Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Biaxially rotational noncoplanar radiotherapy vs. coplanar radiotherapy: A planning study for non-small-cell lung cancer.
Tomoda R, et al
Researchers conducted a dosimetric planning study comparing a novel biaxially rotational noncoplanar radiotherapy technique called Dynamic Swing Arc (DSA), delivered on the OXRAY system, against conventional coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for treating stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using retrospective data from 26 patients, DSA treatment plans were generated and evaluated alongside standard VMAT plans with identical optimization settings across three respiratory phases. The DSA technique significantly reduced the volume of healthy lung tissue receiving high-dose radiation, lowering the critical metric V20Gy from a median of 19.18% to 16.46%, while also decreasing mean lung dose and reducing spinal cord exposure by approximately 4 Gy. Importantly, DSA maintained full target dose coverage and dose homogeneity within the tumor volume, and although monitor units and beam delivery time were modestly increased, these differences were judged clinically acceptable given the overall treatment session length. These findings indicate that DSA radiotherapy on the OXRAY platform offers meaningful sparing of normal lung tissue and surrounding critical structures without compromising treatment effectiveness, positioning it as a clinically valuable option for patients with locally advanced NSCLC.
Medical dosimetry : official journal of the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists
Source →Introducing the J-CONNECT database: a real-world oncology resource for Japan.
Okada M, et al
Japanese researchers have introduced J-CONNECT, a large-scale real-world oncology database designed to capture clinical data from solid cancer patients treated with chemotherapy across 12 Ministry of Health-designated cancer care hospitals in Japan. The database links hospital cancer registries with electronic medical records, currently encompassing 51,497 patients diagnosed after 2018, covering major cancer types including breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, pancreatic, stomach, esophageal, and liver cancers. Unlike randomized controlled trials, which frequently exclude elderly patients, those with comorbidities, or rare cancer subtypes, J-CONNECT captures a broader patient population with detailed information on demographics, disease staging, treatments, laboratory results, and biomarkers. Validation against Japan's National Hospital-based Cancer Registry confirmed that sex distributions in J-CONNECT align well with national figures, supporting the database's representativeness. The resource is intended to facilitate oncology research, post-marketing surveillance, and public health policy, with plans to expand from the current 15 institutions to 25 hospitals and to integrate outcome and healthcare resource-use data for even broader applicability.
International journal of clinical oncology
Source →MYC amplification is common in cancer of the stomach and gastroesophageal junction, correlates with male sex and reduced response to neoadjuvant therapy.
Biegler O, et al
Researchers investigated the role of MYC gene amplification in 582 patients with adenocarcinomas of the stomach and gastroesophageal junction, using fluorescence in situ hybridization on tumor tissue to map how frequently and how uniformly this genetic change occurs. The study found that nearly half of all tumors (47.4%) showed MYC amplification, with the abnormality often distributed unevenly across the tumor — a phenomenon known as intratumoral heterogeneity — suggesting that cancer cells within the same tumor can differ significantly in their genetic makeup. Strikingly, MYC amplification was far more common in male patients than in female patients, pointing toward sex-specific biological mechanisms that may drive these cancers differently in men and women. Tumors with MYC amplification were also more likely to respond poorly to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (treatment given before surgery to shrink the tumor), and patients with higher MYC scores had significantly worse overall and tumor-specific survival. These findings suggest that testing for MYC amplification could help clinicians identify patients unlikely to benefit from standard chemotherapy and may open the door to more personalized treatment strategies targeting this genetic alteration.
BMC cancer
Source →ASPP2 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth by regulating cuproptosis via mitochondrial protein lipoylation.
Yang L, et al
Researchers investigated how the tumor suppressor protein ASPP2 regulates a newly identified copper-dependent form of programmed cell death—called cuproptosis—in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common and lethal liver cancers worldwide. The study found that ASPP2 activates the key cuproptosis regulator FDX1 by recruiting the transcription factor NR2F2 to the FDX1 gene promoter, while simultaneously promoting copper accumulation inside cancer cells through oligomerization of lipoylated mitochondrial proteins. ASPP2 also enhances mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation via increased tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity, making HCC cells significantly more susceptible to copper-induced death. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that ASPP2 overexpression suppresses tumor growth and synergizes with copper ionophore compounds, which shuttle copper into cells to trigger cancer cell death. Analysis of 90 clinical HCC specimens demonstrated co-expression of ASPP2 and FDX1, and a prognostic model integrating these markers with other cuproptosis-related genes accurately predicted patient survival in TCGA cohorts. These findings define a novel ASPP2–FDX1–NR2F2 regulatory axis linking mitochondrial metabolism to cuproptosis and propose that targeting this pathway—especially in combination with copper ionophore therapy—could represent a promising new treatment strategy for liver cancer patients.
Cell death & disease
Source →Persistent hepatitis burden in a geographically isolated and medically underserved population: a community-based study.
Ryu D, et al
Researchers conducted a community-based study in Ulleung County, a geographically isolated island region of South Korea with persistently elevated liver cancer rates, to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and identify associated risk factors. Between 2019 and 2022, a total of 1,684 adults aged 40 and older voluntarily underwent screening, revealing HBV surface antigen positivity in 7.19% of participants and HCV antibody positivity in 1.37% — rates substantially higher than typical national figures. Lower educational attainment and a lifetime history of smoking were significantly associated with HBV infection, while undergoing cupping therapy at non-medical facilities was linked to HCV positivity. Notably, individuals with tattoos showed lower rates of HBV positivity, suggesting complex behavioral patterns that warrant further investigation. Although HBV prevalence alone does not fully account for the region's unusually high liver cancer burden, it represents a meaningful contributing factor. These findings highlight the critical importance of tailored, community-driven hepatitis screening and prevention strategies for populations in geographically isolated and medically underserved areas.
Scientific reports
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