Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Collision of Hypopharyngeal Small-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma and Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma at the Aryepiglottic Fold: Case Report and Review of Literature.
Mladenovic N, et al
Researchers report a rare case of a so-called collision tumor of the throat, in which two entirely different cancers — squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the hypopharynx — were found coexisting within a single tumor mass in a 72-year-old patient. The patient presented with hoarseness, difficulty breathing, and difficulty swallowing, and neck CT imaging revealed a right-sided laryngeal tumor that prompted total laryngectomy, partial pharyngectomy, and bilateral neck dissection. Microscopic examination of the surgically removed tissue, specifically from the aryepiglottic fold, demonstrated a clear boundary between the two morphologically distinct tumor components, confirmed by detailed immunohistochemical staining revealing different molecular marker profiles in each component. This finding highlights that a single biopsy sample may be insufficient to capture the full complexity of a tumor, and clinicians are urged to obtain multiple tissue samples to avoid missing a second, biologically distinct cancer type. Because squamous cell carcinoma and small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma typically require different treatment approaches, collision tumors of this kind present a significant therapeutic dilemma, and no established treatment guidelines currently exist for such combined diagnoses.
Case reports in pathology
Source →Hematolymphoid neoplasms involving the breast: A single institution clinicopathologic study of 59 patients.
Vickery J, et al
Researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center conducted a 20-year retrospective study examining 59 patients diagnosed with breast hematopoietic neoplasms (BHN), rare cancers of blood and immune cells that arise in or spread to breast tissue. The study found that lymphomas accounted for the vast majority of cases (86%), with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) being the most common subtypes, each representing roughly one-third of all lymphoma cases. Patients with primary breast lymphomas — those originating in the breast — were significantly older than those whose lymphoma had spread to the breast from elsewhere, and high-grade B-cell lymphomas were associated with a more than five-fold increased risk of death compared to low-grade tumors over a ten-year period. Most patients were diagnosed through core needle biopsy, and imaging with FDG PET scanning proved essential for both diagnosis and treatment planning. Clinicians should be aware that breast lymphomas can closely mimic the appearance of breast carcinoma on imaging, underscoring the importance of hematopathology expertise in evaluating unusual breast lesions. This one of the largest single-institution cohorts of its kind provides clinically valuable data to guide diagnosis and management of these uncommon but serious malignancies.
Annals of hematology
Source →Clinical Evaluation of Ultrasound-Enhanced Radiotracer Uptake for Radioligand Therapy in Metastatic Prostate Cancer.
Liang Y, et al
Researchers prospectively evaluated whether applying low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) to tumor sites before infusions of the radiopharmaceutical 177Lu-PSMA-617 could improve treatment outcomes in 42 men with metastatic prostate cancer. Before each treatment cycle, a 10-minute session of focused ultrasound was applied to a dominant metastatic lesion, and imaging was used to compare radiotracer uptake in treated versus untreated lesions. The sonicated tumors showed a median increase in radiotracer uptake of 32%, compared to just 3% in reference lesions, and patients with high enhancement were more than twice as likely to achieve a meaningful PSA response (71% vs. 33%). High-enhancement patients also experienced significantly longer progression-free survival, at 11.5 months compared to 5.3 months in low-enhancement patients. The ultrasound procedure was well tolerated with no serious LIPUS-related side effects, suggesting this non-invasive technique could be safely integrated into standard radioligand therapy. These findings open a promising avenue for improving the effectiveness of targeted radiotherapy in metastatic prostate cancer without adding significant toxicity.
Cancer biotherapy & radiopharmaceuticals
Source →3-Formylchromone attenuates urethane-induced lung carcinogenesis and enhances gefitinib anti-tumor response via modulation of IL-6/JAK1/STAT3/cyclin D1 signaling.
Azouz AA, et al
Researchers investigated whether 3-formylchromone, a naturally derived compound, could fight lung cancer on its own and boost the effectiveness of gefitinib, a targeted therapy drug that often loses its potency over time. Using both cell culture experiments and a mouse model of urethane-induced lung cancer, the team assessed the anti-tumor activity of 3-formylchromone alone and in combination with gefitinib. The study found that 3-formylchromone significantly reduced lung tumor growth by suppressing a key inflammatory and cancer-promoting signaling pathway known as IL-6/JAK1/STAT3/cyclin D1, which controls cell proliferation. When combined with gefitinib, the treatment further reduced the number and size of tumor nodules and amplified the suppression of this signaling pathway compared to gefitinib alone. These findings suggest that 3-formylchromone could serve as a promising companion therapy to help overcome the reduced sensitivity to gefitinib that develops during prolonged treatment, offering a potential new strategy for improving lung cancer management.
Toxicology mechanisms and methods
Source →External Validation of the Auditing Fistula Risk Score for Pancreatoduodenectomy.
Tan HL, et al
Researchers conducted a large-scale external validation of the Auditing Fistula Risk Score (Auditing-FRS), a tool designed to predict postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) — a serious complication occurring in 10–25% of pancreatoduodenectomies, a major surgery for pancreatic and periampullary disease. Using data from over 25,000 procedures recorded in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) between 2015 and 2023, the study confirmed that all predictor variables in the Auditing-FRS independently remained associated with POPF. The score demonstrated acceptable discriminative ability with an AUC of approximately 0.694 across the full cohort, and performed consistently whether the surgery was performed via open, laparoscopic, or robotic approaches. Predicted risk probabilities closely matched observed outcomes, and decision-curve analysis showed the score provided meaningful clinical benefit across a threshold range of 5–30%. These findings support the use of the Auditing-FRS as a reliable instrument for perioperative risk stratification and institutional benchmarking, helping surgeons better identify patients at elevated risk before and after this complex operation.
ANZ journal of surgery
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