BMC Cancer[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Immuno-oncology in the perioperative setting: the next frontier in resectable head and neck cancers - a systematic review.
Kapoor A, Gupta A, Sansar B … +5 more , Mishra BK, Menon N, Shah M, Noronha V, Prabhash K
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42363133 · Full text
Perioperative immunotherapy-particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-has emerged as a promising strategy to reduce recurrence in resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite standard multimod...
Perioperative immunotherapy-particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-has emerged as a promising strategy to reduce recurrence in resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite standard multimodal therapy, nearly half of patients experience relapse within five years. ICIs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab have transformed recurrent/metastatic HNSCC, and their integration into curative settings is under active investigation.We conducted a PRISMA-compliant systematic review of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and major oncology conference proceedings (2018-2026) to identify clinical trials evaluating ICIs in the perioperative setting of HNSCC. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data. Outcomes of interest included safety, pathological response, event-free or disease-free survival (EFS/DFS), and overall survival (OS). Meta-analysis was not performed due to heterogeneous study designs.Twenty-five studies (18 published, 7 conference abstracts) met inclusion criteria. Neoadjuvant ICI monotherapy was safe but showed modest major pathological response (MPR) rates (~ 6%). Combination strategies were more effective: the IMCISION trial reported 35% MPR with nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs. 17% with nivolumab alone. Neoadjuvant therapy did not delay surgery. In the adjuvant setting, the NIVOPOSTOP trial showed improved 3-year DFS with nivolumab plus postoperative chemoradiotherapy (63.1% vs. 52.5%). The KEYNOTE-689 trial showed perioperative pembrolizumab significantly improved EFS (51.8 vs. 30.4 months), leading to FDA approval in PD-L1 CPS ≥ 1 tumors.Pathologic response correlated with improved survival. Ongoing trials are refining biomarkers, combinations, and sequencing. Perioperative immunotherapy is reshaping curative-intent management of HNSCC, establishing a new multidisciplinary treatment paradigm.
Measurement of metabolic activity by telemetric temperature sensing after immunotherapy and chemotherapy on three different mouse tumor models.
Meisamy S, Brattain K, Shao Q … +4 more , Steinberger D, Moffitt C, Meisamy R, Nelson M
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42363127 · Full text
This study evaluates within-subject temporal differences between tumor and body temperatures using three cancer models: melanoma, breast cancer, and colon cancer, to monitor the effects of immunotherapy and chemotherapy...
This study evaluates within-subject temporal differences between tumor and body temperatures using three cancer models: melanoma, breast cancer, and colon cancer, to monitor the effects of immunotherapy and chemotherapy on temperature differences. In the melanoma arm, TRP-2 immunotherapy led to increased tumor temperatures compared to the control group, with significant overall treatment separation observed at 58 h into the treatment protocol. For breast cancer, AC-Taxol chemotherapy resulted in a drop in body temperature for both treatment and control groups, with significant treatment group separation on tumor vs. body observed at 96 h. In colon cancer, anti-PD-1 immunotherapy showed an upward trend in tumor temperatures, with significant separation from the control group at 94 h. A series of statistical tests, including mixed-model repeated measures and non-parametric tests, revealed significant differences in temperature trends between treatment and control groups for all cancer types. Furthermore, examination of radial smoothing repeated measures models revealed how the clinical application of this technology could be applied. These results suggest that temperature-based monitoring may be an effective tool for assessing therapeutic responses in cancer treatments, highlighting the utility of thermal measurements in evaluating immunotherapy and chemotherapy efficacy.
Preparation, characterization and anticancer applications of HAase from Pedobacter heparinus.
Dou B, Wu R, Ma X … +2 more , Hu C, Duan X
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42363124 · Full text
Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an enzyme capable of degrading hyaluronic acid (HA). In anti-tumor therapy, HAase can enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs by regulating the tumor microenvironment and overcoming drug delive...
Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an enzyme capable of degrading hyaluronic acid (HA). In anti-tumor therapy, HAase can enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs by regulating the tumor microenvironment and overcoming drug delivery barriers, and it can also be used directly to inhibit tumor growth. In this study, we identified a previously uncharacterized HAase (Ph-HAase) from Pedobacter heparinus. After purification, the enzyme was obtained with a 43.08% recovery, a 47.5-fold purification, and a specific activity of 32.32 IU/mg. SDS-PAGE and LC-MS analyses revealed that the molecular weight of Ph-HAase was 79.6 kDa. Ph-HAase exhibited excellent stability at temperatures below 30 °C and within the pH range of 6.5 to 7.5. The enzyme activity was found to be relatively high at pH 6.5 and 45℃. Although HA served as the preferred substrate, Ph-HAase also exhibited degradative activity toward Chondroitin Sulfate (CS) and Dermatan Sulfate (DS). Notably, we found that Ph-HAase induced apoptosis in melanoma B16F10 cells via the mitochondrial pathway, characterized by loss of membrane potential and ROS accumulation, and affected the expression of apoptosis-related genes and proteins. In vivo studies further confirmed its anti-melanoma effect. This study is the first to report HAase derived from P. heparinus and to demonstrate its potential for melanoma treatment.
Prehabilitation in cancer care: an evolving field.
