Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Midline Gliomas: A Retrospective Study from a Cancer Center in the Middle East.
Al Sharie S, et al
Researchers at King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan conducted a retrospective study examining 104 patients with midline gliomas — brain and spinal cord tumors arising in central structures such as the thalamus, brainstem, and spinal cord — treated between 2005 and 2022. The cohort had a median age of 23 years, and the most common tumor type was diffuse high-grade glioma, accounting for over 40% of cases, followed by diffuse midline glioma (DMG), which made up nearly 29%. Key molecular markers including H3 K27M mutation and loss of H3 K27me3 trimethylation were identified in subsets of patients, and importantly, none of the tumors outside classical midline locations harbored the defining DMG mutations, confirming the specificity of current diagnostic criteria. The median overall survival for the entire group was only 10.6 months, underscoring the aggressive nature of these tumors, while circumscribed glioma subtype and receipt of radiotherapy emerged as the only independent factors associated with improved survival. These findings from a Middle Eastern cancer center provide valuable regional data on midline gliomas and reinforce the critical role of molecular profiling and radiotherapy in guiding treatment decisions for this challenging group of brain tumors.
Cancers
Source →Cytological features of diffuse and circumscribed gliomas.
Esteban-Rodríguez I, et al
A new review published in Cytopathology examines the microscopic cellular features of different types of gliomas — the most common form of brain tumor — with a focus on how pathologists can identify them quickly during surgery. The study describes how the current World Health Organization classification of gliomas relies on morphological, genetic, and molecular characteristics, yet intraoperative diagnosis must rely almost entirely on visual cytological assessment because genetic testing is not feasible in real time. Key findings highlight that low-grade astrocytoma with IDH mutation poses the greatest diagnostic challenge, as the tissue can appear deceptively normal, while high-grade gliomas (grades 3 and 4) are often grouped under a single intraoperative label due to the impracticality of measuring genetic variables on the spot. The review also details the distinctive cellular appearances of oligodendroglioma, multiple subtypes of glioblastoma, and rarer circumscribed gliomas such as pilocytic astrocytoma and pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, which can display alarming features despite being largely benign. This comprehensive guide is valuable to surgical pathologists because rapid and accurate intraoperative diagnosis directly influences the extent of tumor resection and patient treatment planning.
Cytopathology : official journal of the British Society for Clinical Cytology
Source →Unraveling Stigmas of Male Breast Carcinoma: A Singular Case of Advanced Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma in a Young Male.
Kanwal MA, et al
Researchers report a rare case of metaplastic breast carcinoma diagnosed in a young man in his early thirties, highlighting an often-overlooked dimension of breast cancer. Breast cancer in males is uncommon, accounting for less than one percent of all breast cancer cases, and metaplastic breast carcinoma is among the rarest and most aggressive subtypes, typically associated with poor prognosis. This case is particularly notable because male breast cancer is usually diagnosed in older patients and at advanced stages due to low awareness and delayed medical attention. The authors emphasize that rising incidence rates and the occurrence of rare subtypes in younger men underscore an urgent need for greater clinical awareness, improved education, and dedicated research into male breast cancer. Beyond medical treatment, the psychosocial burden faced by men with breast cancer deserves special attention, as the disease carries significant stigma and emotional challenges unique to male patients.
Cureus
Source →An Analysis of the Pathologic Features of Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm Based on a Comprehensive Literature Database of Cases.
Ohgami RS, et al
A rare and aggressive blood cancer called blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) has been comprehensively characterized in the largest retrospective literature review to date, covering 1,513 individually documented patients drawn from 361 published studies. Researchers from a multicenter working group of hematopathologists and dermatopathologists built a curated database to systematically analyze the clinical, pathologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic, and molecular features of this poorly understood disease. The study confirmed well-known features such as frequent skin involvement in 84% of patients and a strong male predominance in patients over 60 years old, while also revealing underrecognized findings including significant central nervous system involvement in 38% of assessed cases. Notably, among patients younger than 40 years, the disease affected males and females nearly equally, suggesting that age-related biological differences may influence disease presentation. These findings provide clinicians with a more complete picture of BPDCN's diverse manifestations, which is critical for improving diagnosis, avoiding misclassification with other blood cancers, and guiding future treatment strategies for this orphan disease.
Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine
Source →Trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type 1 (TRPS1) expression in male breast carcinoma.
Law T, et al
Researchers investigated whether TRPS1, a protein marker previously shown to be highly sensitive and specific for female breast cancer, could also serve as a reliable diagnostic marker for male breast carcinoma. The study analyzed 72 cases of primary invasive male breast cancer and 29 cases of metastatic carcinoma involving male breast tissue from an institutional database. TRPS1 demonstrated strong performance across all major breast cancer subtypes: 97% of hormone receptor-positive cases and 100% of HER2-positive cases showed intermediate or high TRPS1 positivity, while the single triple-negative case also showed high positivity. By contrast, 93% of metastatic tumors originating from other organs were negative for TRPS1, with only salivary gland metastases showing some positivity, confirming the marker's specificity. These findings suggest that TRPS1 outperforms existing markers such as GATA3 and androgen receptor in reliably identifying primary male breast cancer and distinguishing it from metastatic disease, which has important implications for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.
Human pathology
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