Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Unraveling the role of TP53 mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms: Molecular mechanisms of leukemic transformation.
da Silva-Benedito S, et al
A new review published in HemaSphere examines the role of TP53 gene mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), a group of blood cancers that can progress from a chronic phase to an aggressive form of leukemia known as secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML). The authors explore how the p53 protein, which normally acts as a guardian of the genome by regulating blood cell development, becomes dysfunctional in MPNs and contributes to cancer progression. The review highlights a particularly dangerous scenario called multihit TP53 status, in which patients accumulate multiple mutations in the TP53 gene, driving leukemic transformation through clonal evolution and amplified by inflammation and prior therapies such as cytoreductive treatment. Recent clinical data show that multihit TP53 mutations are associated with significantly worse patient outcomes, underscoring the need for better risk stratification tools. The authors also present emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring or targeting the p53 pathway, offering hope for more effective treatments for patients with MPNs and sAML.
HemaSphere
Source →Long-term culture of patient-derived pheochromocytoma organoids.
van den Berg MF, et al
Researchers have successfully established patient-derived organoid cultures from pheochromocytomas, rare neuroendocrine tumors arising from the adrenal gland that carry limited treatment options once they spread. Tumor tissue collected from two surgical patients was used to grow three-dimensional, self-renewing cell structures in the laboratory, with both cultures surviving for over four months and tolerating serial passaging. The organoids initially expressed key markers of the original tumor cells, including chromaffin differentiation proteins and stem cell markers, and demonstrated hormone secretion activity confirmed by detection of metanephrine. However, over time the organoids gradually lost these tumor-specific features, suggesting a drift toward less differentiated cell states that will require further optimization to overcome. This proof-of-concept study is significant because reliable laboratory models of pheochromocytoma have been extremely scarce, and patient-derived organoids could ultimately serve as platforms for studying tumor biology and testing personalized treatment strategies for this difficult-to-treat cancer.
Frontiers in endocrinology
Source →HGBL-NOS presenting as widespread extranodal disease without lymphadenopathy: a case report.
Sayes MF, et al
Researchers report a rare and striking case of High-grade B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (HGBL-NOS), in a 27-year-old woman who presented with chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing up blood over six months. Unusually, imaging revealed that the aggressive cancer had spread to 11 separate organs—including the lungs, heart, brain, kidneys, uterus, and thyroid—without any enlargement of lymph nodes, which is the typical hallmark of lymphoma spread. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, and laboratory markers indicated a highly proliferative tumor with 90% Ki-67 index and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels. The patient was treated with a combination of intensive chemotherapy regimens (R-CEOP followed by R-CODOX-M/IVAC), carefully adjusted for organ tolerance, and achieved complete metabolic remission on follow-up PET/CT scanning. This case underscores how HGBL-NOS can present in atypical and life-threatening ways that challenge standard diagnostic criteria, and demonstrates that early, aggressive treatment can still lead to favorable outcomes even in exceptionally advanced presentations.
Frontiers in oncology
Source →Phase I trial of locoregional administration of autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in patients with uveal melanoma and liver metastases (the HAITILS trial).
Nelson A, et al
Researchers conducted a phase I clinical trial called HAITILS to evaluate the safety and feasibility of delivering tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy directly into the liver via hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) in patients with uveal melanoma that had spread to the liver. Uveal melanoma is a rare eye cancer that frequently metastasizes to the liver and responds poorly to standard immunotherapies, making new treatment strategies urgently needed. Six patients received TIL therapy manufactured using the CliniMACS Prodigy platform, preceded by conditioning chemotherapy and followed by low-dose interleukin-2 injections, with the procedure proving technically safe and free of procedure-related complications. All patients achieved stable disease as their best response, with a median progression-free survival of four months and a median overall survival of 14 months, indicating that while the approach is safe, the current regimen does not produce durable tumor responses. These results establish that locoregional TIL delivery via hepatic artery is both manufacturable and clinically feasible, and provide a foundation for future trials using modified dosing or combination strategies to improve efficacy in this difficult-to-treat cancer.
Journal for immunotherapy of cancer
Source →["AMM updates" section of the journal Bulletin du Cancer: Feedback from the contributing authors].
Ferber E, et al
A survey evaluated the 'marketing authorization updates' (AMM) section of the French oncology journal Bulletin du Cancer, which since 2020 has provided monthly educational summaries of new European Medicines Agency approvals in oncology and hematology. Five years after its launch, an online questionnaire was sent to 245 contributing authors, with 78 responses received from 52 residents and 26 senior physicians. Results showed strong satisfaction across both groups, with writing guidelines rated as clear by over 80% of respondents and self-reported educational benefit rated at a median of 9 out of 10 for residents and 7.5 out of 10 for senior physicians. Overall format satisfaction reached a median of 9 out of 10 in both groups, highlighting the section's success in combining education with timely clinical information. The findings demonstrate that structured, collaborative medical writing initiatives can effectively bridge knowledge gaps about new cancer treatments while fostering mentorship between trainees and experienced clinicians.
Bulletin du cancer
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