Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Stem cell control in the lung by an autocrine injury-activated Igf complex.
Zhang Y, et al
Researchers investigated how lung stem cells respond to tissue injury and how this process can trigger cancer development, focusing on a specialized population of neuroendocrine stem cells that are both airway progenitors and a known cell of origin for small-cell lung cancer in mice. They discovered that insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) acts as a critical injury-activated growth signal, but with a surprising twist: the stem cells themselves continuously produce Igf2, which is normally held inactive in the surrounding tissue niche by co-expressed binding proteins called Igfbps. Upon airway injury, Igf2 is rapidly released from these binding proteins, activates its receptors on the stem cells, and suppresses the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor protein, driving a controlled burst of cell division to repair damaged tissue. Experiments showed that permanently deleting Rb caused stem cells to divide indefinitely without injury, mimicking an early step in tumor initiation. These findings reveal an entirely local, autocrine growth control circuit — operating far faster than classical hormonal signaling — and identify the Igf2-Igfbp-Rb axis as a promising target for understanding and potentially preventing small-cell lung cancer.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
Source →De Novo Cancer in Liver Transplant Patients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: A Multicenter Nationwide Cohort Study.
Herrero JI, et al
A large multicenter prospective cohort study from Spain examined whether HIV-positive patients who underwent liver transplantation faced an elevated risk of developing new (de novo) cancers compared to matched HIV-negative transplant recipients. Researchers followed 272 HIV-positive and 816 HIV-negative liver transplant patients for a median of approximately five to six years, tracking all new cancer diagnoses excluding hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence and non-melanoma skin cancers. The study found no statistically significant difference in de novo cancer incidence between the two groups, with cumulative rates of 6% at five years and approximately 12-13% at ten years in both groups. The most commonly diagnosed cancers were non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer, and head and neck cancer, and survival following cancer diagnosis was comparable between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. The only independent predictor of de novo cancer development was older age at the time of transplantation, with HIV infection itself playing no significant role. These findings provide strong evidence supporting the inclusion of HIV-positive patients in liver transplant programs without undue concern about an added cancer burden from HIV status alone.
Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Source →Real-world application of the WHO Reporting System for Lymph Node Cytopathology in the Context of the 5th Edition of the WHO Classification of Hematolymphoid Neoplasms.
Yuil Valdes AG, et al
This study examines the real-world application of the 2024 WHO Reporting System for Lymph Node, Spleen, and Thymus Cytopathology within the framework of the 5th edition of the WHO Classification of Hematolymphoid Tumors (WHO-HAEM5), which defines diagnostic categories for blood and lymph node cancers. Cytology — the microscopic examination of cells obtained through minimally invasive needle sampling — is central to the initial workup of enlarged lymph nodes, though it cannot capture tissue architecture, sometimes requiring additional testing. The authors systematically review how each of the five WHO reporting categories maps onto specific disease entities in WHO-HAEM5 and describe characteristic cellular patterns that guide diagnosis. They also outline a practical framework for triaging cytological specimens to flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and molecular or genetic testing to complement morphological findings. The key conclusion is that appropriately selected and validated ancillary studies allow pathologists to achieve WHO-concordant diagnoses from cytology alone, thereby reducing the need for repeat, more invasive surgical biopsies. This standardized approach has direct clinical benefit: it accelerates diagnosis, spares patients from unnecessary procedures, and equips clinicians with a clear decision-making pathway for managing suspected lymphoma.
Acta cytologica
Source →Recurrent Hyperparathyroidism Due to Hyperactive Ectopic Intrathymic Parathyroid Gland 20 Years After Parathyroidectomy.
Younis EF, et al
A case report published in Cureus describes a 43-year-old woman who developed recurrent primary hyperparathyroidism two decades after undergoing a three-gland parathyroidectomy, caused by an ectopic parathyroid gland embedded within thymic tissue in the mediastinum. For approximately one year, the patient suffered from a broad spectrum of nonspecific symptoms—including severe fatigue, recurrent abdominal pain, unintentional weight loss, joint and muscle pain, and significant neuropsychiatric disturbances—that initially led to a psychiatric evaluation and delayed the correct diagnosis. Laboratory workup revealed markedly elevated parathyroid hormone levels of 1235 pg/ml alongside hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia, while technetium-99m sestamibi scintigraphy and advanced imaging identified the culprit lesion as an ectopic retrosternal intrathymic parathyroid gland with hyperplasia and a dominant oxyphil nodule. Thoracic surgical excision of the mass produced an immediate intraoperative drop in PTH and led to complete resolution of all multisystem symptoms, with sustained biochemical normalization confirmed on serial follow-up. This case highlights that ectopic intrathymic parathyroid tissue must be considered as a cause of late recurrent hyperparathyroidism even many decades after prior surgery, and that patients with a parathyroidectomy history presenting with nonspecific multisystem symptoms warrant prompt, thorough biochemical evaluation combined with advanced imaging for timely localization and definitive treatment.
Cureus
Source →Robot-Assisted Distal Pancreatectomy for Pancreatic Cancer with Type IIIa Portal Annular Pancreas Using a Novel Strategy of Ventral Pancreas Preservation: A Case Report.
Noso T, et al
Surgeons have reported the first known case of robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer in a patient with portal annular pancreas (PAP), a rare congenital abnormality in which pancreatic tissue wraps around and fuses near the portal vein. This unusual anatomy dramatically raises the risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), a dangerous complication, and no surgical consensus exists on how best to handle such cases. The team developed a novel technique that exploited the robot's stable three-dimensional vision and precise instrument control to carefully dissect and preserve the dorsal portion of the pancreas at the fusion plane, thereby reducing the risk of fistula formation. The 75-year-old patient underwent the procedure after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and achieved a complete tumor-free (R0) resection with no clinically significant POPF, being discharged on postoperative day 11. At 18 months of follow-up she remained recurrence-free, confirming both the oncological adequacy and safety of this approach. This case provides surgeons with a concrete new strategy for the rare but technically demanding combination of pancreatic cancer and portal annular pancreas.
Surgical case reports
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