Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Diagnostic Utility of PRAME and H3K27me3 in Distinguishing Malignant Melanoma From Proliferative Nodules on Congenital Melanocytic Nevi.
Hurdogan O, et al
Researchers investigated whether two immunohistochemical markers, PRAME and H3K27me3, could reliably distinguish malignant melanoma from benign proliferative nodules arising within large and giant congenital melanocytic nevi — rare but potentially life-threatening birthmarks that pose significant diagnostic challenges for pathologists. In a cohort of three malignant melanoma cases and six proliferative nodule cases, all malignant melanomas demonstrated strong PRAME positivity in over 90% of tumor cells and complete loss of H3K27me3 expression, while proliferative nodules retained H3K27me3 staining and only one showed PRAME positivity. All three melanoma patients had metastatic disease at diagnosis, and two died of the disease, highlighting the critical importance of accurate early differentiation between these lesions. Genetic sequencing further revealed NRAS mutations present in both the melanoma and surrounding nevus tissue in two cases, pointing to a shared cellular origin. The authors conclude that combining PRAME and H3K27me3 immunostaining offers a promising diagnostic strategy for clinicians and pathologists facing this difficult differential diagnosis, provided the approach is validated in larger patient cohorts.
Journal of cutaneous pathology
Source →An injectable thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA hydrogel integrated with coordination-driven self-assembled MTX-Mn nanoparticles for enhanced melanoma therapy via mitochondrial dysfunction.
Xu X, et al
Researchers have developed a novel localized treatment platform for malignant melanoma—an aggressive skin cancer notorious for recurrence and metastatic spread—by embedding methotrexate-manganese (MTX-Mn) coordination nanoparticles within a temperature-sensitive, injectable PLGA-PEG-PLGA hydrogel that solidifies at body temperature to retain drug at the tumor site. The MTX-Mn nanoparticles, engineered through coordination-driven self-assembly, were shown in laboratory studies to significantly suppress melanoma cell proliferation and migration, induce G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest, and trigger programmed cell death via apoptosis. Crucially, mechanistic experiments revealed that MTX-Mn exerts its anticancer effect by severely disrupting mitochondrial function—causing structural damage, elevated reactive oxygen species, and collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential—highlighting a previously underexplored pathway for methotrexate activity. In mouse tumor models, peritumoral injection of the hydrogel formulation markedly suppressed tumor growth and reduced expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67, while histological analysis of major organs confirmed no significant toxicity. This platform directly addresses two major obstacles in conventional melanoma therapy—systemic side effects and drug resistance—by delivering sustained, high-concentration drug specifically to the tumor microenvironment. The findings position MTX-Mn-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel as a promising, safe, and translatable strategy for localized melanoma treatment that warrants further preclinical and clinical investigation.
RSC advances
Source →SEL1L exerts a pro-tumorigenic/pro-angiogenic function in human skin melanoma.
Coltrini D, et al
A new study published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta investigated the role of SEL1L, a protein involved in the endoplasmic reticulum's quality control system known as the ERAD pathway, in human cutaneous malignant melanoma. Researchers found that SEL1L is significantly overexpressed in melanoma compared to normal skin tissue, and that higher levels of this protein correlate with deeper tumor invasion, more advanced disease at diagnosis, the presence of ulceration, and poorer patient survival. Immunohistochemical analysis of 60 human tumor samples confirmed that SEL1L expression increases progressively with tumor thickness and also correlates with blood vessel density within tumors, suggesting that SEL1L actively promotes tumor vascularization. Experiments in immunodeficient mice showed that silencing SEL1L in human melanoma cells substantially reduced tumor growth, increased cancer cell death, suppressed new blood vessel formation, and triggered the upregulation of thrombospondin genes—natural inhibitors of angiogenesis. These findings collectively identify SEL1L as a pro-tumorigenic and pro-angiogenic driver in melanoma and propose it as a promising candidate for future therapeutic targeting in this aggressive skin cancer.
Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular cell research
Source →Three-dimensional radiotherapy target volume definitions for osteoarthritis - Consensus statement of the International Benign Target Volume Group (IBTVG).
Steike DR, et al
This international consensus study addressed the longstanding lack of standardized, three-dimensional target volume definitions for low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT), a minimally invasive pain management approach for osteoarthritis (OA) patients. An expert consortium representing 15 institutions across Europe and the United States conducted a formal Delphi consensus process, using a shared, standardized CT dataset called a 'homunculus' to ensure a uniform anatomical reference for all participants. The resulting Clinical Target Volume (CTV) definitions incorporate OA-specific pathological features such as joint effusion, cysts, and subchondral sclerosis, with the CTV encompassing the joint capsule and employing anatomical landmarks — for example, the midpoint between the femoral condyles — to guide three-dimensional boundary determination for each joint. This approach enables precise delineation of treatment areas, ensuring inflammation-relevant structures are included while uninvolved bone and soft tissue are spared. The consensus statement provides clinicians with practical, standardized guidance for LDRT treatment planning in OA and establishes a structured framework to support future multicenter clinical trials validating this treatment approach.
International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
Source →MAIT cells egress the thymus at several maturation stages with selective capacity to seed different tissues.
Paiva RA, et al
This study investigated how two types of unconventional immune cells — mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells — develop in the thymus and distribute themselves to different tissues across the body. Researchers discovered that thymic epithelial cells play a unique role in selecting MAIT cells during development but have no equivalent role in iNKT cell selection, revealing a previously unknown divergence between these closely related immune lineages. MAIT cells were found to leave the thymus at multiple stages of maturity, with less mature cells specifically colonizing the intestinal lining through a chemokine receptor called CCR9, while more mature cells seed other tissues. The thymus continues generating both MAIT and iNKT cells throughout adulthood, actively contributing to immune cell maintenance in peripheral tissues rather than being a process confined to early life. Strikingly, during intestinal inflammation such as colitis, chemical signals produced in the gut trigger the thymus to expand a specialized MAIT cell subset called MAIT17 and direct it to the colon, suggesting a feedback loop that amplifies gut-protective immunity when needed. These findings illuminate fundamental mechanisms of mucosal immune surveillance and open new avenues for targeting MAIT cell pathways in inflammatory bowel disease and potentially in cancer immunotherapy.
Immunity
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