Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Central nervous system tumours in children in Ibadan, Nigeria: a histopathologic study.
Ogun GO, et al
Researchers at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria conducted a retrospective study examining all histologically confirmed central nervous system (CNS) tumours diagnosed in children aged 0–14 years between 2001 and 2010. A total of 77 tumours were identified, with astrocytic tumours being the most common group, followed by embryonal tumours, ependymal tumours, sellar tumours, and germ cell tumours; the most frequently diagnosed individual tumour types were pilocytic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, craniopharyngioma, and ependymoma. The study challenged the outdated notion that CNS tumours are rare in Black African children, confirming that these cancers represent the fourth most common paediatric malignancy at this major Nigerian referral centre. Nearly half of the tumours were classified as high-grade (WHO Grade 3 or 4), highlighting the severity of the disease burden in this population. The authors attributed the rising number of diagnoses largely to the recent expansion of neurosurgical services at their institution, underscoring the critical role that healthcare infrastructure plays in cancer detection and management in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Pan African medical journal
Source →Incidence and survival of children and young people with central nervous system embryonal tumours in the North of England, 1990-2013.
Fairley L, et al
Researchers from the north of England examined incidence and survival trends in children and young people aged 0-24 years diagnosed with medulloblastoma and central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumours (CNS PNET) between 1990 and 2013, using data from two population-based cancer registries. A total of 197 medulloblastomas and 58 CNS PNETs were identified, with age-standardised incidence rates of 3.8 and 1.5 per million respectively, and medulloblastoma incidence showed a declining trend over time. The overall 5-year survival rate was 54%, but patients with CNS PNET faced a 2.4-fold higher risk of death compared to those with medulloblastoma, with survival differences emerging within the first year after diagnosis. Encouragingly, patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2013 had a 39% reduced risk of death compared to those diagnosed in the 1990s, reflecting improvements in treatment over time. Teenagers and young adults (aged 15-24) did not face a significantly different risk of death compared to children aged 5-9, suggesting age alone is not a major prognostic factor in this population. These findings highlight the urgent need for improved therapies specifically targeting CNS PNET, while also demonstrating meaningful progress in overall survival outcomes for these rare brain tumours over the past two decades.
European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990)
Source →Decreased FOXJ1 expression and its ciliogenesis programme in aggressive ependymoma and choroid plexus tumours.
Abedalthagafi MS, et al
Researchers investigated the role of FOXJ1, a master regulator of motile cilia formation, in brain tumors arising along the ventricular surface, specifically ependymomas and choroid plexus tumors. The study found that FOXJ1 is strongly expressed in normal ependymal and choroid plexus cells lining the brain's ventricles, and that this expression is preserved in low-grade, well-differentiated tumors of the same tissue types. However, aggressive forms of these tumors — anaplastic ependymomas and choroid plexus carcinomas — showed markedly reduced FOXJ1 expression and a corresponding loss of genes involved in cilia formation. Critically, low FOXJ1 expression and reduced ciliogenesis gene activity were found to correlate with poor patient outcomes, identifying these molecular features as valuable biomarkers for tumor aggressiveness. These findings suggest that monitoring FOXJ1 and its associated gene program could help clinicians better assess prognosis and guide treatment decisions for patients with ventricular brain tumors.
The Journal of pathology
Source →MORPHOLOGICAL PATTERN AND FREQUENCY OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TUMOURS IN CHILDREN.
Bilqees F, et al
Researchers at Federal Government Polyclinic, Islamabad, conducted a 4.8-year retrospective study examining the frequency and types of brain and central nervous system tumors in children aged 0–12 years, using standard histopathological techniques including H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. A total of 75 pediatric CNS tumor cases were analyzed and classified according to the World Health Organization grading system. Astrocytic tumors were the most common, accounting for 45.3% of all cases, with pilocytic astrocytomas and glioblastoma multiforme each representing nearly half of that group; embryonal tumors, predominantly medulloblastoma, were the second most frequent at 24%. Notably, high-grade (WHO Grade IV) lesions constituted the largest single category overall, highlighting the aggressive nature of pediatric brain tumors in this population. These findings are consistent with global trends showing a rising incidence of childhood brain tumors and underscore the need for improved diagnostic infrastructure and early detection strategies in developing-country settings.
Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad : JAMC
Source →Glioma.
Weller M, et al
This comprehensive primer examines gliomas, the most common primary brain tumours, reviewing their biology, classification, and treatment strategies. Advances in genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic profiling have fundamentally reshaped how gliomas are classified, moving beyond traditional microscopy-based grading toward molecularly defined subgroups. Adult diffuse gliomas are now divided into three distinct categories based on IDH mutation status and 1p/19q chromosomal co-deletion, each carrying different prognoses and treatment responses, while childhood gliomas are recognized as molecularly separate diseases with generally more favourable outcomes. Ependymal tumours can similarly be stratified into epigenetic subgroups that correlate with tumour location and patient prognosis. Current treatment remains centred on surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, but the field is moving toward personalized approaches targeting tumour-specific signalling pathways and tumour antigens, offering hope for improved patient outcomes in the future.
Nature reviews. Disease primers
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