Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
B-cell lineage neoplasms transdifferentiating into histiocytic/dendritic cell neoplasms: diversity, differentiation lineage, genomic alterations, and therapy: Report from the 2021 SH/EAHP Workshop.
Xiao W, et al
Researchers from the 2021 Society for Hematopathology/European Association for Haematopathology Workshop analyzed 29 cases in which B-cell blood cancers, such as follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, transformed into rare and aggressive tumors called histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasms (HDCNs). The study found that this transformation, known as transdifferentiation, most commonly produced histiocytic sarcoma and affected patients with a median age of 60 years, with women outnumbering men three to one, and typically occurring four to five years after the original B-cell cancer diagnosis. Comprehensive genomic sequencing revealed that alterations in the MAPK signaling pathway were frequently enriched in these tumors, and both linear and divergent patterns of tumor evolution from the original cancer were identified. RNA sequencing provided new insights into cell lineage markers, prompting the panel to propose an updated diagnostic classification algorithm for these tumors. Patient outcomes were poor overall, but the identification of MAPK pathway alterations highlights this pathway as a promising therapeutic target, with an expanding arsenal of MAPK inhibitor drugs offering hope for improved treatment strategies in the future.
American journal of clinical pathology
Source →Nomogram for predicting preoperative axillary lymph node status in male breast carcinoma: a SEER population-based study.
Chen W, et al
Researchers used data from the SEER database to develop a predictive tool called a nomogram that estimates the likelihood of axillary lymph node metastasis in male breast cancer patients before surgery. The study analyzed records from 2,610 men diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2018, identifying age at diagnosis, tumor location, tumor stage, pathological type, and histologic grade as key predictors of lymph node involvement. The nomogram demonstrated strong predictive accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of approximately 0.848 in both training and validation cohorts, indicating reliable performance across independent patient groups. Currently, sentinel lymph node biopsy is the standard approach for assessing lymph node status, but this procedure carries risks of short- and long-term complications such as lymphedema. The new nomogram could help clinicians identify male breast cancer patients—particularly older men with small, low-grade tumors and clinically negative lymph nodes—who are unlikely to have lymph node metastasis and could therefore safely avoid unnecessary axillary surgery. This advance has the potential to improve quality of life for male breast cancer patients without compromising survival outcomes.
Translational cancer research
Source →Evaluation of MTAP and p16 immunohistochemical deficiency as surrogate marker for CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion in gliomas.
Maragkou T, et al
Researchers evaluated whether two immunohistochemical markers, MTAP and p16, could serve as reliable and cost-effective surrogate tests for detecting homozygous deletion of the CDKN2A/B gene locus, an important prognostic marker in brain tumors called diffuse gliomas. The study analyzed 100 consecutive glioma cases to compare immunostaining results against copy number variation analysis, and then assessed survival outcomes in 251 additional diffuse glioma patients. MTAP immunostaining proved highly accurate, achieving 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity for identifying CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion, while p16 performed less reliably at 90% sensitivity and 89% specificity. Critically, patients whose tumors lacked MTAP expression had significantly shorter survival times across all glioma subtypes: IDH-mutant astrocytoma patients survived a median of 61 months versus 137 months, oligodendroglioma patients 41 versus 147 months, and IDH-wild-type glioma patients 13 versus 16 months. The authors conclude that MTAP immunohistochemistry is a fast, inexpensive, and diagnostically valuable tool that can complement or replace more complex genetic testing methods in routine clinical practice, while p16 staining should be interpreted with greater caution.
Pathology
Source →Tumor Microenvironment in Male Breast Carcinoma with Emphasis on Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes and PD-L1 Expression.
Brcic I, et al
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 113 male breast cancer (MBC) cases surgically treated between 1988 and 2015 to investigate the tumor immune microenvironment, focusing on stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) and the expression of the immune checkpoint protein PD-L1. The study found that MBC is predominantly hormone receptor-positive, with 92% of tumors expressing estrogen receptors and over half classified as luminal B subtype, while triple-negative and HER2-enriched cases were rare. The vast majority of tumors showed low immune activity, with sTIL density below 50% in 96.4% of cases and PD-L1 expression detected in only 7.1% of tumors, all of the luminal subtype. Notably, 55.8% of tumors were classified as HER2-low, a category that has recently gained clinical relevance due to the availability of new antibody-drug conjugates targeting HER2. Although neither sTILs nor PD-L1 expression reached statistical significance for patient outcomes in this cohort, the findings suggest that a small subset of MBC patients may be candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The high prevalence of HER2-low status also opens potential new treatment avenues for this understudied and often late-presenting cancer.
International journal of molecular sciences
Source →Conventional and emerging treatments of astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas.
Kessler T, et al
Researchers conducted a comprehensive review of current and emerging treatment strategies for astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas, two major types of diffuse primary brain tumors that carry a mutation in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene. The review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, examined clinical trials, preclinical studies, and recommendations from leading neuro-oncology organizations worldwide. Findings confirm that standard care typically involves maximal safe surgical removal followed by combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy, while certain low-grade circumscribed gliomas may be managed with surgery alone. Importantly, the IDH mutation has emerged as a promising molecular target for both small-molecule inhibitors and immunotherapy, and the BRAF pathway offers a similarly actionable target in circumscribed gliomas. Despite these advances, no curative treatment currently exists for progressive disease, highlighting the urgent need for more effective immune and targeted therapies. This review serves as a critical resource for clinicians navigating rapidly evolving treatment options for patients with these still-incurable brain tumors.
Journal of neuro-oncology
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