Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Laryngopharyngeal Liposarcoma: A (Somewhat Docile) Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.
Mijares K, et al
A multicenter study published in Head and Neck Pathology examined the clinical and pathological features of liposarcomas (LPS) arising in the larynx and pharynx, comparing them to benign lipomas at the same anatomical sites across two institutions. Although LPS represented only 1.4% of all head and neck fatty-tissue tumors, they were disproportionately concentrated in the laryngopharyngeal region, and in 80% of cases the malignant tumors were initially misdiagnosed, most often mistaken for benign spindle cell lipomas, inflammatory lesions, or vascular tumors. The study found that testing for MDM2 gene amplification was the most robust method for distinguishing malignant liposarcomas from their benign mimics, outperforming conventional microscopic criteria such as the presence of atypical hyperchromatic cells. Laryngopharyngeal liposarcomas recurred locally in 54.5% of patients with a median disease-free survival of 83.5 months, yet they behaved more indolently and were less prone to dedifferentiation than similar tumors of the retroperitoneum. These findings strongly recommend routine MDM2 molecular testing whenever a fatty, spindle-cell-like, or unclassifiable fibroinflammatory lesion is encountered in the laryngopharynx, since accurate diagnosis is essential for appropriate surgical management and long-term patient surveillance.
Head and neck pathology
Source →Nutritional prehabilitation in head and neck cancer patients (PreHead) - A randomized controlled trial study protocol.
Sijbrands D, et al
Researchers have published the protocol for PreHead, a randomized controlled trial examining whether nutritional prehabilitation — structured dietary support provided before cancer treatment begins — can reduce complications and improve outcomes in head and neck cancer patients who are at low or medium risk of malnutrition. Up to 60% of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer are already malnourished at their first clinical appointment, a condition linked to more frequent treatment complications, lower quality of life, and reduced survival. The trial will enroll 128 patients with locoregionally advanced (stage III or IV) squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx who are scheduled for curative-intent treatment, randomly assigning them to receive either nutritional prehabilitation or standard care without dietary intervention. The primary endpoints include surgical complications (measured using the Clavien-Dindo classification within 30 days of surgery) and chemoradiotherapy toxicity (assessed via CTCAE at 6 and 12 weeks), alongside secondary endpoints of nutritional status, quality of life, tumor recurrence, survival, and cost-effectiveness. The investigators hypothesize that prehabilitation will reduce severe adverse events and improve survival without increasing recurrence risk, and that the intervention will prove cost-effective. If confirmed, these findings could justify extending routine nutritional prehabilitation to a much wider population of head and neck cancer patients than currently receives it.
PloS one
Source →Aberrant DNMTs Promote TXNIP Upregulation and Ovarian Fibrosis in PCOS.
Weng Y, et al
Researchers investigated how excess male hormones (hyperandrogenism) contribute to ovarian fibrosis and infertility in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), focusing on the role of a protein called TXNIP and its epigenetic regulation by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Using rat and cell models of PCOS induced by androgens, the team found that elevated DNMT activity suppressed the cell's protein-disposal system (the proteasome), causing TXNIP levels to rise abnormally. This surge in TXNIP triggered the release of pro-fibrotic molecules—including collagen I, alpha-SMA, and TGF-beta—from granulosa cells, driving scarring and dysfunction within the ovary. Crucially, treatment with 5-Aza, a clinically known DNMT inhibitor, reversed these harmful changes by restoring normal TXNIP levels and reducing fibrotic signaling. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized DNMT–proteasome–TXNIP axis in PCOS pathology, suggesting that epigenetic therapies targeting this pathway could offer new treatment strategies for women with PCOS-related infertility.
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Source →Probing the Cancer Mutational Landscape of KMT2 Regulatory Subunits.
Grégoire S, et al
Researchers investigated cancer-associated mutations in a group of proteins called the WRAD complex, which helps regulate gene activity through chemical modifications to DNA packaging proteins called histones. The WRAD complex — made up of WDR5, RbBP5, ASH2L, and DPY-30 — is part of the KMT2 enzyme family, which is frequently mutated or abnormally active in many cancers. Using binding and thermal stability experiments, the team systematically tested how cancer-linked mutations affect the interactions between these proteins, discovering that many mutations do not disrupt complex assembly as expected. Surprisingly, a subset of mutations in the ASH2L protein were found to be gain-of-function, meaning they actually strengthen protein interactions rather than weaken them, revealing previously unknown long-range communication networks within the complex. The study also identified the optimal binding sequence for the interaction between RbBP5 and WDR5, showing that adding hydrophobic amino acids around the core VDV sequence boosts binding strength. These findings deepen our understanding of how epigenetic regulators malfunction in cancer and provide a molecular blueprint that could guide the design of new targeted therapies.
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Source →Reassessing adverse prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia harboring BCR::ABL1 in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors: A real-world analysis from the PETHEMA registry.
Alonso-Dominguez JM, et al
Researchers from the PETHEMA registry in Spain analyzed outcomes in 57 patients with a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that carries a genetic abnormality called BCR::ABL1, which is currently classified as high-risk by European guidelines. The study focused on whether adding tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) — targeted drugs that block the abnormal protein produced by the BCR::ABL1 gene — to standard chemotherapy could improve patient outcomes. Patients who received TKI therapy showed significantly longer relapse-free survival compared to those who did not, and their overall survival was comparable to patients in the intermediate-risk AML category rather than the adverse-risk group. Although no single factor independently predicted overall survival in multivariate analysis, the trend toward benefit with TKI addition was clinically meaningful. These findings suggest that BCR::ABL1-positive AML patients treated with TKIs may warrant reclassification from the adverse-risk to the intermediate-risk group, which could influence treatment decisions and transplant planning. The authors note that larger studies are needed to confirm these promising real-world results.
Cancer
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