigated whether a personalized, weight- and platelet-based dosing strategy called RADAR (Rational Adjustment of Dose to reduce Adverse Reactions) could reduce severe side effects of niraparib, a PARP inhibitor used to treat platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. The study enrolled patients with high-grade serous or endometrioid ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, assigning them to either a starting dose of 200 mg or the standard 300 mg per day based on their body weight and baseline platelet counts, with possible escalation to 300 mg after three cycles if well tolerated. The key finding was a dramatic reduction in severe thrombocytopenia (dangerously low platelet counts, grade 3 or higher) in the RADAR arm compared to the standard dose arm, with only 4.2% of RADAR patients affected versus 41.7% of standard-dose patients in the randomized portion of the trial. Across the entire RADAR cohort, only 10.5% of patients experienced severe thrombocytopenia, confirming the safety advantage of this individualized approach. Importantly, the progression-free survival was comparable between groups, with medians of 10.3 and 11.7 months in the randomized RADAR and standard arms respectively, suggesting that starting at a lower dose did not meaningfully compromise anti-cancer effectiveness. These results provide the first prospective evidence supporting RADAR dosing as a safer alternative to standard niraparib dosing, with meaningful implications for reducing treatment-related harm in ovarian cancer patients.
European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990)
Source →A bibliometric study and visualization analysis of the current status and perspectives in upper tract urothelial carcinoma.
Wang S, et al
A new bibliometric study published in Medicine analyzed the global landscape of scientific research on upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), a rare and aggressive cancer affecting the renal pelvis and ureter. Researchers examined 3,621 publications from 83 countries using specialized mapping tools, finding that the United States and Japan lead in research output, while key institutions include the Medical University of Vienna, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Kaohsiung Medical University. The analysis identified FGFR3 mutations, molecular immunotherapy, and tumor localization as the most actively growing research areas, with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab emerging as a particularly promising focus. Influential authors such as Shariat SF, Rouprêt M, Margulis V, and Lotan Y were found to anchor the global research network, reflecting a concentrated but internationally collaborative scientific community. The findings suggest that UTUC research is rapidly maturing, with a clear shift toward standardized treatment protocols and precision medicine approaches that could improve outcomes for patients with this difficult-to-treat cancer.
Medicine
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