Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101061
R.M.G. van Vuren , N. Wolfhagen , R.A.M. Damhuis , S. Kruijff , W.Y. van der Plas , W.H. Schreurs , O.C.J. Schuurbiers , H.J.M. Smit , A.F.T.M. Verhagen , M.W. Wouters , J. Belderbos , D.J. Heineman
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted lung cancer treatment, necessitating shifts in treatment modalities. Guidelines temporarily recommended SBRT as alternative to surgery for early-stage NSCLC.
Materials and Methods
This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit – Radiotherapy (DLCA-R) and Surgery (DLCA-S) registries, including patients with Stage I NSCLC treated between 2018 and 2022. Patients were categorized into historic, pandemic, and post-pandemic cohorts. The primary endpoint was the percentage of surgical and radiotherapy treatments in these cohorts; secondary endpoints included time to treatment, complications, acute toxicity, and mortality.
Results
A total of 15,072 treatment episodes were analyzed. During the pandemic, the percentage of patients with Stage I NSCLC receiving radiotherapy increased significantly from 57 % to 65 %, while the percentage of patients undergoing surgery decreased. The shift towards radiotherapy persisted post-pandemic. Time to treatment and complication rates remained stable, though pulmonary embolism rates increased during the pandemic.
Conclusions
The pandemic led to a significant increase in radiotherapy for Stage I NSCLC, aligning with prevailing ESMO guidelines. However, this shift persisted post-pandemic when surgical capacity was restored. Short-term outcomes were unchanged.
{"title":"Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on treatment patterns for stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Netherlands","authors":"R.M.G. van Vuren , N. Wolfhagen , R.A.M. Damhuis , S. Kruijff , W.Y. van der Plas , W.H. Schreurs , O.C.J. Schuurbiers , H.J.M. Smit , A.F.T.M. Verhagen , M.W. Wouters , J. Belderbos , D.J. Heineman","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101061","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101061","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted lung cancer treatment, necessitating shifts in treatment modalities. Guidelines temporarily recommended SBRT as alternative to surgery for early-stage NSCLC.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit – Radiotherapy (DLCA-R) and Surgery (DLCA-S) registries, including patients with Stage I NSCLC treated between 2018 and 2022. Patients were categorized into historic, pandemic, and post-pandemic cohorts. The primary endpoint was the percentage of surgical and radiotherapy treatments in these cohorts; secondary endpoints included time to treatment, complications, acute toxicity, and mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 15,072 treatment episodes were analyzed. During the pandemic, the percentage of patients with Stage I NSCLC receiving radiotherapy increased significantly from 57 % to 65 %, while the percentage of patients undergoing surgery decreased. The shift towards radiotherapy persisted post-pandemic. Time to treatment and complication rates remained stable, though pulmonary embolism rates increased during the pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The pandemic led to a significant increase in radiotherapy for Stage I NSCLC, aligning with prevailing ESMO guidelines. However, this shift persisted post-pandemic when surgical capacity was restored. Short-term outcomes were unchanged.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101061"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gastrointestinal cancer represents a substantial global health challenge, contributing to over one-third of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The progression of these malignancies involves complex molecular and physiological mechanisms, with Midkine (MDK) emerging as a critical regulator. MDK, a heparin-binding growth factor, exhibits a multifaceted role in tumorigenesis, influencing cell proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance. Elevated MDK expression has been identified in various gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric, esophageal, and colorectal malignancies, underscoring its potential as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. This review examines MDK’s molecular and biological functions in gastrointestinal cancers, emphasizing its clinical utility in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. By exploring the intricate mechanisms of MDK, this study aims to advance the development of novel, personalized therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.
