Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Painless perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma: A case report and literature review.
Shi J, et al
Researchers from China report a rare case of painless perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma (PMA) in a 79-year-old male patient who presented with a painless perianal mass lasting 15 days, highlighting the diagnostic challenges posed by this uncommon malignancy. Ultrasound imaging identified a well-defined hypoechoic mass approximately 3.31 cm in diameter, and subsequent pathological analysis revealed expansive nodular tumor growth with irregular glandular infiltration and extensive mucus secretion. Immunohistochemical profiling confirmed positivity for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, CDX2, and mucin 2, while molecular testing detected a KRAS G12D activating mutation, together providing a definitive diagnosis of PMA. The patient underwent radical local wide resection and remained free of recurrence or metastasis over a 12-month follow-up period, suggesting that timely surgical intervention can yield favorable outcomes. This case report serves as a valuable real-world reference for clinicians facing the diagnostic and therapeutic complexities of painless PMA, a condition that may be easily overlooked due to its atypical, asymptomatic presentation.
Oncology letters
Source →Renal cell carcinoma presenting with orbital metastasis as the initial symptom: A case report.
Wang X, et al
This case report, published in Medicine, describes an exceptionally rare clinical scenario in which orbital metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was the first sign of an otherwise undetected kidney cancer in an elderly man. The patient initially presented with eye swelling and pain, with no back pain or blood in the urine—symptoms that would more typically prompt suspicion of kidney disease. Imaging studies suggested a benign tumor such as a hemangioma or schwannoma, but post-surgical pathology confirmed the mass was a metastatic deposit from RCC, and the primary kidney tumor was only identified afterward by abdominal CT scan. The orbital mass was successfully removed via a minimally invasive endoscopic transnasal approach, and the patient's ocular symptoms improved markedly within one month. This case underscores the critical importance of including metastatic malignancy in the differential diagnosis of any orbital mass, even when systemic cancer symptoms are entirely absent. The unusual site of metastasis raises important questions about organ-specific tumor spread and the molecular mechanisms that allow cancer cells to colonize atypical locations such as the orbit.
Medicine
Source →Spinal Accessory Nerve Schwannoma in a Pediatric Patient: A Rare Microcystic/Reticular Variant in a Non-syndromic Case.
De Los Reyes-Lara AO, et al
Researchers report a rare case of a 10-year-old boy who developed progressive upper limb weakness and gait disturbance caused by a tumor at the base of the skull, in the region of the foramen magnum. Microsurgical removal via a far-lateral approach revealed the tumor originated from the spinal accessory nerve, an uncommon site for such growths in children. Initial pathological analysis incorrectly suggested a grade 2 chordoid meningioma — a more aggressive tumor type — but comprehensive immunohistochemical testing corrected the diagnosis to a microcystic/reticular variant schwannoma, an exceptionally rare benign nerve-sheath tumor. Because the initial misdiagnosis influenced clinical decision-making, the patient also received complementary radiotherapy, yet achieved complete neurological recovery and showed no residual tumor at nine months of follow-up. This case underscores the critical importance of thorough immunohistochemical analysis in distinguishing rare tumor variants, as an accurate diagnosis directly determines the appropriate treatment strategy and long-term prognosis, particularly in vulnerable pediatric patients.
Cureus
Source →The Model Related to Hypoxia and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Predicting Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Cancer.
Zhao X, et al
Researchers developed a prognostic model for uterine corpus endometrial cancer (UCEC) that integrates biological markers related to hypoxia—low oxygen conditions within tumors—and endoplasmic reticulum stress, a cellular process linked to cancer progression and treatment resistance. The study aimed to identify patients at higher risk of poor outcomes and to predict how well they might respond to immunotherapy, which has become an increasingly important treatment option for endometrial cancer. By combining these two stress-related biological pathways, the model demonstrated improved ability to stratify patients into distinct risk groups compared to existing approaches. The findings suggest that hypoxia and endoplasmic reticulum stress signatures together reflect key aspects of the tumor microenvironment that influence both disease progression and immune response. This work has potential clinical relevance, as more accurate prognostic tools could help oncologists personalize treatment strategies and identify which endometrial cancer patients are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy. The model represents a step toward more individualized management of a cancer type that affects tens of thousands of women annually worldwide.
Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)
Source →From Biomarker to Drug Target: Integrating ceRNA Networks and Pharmacogenomics to Reposition C5orf34 in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Cancer Therapy.
Yan J, et al
Researchers investigated the role of a poorly characterized gene called C5orf34 in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), one of the most common gynecological cancers, using data from over 550 tumor samples alongside normal tissue controls. The study found that C5orf34 is significantly overexpressed in UCEC tumors compared to healthy endometrial tissue, and that higher expression levels are strongly linked to advanced disease stage, older patient age, and worse outcomes across multiple survival measures. Patients with elevated C5orf34 expression faced more than twice the risk of death and over three times the risk of disease-specific mortality, establishing the gene as an independent prognostic risk factor. The gene also appears to suppress the immune system's ability to fight the tumor by reducing the infiltration of beneficial immune cells, and its expression correlates with resistance to several cancer drugs including Navitoclax, Ruxolitinib, and Erlotinib. A regulatory network involving a long non-coding RNA (LINC01224), a microRNA (miR-455-5p), and C5orf34 was mapped out, shedding light on how this gene is controlled at the molecular level. These findings position C5orf34 as a promising new target for both prognostic testing and therapeutic intervention in endometrial cancer, although further laboratory and clinical validation is needed.
Current medicinal chemistry
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