Gaffney C, Gorzelitz J, Reeves J … +1 more , Steffens D
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42363120 · Full text
Cancer treatment imposes significant physiological and psychological demands on patients whose reserves are already under strain. Prehabilitation, the systematic optimisation of physical, nutritional, and psychological c...
Cancer treatment imposes significant physiological and psychological demands on patients whose reserves are already under strain. Prehabilitation, the systematic optimisation of physical, nutritional, and psychological condition prior to cancer treatment, has emerged as a promising strategy to build reserve and accelerate recovery. Yet critical questions remain around patient selection, optimal dose and delivery, and equitable implementation. In this editorial, we outline the current state of evidence, key challenges, and emerging priorities, and invite contributions to BMC Cancer's "Prehabilitation in Cancer Care" Special Collection.
Epidemiology of pre-cancerous cervical lesions among women in Adama, Ethiopia.
Lema TF
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42363111 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Cervical pre-cancer is a distinct change in the epithelial cells of the transformation zone of the cervix; the cells begin developing in an abnormal fashion in the presence of persistent or long-term high-ris...
BACKGROUND: Cervical pre-cancer is a distinct change in the epithelial cells of the transformation zone of the cervix; the cells begin developing in an abnormal fashion in the presence of persistent or long-term high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus infection. It is estimated that out of women infected with human papillomavirus, 10% will develop pre-cancerous changes in their cervical tissue. About 8% of the women who develop these changes will develop pre-cancer limited to the outer layers of the cervical cells, and about 1.6% will develop invasive cancer. The main purpose of the study was to determine the epidemiology of pre-cancerous cervical lesions among women in Adama, Ethiopia. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out from April to May 2023. Interviewer administered, structured questionnaire was employed, and visual inspection with acetic acid applied for screening of the cervix. Systematic sampling technique was used to collect data from 383 participants. Data was entered into Epi Info version 7, and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 26. Binary logistic regression for bivariate and multivariable analyses with adjusted odds ratios and 95% CIs were used to identify factors associated with the development of pre-cancerous cervical lesions. The level of significance of association was determined as a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of pre-cancerous cervical lesions was 12.5% (95% CI: 9.17%, 15.83%). Post-coital bleeding (AOR = 25.34: 95% CI: 6.22, 103.20), age at first sex (AOR = 3.96: 95% CI: 1.24, 12.69), lifetime sexual partner (AOR = 8.37: 95% CI: 1.00, 70.14) and HIV sero-status (AOR = 10.96: 95% CI: 2.25, 53.37) were identified as independent factors significantly associated with the development of pre-cancerous cervical lesions. CONCLUSIONS: There was high prevalence of pre-cancerous cervical lesions among participants compared to a study finding obtained in North Ethiopia [18]. Conduct health education to the public on avoidance of identified cervical cancer risk factors. Multiple factors (post-coital bleeding, age at first sex, lifetime sexual partner and HIV sero-status) were identified as independent factors significantly associated with the development of pre-cancerous cervical lesions. Awareness creation campaigns and educational programs about the prevention of pre-cancerous cervical lesions and associated risk factors need to be implemented in the community.
Prognostic significance of pretreatment pan-immune inflammation value in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy.
Cai Y, Wei N, Zhang J … +4 more , Lin R, Teng C, Yao Q, Lin Z
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42363078 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The pan-immune inflammation value (PIV) reflects the balance between host immune and inflammatory status and is a commonly used indicator for evaluating cancer prognosis. However, to date, no studies have con...
BACKGROUND: The pan-immune inflammation value (PIV) reflects the balance between host immune and inflammatory status and is a commonly used indicator for evaluating cancer prognosis. However, to date, no studies have confirmed the prognostic value of pretreatment PIV in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). METHODS: The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal cutoff value of the PIV for predicting prognosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify independent prognostic factors. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) curve analysis was used to investigate the relationship between PIV and prognosis. A visual analysis was conducted using the SHAP method. Combined with TNM staging, a comprehensive risk stratification model was constructed through recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). Finally, the model was evaluated through decision curve analysis (DCA) and ROC curve. RESULTS: A total of 696 patients were included. The level of PIV before treatment was significantly correlated with a larger primary tumor burden. RCS analysis revealed a non-linear relationship between PIV and survival outcomes. Both univariate and multivariate Cox analyses confirmed that the pre-treatment PIV was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Subgroup analysis showed that in all subgroups except those receiving ≥ 3 cycles of chemotherapy, high PIV was an adverse prognostic factor. Based on PIV and TNM stage, a new risk stratification model was constructed through RPA, which classified patients into three risk groups with significantly different OS and PFS. Compared with the traditional TNM stage, this RPA model showed significantly better predictive performance. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment PIV is an independent prognostic biomarker in locally advanced ESCC patients undergoing dCRT. The novel RPA model integrating PIV with TNM staging outperforms traditional staging, offering a refined "anatomical-biological" risk stratification tool to guide personalized treatment.
Distribution and rate of lymph node metastasis following neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.
Qiu J, Yue H, Wang S … +3 more , Li K, Peng A, Xu X
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42351059 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NCIT) has emerged as a standard care for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the pattern of lymph node metastasis (LNM) following this treatment remains poo...
BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NCIT) has emerged as a standard care for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the pattern of lymph node metastasis (LNM) following this treatment remains poorly characterized. This study aimed to elucidate the distribution and rate of LNM after NCIT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 394 NSCLC patients who received NCIT followed by R0 resection at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between 2019 and 2022. Pathological data were evaluated to determine LNM distribution and rate, with subgroup analyses performed based on tumor location and histology. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of nodal downstaging. Kaplan-Meier analyses evaluated survival outcomes based on the extent of lymphadenectomy. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed to identify independent prognostic factors associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Among the 394 patients, predominant LNM stations were 13R (9.4%), 7 (9.4%), 13L (5.8%), 2R (5.6%), 4R (5.3%), and 10R (5.1%). N1 metastasis rates were generally higher across all lobes, especially at station 13. Notably, right lower lobe tumors exhibited high metastasis rates to the superior mediastinum. Survival analysis demonstrated a trend toward more favorable DFS among patients receiving systematic lymph node dissection (SLND) compared with those undergoing non-SLND (P = 0.182). Similarly, patients with ≥ 6 dissected lymph node stations showed a trend toward more favorable DFS compared with those with < 6 dissected lymph node stations (P = 0.100); however, neither association reached statistical significance. Furthermore, multivariable Cox regression identified non-adenocarcinoma histological types (squamous cell carcinoma: HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.92, P = 0.020; others: HR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70, P = 0.004) as independent predictors of improved DFS. For OS, advanced baseline clinical N stage (cN1 vs. cN0: HR = 8.48, 95% CI: 1.07-66.98, P = 0.043) was confirmed as an independent risk factor for worse survival, whereas non-adenocarcinoma/non-squamous histology (HR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.02-0.95, P = 0.044) served as an independent protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: Post-NCIT lymph node involvement patterns in NSCLC patients varied according to primary tumor location. SLND and the retrieval of ≥ 6 dissected lymph node stations were associated with favorable DFS trends, although these findings were not statistically significant and require further validation.
Bidirectional relationship between the systemic immune-inflammation index and post-autologous stem cell transplantation anemia in multiple myeloma: a retrospective cohort study.
Liu L, Ruan M, Wang M … +4 more , Pu L, Ling Z, Bo J, Zhu K
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42351050 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a core consolidation therapy for multiple myeloma (MM). However, post-transplant anemia is a common complication that impairs recovery and prognosis. The systemi...
BACKGROUND: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a core consolidation therapy for multiple myeloma (MM). However, post-transplant anemia is a common complication that impairs recovery and prognosis. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), a convenient indicator of systemic inflammatory burden, is associated with prognosis in various cancers. This study aimed to investigate the bidirectional relationship between pre-ASCT SII and post-ASCT anemia in patients with MM, determine the predictive value of SII for anemia, and explore the effect of baseline anemia on inflammatory levels. METHODS: This single-center retrospective cohort study recruited 200 patients with MM who underwent their first ASCT between January 2020 and December 2025. Patients were divided into high-SII and low-SII groups (n = 100 each) based on the optimal cutoff value, which was determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The primary outcome was the incidence of anemia within 30 days of ASCT. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the independent predictive value of SII for anemia occurrence and recovery time. The relationship between baseline anemia status and SII levels was also analyzed using multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics showed that the high SII group had a significantly higher prevalence of baseline anemia (57.0% vs. 42.0%, P = 0.034). Within 30 days post-transplant, the high SII group had a significantly higher incidence of anemia (64.0% vs. 36.0%, P < 0.001), more severe anemia (moderate-to-severe anemia: 39.0% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.019), and a longer recovery time (median duration: 34.0 days vs. 16.4 days, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that high SII was an independent risk factor for post-transplant anemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.52-5.38, P = 0.001) and was independently associated with delayed anemia recovery (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50-0.85, P = 0.002). Reverse association analysis showed that after adjusting for relevant confounding factors, baseline anemia exhibited a trend toward association with increased log₁₀SII (β = 0.16, P = 0.085), and baseline hemoglobin level was negatively correlated with log₁₀SII (r=-0.22, P = 0.008). Subgroup analysis suggested that the predictive effect of SII on anemia was stronger in patients with ISS stage III and those who developed post-transplant infection (P for interaction < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSION: In patients with MM undergoing ASCT, a high pre-transplant SII is an independent predictor for the occurrence, severity, and delayed recovery of post-ASCT anemia. Baseline anemia status was associated with increased inflammatory burden. This suggests a potential bidirectional association between inflammation and anemia. SII is an easily accessible indicator that can be used to identify high-risk patients for anemia, providing new insights for optimizing peri-transplant management. CLINICAL TRAIL NUMBER: not applicable.
Efficacy and tolerability of CDK 4/6 inhibitors in HR-positive HER2-negative de novo metastatic breast cancer patients aged ≥ 70 years.
Atci MM, Erciyestepe M, Erturk K
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42351034 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend endocrine therapy with CDK 4/6 inhibitors as the first and most strongly evidenced treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, u...
BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend endocrine therapy with CDK 4/6 inhibitors as the first and most strongly evidenced treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, unless they are experiencing visceral crisis or resistance to endocrine therapy. CDK 4/6 inhibitors can cause hematological and gastrointestinal toxicity. In case of toxicity, drug doses need to be reduced. Sometimes, depending on the degree of toxicity, taking a break or even stopping treatment may be considered. METHODS: All patients included in our study were 70 years of age or older, had de novo metastatic disease, were hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative, and were receiving CDK 4/6 inhibitors as part of their metastatic first-line treatment. Recorded common side effects of CDK 4/6 inhibitors. Survival analyses were conducted on patients who had dose reductions due to these side effects. Additionally, OS and PFS were compared according to the type of CDK 4/6 inhibitor the patients received and the Charlson comorbidity index. Our study was conducted retrospectively and as a single-center study. RESULTS: Median OS was 33.0 months (27.0-38.9). Median OS was statistically significantly better in patients with a Charlson comorbidity index < 10 (patients aged 70-79 years with no comorbidities other than metastatic breast cancer) compared to those with a Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 10 (patients aged 80 and over or with comorbidities other than metastatic breast cancer) (41.5 vs. 15.0 months, p < 0.001). CDK 4/6 inhibitor selection and dose reduction did not significantly affect median OS. Median PFS was 27.0 months (22.5-31.4). Similar to variables affecting OS, PFS was significantly worse in patients with a Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 10 and in patients with more than 3 bone metastases. CONCLUSIONS: A review of the literature reveals that studies on the efficacy and tolerability of CDK 4/6 inhibitors have primarily focused on a limited number of patients aged 70 years or older. The results of these studies, similar to our study, generally indicate that efficacy and survival are similar to those in younger patients, and that dose reductions do not significantly impact survival. Furthermore, there are no studies in the literature yet that examine the relationship between the Charlson comorbidity index and survival in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities who are receiving CDK 4/6 inhibitors.
Attitudes and dilemmas facing fertility preservation decision-making by oncology patients from the perspective of healthcare professionals: a qualitative study.
Deng Q, Lazhen W, Qian S … +5 more , Zhou Y, Li Y, Chen J, Ren Q, Tan H
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42351016 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Fertility protection aims to prevent irreversible damage to fertility. The current study explored attitudes and dilemmas facing healthcare professionals treating oncology patients with the aim of producing em...
BACKGROUND: Fertility protection aims to prevent irreversible damage to fertility. The current study explored attitudes and dilemmas facing healthcare professionals treating oncology patients with the aim of producing empirical evidence to aid decision-making on fertility preservation. METHODS: Fifteen healthcare workers in oncology-related departments of three tertiary general hospitals in Hunan Province were enrolled by purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews conducted. Themes were extracted, analyzed and summarized using NVivo 12.0 software. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (1) decision-making perceptions and attitudes of healthcare professionals; (2) decision-making dilemmas of patients due to psychosocial pressure, information transmission barriers, time pressures and economic burden; (3) dilemmas affecting the implementation of decisions due to the necessity to balance oncology treatment and fertility preservation and lack of decision-support resources. Seven sub-themes were also identified. CONCLUSIONS: The current study found a need among healthcare professional participants to improve their understanding of fertility preservation, indicating significant gaps in their knowledge base. Oncology patients suffer many pressures and difficult choices which the healthcare system fails to support and a supply-side imbalance exists. The quality of fertility care in oncology requires improvement by better informing healthcare professionals, creating decision-making aids and constructing a localized decision support system. CLINICAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.
Habitat model based on CEUS for noninvasive prediction of EGFR mutation status in peripheral NSCLC.
Zeng J, Wei L, Chen H … +5 more , Liang Y, Huang F, Qin T, Gao Y, Liao X
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42351011 · Full text
BACKGROUND: To develop and validate a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-based habitat model for noninvasive prediction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in patients with peripheral non-small ce...
BACKGROUND: To develop and validate a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-based habitat model for noninvasive prediction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in patients with peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: This retrospective study included 187 patients with NSCLC confirmed by histopathology from April 2021 to February 2025. All patients underwent CEUS of the lung before biopsy. Patients for whom complete EGFR gene testing results were available were randomly divided into a training set and a test set at a ratio of 8:2. Habitat imaging was used to differentiate the tumor into distinct regions, and then an unsupervised clustering method was used to extract and analyze habitat features to establish Habitat_Model. The Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was used to improve the interpretability of the model. In addition, Rad_Model based on radiomics features of tumors was constructed. Finally, a combined model was established by combining the habitat features and clinical-radiological indicators with logistic regression analysis. The predictive performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: The areas under the curve (AUCs) of Habitat_Model and Rad_Model were 0.898 and 0.857 in the training set, and 0.784 and 0.649 in the testing set, respectively. Habitat_Model showed excellent performance. Incorporating clinical-radiological indicators via the combined model slightly improved its performance, resulting in AUC values of 0.904 and 0.812 for the training and testing sets, respectively. The calibration curves and DCA exhibited excellent fit for the combined model, while providing great clinical net benefit. CONCLUSIONS: Our habitat model demonstrates a good capacity for predicting EGFR mutation status in peripheral NSCLC, providing valuable noninvasive reference for clinical pathways on targeted therapy.
Pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of fuzuloparib in combination with abiraterone acetate and prednisone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a phase 1 dose escalation and expansion study.