{"title":"The multifaceted role of midkine in gastrointestinal cancer: From biomarker to treatment","authors":"Zahra Rasoulizadeh , Amir Mohammad Nezhad Salari , Arezoo Gowhari Shabgah , Ghasem Sargazi , Roghayyeh Vakili-Ghartavol , Najmeh Mohammadpour , Reza Beheshti Monfared , Jamshid Gholizadeh","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gastrointestinal cancer represents a substantial global health challenge, contributing to over one-third of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The progression of these malignancies involves complex molecular and physiological mechanisms, with Midkine (MDK) emerging as a critical regulator. MDK, a heparin-binding growth factor, exhibits a multifaceted role in tumorigenesis, influencing cell proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance. Elevated MDK expression has been identified in various gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric, esophageal, and colorectal malignancies, underscoring its potential as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. This review examines MDK’s molecular and biological functions in gastrointestinal cancers, emphasizing its clinical utility in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. By exploring the intricate mechanisms of MDK, this study aims to advance the development of novel, personalized therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101058"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735076","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101056
Alexandra C. Preda , Rossitza Krasteva , Mihailo Stjepanović , Krassimir Koynov , Assia Konsoulova , Georgeta P. Iorga , Anghel A. Udrea , Anca Zgura , Tudor-Eliade Ciuleanu , Raluca Patru , Jeliazko Arabadjiev , Ivan Tonev , Zoran Andrić , Goran Stojanović , Mihaela Pasca-Fenesan , Edvina-Elena Pirvu , Bojidar Iliev , Ivan Kazmukov , Angel Petrov , Neda Nikolić , Michael Schenker
Background
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being most common. This study examines how patient and tumor characteristics influences NSCLC treatment in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia, highlighting regional disparities and aiming to improve outcomes.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study of stage IV NSCLC patients in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia analyzed the impact of patient and tumor characteristics on treatment choices, timelines for diagnosis, biomarker testing, and imaging, using regression analyses.
Results
The study included 840 stage IV NSCLC patients (mean age 64.2 years) across Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia, with 280 patients per country. Overall, chemo–immunotherapy (CIT) was most common (38.1 %), followed by immunotherapy (31.2 %). Bulgaria and Romania favored CIT, while Serbia’s options were limited by reimbursement. Factors influencing treatment included programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status and gene mutation profile in Bulgaria, weight loss and appetite in Romania, and smoking status and symptoms in Serbia. Testing and treatment initiation times varied, with Serbia showing the shortest times. PD-L1 status and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance were crucial across all countries. Common symptoms included chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, and general pain, with varying frequencies across countries.
Conclusion
This retrospective three-country real-world cohort shows marked regional differences in first-line treatment and timing for stage IV NSCLC. Beyond clinical factors, health-system elements, reimbursement, biomarker-testing availability/turnaround, and access to chemo-immunotherapy, shape care. Addressing these offers policy-level opportunities to improve equitable, guideline-concordant treatment. Initiated after the most heated phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted without contingency measures, thus study highlights the need for personalized medicine and improved healthcare infrastructure to address disparities in treatment and testing times.
MicroAbstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer worldwide. In this retrospective cohort study we examined how patient and tumor characteristics influences NSCLC treatment in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia, and revealed significant regional differences in baseline characteristics, treatment preferences, and influencing factors for stage IV NSCLC in these countries.
{"title":"Impact of patient and tumor characteristics on various aspects of the non-small cell lung cancer patient journey in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia: A multicenter, non-interventional, retrospective cohort study","authors":"Alexandra C. Preda , Rossitza Krasteva , Mihailo Stjepanović , Krassimir Koynov , Assia Konsoulova , Georgeta P. Iorga , Anghel A. Udrea , Anca Zgura , Tudor-Eliade Ciuleanu , Raluca Patru , Jeliazko Arabadjiev , Ivan Tonev , Zoran Andrić , Goran Stojanović , Mihaela Pasca-Fenesan , Edvina-Elena Pirvu , Bojidar Iliev , Ivan Kazmukov , Angel Petrov , Neda Nikolić , Michael Schenker","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being most common. This study examines how patient and tumor characteristics influences NSCLC treatment in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia, highlighting regional disparities and aiming to improve outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective cohort study of stage IV NSCLC patients in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia analyzed the impact of patient and tumor characteristics on treatment choices, timelines for diagnosis, biomarker testing, and imaging, using regression analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study included 840 stage IV NSCLC patients (mean age 64.2 years) across Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia, with 280 patients per country. Overall, chemo–immunotherapy (CIT) was most common (38.1 %), followed by immunotherapy (31.2 %). Bulgaria and Romania favored CIT, while Serbia’s options were limited by reimbursement. Factors influencing treatment included programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status and gene mutation profile in Bulgaria, weight loss and appetite in Romania, and smoking status and symptoms in Serbia. Testing and treatment initiation times varied, with Serbia showing the shortest times. PD-L1 status and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance were crucial across all countries. Common symptoms included chest pain, cough, shortness of breath, and general pain, with varying frequencies across countries.