Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Fibrous hamartoma of infancy in the lumbosacral region: A case report of a rare soft-tissue tumor.
Agyekum R, et al
Researchers report a rare case of Fibrous Hamartoma of Infancy (FHI) occurring in the lumbosacral region of a 10-month-old boy, a location considered exceptionally uncommon for this benign soft-tissue tumor. The infant presented with a rapidly growing midline mass measuring 15 by 13 centimeters that had been developing for seven months, and initial ultrasound imaging failed to provide a clear diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a heterogeneous subcutaneous lesion with no involvement of the spinal cord, and complete surgical removal followed by laboratory analysis of the tissue confirmed FHI through its characteristic three-component microscopic pattern of fat, fibrous tissue, and immature cellular elements. The child recovered without complications and showed no signs of recurrence at two months of follow-up, underscoring the excellent prognosis associated with complete excision. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by lumbosacral FHI, which can mimic other congenital or cancerous lesions, and calls attention to the need for improved diagnostic pathways and healthcare infrastructure—especially in resource-limited settings—to ensure timely and accurate management of such rare tumors in infants.
Surgical neurology international
Source →Essential role of multimodality imaging in the diagnosis of a rare high-grade primary cardiac intimal sarcoma.
Mohamud MA, et al
Researchers report a rare and instructive case of primary cardiac intimal sarcoma, an exceptionally aggressive malignant tumor of the heart, in a 58-year-old woman who presented with palpitations, breathlessness, and recurrent fainting episodes. Initial imaging with echocardiography and CT suggested a benign atrial myxoma, but post-surgical histopathology revealed a high-grade intimal sarcoma with MDM2 gene amplification, underscoring how easily this deadly cancer can be misdiagnosed. The tumor recurred in the left atrium within just two months of surgery, subsequently spread to the brain, and the patient died seven months after diagnosis despite chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The case demonstrates that cardiac MRI provides critical advantages over echocardiography and CT alone, offering superior tissue characterization that can reveal signs of malignancy such as necrosis, heterogeneous signal, and infiltrative margins. Clinicians are urged to incorporate multimodality imaging, including cardiac MRI, into the diagnostic workup of cardiac masses, and to refer patients promptly to specialized cardio-oncology centers for multidisciplinary evaluation.
European heart journal. Case reports
Source →A case of delayed recurrence of pleural mesothelioma with intradural invasion.
Sato H, et al
Researchers report a rare case of pleural mesothelioma — an aggressive cancer of the lung lining strongly linked to asbestos exposure — that recurred six years after initial treatment and spread into the spinal canal, compressing the spinal cord. A 73-year-old man who had been treated for the cancer at age 67 developed rapid back pain and leg weakness, and imaging revealed a tumor invading the space around the spinal cord between vertebrae T7 and T9. Surgeons performed a subtotal removal of the intradural tumor, which on pathological examination had changed from its original epithelial type to a more aggressive biphasic type, highlighting the tumor's ability to transform over time. The patient's leg weakness improved after surgery, but the tumor regrew within five months and further treatment was limited to palliative care. This case is only the 14th reported instance of pleural mesothelioma invading the intradural space, underscoring how exceptionally rare yet devastating this complication can be. Clinicians are reminded that mesothelioma patients with favorable features such as the epithelioid subtype, female sex, and early-stage disease may survive five or more years, necessitating long-term vigilance for unusual recurrence patterns.
Surgical neurology international
Source →Prune (dried plum) consumption does not reduce colonic tumor formation but drives beneficial changes in the gut microbiome of rats.
Jiang M, et al
Researchers investigated whether consuming dried plums (prunes) could reduce colon tumor formation and improve gut health in rats chemically induced to develop colon cancer. Male Wistar rats were fed diets containing 5% or 10% prune energy for 32 weeks while receiving weekly injections of a carcinogen to trigger colon tumor growth. The study found no significant reduction in colonic tumor number or size among the prune-fed groups compared to controls, though there was a promising trend toward fewer small intestinal tumors in the 10% prune group. Importantly, prune consumption did lead to beneficial changes in the gut microbiome, including greater microbial diversity, increased abundance of health-associated bacteria such as Blautia and Coprococcus, and higher levels of short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate, which is known to support colon health. These findings suggest that while prunes may not directly prevent colon tumors under the conditions tested, their ability to positively reshape the gut microbiome and boost beneficial fermentation products may still offer meaningful health benefits worth exploring in further research.
Food & function
Source →Effect of bladder volume on dose of exposure to dangerous organs and incidence of cystitis and enteritis in patients with cervical cancer after external radiotherapy.
Wu Y, et al
A new retrospective study published in Frontiers in Oncology examined how different bladder filling levels affect radiation exposure to surrounding organs and the risk of side effects in 142 cervical cancer patients undergoing postoperative external beam radiotherapy. Patients were divided into three groups based on bladder volume during treatment: less than 300 mL, 300–500 mL, and greater than 500 mL, and researchers measured radiation doses received by the bladder, rectum, and small intestine. The study found that smaller bladder volumes increased radiation dose to the small intestine, while very large bladder volumes increased dose to the rectum and bladder itself, raising concern for tissue damage in both extremes. Critically, patients in the moderate 300–500 mL bladder volume group experienced significantly fewer cases of radiation-induced cystitis compared to the other groups. These findings suggest that maintaining a moderately full bladder during external radiotherapy — approximately 300 to 500 mL — represents an optimal, practical approach to protecting critical pelvic organs from excess radiation exposure. Clinicians can use this evidence-based guidance to refine bladder-filling protocols and potentially improve quality of life for cervical cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.
Frontiers in oncology
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