Metastatic

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequently found cancer in the world, and it is frequently discovered when it is already far along in its development. About 20% of cases of CRC are metastatic and incurable. There is more and more evidence that colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs), which are in charge of tumor growth, recurrence, and resistance to treatment, are what make CRC so different. Because we know more about stem cell biology, we quickly learned about the molecular processes and possible cross-talk between signaling pathways that affect the balance of cells in the gut and cancer...

BACKGROUND: Prior work documented circadian rhythm impacts on efficacy and toxicity of cancer therapies. METHODS: Secondary analysis of prospective, phase II trial of metastatic HNSCC randomized to nivolumab+/-SBRT. Used cutoffs of 1100 and 1630. Timing classified by first infusion or majority of SBRT (e.g., PM SBRT defined by two or three fractions after 1630). RESULTS: Of 62 patients, there was no significant difference in median PFS between AM nivolumab (n = 7, 175 days), PM nivolumab (n = 21, 58 days), or Mid-Day nivolumab (n = 34, 67 days; p = 0...

Medulloblastomas (MBs) represent the most prevalent malignant solid tumors in kids. The conventional treatment regimen for MBs includes surgical removal of the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. However, this approach is associated with significant morbidity and detrimental side effects. Consequently, there is a critical demand for more precise and less harmful treatments to enhance the quality of life for survivors. CEP-18770, a novel proteasome inhibitor that targets the 20S subunit, has emerged as a promising candidate, due to its anticancer activity in metastatic solid tumors and multiple myeloma, coupled with an acceptable safety profile...

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains a deadly disease due to a lack of efficacious treatments. The reprogramming of cancer metabolism toward elevated glycolysis is a hallmark of mCRPC. Our goal is to identify therapeutics specifically associated with high glycolysis. Here, we established a computational framework to identify new pharmacological agents for mCRPC with heightened glycolysis activity under a tumor microenvironment, followed by in vitro validation. First, using our established computational tool, OncoPredict, we imputed the likelihood of drug responses to approximately 1900 agents in each mCRPC tumor from two large clinical patient cohorts...

BACKGROUND: Arterial hypertension is regarded as a possible biomarker of treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer. Also, extended anti-angiogenic use in the metastatic treatment of the colorectal neoplasm may result in elevated blood pressure. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the clinical outcome of colorectal cancer patients with concomitant hypertension (HTN). METHODS: We conducted a systematic search on Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed (Medline), the Cochrane Library, and CINAHL from inception until October 2023 for articles that addressed the relationship between HTN and progressive free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and overall response rate (ORR) for the first and second line of systemic therapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer...

BACKGROUND: Although metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) treatments have evolved, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains a widely used regimen. Therefore, this study sought patients who did not progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) but received ADT monotherapy and factors affecting overall survival (OS) in de novo mHSPC. METHODS: De novo mHSPC patients who received ADT treatment were included. ADT included luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists with or without anti-androgen...

The article discusses the importance of accurately distinguishing HER2-low from HER2-negative breast cancer, as novel ADCs have demonstrated activity in a large population of patients with HER2-low-expressing BC. While current guidelines recommend a dichotomous classification of HER2 as either positive or negative, the emergence of the HER2-low concept calls for standardization of HER2 testing in breast cancer, using currently available assays to better discriminate HER2 levels. This review covers the evolution and latest updates of the ASCO/CAP guidelines relevant to this important biomarker in breast cancer, including still-evolving concepts such as HER2 low, HER2 heterogeneity, and HER2 evolution...

Background and Objectives : The ki67 nuclear protein is a tool for diagnosis and prognosis in oncology that is used to evaluate cell proliferation. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma is usually a slow-growing neoplasm, the most common type being the papillary form. Some clinical and pathological aspects may predict aggressive behaviour. There are reported cases of recurrence without clinico-pathological findings of aggressiveness. To obtain better predictions of the disease outcome in thyroid carcinoma, many immunohistochemical markers have been studied...

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer is increasing. Their side effects are mainly due to the triggering of autoimmunity, which are mild or moderate and include skin rash, colitis, hepatitis, endocrine disorders, myositis, interstitial lung disorder, etc., in most cases during the course of therapy. Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is rare in cancer patients treated with ICIs. Fifty patients with ICI-related encephalitis were identified in a recent review. Herein, we report a case of pembrolizumab associated with AE with a favorable short-term prognosis...

Metastatic colorectal cancer requires a multidisciplinary and individualized approach. Herein, we reported the case of a young woman diagnosed with metastatic rectal cancer who received an individualized multimodal treatment strategy that resulted in a remarkable survival. There were several particular aspects of this case, such as the early onset of the disease, the successful use of conversion therapy, the application of liquid biopsy to guide treatment, and the specific nature of the bone metastasis. To offer more insights for navigating such challenges in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, we have conducted a literature review to find more data related to the particularities of this case...

