Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Exploring adenoid basal carcinoma to squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix transformation using spatial transcriptomics.
Ma R, et al
Researchers investigated the rare cervical cancer type adenoid basal carcinoma (ABC) and its relationship to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a more aggressive tumor, using a retrospective study of 20 cases. The study identified so-called transitional nests (TNs) — clusters of cells that appear to represent an intermediate stage between ABC and SCC — and showed that these nests are spatially located between classic ABC and SCC regions in tumor tissue. Using cutting-edge digital spatial profiling (DSP) technology, the team discovered two genes, CK13 and SCCA2, that are differentially expressed in TNs compared to other tumor subtypes, providing molecular evidence that ABC can progressively transform into SCC through this transitional phase. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed that transitional nests retain expression of the basal cell marker BCL-2 in their outer layer while displaying cellular abnormalities typical of SCC at their core. These findings shed new light on how a generally favorable cervical tumor can evolve into a dangerous cancer, and suggest that total hysterectomy may be the most appropriate surgical strategy when ABC is found alongside transitional nests.
The Journal of pathology
Source →Endometrioid endocervical adenocarcinoma in a postmenopausal woman: a case report and review of the literature.
Thi Kim Bui T, et al
A case report published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports describes a rare and diagnostically challenging form of cervical cancer — endometrioid endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) — in a 62-year-old postmenopausal woman with no prior symptoms. The cancer was incidentally detected via routine ultrasound showing endometrial fluid, and subsequent imaging and tissue sampling revealed a FIGO stage IB1 cervical tumor that closely resembled endometrial carcinoma, making accurate diagnosis particularly difficult. The patient was successfully treated with radical hysterectomy, removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes, and pelvic lymph node dissection, and remained disease-free at six months follow-up. Crucially, the case highlights that this non-HPV-associated subtype of cervical cancer can progress rapidly and is poorly detected by standard Pap smear screening, which has lower sensitivity for glandular lesions than for the more common squamous cell lesions. Clinicians are urged to consider endometrioid ECA in the differential diagnosis when glandular cervical abnormalities are identified, even in the absence of prior abnormal cytology results. Early surgical intervention combined with multidisciplinary evaluation is emphasized as critical to achieving favorable patient outcomes.
International journal of surgery case reports
Source →A novel approach to defining progression in MDS and precursor myeloid conditions in The MDS Natural History Study.
DeZern AE, et al
Researchers from the MDS Natural History Study (MDS NHS), a large prospective U.S. cohort, investigated how patients progress from early myeloid precursor conditions—such as clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) and idiopathic cytopenia of undetermined significance (ICUS)—through to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study enrolled 1,177 participants with a median age of 74 years and tracked their disease course over a median follow-up of 1.6 years using clinical data and biological samples collected at multiple time points. Using a refined clinical definition of disease progression, the study found that the highest rates of progression occurred in higher-risk MDS patients (73%), followed by lower-risk MDS (52%), while precursor conditions such as CCUS and ICUS showed much lower progression rates of 22% and 17%, respectively. Key predictors of progression included female sex, a greater number of gene mutations, the presence of a TP53 mutation, and poor cytogenetic scores. These real-world findings help clarify which patients are at greatest risk and provide a foundation for updated clinical guidelines on monitoring and surveillance of patients with MDS and related precursor conditions.
Blood advances
Source →Fascin expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathological features in parathyroid tumors.
Omi Y, et al
Researchers investigated whether fascin, a protein known to promote cancer invasion and spread, could serve as a useful marker in distinguishing between benign and malignant parathyroid tumors. The study examined fascin expression using immunohistochemistry in 72 tissue samples, including parathyroid carcinomas, atypical tumors, adenomas, and normal parathyroid tissue, alongside established markers parafibromin and Ki-67. Fascin positivity was found in none of the normal tissues, 21.7% of adenomas, 50% of atypical tumors, and 42.1% of carcinomas, with nuclear fascin expression being notably more frequent in aggressive tumor types. Importantly, all patients whose tumors recurred after treatment were fascin-positive, parafibromin-negative, and showed high Ki-67 activity, suggesting fascin may help identify high-risk cases. While fascin did not outperform the established markers for diagnosis alone, its association with aggressive disease features and tumor recurrence suggests it could complement existing diagnostic tools. These findings open the door to using fascin as an additional biomarker to better assess prognosis and guide clinical management of parathyroid tumors.
Human pathology
Source →The evolving role of interventional pulmonology with endobronchial ultrasonography in the diagnosis of lymphoma: a narrative review.
Farooq S, et al
This narrative review examined the current evidence for endobronchial ultrasonography with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) as a diagnostic tool for lymphoma in patients presenting with mediastinal or hilar lymph node enlargement. Researchers systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar for relevant studies published between 1980 and 2025, focusing on diagnostic sensitivity, specimen adequacy, and sampling techniques. The review found that EBUS-TBNA, when combined with immunohistochemical staining, flow cytometry, cytogenetic, and molecular analyses, can achieve accurate lymphoma diagnosis, though its sensitivity for newly diagnosed (de novo) lymphoma remains only modest. Emerging techniques such as cryobiopsy, larger-gauge needles, and forceps sampling through EBUS may improve the amount of tissue obtained, but whether these advances reliably translate into higher diagnostic yield is still uncertain. The authors conclude that EBUS-TBNA represents a reasonable, minimally invasive first diagnostic step compared to surgical lymph node excision, and they call for prospective clinical studies to establish standardized best practices for lymphoma diagnosis using EBUS.
Mediastinum (Hong Kong, China)
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