Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
A new, machine learning-based approach to metastatic neuroendocrine tumors of unknown origin.
Lü J, et al
Researchers developed a machine learning tool to determine the site of origin in metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) — cancers that frequently spread to the liver before the primary tumor is identified. The tool analyzes standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained tissue slides from liver metastases, using a two-step classification approach that can abstain from a decision when uncertainty is too high, mimicking real clinical scenarios where the tumor could arise from anywhere in the body. In validation testing, the model identified small intestine NETs with 71.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity and positive predictive value, meaning every positive prediction was correct; a subset of pancreatic NETs was also detectable with 85.7% positive predictive value. The tool was rigorously validated on an external dataset collected across different institutions, scanners, and surgical techniques, confirming its robustness beyond the original study site. This approach is designed to assist clinicians when standard diagnostic methods fail to locate the primary tumor, since treatment and prognosis differ significantly depending on whether a NET originates in the small intestine or pancreas. All trained models and extracted features have been publicly released to support further research and eventual clinical adoption.
Journal of neuroendocrinology
Source →Dynamic γ-H2AX response in blood lymphocytes for prediction of radiotherapy induced bladder toxicity in cervical cancer patients.
John G, et al
Researchers in India investigated whether measuring DNA damage markers in blood cells could predict which cervical cancer patients would develop bladder complications from radiotherapy. The study enrolled 43 women with advanced cervical cancer (FIGO stage IIIB) and tracked levels of γ-H2AX, a protein that forms at sites of DNA double-strand breaks, in peripheral blood lymphocytes at multiple time points before and after radiation exposure. Key findings showed that patients who did not develop bladder toxicity had higher initial γ-H2AX foci induction and faster clearance of these markers, while patients who developed toxicity showed persistent foci at 24 hours, indicating impaired DNA repair capacity. These results demonstrate that γ-H2AX kinetics in blood lymphocytes effectively mirror an individual patient's ability to repair radiation-induced DNA damage and can serve as a predictive biomarker for bladder toxicity. This minimally invasive blood test could help clinicians identify high-risk patients early in their treatment course, enabling personalized adjustments such as radioprotective interventions or modified radiotherapy regimens to reduce harm.
The Indian journal of medical research
Source →Simultaneous Robot-Assisted Radical Nephrectomy and Sigmoid Colectomy Using the da Vinci 5 System.
Fukuta K, et al
Researchers report a case in which a 60-year-old woman with two simultaneous cancers — kidney cancer and sigmoid colon cancer, along with a single lung metastasis — was successfully treated in one combined robotic surgery session. Using the advanced da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system, surgeons performed a radical nephrectomy (kidney removal) followed immediately by a sigmoid colectomy (removal of part of the colon) without switching platforms or staging the procedures across multiple operations. The entire procedure lasted approximately four hours and nineteen minutes, with minimal blood loss and no complications during surgery. This case demonstrates that simultaneous robotic resection of two separate cancers is both feasible and safe in carefully selected patients, avoiding the physical and logistical burden of multiple separate surgeries. For clinicians, the findings highlight the value of thorough preoperative planning and multidisciplinary teamwork when managing complex, concurrent malignancies.
Asian journal of endoscopic surgery
Source →[Multiple cerebral infarctions associated with left vertebral artery dissection in a patient with polycythemia vera].
Matoba Y, et al
Researchers from Japan report a rare and potentially life-threatening vascular complication in a 66-year-old woman with a long-standing diagnosis of polycythemia vera (PV), a blood cancer characterized by the overproduction of blood cells. The patient developed multiple strokes in both sides of the brain caused by a dissection — a tear in the inner wall — of the left vertebral artery, one of the major arteries supplying the brain. Despite a near-normal red blood cell level, her white blood cell and platelet counts were markedly elevated, suggesting that leukocytosis and thrombocytosis played a role in triggering the vascular event. She was treated successfully with a combination of cytoreductive therapy using hydroxycarbamide to reduce blood cell counts, dual antiplatelet medication to prevent further clotting, and a stent placed in the damaged artery to restore blood flow. The authors highlight emerging evidence that the JAK2 V617F mutation — a genetic hallmark of myeloproliferative neoplasms — may be present in the cells lining blood vessel walls, potentially predisposing patients to arterial dissection and dissecting aneurysms. This case serves as an important reminder for clinicians to consider arterial dissection as a serious, albeit rare, complication of myeloproliferative neoplasms that requires prompt recognition and multidisciplinary management.
[Rinsho ketsueki] The Japanese journal of clinical hematology
Source →Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasm in a Dog: A Case Report.
Cha S, et al
Researchers at a veterinary institution documented a rare case of myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN) in an 18-year-old mixed-breed dog presenting with severe anemia, abnormal white blood cell counts, and low platelets. Diagnostic workup included blood smear analysis, flow cytometric immunophenotyping, and bone marrow aspiration, which together revealed dysplastic cell changes, marked myeloid hyperplasia, and 16% bone marrow blasts, supporting a tentative diagnosis of MDS/MPN. Infectious causes were ruled out, and an immunosuppressive treatment trial produced no improvement, after which chemotherapy with cytarabine and doxorubicin was attempted but the dog died six days later. This case is clinically significant because MDS/MPN is a newly recognized category in veterinary oncology classification, combining features of two distinct myeloid disorders, and its diagnosis in animals remains challenging due to limited established criteria. The authors emphasize that this report highlights the urgent need for standardized diagnostic guidelines and further research to better characterize and distinguish myeloid neoplasms in veterinary patients.
Veterinary medicine and science
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