Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of the Pancreas: A Case Report and Updated Review of Related Literature.
De Castro LR, et al
Researchers from the Philippines report the first documented case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) originating in the pancreas in a Filipino patient, contributing to the extremely limited global literature on this rare cancer. MPNSTs are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas affecting roughly 0.001% of the general population, and pancreatic involvement is exceptionally uncommon, making diagnosis and treatment planning particularly challenging. A 59-year-old man presented with abdominal pain, weight loss, and loss of appetite; imaging revealed a large cystic mass in the pancreatic head and body, and he underwent surgery followed by palliative chemotherapy after disease recurrence six months later. Despite treatment with single-agent doxorubicin, the tumor progressed, and the patient ultimately died from a pulmonary embolism before a second-line chemotherapy regimen could be initiated. The case highlights the importance of including MPNST in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic masses and underscores the urgent need for specialized pathology review and more effective systemic therapies for metastatic or unresectable disease.
Acta medica Philippina
Source →Advanced imaging (narrow band and acetic acid chromoendoscopy) and guided biopsies in surveillance of Barrett's oesophagus: a systematic review.
Gamakaranage C, et al
A new systematic review published in BMJ Open Gastroenterology evaluated the effectiveness of two advanced endoscopic imaging techniques — narrow band imaging (NBI) and acetic acid chromoendoscopy (AAC) — for detecting dysplasia and early cancer in patients under surveillance for Barrett's oesophagus, a condition that can progress to oesophageal cancer. Researchers analyzed 44 peer-reviewed studies sourced from major medical databases, comparing these techniques against standard white light endoscopy and the established Seattle protocol, which requires multiple systematic biopsies taken at regular intervals throughout the oesophagus. The review found that NBI-targeted biopsies detected dysplasia more effectively than white light endoscopy alone, while AAC demonstrated higher sensitivity for identifying neoplastic changes, and both methods allowed clinicians to obtain fewer biopsies overall. However, a critical finding was that neither NBI-guided nor AAC-guided biopsy was able to fully replace the Seattle protocol, meaning patients still require the more extensive systematic biopsy approach to ensure safety. For clinicians and patients, this means that while these advanced imaging tools are valuable additions to Barrett's surveillance, they should be used to complement rather than substitute current standard-of-care biopsy protocols. The study highlights the need for further research to develop imaging technologies capable of safely reducing the biopsy burden while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy.
BMJ open gastroenterology
Source →Vestibular Dysfunction as a Novel Presentation of Middle Ear Neuroendocrine Tumor.
Niksic A, et al
Researchers at a tertiary academic center reported the first known case of a middle ear neuroendocrine tumor (MeNET) causing both hearing loss and balance dysfunction simultaneously. The patient, a 40-year-old man, presented with profound sensorineural hearing loss and vestibular hypofunction in his left ear alongside a middle ear mass, which was confirmed as a MeNET through histopathology and immunohistochemistry markers including chromogranin, synaptophysin, and INSM1. Initial surgical treatment via endoscopic middle ear exploration was followed by advanced PET/MRI imaging that detected residual tumor, necessitating a second surgery called revision mastoidectomy. Despite treatment, the patient continued to experience balance problems requiring vestibular rehabilitation and permanent hearing loss requiring hearing aid evaluation. This case is clinically significant because it expands the known spectrum of MeNET presentations, highlights the importance of advanced imaging surveillance after initial surgery, and underscores the challenges clinicians face in achieving complete tumor removal from the middle ear.
Journal of neurological surgery reports
Source →Case Report: NET of the ear- up to date in diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Puliani G, et al
Researchers from Frontiers in Oncology present a case series of three patients diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) originating in the middle ear, an extremely rare location for this type of cancer. NETs typically arise in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs, making middle ear NETs (MeNETs) a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge that is poorly understood by most clinicians. The study details the histological, radiological, and nuclear medicine imaging approaches used to confirm diagnosis, highlighting specific immunohistochemical markers such as Cytokeratins, Chromogranin A, Synaptophysin, enolase, and INSM1 as key diagnostic tools. One case involved metastatic disease requiring systemic treatment, and the authors describe the surgical interventions performed across all three cases. A comprehensive review of previously published MeNET cases was also conducted to consolidate current knowledge on clinical features and treatment outcomes. This work provides a practical guide for clinicians encountering this rare tumor, helping to standardize diagnosis and management in the absence of established protocols.
Frontiers in oncology
Source →Successful Preservation of the Penis After en Bloc Resection of Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer Involving the Left Crus of the Corpus Cavernosum and Corpus Spongiosum.
Kanagawa T, et al
Surgeons have reported a landmark case demonstrating that the penis can be surgically preserved even when rectal cancer has spread to invade critical penile structures, including the corpus cavernosum and corpus spongiosum. A 63-year-old man with a complex oncological history — including prior abdominoperineal resection and multiple surgeries for lymph node and lung metastases — developed an intrapelvic recurrence that extended into the penile base. The surgical team performed an extensive en bloc resection encompassing the prostate, seminal vesicle, and the left crus of the corpus cavernosum along with the proximal corpus spongiosum, while deliberately sparing the right internal pudendal artery, which provides the critical blood supply to the organ. Negative surgical margins were confirmed, and the patient remained free of pelvic recurrence for 23 months until his death from pulmonary metastasis, validating the oncological soundness of the approach. This case establishes that unilateral partial resection of penile erectile tissue does not necessitate total penectomy, provided the contralateral internal pudendal artery blood flow is intact. For patients and clinicians facing radical pelvic salvage surgery for recurrent rectal cancer, this finding offers an important pathway to preserving quality of life without compromising cancer control.
IJU case reports
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