Dai T, Xu Z, Wang H … +9 more , Han W, Zhang D, Tang K, Wang X, Huang J, He C, Zhou X, Zhang D, Yang C
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42351007 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors can potentiate the antitumor effect of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AA-P) in metastatic castration-resistant pr...
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors can potentiate the antitumor effect of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AA-P) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of fuzuloparib, a PARP inhibitor, in combination with AA-P in mCRPC patients who had not received prior novel hormonal agents. METHODS: This was a dose escalation and expansion study. In dose escalation, eligible patients received fuzuloparib at 100 or 150 mg BID for 5 days, followed by fuzuloparib plus AA-P (abiraterone acetate 1000 mg QD, prednisone 5 mg BID) in 28-day treatment cycles. The higher tolerated dose of fuzuloparib was selected for dose expansion. In dose expansion, two treatment groups were planned. The fuzuloparib group received fuzuloparib for 5 days, and the abiraterone group received AA-P for 5 days. Both groups were then treated with the combination therapy. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were enrolled and treated. As of July 12, 2023, the median follow-up time was 23.2 months (range, 3.9-44.3). No obvious drug-drug interaction was observed between 150 mg fuzuloparib and AA-P, and no dose-limiting toxicities were identified. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 36 (92.3%) patients, of which 20 (51.3%) reported grade ≥ 3 TRAEs. At the end of Week 12, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate was 71.8% (95% CI, 55.1-85.0). The median time to PSA progression was 19.4 months (95% CI, 11.3-27.8). Objective response rate was 60% and disease control rate was 90% among patients with evaluable target lesions. The median duration of response was 8.1 months (95% CI, 4.6-31.5), and the median time to radiographic progression was 27.9 months (95% CI, 14.0-not reached). Time to disease progression was generally longer in patients with homologous recombination repair gene mutations, including those with BRCA mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Fuzuloparib plus AA-P had an acceptable safety profile and showed promising efficacy among mCRPC patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04108247 (Registered on September 26, 2019).
Metformin inhibits small intestinal neuroendocrine tumor growth in vivo.
Axling F, Backman S, Hellman P … +3 more , Norlén O, Barazeghi E, Stålberg P
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42350991 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) are slow-growing but highly metastatic, with most patients presenting metastases at diagnosis. Radical surgery remains the only potential curative option when...
BACKGROUND: Small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) are slow-growing but highly metastatic, with most patients presenting metastases at diagnosis. Radical surgery remains the only potential curative option when feasible. Consequently, there is a critical need for novel therapeutic strategies that can limit tumor progression and enable more personalized treatment approaches in combination with current clinical practices. In this study, we evaluated the impact of metformin on SI-NET cell growth in vivo, characterized the associated microRNA expression profile, and identified potential driver genes modulated by metformin treatment. METHODS: A total of 22 SI-NET xenograft mouse models were established using CNDT2.5 and GOT1 cells. Mice were treated with metformin (2.56 mg/mL in drinking water) or water as control for 4 weeks. To explore the molecular impact of metformin, both small-RNA and total-RNA sequencing were performed on the dissected xenograft tumors. Proliferation and apoptosis were further evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In vivo treatment of SI-NET cells with metformin led to a reduction in tumor size in both CNDT2.5 and GOT1 xenograft models. Our sequencing analyses identified seven altered microRNAs and 1,776 differentially expressed genes in metformin-treated tumors compared to controls. To uncover potential driver genes in SI-NETs affected by metformin, we compared the differentially expressed genes from GOT1 xenograft model with those identified by comparing single-cell RNA profile of enterochromaffin cells to SI-NETs. This novel approach revealed a set of significantly regulated genes, including those involved in tumor proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis, as well as genes related to voltage-gated calcium channels and signal transduction. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel findings support further investigation of metformin as a potential therapeutic agent in clinical trials for SI-NET patients, and suggest that identified miRNAs should be assessed as potential predictive biomarkers for metformin treatment. This study highlights novel candidate driver genes affected by metformin, which are associated with key cellular processes and enterochromaffin cell's function, offering insights into the underlying mechanisms in SI-NETs.
Podocalyxin may be down-regulated by progesterone in high grade serous ovarian cancer spheroids to increase responsiveness to carboplatin and NK cells.
Le Tran N, Wang Y, Quinn KM … +3 more , Bilandzic M, Stephens A, Nie G
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343334 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy with limited therapeutic options. We have previously reported that the transmembrane protein podocalyxin (PODXL) promotes survival of high grade ser...
BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy with limited therapeutic options. We have previously reported that the transmembrane protein podocalyxin (PODXL) promotes survival of high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) spheroids against chemotherapy agent carboplatin and NK cell cytotoxicity, and that silencing PODXL by gene editing significantly sensitizes HGSC cells to these treatments. Progesterone, a widely used hormone, has been reported to down-regulate PODXL in endometrial epithelial cells. METHODS: In this current study, we investigated whether progesterone could also lower PODXL in HGSC spheroids to sensitize them to carboplatin and NK cells. Kuramochi cells, a high PODXL expressing HGSC model, was first used to examine the effect of progesterone on PODXL expression. Cells were treated with progesterone or a vehicle control and PODXL levels were assessed. Kuramochi spheroids were then generated from pre-treated cells and exposed to carboplatin to evaluate changes in chemotherapy sensitivity. To assess immune susceptibility, spheroids were co-cultured with primary human NK cells isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and the effects were examined following 24, 48, and 72 h of co-culture. Additionally, primary HGSC cells were treated with progesterone to assess its ability to modulate PODXL expression in patient-derived samples. RESULTS: Progesterone pre-treatment significantly reduced PODXL expression in Kuramochi spheroids resulting in increased sensitivity to carboplatin and increased NK cell infiltration and cytotoxicity. Furthermore, progesterone showed potential to reduce PODXL expression in ascites-derived primary HGSC cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that further studies should explore the utility of progesterone-mediated down-regulation of PODXL in HGSC cancer to increase responsiveness to chemotherapy and NK cells.
Reduction of cancer cell quantity and viability in autologous blood salvaged from patients with liver cancer: efficacy of intraoperative cell salvage coupled with leukocyte depletion filtration.
Wang J, Li Z, Cheng Y … +6 more , You L, Cheng Z, Wu M, Sun Y, Chen L, Guo J
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343303 · Full text
OBJECTIVE: This in vitro study aims to evaluate the effects of intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) combined with leukocyte depletion filtration (LDF) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell number and viability in salvaged...
OBJECTIVE: This in vitro study aims to evaluate the effects of intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) combined with leukocyte depletion filtration (LDF) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell number and viability in salvaged autologous blood from patients undergoing liver cancer surgery. METHODS: Twenty patients undergoing open radical resection for primary liver cancer with ICS were enrolled in the study.Blood samples of 20 ml each were procured at three distinct stages: from the surgical field(S1),post ICS treatment(S2),and post ICS treatment combined with leukocyte depletion filter(LDF) filtration(S3).Within these 20-ml blood samples,10 ml underwent cancer cell enrichment procedures, followed by identification and enumeration of cancer cells using immunofluorescence staining.The remaining 10 ml of blood samples were cultured for a duration of three weeks, with subsequent assessment of cell viability using immunofluorescence techniques subsequent to enrichment procedures. RESULTS: HCC cells were identified in samples obtained from S1(19/20),S2(18/20),and S3 (16/20) without a significant difference in the detection rate(P > 0.05).However, a significant reduction in HCC cells count was observed in samples from S2 and S3 when compared to S1(P < 0.05). Notably, no statistically significant differences were noted between HCC cells counts in samples from S2 and S3(P > 0.05). Following three weeks of culture, optical microscopy revealed the presence of liver cancer cell clusters exclusively in S1 samples, while such clusters were absent in samples from S2 and S3. Further examination under fluorescence microscopy indicated the presence of epithelial-mesenchymal hybrid-type HCC cells(S1: 400, S2: 14) and mesenchymal-type HCC cells(S1: 100, S2: 21) in both S1 and S2 samples, whereas no HCC cells were detected in S3 samples.Specifically, HCC cells in S1 samples manifested as liver cancer cell clusters, whereas such clusters were notably absent in samples from S2 and S3. CONCLUSION: Following treatment with ICS alone or in combination with LDF (ICS-LDF), both the number and viability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in salvaged autologous blood were markedly decreased, with no cell cluster formation, which lowered the risk of salvaging cancer cells to some extent. Nevertheless, LDF failed to completely remove HCC cells from all samples, and its filtration efficiency may be compromised when the HCC cell number exceeds a certain threshold.
Therapeutic outcomes of PD-1 blockade-related regimens versus docetaxel in previously immunotherapy-treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective, exploratory study.
Huang TT, Wang XY, Li Q … +1 more , Song PF
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343297 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment strategy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following progression on initial immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy remained poorly defined. The present s...
BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment strategy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) following progression on initial immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy remained poorly defined. The present study aimed to identify the therapeutic outcomes of PD-1 blockade-based regimens versus docetaxel in previously immunotherapy-treated advanced NSCLC retrospectively. METHODS: Patients with advanced NSCLC who failed prior PD-1/PD-L1 blockades therapy between January 2019 and December 2025 were screened retrospectively. A total of 64 patients who received PD-1 blockade-related regimens (PD-1 blockades plus chemotherapy or PD-1 blockades plus anlotinib) were treated as observation group (OG), while 63 patients who received docetaxel single-agent were deemed as control group (CG). Therapeutic outcomes including objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: ORR of the 64 patients who received PD-1 blockade-based regimens in OG was 26.6% compared with 15.9% of the 63 patients who received docetaxel monotherapy in CG (P = 0.141). DCR was significantly higher in OG at 82.8% compared with 54.0% in CG (P < 0.001). The median DoR of responders in the OG and CG was 7.1 months (95%CI: 2.5-11.7) and 3.1 months (95%CI: 1.9-4.3), respectively (P = 0.056). The median PFS of 64 patients in OG and 63 patients in CG was 6.5 months and 3.3 months, respectively (P = 0.008). Similarly, the median OS was dramatically longer with PD-1 blockade-related regimens versus docetaxel group (median OS: 16.8 vs. 9.5 months, P = 0.013). After adjustment for available prognostic factors including best response to prior ICIs therapy, the treatment effect remained directionally consistent for DCR, PFS and OS, whereas ORR remained statistically non-significant. The adjusted estimates were as follows: ORR, adjusted OR = 1.85, 95%CI: 0.72-4.81, P = 0.209; DCR, adjusted OR = 4.01, 95%CI: 1.56-10.42, P = 0.004; PFS, adjusted HR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.38-0.89, P = 0.011; and OS, adjusted HR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.39-0.93, P = 0.020. TRAEs of any grade occurred in 82.8% of patients receiving PD-1 blockade-related regimens vs. 81.0% of patients receiving docetaxel monotherapy, and grade ≥ 3 TRAEs in OG and CG was 42.2% and 34.9%, respectively. Common TRAEs in both groups included fatigue, nausea/vomiting and hematologic toxicity. CONCLUSION: PD-1 blockade-based regimens were associated with promising disease-control and survival outcomes compared with docetaxel monotherapy with an acceptable safety profile among patients with previously ICIs-treated advanced NSCLC in clinical practice. Given the retrospective, non-randomized and exploratory design, prospective clinical trials are warranted to confirm these findings subsequently.
