Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Exosomal miRNA Predicts Response to Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.
Wada Y, et al
Researchers from an international multicenter study developed a blood-based liquid biopsy test using tiny RNA molecules called exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) to predict whether patients with locally advanced rectal cancer will respond to preoperative chemoradiotherapy before surgery. Analyzing serum samples from 81 patients across two independent international cohorts, the team identified a five-miRNA panel that, when combined with the tumor marker CEA, formed a risk-assessment model with strong predictive power (AUC = 0.90, sensitivity 82%, specificity 90%). The model was especially effective at identifying patients who achieved pathologic complete response — meaning no detectable cancer cells remained after treatment — outperforming currently used pathological features with an AUC of 0.92 and a specificity of 100%. The panel's performance was independently validated in a separate cohort, and multivariable analyses confirmed a strong, statistically significant association between the miRNA signature and treatment response in both training and validation groups. This non-invasive liquid biopsy approach has significant clinical potential, as accurately predicting who will achieve complete remission could allow physicians to tailor treatment plans and potentially spare selected patients from extensive surgery.
Diseases of the colon and rectum
Source →Influence of Interfractional Variations of Bladder and Rectal Filling on Vaginal Cuff Movement and the Role of Rectal Balloons in Gynecological Pelvic Proton Beam Therapy.
Wessel L, et al
Researchers at the Heidelberg Ion-beam Therapy Center investigated how day-to-day changes in bladder and rectal filling affect the position of the vaginal cuff — a key surgical target — in gynecological cancer patients undergoing postoperative intensity-modulated proton beam therapy (IMPT). The retrospective study analyzed 139 positioning verification CT scans from 23 patients treated between 2017 and 2020, comparing outcomes in those who used a rectal balloon device with those who did not. The use of rectal balloons significantly reduced vaginal cuff displacement between sessions, with only 40% of scans showing the vaginal cuff outside the clinical target volume in the balloon group compared to 91% in the non-balloon group. Despite these anatomical shifts, the planned treatment margins (PTV) proved sufficiently robust to maintain adequate dose coverage in both groups, with no statistically significant difference in target coverage or dose to surrounding regions. The study concludes that while the existing IMPT protocol with standardized planning margins is dosimetrically robust, rectal balloons offer an added layer of geometric stability and may be especially beneficial for patients with gastrointestinal comorbidities or rectal air trapping.
Technology in cancer research & treatment
Source →Ectopic breast cancer in vulva and other non-axillary sites: a systematic review.
Loo KH, et al
This systematic review investigated cases of ectopic breast cancer arising at the vulva and other non-axillary sites, where breast tissue develops outside its normal anatomical location along embryonic remnants of the milk line. Ectopic breast tissue can persist at aberrant locations including the vulva, and malignancies originating in such tissue are exceedingly rare, frequently misdiagnosed as primary gynecological or skin cancers. The authors synthesized published case reports and series to characterize the clinical presentation, histopathological features, and treatment approaches for these unusual tumors. A key finding is that ectopic breast cancer at the vulva often mimics more common gynecological malignancies, resulting in diagnostic delays that can adversely affect patient outcomes. These results underscore the importance of including ectopic breast cancer in the differential diagnosis of vulvar masses and performing appropriate immunohistochemical testing to guide optimal, multidisciplinary management.
World journal of surgical oncology
Source →Primary Sarcomatoid (Spindle-Cell) Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Uterine Cervix in a Young Adult: A Case Report.
Eletrebi M, et al
Researchers report an exceptionally rare case of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with sarcomatoid, or spindle-cell, morphology arising in the uterine cervix of a young adult woman who presented with long-standing pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding. On biopsy, the tumor's spindle-cell architecture closely mimicked a sarcoma or other mesenchymal malignancy, illustrating a serious diagnostic pitfall that can lead to misclassification and inappropriate treatment. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) identified copy-number gains in the MYC and IgH genes without frank rearrangements, and PET-CT scanning incidentally detected a thyroid nodule that fine-needle aspiration revealed to be a separate follicular neoplasm unrelated to the lymphoma, underscoring the danger of overstaging based on imaging alone. The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy using an organ-preserving approach, which is particularly important given her young age and potential fertility concerns. This case emphasizes that clinicians encountering spindle-cell cervical masses must include large B-cell lymphoma in the differential diagnosis and confirms that tissue biopsy of incidental PET findings is essential before making staging and treatment decisions.
International journal of gynecological pathology : official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists
Source →Title: Ultra-processed food intake and postmenopausal breast cancer risk in the NIH-AARP diet and health study.
O'Connell CP, et al
A large prospective study examined whether consuming ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — industrially manufactured products such as packaged snacks, soft drinks, and ready meals — is associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer after menopause. Researchers followed 181,460 postmenopausal women enrolled in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study from 1995–1996 through 2018, a median of 21 years, during which 14,484 breast cancer cases were diagnosed. Using validated dietary questionnaires and the NOVA food classification system, the study found no statistically significant association between UPF intake and postmenopausal breast cancer risk overall, nor when analyses were stratified by estrogen receptor status or cancer subtype. When body mass index was added to the statistical model, a modest inverse trend appeared, but the researchers concluded this was likely a statistical artifact caused by over-adjustment, since BMI may mediate the pathway between diet and cancer. These findings are reassuring in that high UPF consumption does not appear to be an independent driver of postmenopausal breast cancer risk, though maintaining a healthy weight remains an established preventive strategy.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Source →