Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Cancer trends among young adults in Russian Federation: An analysis of population-based cancer registry data.
Zhuikova LD, et al
A new nationwide study published in Cancer Epidemiology presents the first comprehensive, decade-long analysis of cancer trends among young adults aged 20 to 44 in the Russian Federation, drawing on data from over 468,000 cancer cases and more than 131,000 deaths recorded between 2013 and 2023. Researchers found that overall cancer incidence remained stable in young men but declined slightly in young women over the ten-year period, yet both sexes showed alarming site-specific increases, including rising rates of thyroid, colorectal, kidney, and liver cancers in men, and growing incidence of breast, thyroid, colorectal, pancreatic, and oral cancers in women. On an encouraging note, cancer mortality decreased across both sexes for the majority of tumor types, although death rates remained stubbornly stable for head and neck cancers, gastrointestinal malignancies, breast cancer, and non-melanoma skin cancers. These findings carry particular weight because young adults of working and reproductive age face uniquely severe consequences from cancer, including impacts on family planning, workforce participation, and long-term quality of life. The authors urge Russian health authorities to strengthen population-based cancer screening programs, invest in early detection infrastructure, and develop targeted preventive strategies specifically designed for this younger demographic.
Cancer epidemiology
Source →Risk of post-radiation hypothyroidism among different head and neck cancer subsites and radiation therapy techniques.
Lin S, et al
A retrospective cohort study of 1,038 head and neck cancer patients examined the risk of hypothyroidism—an underactive thyroid gland—following radiotherapy, comparing outcomes across different tumor locations and radiation delivery techniques. Researchers found that patients with hypopharyngeal or laryngeal cancer experienced the highest rate of post-radiation hypothyroidism, at 73.7 cases per 1,000 patient-years, surpassing all other head and neck cancer sites studied. Among patients with non-nasopharyngeal cancers, those treated with intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) faced nearly twice the risk of developing hypothyroidism compared to those receiving volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and this difference was especially striking in the hypopharynx and larynx subgroup, where IMPT was associated with almost four times the risk. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients showed no statistically significant difference in hypothyroidism risk between the two radiation techniques, suggesting that cancer location plays an important role in how radiation affects thyroid function. These findings call for enhanced clinical vigilance and routine thyroid monitoring in patients undergoing radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers, particularly when proton therapy is employed, so that hypothyroidism can be identified and treated promptly to preserve quality of life.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi
Source →Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic validation identifies SLC35D3 as a tumor-selective surface antigen for colorectal and neuroendocrine carcinomas.
Someya S, et al
Scientists searching for safer targets for next-generation cancer immunotherapies have identified SLC35D3, a nucleotide-sugar transporter protein, as a tumor-selective surface antigen with strong potential in colorectal and neuroendocrine cancers. Researchers systematically screened two major genomic databases — the GTEx atlas of normal human tissues and the TCGA cancer genomics repository — requiring candidate proteins to show at least ten-fold higher gene expression in colon tumors than in any normal organ, while remaining near-background levels in critical tissues such as the brain, heart, liver, lung, and kidney. Although SLC35D3 was previously believed to reside mainly inside cells, the study confirmed its presence on the outer cell surface through flow cytometry experiments and immunohistochemical analysis of more than 250 tumor tissue samples. The protein was detected in 53% of colorectal cancers, 40% of small-cell lung cancers, and 24% of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, while remaining uniformly absent from vital normal organs tested. These characteristics make SLC35D3 a highly attractive target for antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T-cell engagers, and CAR-T cell therapies, all of which depend on tumor-restricted surface antigens to deliver treatment precisely to cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.
Biochemistry and biophysics reports
Source →Dual FDG and Octreotide PET/CT Imaging in a Patient With Malignant Pheochromocytoma and VHL Gene Mutation.
Li Q, et al
Researchers report a case of a 59-year-old woman with recurrent, metastatic pheochromocytoma — a rare tumor of the adrenal gland — who was found to carry a germline mutation in the VHL gene (p.Asp126Asn). The patient underwent PET/CT imaging with two complementary radioactive tracers: 18F-FDG, which highlights areas of high glucose metabolism characteristic of aggressive tumors, and 18F-octreotide, which binds to somatostatin receptors expressed on certain neuroendocrine tumor cells. Both scans revealed intense tracer uptake at the same sites, including the right adrenal bed, bones, lung nodules, and lymph nodes, confirming extensive metastatic spread after failure of targeted therapy. This dual-tracer strategy simultaneously captured two distinct biological features of the tumor, providing richer diagnostic information than either scan alone. The case demonstrates that combining metabolic and receptor-based imaging can improve prognostic assessment and guide individualized treatment decisions in patients with VHL-mutated malignant pheochromocytoma, a clinically challenging subgroup with limited therapeutic options.
Clinical nuclear medicine
Source →Genetic endocrine tumours focusing on pituitary tumours.
Bényei E, et al
This comprehensive review examines the genetic and hereditary basis of pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs), which are among the most frequently occurring tumours inside the skull and can disrupt hormone regulation, vision, and overall health. Although the majority of PitNETs arise spontaneously without a clear familial cause, a clinically significant minority is driven by inherited germline mutations that may appear in isolation or as part of broader hereditary cancer syndromes. The authors systematically catalogue known and newly emerging germline alterations responsible for pituitary tumour development, and crucially highlight that several classical tumour predisposition syndromes not traditionally associated with the endocrine system have now been linked to PitNET formation, substantially widening the spectrum of hereditary conditions clinicians must consider. The review also addresses potential driver mutations in sporadic PitNETs, providing a more complete picture of the molecular landscape underlying these tumours. These findings have direct implications for genetic counselling, early screening strategies, and personalised management of patients and their at-risk family members.
Best practice & research. Clinical endocrinology & metabolism
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