Integrated analysis of IGHV rearrangements and cytogenetic abnormalities in a large chronic lymphocytic leukemia cohort (CLL-POL1).
Własiuk P, Szelest M, Paziewska M … +27 more , Karczmarczyk A, Czekalska S, Zawada M, Hut M, Przybyszewski O, Soin M, Wojtaszewska M, Pępek M, Kwak A, Pokrywka M, Wójcik P, Leszczyńska A, Bukowicz J, Szyca W, Nowak-Ozimek E, Kowalik A, Borg K, Makuch-Łasica H, Wojtas M, Solarska I, Jaskuła E, Sobczyńska-Konefał A, Paruzel K, Chudy A, Wawrzyniak E, Stokłosa T, Giannopoulos K
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343292 · Full text
The somatic hypermutation (SHM) status of immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region gene (IGHV) is a well-established prognostic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We analyzed clonotypic IGHV-IGHD-IGHJ rearra...
The somatic hypermutation (SHM) status of immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region gene (IGHV) is a well-established prognostic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We analyzed clonotypic IGHV-IGHD-IGHJ rearrangements in 4,251 newly diagnosed CLL patients in Poland (CLL-POL1), representing the largest national cohort to date. In total, 4,328 productive rearrangements were evaluated, of which 93% represented single clonal rearrangements. Additionally, double productive clonal rearrangements were identified in 76 cases (1.8%), of which 27 (35.5%) displayed discordant IGHV SHM status. Stereotyped B-cell receptor subsets were assigned to 10.6% of sequences, predominantly enriched in unmutated CLL (U-CLL) compared to mutated CLL (M-CLL) (72.8% vs. 22%; p < 0.001). High-risk subsets (#1, #2, #5, #6, #59, #99) accounted for over a half of all stereotyped cases and were enriched in patients with TP53 mutation. Most stereotyped subsets showed preferential or exclusive usage of specific IGHV genes. Integration of cytogenetic data revealed a strong enrichment of del(17p), del(11q), and trisomy 12 within U-CLL, whereas M-CLL was characterized by higher frequency of isolated del(13q). In summary, this study highlights distinct IGHV-IGHD-IGHJ pairing preferences and the heterogenous distribution of stereotyped subsets, revealing biologically meaningful associations with TP53 mutation and cytogenetic profiles.
Spiral volumetric modulated arc therapy enhances peak-to-valley dose contrast for 3D-GRID radiotherapy compared to VMAT and tomotherapy.
Weiwei W, Liu Z, Weizhi L … +3 more , Zhenghuan L, Zhitao D, Chuangao W
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343259 · Full text
PURPOSE: Three-dimensional GRID radiotherapy for bulky tumours requires high peak dose while effectively preserving a low-dose intratumoural valley, but this remains challenging with current linac-based techniques. Spira...