Most of the annual 10 million cancer-related deaths are caused by metastatic disease. Survival rates for cancer are strongly dependent on the type of cancer and its stage at detection. Early detection remains a challenge due to the lack of reliable biomarkers and cost-efficient screening methods. Phage biosensors can offer a solution for early detection using non-invasive liquid biopsies. Here, we report the first results of the bifunctional phage biosensor to detect metastatic urological cancers from urine...

Background: Primary spinal cord diffuse gliomas (SpDG) are rare tumors that may harbor, like diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), H3K27M mutations. According to the WHO (2021), SpDGs are included in diffuse midline H3K27-altered gliomas, which occur more frequently in adults and show unusual clinical presentation, neuroradiological features, and clinical behavior, which differ from H3 G34-mutant diffuse hemispheric glioma. Currently, homogeneous adult-only case series of SpDG, with complete data and adequate follow-up, are still lacking...

Giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCTST) is a locally aggressive mesenchymal neoplasm of intermediate malignancy that predominantly occurs in the superficial soft tissue of the extremities. It is histologically similar to a giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB) and shows a mixture of round to oval mononuclear cells and osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells. Currently, immunohistochemistry plays a very limited role in the diagnosis of GCTST. Primary or secondary malignant GCTST has recently been described and tumors exhibiting high-grade histological features demonstrate higher rates of distant metastasis...

The benefits of denosumab as an antiresorptive therapy and in reducing fragility fractures are well documented. However, its association with atypical femur fractures (AFFs), especially in the absence of prior bisphosphonate use, remains poorly understood and warrants further investigation. This case report presents a rare instance of bilateral AFFs in a 78-year-old bisphosphonate-naïve patient with a history of long-term denosumab therapy for previous metastatic breast cancer. Management involved intramedullary nail fixation after initial presentation with a unilateral AFF and a recommendation to cease denosumab therapy...

Background : The objective of this study was to investigate factors influencing Gallium 68 Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography (Ga68 PSMA PET-CT) uptake for primary staging in prostate cancer. Methods : Retrospective analysis was conducted on 499 non-metastatic and 243 de novo metastatic prostate cancer cases undergoing Ga68 PSMA PET-CT. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data were collected and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression determined independent risk factors for metastasis detection on Ga68 PSMA PET-CT...

Keratin-positive giant cell-rich tumor (KPGCT) is an extremely rare and recently described mesenchymal neoplasm that occurs in both soft tissue and bone, frequently found in young women. It has locally recurrent potential if incompletely excised but low risk for metastasis. KPGCT is histologically similar to conventional giant cell tumors of soft tissue but shows the presence of keratin-positive mononuclear cells. Interestingly, KPGCT also shares some morphological features with xanthogranulomatous epithelial tumors...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer deaths among American men. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been systemically applied as a first-line therapy for PCa patients. Despite the initial responses, the majority of patients under ADT eventually experienced tumor progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), further leading to tumor metastasis to distant organs. Therefore, identifying the key molecular mechanisms underlying PCa progression remains crucial for the development of novel therapies for metastatic PCa...

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal carcinomatosis is one of deadliest metastatic patterns of gastric cancer, being associated with a median overall survival (OS) of 4 months. Up to now, palliative systemic chemotherapy (pSC) has been the only recommended treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate a potential survival benefit after CRS + HIPEC compared to pSC. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines in March 2024. Manuscripts reporting patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer treated with CRS + HIPEC were included...

Radiation-associated sarcomas (RASs) are rare tumors with limited contemporary data to inform prognostication and management. We sought to identify the clinical presentation, patterns of care, and prognostic factors of RASs. RAS patients treated at a single institution from 2015 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed for clinicopathologic variables, treatment strategies, and outcomes. Thirty-eight patients were identified with a median follow-up of 30.5 months. The median age at RAS diagnosis was 68.4 years (27...

This article provides an overview of the use of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in various clinical scenarios of head-neck squamous cell carcinoma, ranging from initial staging to treatment-response assessment, and post-therapy follow-up, with a focus on the current evidence, debated issues, and innovative applications. Methodological aspects and the most frequent pitfalls in head-neck imaging interpretation are described. In the initial work-up, 18 F-FDG PET/CT is recommended in patients with metastatic cervical lymphadenectomy and occult primary tumor; moreover, it is a well-established imaging tool for detecting cervical nodal involvement, distant metastases, and synchronous primary tumors...