Search Results (11)

In solid tumors, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are one of the most numerous populations and play an important role in the processes of tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Therefore, TAMs are considered promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of tumors, and many attempts have been made to influence these cells as part of antitumor therapy. There are several key principles of action on ТАМs: the inhibition of monocyte/macrophage transition; the destruction of macrophages; the reprogramming of macrophage phenotypes (polarization of M2 macrophages to M1); the stimulation of phagocytic activity of macrophages and CAR-M therapy. Despite the large number of studies in this area, to date, there are no adequate approaches using antitumor therapy based on alterations in TAM functioning that would show high efficacy when administered in a mono-regimen for the treatment of malignant neoplasms. Studies devoted to the evaluation of the efficacy of drugs acting on TAMs are characterized by a small sample and the large heterogeneity of patient groups; in addition, in such studies, chemotherapy or immunotherapy is used, which significantly complicates the evaluation of the effectiveness of the agent acting on TAMs. In this review, we attempted to systematize the evidence on attempts to influence TAMs in malignancies such as lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer, head and neck squamous cell cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas. Full article

Background: It is now recognized that psoriasis plays a key role in the development of several comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Some authors have hypothesized that patients with psoriasis may have an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. The efficacy and safety of biologic drugs are well-documented in clinical trials and in real-life studies. However, there is limited evidence on the safety of the use of biologic treatments in cancer patients with psoriasis, and the use of this therapeutic class in patients with a pre-existing or concomitant malignancy is still debated. Methods: We have conducted a retrospective observational study of a group of oncology patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with biologic therapy at the Dermatology Clinic of the University of Naples Federico II, during the period from 2016 to 2024. We included 20 adult patients; in 15 of them the diagnosis of neoplasm preceded the start of treatment biologic, while four of these patients had been diagnosed with cancer during the course of therapy biologics. Results: The most represented neoplasms in our population were breast carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, and chronic lymphatic leukemia. Anti-IL17 drugs were the most frequently prescribed (47.7%), followed by anti-IL23p19 (36.8%), anti-IL-12/23 (10.5%) and anti-TNF alpha (5.26%). All patients showed improvement of psoriasis after starting the therapy. Conclusions: Our experience supports the effectiveness and safety of biological therapy for psoriasis in patients with a history of cancer or recent onset neoplasia. Full article

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), also known as omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is a natural compound that has demonstrated pharmacological activity against several malignant neoplasms. Available cancer treatments cause side effects, affect healthy cells, reduce the quality of life of patients and may cause resistance to antineoplastics. For these reasons, the search for new therapies is continuous. This narrative review aimed to compile information on in vitro experiments that study the cytotoxic effect of DHA or molecules derived from DHA in tumor and nontumor cells. This was performed to highlight the potential of DHA as a strategy for cancer therapy and to gather information, which will help researchers plan experimental designs and develop research to discover effective therapies against cancer. In addition, studies were presented that demonstrate the dose of DHA that can treat patients with cancer. Thus, a search was conducted for articles on the SCOPUS and Web of Science platforms, published until 2022, that analyzed the action of DHA against breast, lung, colorectal, prostate, stomach and liver cancers. Cytotoxic effects were observed in tumor and nontumor cell lines, and these results varied with the type of cell line studied, drug concentration, incubation time and treatment combination, i.e., with DHA alone, combined with other drugs and with molecules derived from DHA. In patients with cancer, in all analyzed studies, DHA intake was associated with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or proteins to aid chemotherapy, and with this procedure, tumor reduction, chemotherapy tolerance and muscle mass gain were obtained. This work contributes to the community by demonstrating the possible applicability of DHA in the pharmaceutical area of oncological therapies. Full article

