Latest Research
All publications from the Cancer3.AI database, newest first.
Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Neoplasia.
Alon G, et al
This case report published in Diseases of the Colon and Rectum describes the clinical management of a 58-year-old man with a 20-year history of ulcerative colitis who developed a colorectal cancer at the splenic flexure, discovered incidentally during investigation of a partial bowel obstruction. Despite having had a normal colonoscopy just two years prior and well-controlled colitis on ustekinumab therapy, the patient was found to have a pT3N0 colonic adenocarcinoma with high-risk features including obstruction and lymphovascular invasion. He underwent laparoscopic total abdominal colectomy with end ileostomy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, with plans for subsequent ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) to restore intestinal continuity. This case highlights the risk of interval cancer development in ulcerative colitis patients even under seemingly adequate surveillance and medical control, underscoring the importance of vigilant endoscopic monitoring. It also illustrates the multistep surgical and oncological decision-making process required to balance cancer treatment with quality-of-life restoration in this patient population.
Diseases of the colon and rectum
Source →Maternal antibodies regulate the establishment of murine oral and salivary mucosal immunity.
Naamneh R, et al
Researchers investigated how maternal antibodies transferred before and after birth shape the development of the immune system in the mouth and salivary glands of newborn mice. The study found that maternal Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are passed to offspring both during pregnancy and through breast milk, reaching the salivary glands and being secreted into saliva, where they help regulate which oral bacteria colonize the newborn. Pups that did not receive IgG before birth showed excessive immune cell activation in their saliva and developed an imbalanced antibody profile in adulthood, while breast milk antibodies were found to play a separate but complementary role in supporting the maturation of oral tissue lining. Crucially, antibodies received before birth also shaped immune responses in the gums and reduced harmful inflammation in a mouse model of periodontitis, a common human gum disease. These findings reveal that the window of maternal antibody transfer around birth has lasting consequences for oral immune development and long-term protection against oral disease, suggesting that maternal immune health may influence children's susceptibility to conditions like gum disease.
Nature communications
Source →Newcastle disease virus exploits Golgi stress and Golgiphagy to promote ferroptosis.
Kan X, et al
Researchers investigated how Newcastle disease virus (NDV), an oncolytic virus with known tumor-killing properties, induces a specific form of cell death called ferroptosis in cancer cells. The study found that NDV infection causes severe stress to the Golgi apparatus, a key organelle inside cells, triggering a selective self-digestion process called Golgiphagy that degrades a protein known as ARF1, which normally helps maintain cellular redox balance. Loss of ARF1 sets off a damaging chain reaction involving accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, ultimately driving tumor cells into ferroptotic death. The team also demonstrated that blocking Golgi stress with a natural compound called spermine reduced ferroptosis and showed both antiviral and cell-protective effects, highlighting a potential therapeutic target. These findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism by which a virus can harness organelle-specific stress to kill cancer cells, opening new avenues for designing therapies that exploit or modulate this Golgi stress–ferroptosis axis in oncology and antiviral medicine.
Autophagy
Source →Subsite- and histology-specific epidemiology of head and neck cancers in Japan from 2016 to 2019: an application of a new classification of rare cancers.
Rikitake R, et al
A new study published in the International Journal of Clinical Oncology examined the epidemiology of head and neck cancers in Japan between 2016 and 2019, using population-based data from the National Cancer Registry and applying an updated classification system for rare cancers. Researchers analyzed epithelial tumors and sarcomas across all anatomical subsites and histological types, deliberately including rare entities that are often excluded from standard analyses. The findings revealed that head and neck cancers account for approximately 30,000 new cases per year in Japan, representing about 2.9% of all cancers, with the oral cavity and lip being the most common site, followed by the larynx, hypopharynx, and oropharynx. Only squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and lip met the threshold to be considered a common cancer; virtually all other head and neck cancer subtypes qualified as rare. The annual number of cases rose during the study period, underscoring the need for ongoing surveillance. These results highlight the importance of comprehensive, histology-specific tracking of head and neck cancers, as lumping together anatomically and biologically distinct tumors can obscure critical epidemiological trends relevant to patient care and clinical research.
International journal of clinical oncology
Source →Endoscopic resection of lumbar intradural spinal tumors: A case series on feasibility, safety, and preliminary outcomes.
Van Isseldyk F, et al
Researchers conducted a retrospective case series to determine whether fully endoscopic surgery could safely and effectively remove intradural extramedullary tumors of the lumbar spine, a setting where minimally invasive endoscopic techniques had not been widely adopted due to challenges with opening the dura and managing spinal fluid. Ten consecutive patients underwent uniportal full endoscopic resection via an interlaminar approach between 2020 and 2024, with tumors including schwannomas, meningiomas, and a neurofibroma. Complete tumor removal was achieved in every patient, with a mean operative time of 96.5 minutes and a remarkably short average hospital stay of just 1.5 days. Critically, no intraoperative complications, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, or new neurological deficits occurred in any patient, and neurological function improved in 60% of patients while remaining stable in the other 40%. These findings suggest that fully endoscopic resection of selected lumbar intradural tumors is both feasible and safe in experienced hands, offering patients a minimally invasive option with faster recovery compared to traditional open microsurgery. While the small cohort size calls for larger confirmatory studies, this work establishes a promising technical framework for expanding endoscopic spine surgery beyond degenerative disease.
Brain & spine
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