Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Combination of giant fibroadenoma and galactocele: two rare benign breast lesions in a 27-year-old mother presenting with a long-standing breast mass: a case report.
Dereje WM, et al
Researchers report the first known case of a giant fibroadenoma and a galactocele occurring simultaneously within a single breast mass in a 27-year-old woman who had been living with the lesion for three years. A galactocele is a benign milk-filled cyst caused by blocked milk ducts, while a giant fibroadenoma is an oversized form of the most common benign breast tumor, accounting for only 0.5% of fibroadenoma cases. The patient presented with a 20 by 15 centimeter left breast mass causing significant pain and sleep disruption, and ultimately underwent mastectomy. Histopathological examination confirmed the coexistence of both lesions within the same mass, a combination never previously described in medical literature. This case underscores the diagnostic challenge these benign lesions pose, as they can closely mimic malignant breast tumors, potentially leading to unnecessary anxiety or delayed treatment. Clinicians are reminded of the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and thorough histopathologic evaluation to accurately distinguish such rare benign conditions from breast cancer.
International journal of surgery case reports
Source →Margin of Error: The Emerging Role of Field Cancerization in Predicting Recurrence Risk of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ.
Hu-Lieskovan S, et al
Researchers reviewed the current limitations in predicting recurrence risk for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a common early-stage breast cancer diagnosis whose incidence continues to rise. The review highlights that conventional tools such as histopathology and surgical margin assessment often fail to reliably distinguish patients at high versus low risk of local recurrence, leading to both overtreatment and undertreatment. The authors propose adopting the concept of 'field cancerization' as a new framework, arguing that the tissue surrounding a DCIS lesion undergoes its own molecular changes—driven by environmental exposures before tumor formation and by tumor-microenvironment interactions afterward—that collectively shape recurrence risk. This perspective suggests that recurrence risk is not a fixed property of the lesion itself but is dynamic and spatially distributed across the breast tissue, requiring distance-mapped biomarkers to capture the full picture. The review calls for a shift away from lesion-centric management toward multivariable prognostic models that incorporate these field-level biomarkers, which could enable more precise surgical planning, better selection of adjuvant therapies, and safer de-escalation of treatment for patients who are truly low risk.
International journal of molecular sciences
Source →Rare but distinct: A systematic review of primary neuroendocrine tumors of the breast according to WHO 2019 guidelines.
Ciarka A, et al
A new systematic review published in Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology provides the first comprehensive analysis of primary breast neuroendocrine tumors (BNETs) strictly defined by the World Health Organization's updated 2019 diagnostic criteria, which require neuroendocrine features in more than 90% of tumor cells. Researchers analyzed data from eight studies encompassing 203 patients and found that BNETs primarily affect postmenopausal women and almost always test positive for estrogen receptors, while rarely overexpressing the HER2 protein. The tumors were typically diagnosed at an early stage, showed moderate growth rates, and were associated with excellent survival outcomes, including a five-year disease-free survival rate of 91.1%. Genomic analyses revealed that BNETs have a distinct molecular profile compared to common invasive breast cancers, with lower rates of TP53 and PIK3CA mutations and higher frequencies of KMT2C and FOXA1 alterations, suggesting they represent a biologically unique cancer subtype. Additionally, a significant proportion of BNETs express somatostatin receptor 2A, raising the possibility that somatostatin analog therapies used in other neuroendocrine cancers could be explored for these patients. The authors conclude that while BNETs carry a favorable prognosis, large-scale prospective studies are urgently needed to establish standardized treatment guidelines for this rare and distinct breast cancer entity.
Critical reviews in oncology/hematology
Source →(Un-)Known Chances: Emerging Hope for Cancer of Unknown Primary - Highlights from ESMO 2025 and the first International Cancer of Unknown Primary Meeting.
Haas M, et al
Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a challenging condition in which cancer has spread throughout the body but its site of origin cannot be identified, accounting for 1–3% of all newly diagnosed cancers. For decades, treatment relied on empirical platinum-based chemotherapy, which offered poor outcomes with median overall survival typically below one year. New data presented at the ESMO 2025 Congress and the inaugural International Cancer of Unknown Primary Meeting signal a transformative shift, highlighting advances in integrative genomic profiling, liquid biopsy-based tissue-of-origin prediction, functional imaging, and tumour-agnostic therapies. These emerging strategies allow clinicians to molecularly classify CUP patients and match them to targeted treatments that go beyond one-size-fits-all chemotherapy. The review concludes that CUP should be redefined as a molecularly stratifiable disease requiring early and comprehensive profiling interpreted by multidisciplinary teams, offering renewed hope for improved patient outcomes.
Oncology research and treatment
Source →Primary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the kidney: a case report and literature review.
Tu X, et al
Researchers from China report a rare case of primary extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) originating in the kidney, a condition in which cancerous plasma cells form a tumor outside the bone marrow in an unusual location. The patient presented with a left renal mass detected on CT imaging that was initially mistaken for renal carcinoma, leading to a radical nephrectomy; the correct diagnosis was established only through post-surgical pathological and immunohistochemical analysis. Comprehensive follow-up testing found no evidence of systemic plasma cell disease such as multiple myeloma, confirming the tumor was truly localized to the kidney. Three months after surgery, the patient showed no signs of recurrence despite declining additional radiotherapy or chemotherapy. This case highlights the diagnostic challenge posed by renal EMP, which can closely mimic kidney cancer on imaging, and underscores the importance of thorough pathological evaluation and long-term follow-up given the risk of disease progression.
Frontiers in oncology
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