Gliomas are the most prevalent primary tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), accounting for over fifty percent of all primary intracranial neoplasms. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent form of malignant glioma and is often incurable. The main distinguishing trait of GBM is the presence of hypoxic regions accompanied by enhanced angiogenesis. 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME) is a well-established antiangiogenic and antiproliferative drug. In current clinical studies, 2-ME, known as Panzem, was examined for breast, ovarian, prostate, and multiple myeloma. The SW1088 grade III glioma cell line was treated with pharmacological and physiological doses of 2-ME. The induction of apoptosis and necrosis, oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest, and mitochondrial membrane potential were established by flow cytometry. Confocal microscopy was used to detect DNA damage. The Western blot technique determined the level of nitric oxide synthase and heat shock proteins. Here, for the first time, 2-ME is shown to induce nitro-oxidative stress with the concomitant modulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the SW1088 grade III glioma cell line. Crucial therapeutic strategies for GMB should address both cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and due to the above, 2-ME seems to be a perfect candidate for GBM therapy. Full article

Currently, medication for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) are mainly based on modulating the hormone and nervous systems. However, side effects often affect patients, and might decrease their commitment to continuing the medication and lower their quality of life. Some studies have indicated that chronic inflammation might be the cause of BPH and PCa. Based on this hypothesis, the effect of phloretin, a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative flavonoid, has been researched since 2010. Results from animal and in-vitro studies, obtained from databases, also indicate that the use of phloretin in treating BPH and PCa is promising. Due to its effect on inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis or anti-apoptosis, reactive oxygen species, anti-oxidant enzymes and oxidative stress, phloretin is worthy of further study in human clinical trials regarding safety and effective dosages. Full article

According to the World Health Organization report, the increasing antibiotic resistance of microorganisms is one of the biggest global health problems. The percentage of bacterial strains showing multidrug resistance (MDR) to commonly used antibiotics is growing rapidly. Therefore, the search for alternative solutions to antibiotic therapy has become critical to combat this phenomenon. It is especially important as frequent and recurring infections can cause cancer. One example of this phenomenon is urinary tract infections that can contribute to the development of human urinary bladder carcinoma. This tumor is one of the most common malignant neoplasms in humans. It occurs almost three times more often in men than in women, and in terms of the number of cases, it is the fifth malignant neoplasm after prostate, lung, colon, and stomach cancer. The risk of developing the disease increases with age. Despite the improvement of its treatment methods, the current outcome in the advanced stages of this tumor is not satisfactory. Hence, there is an urgent need to introduce innovative solutions that will prove effective even in the advanced stage of the disease. In our study, a nanosystem based on ionic silver (Ag⁺) bound to a carrier—Titan yellow (TY) was analyzed. The possibility of binding the thus formed TY-Ag system to Congo red (CR) and albumin (BSA) was determined. TY-Ag binding to CR provides for better nanosystem solubility and enables its targeted intracellular transport and binding to immune complexes. The binding of TY-Ag or CR-TY-Ag to albumin also protects the system against the uncontrolled release of silver ions. It will also allow the delivery of silver in a targeted manner directly to the desired site in the case of intravenous administration of such a system. In this study, the MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) and MBC (Minimum Bactericidal Concentration) values of the TY-Ag or BSA-TY-Ag systems were determined in two reference strains (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). The paper presents nanosystems with a size of about 40–50 nm, with an intense antibacterial effect obtained at concentrations of 0.019 mM. We have also discovered that TY-Ag free or complexed with BSA (with a minimal Ag⁺ dose of 15–20 μM) inhibited cancer cells proliferation. TY-Ag complex diminished migration and effectively inhibited the T24 cell viability and induced apoptosis. On the basis of the obtained results, it has been shown that the presented systems may have anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties at the same time. TY-Ag or BSA-TY-Ag are new potential drugs and may become in future important therapeutic compounds in human urinary bladder carcinoma treatment and/or potent antimicrobial factors as an alternative to antibiotics. Full article

Almost all transcribed human genes undergo alternative RNA splicing, which increases the diversity of the coding and non-coding cellular landscape. The resultant gene products might have distinctly different and, in some cases, even opposite functions. Therefore, the abnormal regulation of alternative splicing plays a crucial role in malignant transformation, development, and progression, a fact supported by the distinct splicing profiles identified in both healthy and tumor cells. Drug resistance, resulting in treatment failure, still remains a major challenge for current cancer therapy. Furthermore, tumor cells often take advantage of aberrant RNA splicing to overcome the toxicity of the administered chemotherapeutic agents. Thus, deciphering the alternative RNA splicing variants in tumor cells would provide opportunities for designing novel therapeutics combating cancer more efficiently. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive outline of the recent findings in alternative splicing in the most common neoplasms, including lung, breast, prostate, head and neck, glioma, colon, and blood malignancies. Molecular mechanisms developed by cancer cells to promote oncogenesis as well as to evade anticancer drug treatment and the subsequent chemotherapy failure are also discussed. Taken together, these findings offer novel opportunities for future studies and the development of targeted therapy for cancer-specific splicing variants. Full article

Metformin (MET), 1,1-dimethylbiguanide hydrochloride, is a biguanide drug used as the first-line medication in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The recent years have brought many observations showing metformin in its new role. The drug, commonly used in the therapy of diabetes, may also find application in the therapy of a vast variety of tumors. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in colon, breast, prostate, pancreatic cancer, leukemia, melanoma, lung and endometrial carcinoma, as well as in gliomas. This is especially important in light of the poor options offered to patients in the case of high-grade gliomas, which include glioblastoma (GBM). A thorough understanding of the mechanism of action of metformin can make it possible to discover new drugs that could be used in neoplasm therapy. Full article

The skeleton is the target tissue for many types of tumors, and, recently, the survival of patients with prostate cancer metastasis has been increased using α-emitting drugs known as targeted α therapies. The use of α-radiopharmaceuticals in medicine was hypothesized at the beginning of the nineteenth century after the observation that α-radionuclides were associated with high cell-killing energy and low tissue penetration in healthy tissues. In the prostate cancer (PC) scenario, current research suggests that this class of radiopharmaceuticals has limited toxicity, and that the mechanism of action does not overlap with pre-existing drugs, allowing us to extend therapeutic armaments and address medical oncology towards personalized and precision medicine. Ongoing studies may extend these benefits also to bone metastases deriving from other neoplasms. The aim of this review is to summarize the current research on targeted α therapies and try to identify the right patient to be treated in the right time in order to integrate in these medications in the every-day clinical practice. Full article

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant neoplasms in men worldwide, and is the fifth cause of cancer-related death. In recent years, a new generation of therapies have been approved for the management of metastatic disease. Moreover, the development of new immunotherapeutic drugs has become a novel frontier for the treatment of several tumor types; to date, numerous studies have investigated their potential activity, including in prostate cancer. In this article, we discuss the role of emerging immunotherapeutic drugs in prostate cancer patients. Full article

Cancer continues to be a leading source of morbidity and mortality worldwide in spite of progress in oncolytic therapies. In addition, the incidence of cancers affecting the breast, kidney, prostate and skin among others continue to rise. Chemotherapeutic drugs are widely used in cancer treatment but have the serious drawback of nonspecific toxicity because these agents target any rapidly dividing cell without discriminating between healthy and malignant cells. In addition, many neoplasms eventually become resistant to conventional chemotherapy due to selection for multidrug-resistant variants. The limitations associated with existing chemotherapeutic drugs have stimulated the search for new oncolytic therapies. Host defense peptides (HDPs) may represent a novel family of oncolytic agents that can avoid the shortcomings of conventional chemotherapy because they exhibit selective cytotoxicity against a broad spectrum of malignant human cells, including multi-drug-resistant neoplastic cells. Oncolytic activity by HDPs is usually via necrosis due to cell membrane lysis, but some HDPs can trigger apoptosis in cancer cells via mitochondrial membrane disruption. In addition, certain HDPs are anti-angiogenic which may inhibit cancer progression. This paper reviews oncolytic HDP studies in order to address the suitability of selected HDPs as oncolytic therapies. Full article