Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
PI3K inhibition modulates PON gene expression and disrupts survival pathways in retinoblastoma Y-79 cells.
Ravi R, et al
Researchers investigated the impact of blocking the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) signaling enzyme on retinoblastoma, a rare and aggressive eye cancer predominantly affecting young children, using the established Y-79 cell line as an experimental model. The study demonstrated that PI3K inhibition significantly altered the expression of PON (paraoxonase) genes, which are involved in managing oxidative stress and cellular detoxification processes within tumor cells. These molecular changes were accompanied by a disruption of key survival pathways that retinoblastoma cells depend upon to evade programmed cell death. The findings suggest that PI3K inhibitors may hold promise as a targeted therapeutic approach for retinoblastoma by dismantling the molecular machinery that cancer cells use to survive. This research contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting the PI3K pathway as a viable therapeutic target in pediatric eye cancers where treatment options remain limited.
Molecular biology reports
Source →Niacinamide Supplementation for Chemoprophylaxis of Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: A Real-World Propensity-Matched Analysis of the TriNetX Database.
Adler R, et al
This study examined whether regular niacinamide (vitamin B3 amide) supplementation can reduce the incidence of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, using real-world clinical data drawn from the large TriNetX federated health research database. To minimize confounding bias inherent to observational research, the investigators applied propensity score matching, pairing patients who used niacinamide with similar controls who did not, thus enabling a fair comparison of subsequent skin cancer diagnoses between groups. Niacinamide has attracted growing scientific interest as a safe, inexpensive, and widely available oral supplement that may bolster cellular DNA-repair pathways and attenuate ultraviolet-induced immunosuppression in skin tissue. By leveraging a broad, diverse patient population, this real-world analysis extends findings from earlier randomized controlled trials and offers population-level evidence regarding the chemopreventive potential of niacinamide. These results carry direct clinical relevance, as they could guide dermatologists and primary care clinicians in counseling high-risk patients about accessible, low-burden strategies for skin cancer prevention.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Source →Carinal tracheo-oesophageal fistula repair using adjacent gastric conduit wall after Ivor-Lewis oesophagectomy: a case report.
Rusidanmu A, et al
Ivor-Lewis oesophagectomy is a major surgical procedure performed for oesophageal cancer, in which part of the oesophagus is removed and the stomach is reshaped into a tubular conduit to restore digestive continuity. One of the rarest and most dangerous complications following this surgery is the formation of a tracheo-oesophageal fistula at the carina — an abnormal passage connecting the airway to the gastric conduit that can cause life-threatening aspiration and respiratory failure. This case report describes an innovative surgical repair technique in which the wall of the adjacent gastric conduit was used directly to close the fistula, avoiding the need for more complex or distant tissue transfers. The technique was applied successfully in a patient who developed this complication, demonstrating both its technical feasibility and its potential as a practical surgical option. For thoracic surgeons managing post-oesophagectomy complications, this approach may represent a valuable addition to the limited repertoire of strategies available for addressing carinal tracheo-oesophageal fistulae.
Journal of cardiothoracic surgery
Source →Perianal pathology beyond fistulizing disease: spectrum of MRI findings and diagnostic pitfalls.
Fornell-Perez R
This review article examines the full spectrum of non-fistulizing perianal conditions detectable by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), encompassing inflammatory, infectious, vascular, cystic, and neoplastic diseases that can affect the perianal region. Although MRI of the perianal area is most commonly requested to evaluate fistulas, many other serious conditions — including malignant tumors — occur in this region and may be clinically indistinguishable from one another without expert imaging interpretation. The authors highlight how MRI's superior soft-tissue contrast and multiplanar capabilities allow radiologists to accurately characterize lesions, assess disease extent, and guide therapeutic decisions that would otherwise be difficult to make based on physical examination alone. A particular concern addressed in the review is the incidental discovery of perianal abnormalities on pelvic MRI scans ordered for unrelated reasons, a scenario that poses diagnostic challenges especially for less experienced radiologists. Through representative clinical cases illustrating both typical and atypical imaging patterns, the review aims to prevent misinterpretation, unnecessary invasive procedures, and delayed diagnoses, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Abdominal radiology (New York)
Source →Diagnostic performance of PSMA PET/CT and multiparametric MRI for local prostate cancer recurrence after high-intensity focused ultrasound.
Saeed S, et al
A retrospective single-center study compared two advanced imaging techniques—PSMA PET/CT using the radiotracer 18F-piflufolastat and multiparametric MRI (mpMRI)—for detecting locally recurrent prostate cancer in 31 patients previously treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), using prostate biopsy as the definitive reference standard. Both imaging modalities showed comparable standalone diagnostic performance, with sensitivities of 72% and 76% and identical specificity of 83.3% for PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI respectively, confirming that neither technique alone is clearly superior. When results from both methods were interpreted together, sensitivity rose significantly to 92% and overall accuracy improved to 87.1%, though specificity decreased slightly to 66.7%, a trade-off that may be acceptable given the clinical importance of not missing recurrent disease. Additionally, higher PSMA uptake values (SUVmax) showed a modest but statistically significant correlation with tumor aggressiveness as assessed by ISUP grade group, suggesting a potential role for quantitative PET metrics in risk stratification. These findings support an integrated imaging strategy combining both modalities for post-HIFU surveillance, offering clinicians the best available non-invasive tool for guiding biopsy decisions and subsequent treatment planning.
Current problems in diagnostic radiology
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