Search Results (12,530)

Background: The involvement of the intratumoral microbiome in prostate cancer progression is becoming increasingly acknowledged. This study analyzed the microbiome of prostate cancer tissues from patients with localized prostate cancer (LPC, stages 1–2) and advanced prostate cancer (APC, stages 3–4) to determine its association with cancer progression. Methods: Paraffin-embedded tissue samples obtained during radical prostatectomy underwent 16S rRNA amplicon-based profiling. Results: The profile of the bacterial communities in LPC and APC differed remarkably. While species diversity remained stable, species richness (as determined by the ACE analysis) was significantly lower in APC, correlating with a decrease in Enhydrobacter (which is more abundant in LPC) and an increase in Lautropia (enriched in APC). The role of Lautropia in the progression of cancer was confirmed by in vitro studies employing cell lines from prostate cancer. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the potential of microbiome-targeted interventions in the management of prostate cancer. Full article

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive type of pancreatic cancer. PDAC is difficult to diagnose due to a lack of symptoms in early stages, resulting in a survival rate of less than 10%. Moreover, often cancerous tissues cannot be surgically resected due to their deep abdomen location. Therefore, early detection is the essential strategy enabling effective PDAC treatment. Over the past few years, the development of nanomaterials for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has expanded and improved imaging quality and diagnostic accuracy. Nanomaterials can be currently designed, manufactured and synthesized with other structures to provide improved diagnosis and advanced therapy. Although MRI equipped with the innovative nanomaterials became a powerful tool for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with various cancers, the detection of PDAC remains challenging. Nevertheless, recent advancements in PDAC theranostics provided progress in the detection and treatment of this challenging type of cancer. Present research in this area is focused on suitable carriers, eliminating delivery barriers, and the development of efficient anti-cancer drugs. Herein we discuss the current applications of iron oxide nanoparticles to the MRI diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Full article

Backgrounds: The incidence of gastrointestinal cancers (GICs), though decreased in recent years, still accounts for 35% of all cancer-related mortality. The proper identification of risk factors, early diagnosis, and therapy optimization represent the three cornerstones of GIC treatment. In four-stage diseases, chemotherapy embodies target therapy that may prolong patients’ expectancy when suitably applied. Patients and Methods: There were 133 (82 (62%) male and 51 (38%) female) consecutive patients with a median age of 70 (64–74) years who underwent palliative treatment due to four-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) between 2022 and 2024. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and applied chemotherapeutic protocols were evaluated regarding the response to applied therapy, resulting in complete or partial tumor regression. The advancement of the tumor was based on computed tomography (CT) performed before and 6 months after the chemotherapy. Results: The multivariable model revealed red cell distribution width (RDW) from peripheral blood analysis (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.65–1.00, p = 0.049) as a possible predictor for systemic treatment response in colorectal cancer. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed a predictive value of male sex and RDW prior to systemic therapy, with an area under the curve of 0.672, yielding a sensitivity of 70.0% and specificity of 58.1%. Conclusions: The results of our analysis point out the possible modulatory impact of RDW on six-month systemic therapy in colorectal terminal cancer management. Further studies are required to confirm the presented results. Full article

Treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), clinical stages II–III, typically involves multimodal treatment options. Over the past decade, the role of radiation therapy as a neoadjuvant treatment for LARC has evolved and is currently a part of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT). Some recently published studies advocate for the omission of radiation therapy entirely, while others report on a non-operative approach that emphasizes the use of higher radiation therapy doses. This review aims to evaluate the latest literature on the current role of radiation therapy in the management of LARC, with a discussion of how to best select the most appropriate treatment protocol based on individual patient and tumor characteristics, comorbidities, and personal needs and preferences. Full article

Oral mucositis (OM) is a severe inflammatory condition of the oral mucosa that is commonly associated with cancer therapies. Traditional treatments typically have limited efficacy and significant side effects, necessitating alternative approaches. Nanobased drug delivery systems (DDSs) present promising solutions, enhancing therapeutic outcomes while minimizing side effects. This review aims to evaluate the use of nanobased DDSs to treat OM. To reach these aims, an extensive literature review was conducted using the following databases: BVS, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search strategy included the keywords “microparticles,” “nanoparticles,” “drug delivery system,” “oral mucositis,” “therapy,” and “treatment,” combined with the Boolean operators “AND” and “OR.” After applying filters for language, relevance, full-text availability, exclusion of review articles, and removal of duplicates, a total of 32 articles were selected for analysis. Of the 32 studies included in this review, 25 employed polymeric micro- or nanosystems for the treatment of OM. Regarding the stage of investigation, 10 studies were conducted in vitro, 16 were conducted in vivo, and 6 corresponded to clinical trials. Compared with conventional drug delivery approaches, most of these studies reported improved therapeutic outcomes. These findings highlight the potential of nanosystems as innovative strategies for enhancing OM treatment. Nonetheless, challenges in large-scale manufacturing, including reproducibility and safety, and the limited number of clinical trials warrant careful consideration. Future research with larger clinical trials is essential to validate these findings and effectively guide clinical practice. Full article

