Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Safety of Perioperative Immunotherapy Use on Wound Healing After Surgery for Spinal Metastases.
Xia Y, et al
Researchers at a comprehensive cancer center investigated whether perioperative immunotherapy — administered within 12 months before or 3 months after surgery — affects wound healing in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastases. The retrospective study analyzed 367 patients treated between 2012 and 2024, of whom 54 (14.7%) received perioperative immunotherapy, predominantly immune checkpoint inhibitors. Patients who received immunotherapy had a wound complication rate of 7.4%, compared with 12.8% in those who did not, and multivariate analysis confirmed that perioperative immunotherapy did not significantly increase the odds of wound complications. The only independent risk factor for wound complications identified was surgery at the sacral level, which carried nearly six times higher odds. These findings are clinically significant because they reassure oncologists and surgeons that immunotherapy need not be withheld or substantially delayed around the time of spinal surgery, supporting more continuous and integrated cancer care for patients with metastatic disease.
Neurosurgery
Source →Erratum: Using Bayesian Networks to Predict Urgent Care Visits in Patients Receiving Systemic Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Gonzalez BD, et al
This publication is an erratum — a formal correction notice — issued for a previously published study in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics that used Bayesian Networks to predict urgent care visits among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving systemic therapy. The original research applied probabilistic machine learning models to identify which patients undergoing cancer treatment were most likely to require unplanned urgent or emergency care. Such predictive tools are clinically valuable because unplanned urgent care visits are costly, distressing for patients, and may signal treatment-related complications that could be anticipated and prevented. The erratum indicates that corrections were necessary to ensure the accuracy of the scientific record, though the core methodology and clinical relevance of the original work remain intact. Clinicians and researchers relying on the original findings are advised to consult the corrected version for the most accurate data and conclusions.
JCO clinical cancer informatics
Source →Challenges and Controversies in the Diagnosis and Management of Thymic Epithelial Tumors from the Thymic Tumor Subcommittee of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Rare Tumors Committee.
Ardeshir-Larinani F, et al
A comprehensive review from the Thymic Tumor Subcommittee of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer examines the current challenges in diagnosing and treating thymic epithelial tumors (TETs), a rare group of cancers arising in the thymus gland located in the chest. TETs include thymomas, thymic carcinomas, and thymic neuroendocrine tumors, and their management is complicated by overlapping microscopic features, unpredictable clinical behavior, and frequent associations with autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. The review evaluates key surgical debates, including whether to remove only the tumor or the entire thymus gland, the optimal use of minimally invasive surgical techniques, and when to apply radiation or other adjuvant therapies after surgery. Emerging treatments such as immunotherapy and targeted drugs show promise but carry significant risks, particularly high rates of autoimmune side effects that make their use in TET patients especially challenging. The authors also highlight the growing potential of artificial intelligence in improving TET diagnosis, identifying new treatment targets, and predicting patient outcomes, while stressing that most evidence remains retrospective and that prospective clinical trials are urgently needed. This consensus review provides clinicians worldwide with a structured framework for navigating one of oncology's most complex and underrepresented tumor types.
Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
Source →Plasmonic gold-titania-curcumin nanoantennas for synergistic quadruple photodynamic/mild photothermal/radiodynamic/chemotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer.
Haghighi H, et al
Researchers developed plasmonic gold-titania-curcumin nanoantennas (PGTCNA) as a multifunctional therapeutic agent for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The nanoparticles combined gold and titanium dioxide with the natural compound curcumin, achieving a photothermal conversion efficiency of 50.7% and a strong positive surface charge, while demonstrating the ability to generate reactive oxygen species including singlet oxygen. In laboratory tests using both flat cell cultures and three-dimensional tumor spheres of A549 NSCLC cells, PGTCNA treatment combined with 808-nm near-infrared laser light and X-ray radiation simultaneously delivered photodynamic, mild photothermal, radiodynamic, and chemotherapy in a synergistic quadruple approach that significantly reduced cancer cell viability, triggered apoptosis, disrupted mitochondrial function, inhibited cell migration, and overcame hypoxia-induced treatment resistance. Importantly, PGTCNA showed approximately 2.5-fold greater toxicity toward cancer cells than toward normal lung cells, suggesting a favorable safety profile. These findings indicate that PGTCNA holds strong potential as a photo- and radiosensitizer that could improve outcomes for lung cancer patients by enhancing the effectiveness of combined phototherapy and radiotherapy while addressing key limitations of conventional radiation treatment.
Journal of materials chemistry. B
Source →The efficacy and toxicity of TRT on metastatic NSCLC in patients treated with targeted therapy and chemoimmunotherapy.
Xue L, et al
A study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology examined the effectiveness and safety of thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were receiving either targeted therapy or chemoimmunotherapy. The research sought to determine whether adding radiation to these systemic treatment regimens could improve outcomes without causing unacceptable side effects. Metastatic NSCLC remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat, and combining radiation with modern systemic therapies represents an evolving clinical strategy. The findings of this study provide important guidance for oncologists considering TRT as part of multimodal treatment plans for this patient population. Understanding the toxicity profile of such combinations is critical, as both targeted agents and immunotherapy can interact with radiation to produce unique adverse effects. This work contributes to the growing evidence base needed to safely integrate radiation therapy into contemporary lung cancer management.
Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology
Source →