PURPOSE: Three-dimensional GRID radiotherapy for bulky tumours requires high peak dose while effectively preserving a low-dose intratumoural valley, but this remains challenging with current linac-based techniques. Spiral volumetric modulated arc therapy (sVMAT) is an integrated delivery technique with synchronized longitudinal couch motion and gantry rotation that generates a spiral/helical beam trajectory, combining key advantages of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and helical tomotherapy (TOMO). This study evaluated the dosimetric feasibility of sVMAT for single-fraction 3D-GRID radiotherapy and compared it with conventional VMAT and TOMO. METHODS: Twenty patients with bulky tumours were retrospectively replanned. Cylindrical GRID peak structures with a diameter of 1.0 cm were generated within the GTV using a uniform 0.5-1.0 cm retraction from the GTV boundary and a 1.0 cm clearance from adjacent OARs; cylinders violating these spatial constraints were automatically truncated or excised. A single fraction of 18 Gy was prescribed to the virtual GRID peaks only, while dose to the intervening non-peak GTV valley was minimized as low as reasonably achievable rather than intentionally prescribed. For each patient, three plans were individually generated: VMAT, TOMO and sVMAT. sVMAT plans were created on the NeuRT Aurora platform using DeepPlan with synchronized gantry rotation and bidirectional couch translation. Dosimetric comparisons included gradient index (GI), peak-to-valley dose ratio using two definitions (PVDR=D/D and PVDR=D/D), and OAR sparing. Delivery efficiency was evaluated using monitor units (MU) and beam-on time. RESULTS: sVMAT showed the strongest overall dosimetric performance. sVMAT achieved the steepest dose gradient, with a lower GI than VMAT and TOMO (8.86 ± 2.00 vs. 14.93 ± 5.18 and 15.07 ± 5.97; both p < 0.001). PVDR1 was numerically highest with sVMAT (5.137 ± 2.325), compared with VMAT (4.692 ± 2.213) and TOMO (3.963 ± 2.288). PVDR2 was also highest with sVMAT (2.975 ± 0.470 vs. 2.604 ± 0.464 and 2.575 ± 0.567, respectively). All three techniques met single-fraction OAR constraints without clinically meaningful differences. Both MU and beam-on time for sVMAT were intermediate between VMAT and TOMO, with VMAT showing the lowest values and TOMO the highest; mean beam-on time was 1181 ± 512 s for sVMAT, versus 307 ± 30 s for VMAT and 1896 ± 1224 s for TOMO. CONCLUSION: For cylindrical 3D-GRID radiotherapy, sVMAT provided superior dose confinement and enhanced peak-to-valley dose contrast, while maintaining OAR sparing comparable to VMAT and TOMO. These findings support sVMAT as a promising platform for modern high-contrast 3D-GRID radiotherapy.
Impact of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) adherent tissue in the context of pancreatic head resections- an observational study.
Azizian A, Bernhardt M, Rühlmann F … +6 more , Schild-Suhren S, Crede M, Bösch F, Gärtner D, Ghadimi M, Gaedcke J
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343258 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Resection of the periadventitial neurolymphatic tissue around the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is considered a crucial component of oncologically complete resection in pancreatic head and corpus carcinoma...
BACKGROUND: Resection of the periadventitial neurolymphatic tissue around the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is considered a crucial component of oncologically complete resection in pancreatic head and corpus carcinomas. However, a substantial proportion of patients experience severe postoperative diarrhea due to resection of the splanchnic nerves within the SMA-adjacent tissue. The aim of the present study was to histopathologically analyze the semi-circumferential periadventitial neurolymphatic tissue surrounding the SMA in pancreatic cancer patients for the presence of malignant cells, in order to evaluate its oncological significance and to determine whether its resection may confer a long-term survival benefit. METHODS: A total of 66 patients with resectable malignant tumours of the pancreas treated at the University Medical Centre Göttingen were prospectively enrolled in this exploratory pilot study. The dissected semi-circumferential tissue around the SMA was processed by complete embedding and serial sectioning and analyzed for the presence of malignant cells. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank testing. RESULTS: In 7.6% of all cases (n = 5), malignant cells were found in the tissue adjacent to the SMA (SMA). In all SMA-patients, histopathological workup showed a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In 80% of SMA-patients (n = 4), an R1 resection margin was confirmed. Patient outcomes (overall survival [OS] and cancer-specific survival [CSS]) were primarily determined by R-status. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant SMA-adjacent tissue involvement was identified in 7.6% of resectable pancreatic head tumours and was exclusive to PDAC. R-status appears to be the dominant determinant of survival. These findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and require validation in larger prospective cohorts.
Machine learning-powered audio-omics processing method as an auxiliary diagnostic approach for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
You T, Huan F, Luo Z … +5 more , Ma Y, Liu Z, Wu S, Zhang D, Gong L
BMC Cancer · 2026 Jun · PMID 42343241 · Full text
PURPOSE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is located in the nasopharyngeal mucosa and is a malignant tumour of the head and neck, and approximately 70% of patients have intermediate to advanced disease at the time of initi...
PURPOSE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is located in the nasopharyngeal mucosa and is a malignant tumour of the head and neck, and approximately 70% of patients have intermediate to advanced disease at the time of initial diagnosis. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely correlated with etiology and pathogenesis of NPC, serological detection of EBV antibodies is a common screening method for NPC. However, only approximately 60% of NPC cases are associated with EBV infection. Herein, this work aimed to develop and internally evaluate a machine learning-based acoustic signal processing model as a preliminary non-invasive auxiliary diagnostic approach for advanced NPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, we collected the audio files from 359 advanced NPC patients and 304 healthy controls in our hospital from 2022 to 2025. The machine learning-powered Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Screening (ML-NPCS) system for screening NPC. And the ML-NPCS system is composed of three steps: speech acquisition, acoustic features extraction, and classification decision-making. RESULTS: In the independent test set, ML-NPCS achieved an accuracy of 84.2% (95% CI, 77.1%-89.4%), a sensitivity of 88.9% (95% CI, 79.6%-94.3%), and a specificity of 78.7% (95% CI, 66.9%-87.1%); the independent test set comprised 133 participants (72 patients with advanced NPC and 61 healthy controls). CONCLUSION: The ML-NPCS model demonstrated preliminary potential for distinguishing advanced NPC patients from healthy controls using voice-derived acoustic features. Further prospective evaluation in early-stage disease, symptomatic controls, and external cohorts is required before population-level screening use can be considered.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe