Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Polydopamine-based Surface Modifications for Tissue Engineering and Biosensing: From Understanding Chemistry to Diverse Applications.
Nath J, et al
Researchers have published a comprehensive review examining 17 years of scientific progress on polydopamine (PDA), a biomaterial originally inspired by the remarkable ability of saltwater mussels to adhere to virtually any surface. PDA is derived from dopamine, a common neurotransmitter, and its unique chemical structure — featuring catechol and amine groups — allows it to coat a wide variety of surfaces while enhancing bioactivity, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. The review highlights how PDA-coated 3D-printed scaffolds demonstrate strong biocompatibility and bone-forming potential, opening new avenues in bone, neural, and cardiac tissue engineering. In cancer treatment specifically, PDA enables controlled drug release and photothermal therapy, meaning tumors can be targeted with greater precision while reducing harmful side effects for patients. The authors also discuss PDA's antibacterial properties and its growing role in biosensing devices capable of detecting biological signals with high sensitivity. These findings suggest that PDA holds transformative potential across multiple medical fields, from regenerative medicine to oncology and diagnostic technology.
JOM (Warrendale, Pa. : 1989)
Source →Expanding clinicopathologic knowledge in high-grade glioma with pleomorphic and pseudopapillary features (HPAP): a report of two cases.
Rossi S, et al
Researchers present two new cases of a recently identified brain tumor type called high-grade glioma with pleomorphic and pseudopapillary features (HPAP), helping to expand the clinical and pathological understanding of this rare entity. Both patients were young adults, and notably one case arose in a person with NF2-related schwannomatosis, suggesting a possible association between this inherited condition and HPAP development. The tumors displayed distinctive microscopic features including ependymoma-like and astroblastoma-like areas alongside the characteristic pleomorphic cells and pseudopapillary structures, with genetic mutations in TP53 and RB1 detected in both cases. Standard brain tumor classification software failed to categorize these tumors, but a specialized experimental classifier and dimensionality reduction analysis confirmed their identity as HPAP. Encouragingly, both patients responded well to treatment: one remains disease-free 42 months after surgery, and the other is progressing through chemotherapy 10 months post-operatively. These findings support recognizing HPAP as a distinct tumor entity with a more favorable prognosis than conventional glioblastoma, which has important implications for diagnosis and treatment planning.
Acta neuropathologica communications
Source →Utilization of NKX3.1 and P501S to distinguish primary breast carcinoma from metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma in male patients.
Goksel M, et al
Researchers investigated whether two immunohistochemical markers commonly used to identify prostate cancer — NKX3.1 and P501S — could inadvertently cause diagnostic confusion when evaluating breast tumors in male patients. The study examined tissue samples from 25 men with primary invasive breast carcinoma, including five who had a prior history of prostate cancer, using immunohistochemistry to detect expression of NKX3.1 and P501S. Strikingly, NKX3.1 was expressed in 32% and P501S in 28% of male invasive breast carcinomas, rates notably higher than those previously reported in female breast cancer patients. Among the five men with a history of prostate cancer, four showed expression of at least one of these markers in their breast tumors, highlighting a serious risk of misdiagnosis if these markers are used alone. The correct diagnosis of primary breast carcinoma was ultimately confirmed only by adding breast-specific markers such as GATA3 and estrogen receptor testing to the diagnostic panel. This study is the first to document NKX3.1 and P501S expression in male primary breast carcinomas, and it underscores the importance of using a broader set of markers when distinguishing primary male breast cancer from metastatic prostate cancer.
Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology
Source →Bilateral tailoring, dorsal folding: A simple approach for short urethra and incompetent bladder neck in female patients.
Sharifiaghdas F, et al
Researchers in this prospective case series investigated a novel surgical technique for treating congenital short patulous urethra and bladder neck incompetence in female patients, conditions that cause significant urinary incontinence and have historically been difficult to manage surgically. Inspired by the Hagen-Poiseuille law of fluid dynamics, the surgical approach involved making an incision around the urethra and placing two parallel rows of sutures from the urethral opening to the bladder neck to narrow the urethral lumen and increase resistance to urine flow, without removing any tissue. Thirteen patients aged 16 to 50 years with various underlying causes of urethral incompetence were enrolled between 2019 and 2022, and outcomes were assessed at 3, 6, and 24 months after surgery. Eleven of the 13 patients, representing an 85% success rate, achieved urinary continence during the follow-up period, with the two failures occurring in patients with the most complex diagnosis of classic bladder exstrophy-epispadias syndrome. The authors conclude that this minimally invasive technique represents a promising alternative to more complex reconstructive surgeries for selected female patients with a patulous urethra and bladder neck incompetence.
Asian journal of urology
Source →Comparative Clinical and Imaging-Based Evaluation of Therapeutic Modalities in CNS Embryonal Tumours With PLAGL Amplification.
Keck M, et al
Researchers conducted a retrospective study examining 18 patients diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer called embryonal tumours with PLAGL amplification (ET, PLAGL), divided equally between those harbouring PLAGL1 and PLAGL2 gene amplifications. The study found striking differences in behaviour between the two subtypes: PLAGL2-amplified tumours were far more aggressive, with 8 out of 9 patients experiencing early relapse or spread through the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, while PLAGL1-amplified tumours were less prone to relapse and showed significantly better progression-free survival. Importantly, all three long-term survivors with PLAGL2 tumours had received intensive high-dose chemotherapy, suggesting this approach may be essential for that subtype, whereas all six survivors with PLAGL1 tumours did well with conventional chemotherapy, often combined with localised radiotherapy but without the more toxic high-dose regimens. The findings also showed that incomplete surgical removal of the tumour was not necessarily linked to worse outcomes, challenging standard assumptions in oncology. These results provide clinicians with actionable guidance to tailor treatment intensity based on molecular subtype, potentially improving survival while reducing unnecessary toxicity in children with these rare brain tumours.
Neuropathology and applied neurobiology
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