Prostate cancer (PC) remains a leading cause of malignancy in men worldwide, with current diagnostic methods such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and tissue biopsies facing limitations in specificity, invasiveness, and ability to capture tumor heterogeneity. Liquid biopsy, especially analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), has emerged as a transformative tool for non-invasive detection, real-time monitoring, and treatment selection for PC. This review examines the role of ctDNA in both localized and metastatic PCs, focusing on its utility in early detection, risk stratification, therapy selection, and post-treatment monitoring. In localized PC, ctDNA-based biomarkers, including ctDNA fraction, methylation patterns, fragmentation profiles, and mutations, demonstrate promise in improving diagnostic accuracy and predicting disease recurrence. For metastatic PC, ctDNA analysis provides insights into tumor burden, genomic alterations, and resistance mechanisms, enabling immediate assessment of treatment response and guiding therapeutic decisions. Despite challenges such as the low ctDNA abundance in early-stage disease and the need for standardized protocols, advances in sequencing technologies and multimodal approaches enhance the clinical applicability of ctDNA. Integrating ctDNA with imaging and traditional biomarkers offers a pathway to precision oncology, ultimately improving outcomes. This review underscores the potential of ctDNA to redefine PC management while addressing current limitations and future directions for research and clinical implementation. Full article

Liquid biopsy has emerged as a valuable tool for the detection and monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC), providing minimally invasive insights into tumor biology through circulating biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Additional biomarkers, including tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) and exosomal RNAs, offer further potential for early detection and prognostic role, although ongoing clinical validation is still needed. This review summarizes the current evidence on the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive capabilities of liquid biopsy in both metastatic and non-metastatic CRC. In the non-metastatic setting, liquid biopsy is gaining traction in early detection through screening and in identifying minimal residual disease (MRD), potentially guiding adjuvant treatment and reducing overtreatment. In contrast, liquid biopsy is more established in metastatic CRC for monitoring treatment responses, clonal evolution, and mechanisms of resistance. The integration of ctDNA-guided treatment algorithms into clinical practice could optimize therapeutic strategies and minimize unnecessary interventions. Despite promising advances, challenges remain in assay standardization, early-stage sensitivity, and the integration of multi-omic data for comprehensive tumor profiling. Future efforts should focus on enhancing the sensitivity of liquid biopsy platforms, validating emerging biomarkers, and expanding multi-omic approaches to support more targeted and personalized treatment strategies across CRC stages. Full article

