Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Intracranial Metastasis of a Primary Mediastinal Seminoma Mimicking a Convexity Meningioma: A Case Report.
Kameno R, et al
This case report published in Cureus describes an exceptionally rare presentation of an intracranial germ cell tumor that closely mimicked a benign brain covering tumor known as a convexity meningioma in an 18-year-old male patient. The young man presented with headache and nausea, and brain imaging showed features so typical of a meningioma — including skull changes and surrounding brain swelling — that surgeons proceeded with surgical removal under that presumed diagnosis. Pathological analysis of the removed tissue revealed an unexpected finding: the tumor was actually a seminoma, a type of germ cell tumor, which had invaded the protective brain lining and bone, and was characterized by aggressive growth markers. Further investigation uncovered the true origin of the cancer in the anterior mediastinum, the chest cavity region between the lungs, confirming that the brain lesion was a metastasis from a primary mediastinal seminoma. The patient was subsequently treated with systemic chemotherapy and achieved a complete response. This case serves as an important reminder for clinicians that germ cell tumors must be considered in the differential diagnosis of brain masses in young men, even when imaging strongly suggests a meningioma, and that tumor marker testing and nuclear medicine scans should be performed proactively to avoid diagnostic delays.
Cureus
Source →A rare case of unicentric Castleman disease in the posterior mediastinum: case report and integrated literature review.
Zhang L, et al
Researchers from China report a rare case of unicentric hyaline vascular Castleman disease (UCD) located in the posterior mediastinum of a 28-year-old woman, supplemented by a comprehensive review of existing literature on this poorly understood condition. The patient had a left posterior mediastinal mass initially misidentified as reactive lymphadenopathy following a respiratory infection, and the lesion went largely unmonitored for seven years before significant growth and persistent chest pain prompted further investigation. Imaging revealed a markedly enlarged hypervascular mass extending toward the ninth intervertebral foramen with adjacent bone density changes, and the diagnosis was confirmed only after complete surgical resection and histopathological analysis. The case highlights that Castleman disease in the posterior mediastinum is frequently misdiagnosed due to its nonspecific clinical and imaging presentation, and that characteristic findings such as persistent marked enhancement with tortuous feeding vessels on imaging should raise clinical suspicion. Complete surgical resection remains the definitive treatment for unicentric disease, and no additional chemotherapy or radiotherapy was required postoperatively. This report aims to improve recognition of this rare entity among radiologists and clinicians to enable earlier, more accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.
Frontiers in oncology
Source →Survival outcomes and prognostic value of nutritional and inflammatory markers in third-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Vidulin J, et al
Researchers from Slovakia conducted a retrospective and prospective study examining survival outcomes and the prognostic value of nutritional and inflammatory markers in 95 patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) receiving third-line systemic therapy, using data from 13 hospitals in the Slovak Pancreas Registry. The most commonly used treatment regimen was FOLFOX/CAPOX, and the overall median survival was only 5.55 months, reflecting the aggressive nature of this disease at this late stage of treatment. The study found that patients with a Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) above 40.5 survived nearly twice as long as those with lower values (6.34 vs. 3.32 months), and patients with lower Glasgow Prognostic Scores (GPS) also had significantly better outcomes. Other inflammatory markers tested, including NLR, SIRI, SII, and CRP, did not show statistically significant associations with survival. These findings suggest that simple, routinely available nutritional and inflammatory scores — particularly PNI and GPS — can help clinicians identify which patients with advanced pancreatic cancer are most likely to benefit from continued systemic therapy, though larger prospective studies are needed to validate these conclusions.
Frontiers in oncology
Source →Surgical education video: Laparoscopic Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) for Ovarian Cancer.
Huizar GD, et al
Researchers at a tertiary academic medical center have published a surgical education video detailing the operative steps and perioperative considerations of minimally invasive Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) performed laparoscopically for ovarian cancer. The case featured a 32-year-old woman diagnosed with FIGO stage IIIA2 small cell ovarian carcinoma of the hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) harboring a somatic SMARCA4 mutation, a rare and aggressive malignancy. Following primary cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy with the VPBCAE regimen, the patient underwent second-look laparoscopy combined with HIPEC using 130 mg of cisplatin administered intraperitoneally for 90 minutes, following the Cincinnati protocol. The minimally invasive approach involved precise temperature management, with the patient's core temperature lowered to 34°C before the procedure and maintained between 36–38°C during chemotherapy perfusion. This video resource underscores the growing role of HIPEC as a promising adjunct to cytoreductive surgery and aims to equip gynecologic oncology surgeons with the technical knowledge needed to safely implement this technique in clinical practice.
Gynecologic oncology reports
Source →Extra-uterine Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma of the Stomach Mimicking a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumour: A Case Report.
Mylonakis A, et al
Researchers report an exceptionally rare case of extra-uterine endometrial stromal sarcoma (EESS) arising primarily in the stomach of a 53-year-old woman — a presentation so unusual that it was initially misdiagnosed as a gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) based on endoscopic biopsy findings. Imaging revealed an 11 cm vascular mass along the greater curvature of the stomach, and surgery confirmed infiltration of surrounding structures, requiring extensive en bloc resection including partial gastrectomy, splenectomy, and segmental colectomy. Definitive diagnosis was established through comprehensive immunohistochemistry demonstrating CD10, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor positivity alongside the absence of GIST markers, and was confirmed by identification of a canonical JAZF1::SUZ12 gene fusion on targeted RNA sequencing. Given the hormone receptor-positive biology and microscopic margin involvement, adjuvant endocrine therapy with letrozole was initiated, and the patient remained disease-free at six-month follow-up. This case highlights that primary gastric EESS can closely mimic GIST, and that accurate diagnosis — critical for guiding individualized surgical and medical management — requires a multi-modal approach encompassing immunohistochemistry and molecular fusion-gene testing. Because this tumour type carries a risk of very late relapse, prolonged surveillance is essential even when short-term outcomes appear favourable.
Cureus
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