Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
OTUB2 Mutation Promotes Thyroid Collision Tumor's Insights From the Whole-exome Sequence.
Xu Y, et al
Researchers investigated thyroid collision tumors (TCTs), rare malignancies in which two distinct cancer types coexist within the same thyroid gland, using whole-exome sequencing combined with immunohistochemistry and histological staining. The study characterized a case involving papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), identifying a total of 76 single-nucleotide variants, 12 insertion-deletion variants, and 99 copy-number variations across the tumor samples. A key discovery was that a deletion mutation in the OTUB2 gene, which encodes a deubiquitinase enzyme involved in protein degradation regulation, significantly enhanced thyroid cancer cell proliferation in both laboratory and animal models. Additionally, the oncogenes HRAS and STAG2 were identified as synchronous driver genes likely contributing to the development of these complex tumors. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying TCTs and highlight OTUB2 as a potential therapeutic target, which could guide future treatment strategies for patients with this rare and challenging diagnosis.
Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition)
Source →Low-grade osteosarcoma after radiotherapy for breast cancer: a case report and literature review.
Sun Y
Researchers from China report a rare case of radiation-induced low-grade osteosarcoma of the breast in a 69-year-old woman who had received radiotherapy for breast cancer twelve years earlier. The patient initially presented with a recurring mass at the original radiation site, which was ultimately diagnosed as primary low-grade osteosarcoma following mastectomy and detailed pathological analysis. The study highlights that this tumor type is exceptionally rare, distinct from the more common high-grade breast osteosarcoma, and carries a potentially better prognosis, but its subtle microscopic appearance makes it prone to misdiagnosis on core needle biopsy. The authors identify a specific panel of immunohistochemical markers—SATB2, MDM2, and beta-catenin—as critical for reaching a definitive diagnosis, and recommend mastectomy as the primary surgical treatment. After 22 months of follow-up, the patient showed no signs of recurrence or metastasis, underscoring the importance of early accurate diagnosis and long-term monitoring for this rare radiation-associated malignancy.
Frontiers in oncology
Source →From overtreatment to precision: a new clinical standard for DCIS management.
Schneebaum S
A new publication in Cancer Biology & Medicine addresses a critical challenge in breast oncology: the widespread overtreatment of ductal carcinoma in situ, commonly known as DCIS, which is a non-invasive form of early breast cancer detected in the milk ducts. The article proposes a shift toward precision-based clinical standards that would allow physicians to better differentiate between DCIS cases that require aggressive intervention and those that may be safely managed through active surveillance or less intensive therapies. Current standard approaches frequently expose patients to surgeries, radiation, and hormonal therapies that may offer little benefit for low-risk disease, while simultaneously causing significant physical and psychological harm. The new framework draws on emerging evidence about DCIS biology, risk stratification tools, and patient-centered outcomes to guide more individualized treatment decisions. This work is particularly important because DCIS diagnoses have increased substantially with the expansion of mammography screening, making rational, evidence-based management guidelines more urgent than ever. If widely adopted, these updated clinical standards could reduce unnecessary treatment burden for thousands of patients annually while ensuring that those with truly high-risk disease receive appropriate and timely care.
Cancer biology & medicine
Source →Evaluation of Phosphohistone H3 in Assessment of Mitotic Activity in Invasive Breast Carcinoma: A Correlative Study With Ki-67 and Histologic Grade.
Priyadarshini P, et al
Researchers evaluated a specialized protein marker called Phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) as a tool to more accurately count dividing cancer cells — a key factor in grading breast cancer tumors — comparing it against the traditional method of examining tissue slides stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The study analyzed 100 mastectomy specimens and found that PHH3 detected significantly more mitotic figures (dividing cells) than the conventional H&E approach, with an average of 14 versus 7 per high-power field. This difference had a meaningful clinical impact: the proportion of tumors classified as high-grade (grade 3) rose from 19% to 31% after PHH3-based reassessment, while low-grade (grade 1) tumors decreased from 40% to 34%. PHH3 scores also correlated strongly with the Ki-67 proliferation index and nuclear pleomorphism, further validating its biological relevance. Importantly, PHH3 improved agreement between pathologists evaluating the same samples, moving from poor to moderate inter-observer concordance. These findings suggest that incorporating PHH3 immunostaining into routine breast cancer pathology could lead to more accurate tumor grading and better-targeted treatment decisions for patients.
International journal of surgical pathology
Source →Risk of haematologic malignancies among cutaneous melanoma survivors: A population-based analysis using large-scale queensland cancer registry data.
Kumar A, et al
Researchers conducted a large population-based study using Queensland Cancer Registry data from 2012 to 2022 to investigate whether survivors of cutaneous melanoma face an elevated risk of developing blood cancers, known as haematological malignancies. The study found that melanoma survivors had an 88% higher risk of developing a haematological malignancy compared to the general population, with the strongest associations seen for plasma-cell neoplasms such as myeloma and mature B-cell cancers including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The elevated risk was most pronounced in men, in those aged 50 to 79 years, and was highest within the first year after melanoma diagnosis, though it remained elevated beyond five years of follow-up. Notably, myeloproliferative neoplasms were actually less common than expected in this population, suggesting that the relationship between melanoma and blood cancers is subtype-specific rather than uniform. The researchers attribute this pattern to a combination of immune system changes, age-related blood cell mutations, and potential effects of melanoma treatments, rather than simply increased medical surveillance after cancer diagnosis. These findings highlight the need for risk-aware follow-up care for melanoma survivors and call for future studies linking clinical, treatment, and genetic data to guide personalised survivorship strategies.
Leukemia research
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