Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Health-related quality of life of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms treated with decitabine: a systematic literature review.
Cannella L, et al
A systematic literature review published in Annals of Hematology examined health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) treated with decitabine, including its newer oral formulation decitabine-cedazuridine (DEC-C). Ten eligible studies were identified from a comprehensive PubMed search covering publications up to October 2024. Key findings showed that decitabine-based regimens preserved HRQoL compared to intensive chemotherapy and improved fatigue and physical functioning relative to best supportive care alone, while baseline HRQoL scores in AML patients were predictive of survival outcomes. Patient surveys consistently revealed a strong preference for the oral DEC-C formulation due to its greater convenience and reduced treatment burden compared to intravenous administration. The authors conclude that systematically incorporating PROs into clinical trials and practice is essential to capture symptom burden, medication adherence, and patient priorities, ultimately supporting more patient-centered approaches to treating these blood cancers.
Annals of hematology
Source →Improved survival with fludarabine-based therapies in mixed phenotype acute leukaemia: A population-based study using the WHO 2022 classification.
Christensen L, et al
Mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL) is a rare form of acute leukemia in which cancer cells simultaneously display features of both lymphoid and myeloid blood cell lineages, and no standardized, evidence-based treatment protocol has previously been established for this disease. Danish researchers conducted a nationwide, population-based study of 43 intensively treated MPAL patients classified under the updated 2022 WHO criteria, comparing outcomes across three treatment strategies: regimens designed for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), regimens designed for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and hybrid regimens combining elements of both approaches. The highest complete remission rates were achieved with hybrid regimens at 87.5%, compared to 72% for ALL-type regimens and just 40% for AML-type regimens. Most importantly, fludarabine-based hybrid regimens—specifically FLAG-IDA, Mito-FLAG, and FLEGMA combinations—were associated with significantly improved overall survival and event-free survival compared to the classic daunorubicin-cytarabine AML regimen, with p-values of 0.02 and 0.002, respectively. These findings provide the first population-level evidence that fludarabine-based hybrid chemotherapy may represent the most effective treatment approach for MPAL, offering practical guidance to hematologists managing this diagnostically and therapeutically challenging disease.
British journal of haematology
Source →Gastrointestinal stromal tumour of the small intestine presenting as an adnexal mass on transvaginal ultrasound.
Olusola S, et al
A case report published in BMJ Case Reports describes a rare instance in which a gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) of the small intestine was initially misidentified as a gynaecological condition in a woman in her 50s. The patient presented with an apparent adnexal mass detected on transvaginal ultrasound, but a subsequent diagnostic laparoscopy led to the correct diagnosis and successful surgical resection of a small bowel GIST. A comprehensive literature review conducted alongside this case found only 26 previously published case reports in which GISTs were initially mistaken for gynaecological disease, underscoring the rarity of this clinical scenario. The authors explain that the natural mobility of the small intestine combined with a large tumour size can cause the mass to descend into the pelvis, where its non-specific imaging characteristics make it closely resemble ovarian or other gynaecological pathology. This diagnostic confusion can delay appropriate surgical management, which is clinically significant because GISTs require a fundamentally different treatment approach than gynaecological tumours. The case serves as an important reminder that non-gynaecological tumours such as GISTs must always be included in the differential diagnosis when patients present with pelvic masses or pelvic pain.
BMJ case reports
Source →Intestinal epithelial cell-specific deletion of Jak2 disrupts gut homeostasis.
D'Mello B, et al
Researchers investigated the specific role of JAK2, a key intracellular signaling protein, within intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) — the cells that line the gut wall and form the first line of defense against harmful substances — to better understand how the intestinal barrier is maintained and how its breakdown contributes to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To do this, they engineered mice in which the Jak2 gene was selectively deleted only in intestinal epithelial cells and observed these animals under normal conditions and during experimentally induced colitis. By 12 weeks of age, the Jak2-deficient mice developed shortened colons, mild small intestinal inflammation, and increased gut permeability, along with disrupted expression of tight junction genes that physically hold the gut barrier together. The cytokine profile was also shifted toward inflammation, with elevated IL-13 and IL-17 alongside reduced IL-1β and IL-6, indicating that loss of JAK2 promotes low-grade immune activation even under normal, non-disease conditions. When subjected to chemically induced colitis using dextran sodium sulfate, the mice showed sex-dependent differences in weight loss, pointing to potentially distinct roles for epithelial JAK2 in males and females. These findings reveal a previously underappreciated function of JAK2 in preserving gut barrier integrity and suppressing chronic low-grade inflammation, with important implications for understanding IBD pathogenesis and the development of targeted therapies.
Scientific reports
Source →Clinicopathological Features and Prognostic Factors of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Single-Center Experience.
Ergenç M, et al
Researchers at Marmara University School of Medicine conducted a retrospective study of 96 patients treated for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) — a diverse and increasingly common group of cancers arising in the digestive tract and pancreas — between 2018 and 2024. The pancreas was the most common primary site (46%), followed by the stomach (35%), and surgical resection was performed in 90% of patients. The overall five-year survival rate for the cohort was 79%, but outcomes varied substantially depending on tumor characteristics, with patients harboring higher-grade tumors, neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) histology, larger tumors, elevated Ki-67 proliferation indices, or advanced-stage disease experiencing significantly worse survival. Multivariate analysis identified three independent predictors of mortality: older patient age, NEC histology (the more aggressive tumor subtype), and advanced disease stage. These findings reinforce the need for risk-adapted, multidisciplinary management strategies that account for individual tumor biology and disease extent in order to optimize outcomes for GEP-NET patients.
Cancer control : journal of the Moffitt Cancer Center
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