Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Perp Deficiency Induces Defective Negative Selection and Autoimmune Arthritis in Aged Mice.
Zhou Y, et al
This study investigated the role of the PERP protein in thymic negative selection, the process by which self-reactive immune cells are eliminated during development to prevent autoimmune disease. Using conditional knockout mice lacking PERP specifically in T-cells, researchers demonstrated that PERP is essential for triggering programmed cell death in autoreactive CD4+ T-cells within the thymus, a step known as clonal deletion. Without functional PERP, mice accumulated abnormal populations of CD4+ T-cells in the thymus and, as they aged, developed excessive numbers of activated CD4+ T-cells in peripheral blood alongside T-cell-mediated autoimmune arthritis. Notably, PERP also functions as a tumor suppressor frequently silenced by the p53 pathway in multiple cancers, suggesting its loss may simultaneously promote tumor growth and break immune self-tolerance. These findings establish PERP as a key regulator linking cancer biology and autoimmunity, with potential implications for understanding why some cancer patients or individuals with p53-pathway dysfunction may develop autoimmune complications as they age.
Aging cell
Source →Deep Learning Model Based on Tumor and Visceral Adipose Tissue CT Features for Predicting Peritoneal Metastasis Risk after Radical Gastrectomy in Serosa-Invasive Gastric Cancer.
Li Y, et al
Researchers developed and validated a multimodal deep learning radiomics model (MDLR) to noninvasively predict the risk of peritoneal metastasis — cancer spreading to the abdominal lining — after radical surgery in patients with serosa-invasive gastric cancer. The model analyzed preoperative CT scan features extracted from both the tumor and visceral adipose tissue (belly fat surrounding internal organs) using a ResNet18 neural network, and combined these imaging signatures with clinical data from 416 patients across multiple centers. The MDLR achieved strong and consistent predictive performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.86 in both the internal and independent external test sets, significantly outperforming models that relied on clinical data or imaging features alone. Patients classified as high-risk by the MDLR experienced significantly shorter recurrence-free survival after surgery, confirming the model's clinical relevance. This tool could help oncologists and surgeons better stratify patients' postoperative risk without additional invasive procedures, potentially guiding more personalized surveillance and adjuvant treatment strategies.
Radiology. Imaging cancer
Source →Oesophagogastrostomy Using Double-Flap Technique Following Resection of an Extensive Leiomyosarcoma in a Cat.
Hayakawa T, et al
Veterinary surgeons have described the first reported use of the double-flap technique (DFT) for surgical reconstruction of the esophagogastric junction in a cat following extensive removal of a leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive smooth muscle cancer. A 10-year-old male domestic shorthair cat presenting with vomiting and regurgitation underwent complete surgical resection of the tumor, which required removal of part of the esophagus and part of the stomach, followed by reconstruction using two seromuscular tissue flaps specifically designed to prevent stomach acid from refluxing back into the esophagus. The 134-minute procedure was completed without intraoperative complications, intraoperative endoscopy confirmed anastomotic integrity, and the cat resumed oral feeding by postoperative day 13 without vomiting or signs of reflux esophagitis, although frequent small meals were needed due to reduced stomach capacity. Sadly, suspected metastatic disease developed and the cat succumbed to cancer-associated cachexia on postoperative day 66, underscoring the aggressive systemic nature of leiomyosarcoma even after technically successful resection. This case demonstrates that the double-flap technique is both surgically feasible and functionally effective in feline patients, representing a promising reconstructive option for cats with tumors at the esophagogastric junction.
Veterinary medicine and science
Source →Clinicopathological Status and Prognostic Factors of Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Japan: Retrospective Survey of JSOG Committee on Gynecologic Oncology.
Watanabe Y, et al
A multicenter retrospective study conducted across 16 Japanese institutions examined the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, enrolling over 440 patients with diverse histological subtypes including high-grade serous, clear-cell, endometrioid, mucinous, and low-grade serous carcinomas. At the time of recurrence, 74% of patients had a platinum-free interval (PFI) of six months or more, and this group achieved a markedly higher overall response rate of 69.9% compared to just 17.7% in the platinum-resistant group, with a median overall survival of 27.9 months for the entire cohort. Multivariate analysis identified PFI, histological subtype, performance status, and serum CA125 levels as independent prognostic factors, while prior use of first-line molecularly targeted therapies did not significantly influence outcomes. Importantly, patients with clear-cell and endometrioid subtypes experienced significantly worse survival than those with high-grade serous carcinoma, challenging assumptions about uniform treatment approaches. These findings underscore the critical need for histological subtype-specific management strategies in recurrent ovarian cancer and provide Japanese population-specific data to guide treatment decisions.
The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
Source →Impact of Underlying Liver Disease on the Risk and Prognostic Factors of Breast Cancer Liver Metastases: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study.
Wang X, et al
A multicenter retrospective cohort study published in Cancer Medicine analyzed 3,653 breast cancer patients treated at four hospitals in China between 2014 and 2024 to investigate how pre-existing liver conditions—specifically nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFL) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) infection—influence the development and prognosis of breast cancer liver metastases (BCLM). Among the study population, 387 patients (11%) developed liver metastases, and logistic regression identified both NAFL and HBsAg infection as independently associated with a reduced overall risk of BCLM. However, a critical nuance emerged when NAFL was stratified by severity: mild NAFL was linked to lower metastasis risk and prolonged liver metastasis-free and overall survival, while moderate-to-severe NAFL was associated with higher metastasis risk and significantly shorter survival, including after metastasis diagnosis. HBsAg infection was independently associated with longer liver metastasis-free survival and overall survival, findings that remained robust after propensity score matching to control for confounding variables. These results underscore the importance of assessing underlying liver disease severity in breast cancer patients, as it may meaningfully refine individual risk stratification and guide more tailored surveillance and treatment decisions in clinical practice.
Cancer medicine
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