Background: Mediastinal staging plays a critical role in guiding treatment decisions for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While mediastinoscopy has been the gold standard for assessing mediastinal lymph node involvement, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative with comparable diagnostic accuracy. This systematic review evaluates the diagnostic performance, safety, cost-effectiveness, and feasibility of EBUS-TBNA versus mediastinoscopy for mediastinal staging. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, including searches in Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for studies published from 2010 onwards. A total of 1542 studies were identified, and after removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, 100 studies were included for detailed analysis. The extracted data focused on sensitivity, specificity, complications, economic impact, and patient outcomes. Results: EBUS-TBNA demonstrated high sensitivity (85–94%) and specificity (~100%), making it an effective first-line modality for NSCLC staging. Mediastinoscopy remained highly specific (~100%) but exhibited slightly lower sensitivity (86–90%). EBUS-TBNA had a lower complication rate (~2%) and was more cost-effective, while mediastinoscopy provided larger biopsy samples, essential for molecular and histological analyses. The need for general anaesthesia, longer hospital stays, and increased procedural costs make mediastinoscopy less favourable as an initial approach. Combining both techniques in select cases enhanced overall staging accuracy, reducing false negatives and improving diagnostic confidence. Conclusions: EBUS-TBNA has become the preferred first-line mediastinal staging method due to its minimally invasive approach, high diagnostic accuracy, and lower cost. However, mediastinoscopy remains crucial in cases requiring posterior mediastinal node assessment or larger tissue samples. The integration of both techniques in a stepwise diagnostic strategy offers the highest accuracy while minimizing risks and costs. Given the lower hospitalization rates and economic benefits associated with EBUS-TBNA, its widespread adoption may contribute to more efficient resource utilization in healthcare systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: Aberrant expression of high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) has been linked to cancer development and progression. Methods: To better comprehend the role of HMGB1 expression in cancer, a tissue microarray containing 14,966 samples from 134 different tumor entities and 608 samples of 76 different normal tissue types was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Strong HMGB1 staining occurred in almost all normal cell types and in most cancers. Of 11,808 evaluable cancers, only 7.8% showed complete absence of HMGB1 staining (HMGB1 deficiency) while 9.9% showed 1+, 25.0% showed 2+, and 57.2% showed 3+ HMGB1 positivity. Absence of HMGB1 staining mostly occurred in pheochromocytoma (90.0%), seminoma (72.4%), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (28.6%), adrenal cortical carcinoma (25.0%), and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (25.0%). Low HMGB1 staining was linked to poor histologic grade (p < 0.0001), advanced pT stage (p < 0.0001), high UICC stage (p < 0.0001), and distant metastasis (p = 0.0413) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, invasive tumor growth in urothelial carcinoma (pTa vs. pT2–4, p < 0.0001), mismatch repair deficiency (p = 0.0167) in colorectal cancers, and advanced pT stage in invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (p = 0.0038). Strong HMGB1 staining was linked to nodal metastases in high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (p = 0.0213) and colorectal adenocarcinomas (p = 0.0137), as well as to poor histological grade in squamous cell carcinomas (p = 0.0010). Conclusions: HMGB1 deficiency and reduced HMGB1 expression occur in a broad range of different tumor entities. Low rather than strong HMGB1 staining is often linked to an aggressive tumor phenotype. Whether HMGB1 deficiency renders cells susceptible to specific drugs remains to be determined. Full article

Gastric adenocarcinoma is a malignant tumor that develops from the glandular cells of the inner wall of the stomach. The prevalence of this type of disease varies from 90 to 95% of all types of gastric cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate the differences in the content of cytokines and oxidative stress markers in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma associated with H. pylori infection depending on the stage. The study included 281 patients with gastric cancer. At stage I of the disease—75 people, stage II—70 people, stage III—69 people, and stage IV of the disease—67 people. The levels of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-8, IFNγ, TNF-β, IL-17A, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4 in the blood serum of patients and healthy individuals were determined by enzyme immunoassay and plasma oxidative stress scores (MDA, SOD, CAT, GST, GPO, CP). The present study revealed that H. pylori-infected gastric adenocarcinoma at different stages is associated with different plasma levels of cytokines, lipid peroxidation products, and antioxidant defense factors. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies combining cytokine regulation and oxidative stress to improve clinical outcomes in gastric cancer. Full article

Background/Objectives: The TOPAZ-1 phase III trial reported a survival benefit of using durvalumab, an anti-programmed death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) antibody, in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GCD) treatment in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. This retrospective study investigated the efficacy and safety of GCD treatment for advanced biliary tract cancer in real-world conditions. Methods: The study subjects were 52 patients with biliary tract cancer who received GCD therapy between January 2023 and May 2024. The observation parameters included the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events. Results: The cohort included 36 men and 16 women, with a median age of 73.0 years. There were 36 cases of cholangiocarcinoma (distal: 10, perihilar: 19, intrahepatic: 7), 13 cases of gallbladder cancer, and 3 cases of ampullary carcinoma. The stages were locally advanced in 30 cases and metastatic in 22 cases. Biliary drainage was performed in 30 cases. There were 38 cases receiving first-line therapy and 14 cases receiving second-line or later treatments. The median values at the start of GCD therapy were ALB 3.7 g/dL, CRP 0.39 mg/dL, NLR 2.4, PLR 162.5, CEA 4.8 ng/mL, and CA19-9 255.9 U/mL. The mGPS distribution was 0:23 cases, 1:18 cases, and 2:11 cases. The treatment outcomes were ORR 25.0% (CR 2 cases, PR 11 cases), DCR 78.8% (SD 28 cases, PD 10 cases, NE 1 case), median PFS 8.6 months, and median OS 13.9 months. The PLR was suggested to be useful for predicting PFS. A decrease in CEA at six weeks after the start of treatment was a significant predictor of PFS and OS. Gallbladder cancer had a significantly poorer prognosis compared to other cancers. The immune-related adverse events included hypothyroidism in two cases, cholangitis in one case, and colitis in one case. Conclusions: The ORR, DCR, and PFS were comparable to those in the TOPAZ-1 trial. Although limited by its retrospective design and small sample size, this study suggests that GCD therapy is an effective treatment regimen for unresectable biliary tract cancer in real-world clinical practice. Full article

Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most common and deadliest types of cancer, with a poor prognosis primarily due to late-stage detection and the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). This study investigates the mechanisms regulating extracellular adenosine levels in gastric cancer stem-like cells (GCSCs) derived from the MKN-74 cell line. Our results show that GCSCs release more ATP into the extracellular medium and exhibit higher levels of CD39 expression, which enables them to hydrolyze a greater amount of ATP. Furthermore, we also found that GCSCs possess a greater capacity to hydrolyze AMP, primarily due to the activity of the CD73 protein, with no significant changes in CD73 transcripts and protein levels between GCSCs and differentiated cells. Additionally, adenosine transport is primarily mediated by members of the equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT) family in GCSCs, where a significant increase in the expression level of the ENT2 protein is observed compared to non-GCSCs MKN-74 cells. These findings suggest that targeting the adenosine metabolism pathway in GCSCs could be a potential therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer. Full article

The classification of cancer based on gene expression profiles is a central challenge in precision oncology due to the high dimensionality and low sample size inherent in microarray datasets. Effective gene selection is crucial for improving classification accuracy while minimizing computational overhead and model complexity. This study introduces Genetic-Embedded Nuclear Reaction Optimization (GNR), a novel hybrid metaheuristic that enhances the conventional Nuclear Reaction Optimization (NRO) algorithm by embedding a genetic uniform crossover mechanism into its fusion phase. The proposed algorithm leverages a two-stage process: an initial F-score filtering step to reduce dimensionality, followed by GNR-driven optimization to identify compact, informative gene subsets. Evaluations were conducted on six widely used microarray cancer datasets, with Support Vector Machines (SVM) employed as classifiers and performance assessed via Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOOCV). Results show that GNR consistently outperforms the original NRO and several benchmark hybrid algorithms, achieving 100% classification accuracy with significantly smaller gene subsets across all datasets. These findings confirm the efficacy of the genetic-embedded fusion strategy in enhancing local exploitation while preserving the global search capabilities of NRO, thereby offering a robust and interpretable approach for gene selection in cancer classification. Full article

Background/Objectives: This single-cohort follow-up study describes the median overall survival (OS) in patients with unresectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) due to invasion of vital structures, which is under-represented in the current literature. Secondarily, subgroups were evaluated according to the type of presentation, in order to identify clinical characteristics and contribute to developing an appropriate treatment plan and managing patient’s expectations. Methods: This single-cohort observational study analysed the OS of 39 patients from the Otolaryngology Department with advanced-stage head and neck cancer with invasion of vital anatomical structures considered ineligible for surgical treatment. Secondarily, subgroups were evaluated according to type of presentation and various clinical characteristics. Results: A total of 39 patients radiologically classified as having unresectable HNSCC (i.e., unsuitable for surgical resection), with a mean age of 66.87 years, were included during a 24-month follow-up. By the end of the study, 56.4% of the patients had died. The median OS was 16.09 months. Statistically significant differences were observed when comparing human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive and -negative status and when comparing initial and recurrent tumours. Conclusions: The invasion of anatomical structures such as the skull base, internal carotid artery, and prevertebral space was associated with a marked decrease in survival, with an OS time of 16 months. This study provides valuable evidence in patients with unresectable HNSCC, highlighting tumour recurrence and HPV-negative status as important indicators of poor prognosis. Full article

Background: Biological aging influences cancer outcomes, but its changes during chemotherapy and impact on chemotoxicity in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain underinvestigated. We examined (1) trajectories of biological aging (using Levine Phenotypic Age) during six months of chemotherapy, (2) sociodemographic and clinical risk factors for biological aging, and (3) links between biological aging and chemotoxicity. Methods: Using data from electronic health records (2013–2019) from 1129 adult CRC patients, we computed biological aging (raw Levine Phenotypic Age and its age acceleration [Levine Phenotypic Age–chronological age]) from routine blood tests (e.g., complete blood counts, hepatorenal/inflammatory markers). Chemotoxicity was identified primarily via International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9 and -10) codes. Results: Chemotherapy accelerated biological aging over time. Biological aging at baseline and changes over time predicted chemotoxicity. However, changes in biological aging over time showed stronger associations than baseline biological aging. Advanced cancer stages, higher comorbidity burden, and socioeconomic disadvantage (especially area-level deprivation) were associated with accelerated biological aging at baseline and over time. Biological aging occurred across both young and older adults. Conclusions: Levine Phenotypic Age, computed from routine blood tests in EHRs, offers a feasible clinical tool for aging-related chemotoxicity risk stratification. Validation in diverse cohorts and the development of predictive models are needed. Full article