Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Nutritional indices are potentially important prognostic biomarkers before chemotherapy for non-specific subsets of cancer of unknown primary origin.
Yamaguchi S, et al
Researchers from Kurume University Hospital in Japan conducted a retrospective study examining whether nutritional status could serve as a prognostic indicator for patients with cancer of unknown primary origin (CUP), a poorly understood malignancy affecting 2–5% of all cancer patients worldwide and carrying a one-year survival rate of only around 20%. The study evaluated four nutritional indices — the prognostic nutritional index, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), and controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score — in 25 CUP patients who received chemotherapy between 2011 and 2023. Results showed that patients with low mGPS and low CONUT scores, indicating better nutritional status, had significantly longer overall survival and progression-free survival compared to those with higher scores. Multivariate analyses confirmed that low mGPS and CONUT scores were independent predictors of favorable overall survival, while low mGPS was an independent predictor of progression-free survival. These findings suggest that simple, widely available nutritional assessments could help clinicians estimate prognosis before initiating chemotherapy in CUP patients, potentially guiding treatment decisions for this difficult-to-treat cancer.
Molecular and clinical oncology
Source →A Rare Case of an Abdominal Pedunculated Bronchogenic Cyst.
Degreve C, et al
Researchers present a rare case of an abdominal bronchogenic cyst (BC) in a 34-year-old man, a congenital condition arising from abnormal development of the primitive foregut during embryogenesis. While BCs typically form in the chest area — either in the mediastinum or lungs — this unusual case involved a cyst located near the colon and connected to the esophagus, discovered during evaluation for a lung condition. Because of its atypical abdominal location and non-specific imaging features, standard scans could not provide a definitive diagnosis before surgery. The patient underwent laparoscopic (minimally invasive) removal of the cyst, and laboratory analysis of the tissue confirmed the diagnosis based on characteristic microscopic features including ciliated epithelium and bronchial wall elements. The patient made a full recovery with no complications, demonstrating that laparoscopic surgery is a safe and effective treatment option for such rare lesions. This case highlights the importance of including BCs in the differential diagnosis of unexplained abdominal cysts, even in adults, to ensure timely and appropriate management.
Cureus
Source →Checkpoint Inhibition in Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia: A Narrative Review on the Reawakening of Antitumor Immunity.
Barcellos MB, et al
A new narrative review published in Advances in Therapy examines the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), a rare but highly curable cancer arising from placental tissue that in a small number of patients becomes resistant to standard chemotherapy. Researchers systematically reviewed literature from 2000 to 2025, focusing on the biological rationale for immunotherapy and clinical outcomes in multidrug-resistant GTN cases. The review found that GTN tumors frequently display high levels of the protein PD-L1, which normally helps the placenta avoid immune attack but in cancer can shield tumors from the body's defenses, making them promising targets for checkpoint inhibitor drugs. Checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab and avelumab, as well as the combination of camrelizumab with the anti-angiogenic drug apatinib, achieved complete and lasting remissions in approximately 70 to 80 percent of patients with otherwise untreatable disease. Importantly, these treatments were associated with acceptable side effect profiles and, crucially for many young patients, preserved fertility. The authors conclude that immunotherapy has transformed the management of refractory GTN and call for further research into combination strategies, predictive biomarkers, and equitable global access to these therapies.
Advances in therapy
Source →Intractable Elevated Intraocular Pressure during Plaque Brachytherapy for Posterior Choroidal Tumors: A Case Report.
Belmouhand M, et al
Researchers from the field of ocular oncology report two cases of dangerously elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) that could not be controlled with medication during plaque brachytherapy — a type of radiation treatment — for tumors located in the posterior choroid of the eye. Both patients underwent a combined procedure involving a biopsy of the tumor through the vitreous and placement of a ruthenium-106 radioactive plaque in the superior quadrant of the eye. Despite aggressive use of all available pressure-lowering agents, IOP remained uncontrollably high in both cases until the plaque was removed, after which pressure normalized without further treatment. The authors propose that obstruction of a superior vortex vein — a key drainage vessel of the eye — by the plaque, combined with pre-existing venous congestion, prevented adequate fluid outflow and caused the pressure spike. This report is clinically significant because it highlights a previously undescribed complication of brachytherapy and suggests that surgeons should carefully assess vortex vein anatomy before plaque placement to prevent this potentially sight-threatening event.
Ocular oncology and pathology
Source →[A Case of Testicular Epidermoid Cyst Treated by Tumor Enucleation].
Hashimoto Y, et al
Researchers in Japan reported a case of testicular epidermoid cyst in a 25-year-old man who presented with a painless lump in his right scrotum. Unlike most testicular tumors in adults, which are typically malignant and treated with removal of the entire testicle, epidermoid cysts are rare benign growths that may allow for a more conservative surgical approach. Ultrasound imaging revealed characteristic features including an echogenic rim and an onion ring sign, while MRI showed a target sign — findings considered highly specific for this type of cyst. Intraoperative frozen section pathology confirmed the benign nature of the tumor in real time, enabling surgeons to perform testis-sparing surgery rather than full orchiectomy. This case highlights that a combination of advanced imaging and rapid intraoperative pathological analysis can allow clinicians to preserve the testicle in carefully selected patients, avoiding unnecessary loss of the organ and its associated hormonal and reproductive functions.
Hinyokika kiyo. Acta urologica Japonica
Source →