Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Survival outcomes by molecular subtypes based on receptor status in medullary breast carcinoma: a SEER database analysis.
Li M, et al
Researchers used the large U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to compare survival outcomes between patients with medullary breast carcinoma (MBC), a rare subtype of invasive breast cancer, and patients with the far more common invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST). Although MBC patients tended to be younger and presented with more aggressive tumor features — including higher tumor grade, larger tumor size, and more frequent triple-negative receptor status — they had significantly better overall survival and breast cancer-specific survival than IBC-NST patients both before and after propensity score matching, a statistical technique used to minimize confounding between groups. Importantly, when MBC patients were subdivided by molecular subtype (triple-negative, luminal, or HER2-overexpressing), no significant survival differences were found among these subgroups, suggesting that receptor status does not drive prognosis within MBC the way it does in common breast cancer. Multivariate analysis identified age, tumor stage, lymph node involvement, and receipt of chemotherapy as the key independent predictors of survival in MBC patients. These findings reassure clinicians that despite its intimidating pathological appearance, MBC carries a genuinely favorable prognosis, and highlight that staging and chemotherapy decisions — rather than molecular subtype classification — should guide treatment planning for MBC patients.
Translational cancer research
Source →A Randomized Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial of Adipose-derived Regenerative Cells Injected into Corpora Cavernosum Following Radical Prostatectomy.
Hansen ST, et al
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted at Odense University Hospital in Denmark investigated whether injecting autologous adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) directly into the penile tissue could help restore erectile function in men who had undergone radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Seventy men with erectile dysfunction following surgery were randomly assigned to receive either a single intracavernous injection of ADRCs or a placebo, with outcomes measured over 12 months using validated tools including the International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF-5), Erectile Hardness Scale, and RigiScan device. The study found no statistically significant improvement in erectile function in the ADRC group compared to placebo across any of the primary or secondary endpoints. On a positive note, no serious adverse events were recorded and none of the participants experienced prostate-specific antigen relapse, suggesting the procedure is safe. These findings indicate that while ADRCs injections appear well tolerated, they cannot currently be recommended as a treatment for post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction, and further research is needed before this approach could be considered for clinical use.
European urology focus
Source →Squamous Precursor Lesions of the Vulva: A Practical Approach.
Crimmins J, et al
A new review published in Dermatologic Clinics examines the classification and diagnosis of precancerous lesions of the vulva, focusing on squamous cell carcinoma precursors. Researchers outline three biologically distinct subgroups: HPV-associated lesions, HPV-independent lesions with TP53 mutations, and HPV-independent lesions with normal (wild-type) TP53. Each subgroup carries different risks of progression to invasive cancer, different recurrence rates, and requires different management strategies. Accurate diagnosis depends on combining clinical findings with tissue analysis and specific protein markers, particularly p16 and p53 staining. The review highlights that while terminology for two of the three subgroups is well established, the naming of TP53-wild-type precursor lesions is still evolving, which has practical implications for pathologists and gynecologists. Standardizing classification is critical to ensuring patients receive appropriate surveillance and treatment based on their true risk level.
Dermatologic clinics
Source →Apigenin Suppresses Bladder Cancer via the SIRT6-NCOA2-PPARα Axis.
Liu Y, et al
Researchers investigated how apigenin, a natural flavonoid found in common dietary plants, suppresses the progression of bladder cancer using laboratory cell models and animal xenograft experiments. Using a multi-omics approach, the team discovered that apigenin activates the deacetylase enzyme SIRT6, which in turn removes acetyl groups from a protein called NCOA2 at two specific sites (lysine 780 and 785). This molecular modification boosts the activity of PPARα, a transcription factor that reprograms how cancer cells produce and use energy, ultimately disrupting mitochondrial function in tumor cells. Clinical data analysis further showed that patients with metastatic bladder cancer tend to have low SIRT6 levels alongside elevated NCOA2 and markers of abnormal fat metabolism, suggesting this pathway drives disease progression. These findings identify the SIRT6-NCOA2-PPARα signaling axis as a novel and targetable metabolic vulnerability in bladder cancer, raising the prospect that apigenin or related compounds could be developed into therapeutic agents for this disease.
International journal of biological sciences
Source →An Unusual Pattern of Hepatic Involvement in Plasma Cell Leukemia.
Paz MA, et al
Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is a rare and highly aggressive blood cancer in which malignant plasma cells circulate in the bloodstream and can infiltrate organs, leading to very poor outcomes. Physicians at this institution report the case of a PCL patient who, during pre-transplant evaluation using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, was found to have suspicious lesions in the liver. A biopsy of the hepatic mass confirmed the presence of sheets of abnormal plasma cells, and specialized laboratory staining — including markers CD138 and MUM1, as well as lambda light chain restriction — verified that these lesions were direct extensions of the patient's PCL. This finding significantly altered the patient's treatment course: instead of proceeding with the planned autologous bone marrow transplant, the patient was redirected toward second-line CAR-T cell therapy, a cutting-edge immunotherapy approach. The case highlights that liver involvement in PCL, while uncommon, can present as discrete masses rather than the more typical diffuse infiltration, making it easy to overlook or misdiagnose. Clinicians are urged to keep plasma cell neoplasms high on their list of possible diagnoses when evaluating liver lesions in patients with aggressive blood cancers, as accurate identification directly shapes treatment decisions.
Cureus
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