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This retrospective three-country real-world cohort shows marked regional differences in first-line treatment and timing for stage IV NSCLC. Beyond clinical factors, health-system elements, reimbursement, biomarker-testing availability/turnaround, and access to chemo-immunotherapy, shape care. Addressing these offers policy-level opportunities to improve equitable, guideline-concordant treatment. Initiated after the most heated phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and conducted without contingency measures, thus study highlights the need for personalized medicine and improved healthcare infrastructure to address disparities in treatment and testing times.</div></div><div><h3>MicroAbstract</h3><div>Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer worldwide. In this retrospective cohort study we examined how patient and tumor characteristics influences NSCLC treatment in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia, and revealed significant regional differences in baseline characteristics, treatment preferences, and influencing factors for stage IV NSCLC in these countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101056"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101054
Pasquale Rescigno , Alastair Greystoke
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) offers broad molecular profiling that reveals genetic variation, gene expression and epigenetic modifications. This information is essential for identifying actionable biomarkers, enabling informed clinical decision-making and allowing therapeutic targeting of specific genetic alterations. International guidelines recommend biomarker testing in suitable patients, as targeted therapy offers greater benefits than non-specific chemotherapy. Several factors are pivotal for maximising the clinical utility and integration biomarker testing approaches in clinical practice. While utilising genomic information from NGS is becoming part of routine oncology practice, the integration of the significant complexity of the sequencing data can be challenging. Therefore, the involvement of multidisciplinary teams in precision oncology including oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, molecular biologists/geneticists and bioinformaticians is the need of the hour. Here, we highlight the complexities of NGS techniques and reporting that guide clinical decision-making in oncology, and also provide UK expert perspectives on the integration of NGS into local treatment practices.
{"title":"Illuminating the spectrum of genomic sequencing approaches in the precision oncology era: A UK perspective","authors":"Pasquale Rescigno , Alastair Greystoke","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Next-generation sequencing (NGS) offers broad molecular profiling that reveals genetic variation, gene expression and epigenetic modifications. This information is essential for identifying actionable biomarkers, enabling informed clinical decision-making and allowing therapeutic targeting of specific genetic alterations. International guidelines recommend biomarker testing in suitable patients, as targeted therapy offers greater benefits than non-specific chemotherapy. Several factors are pivotal for maximising the clinical utility and integration biomarker testing approaches in clinical practice. While utilising genomic information from NGS is becoming part of routine oncology practice, the integration of the significant complexity of the sequencing data can be challenging. Therefore, the involvement of multidisciplinary teams in precision oncology including oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, molecular biologists/geneticists and bioinformaticians is the need of the hour. Here, we highlight the complexities of NGS techniques and reporting that guide clinical decision-making in oncology, and also provide UK expert perspectives on the integration of NGS into local treatment practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101054"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101055
Xinglong Li, Guangsong Tang, Wenyue Wang, Chen Zhang, Yu Xue, Ning Xu, Qing fa Wu, Wei qiang Yu
Background
Lung cancer is a highly prevalent and invasive malignancy, characterized by profound metabolic reprogramming as one of its key features. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has allowed us to study cellular metabolism in greater detail. In this study, we systematically explore the metabolic pathways of distinct cell types within the lung cancer tumor microenvironment using scRNA-seq data. Moreover, we identify potential biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic significance.
Methods
We leveraged scRNA-seq data from lung cancer to map the metabolic landscape of different cell types in the tumor microenvironment. Malignant cells were classified into three distinct subgroups based on their metabolic activity: high-metabolism, intermediate-metabolism, and low-metabolism.
Results
Malignant cells exhibit significantly higher metabolic activity compared to non-malignant cell types. The low-metabolism state was strongly associated with immune signaling pathways, with FSCN1 identified as a key marker. This state revealed a distinct population of cells enriched for cancer stem cell (CSC)-like characteristics.
Conclusion
This study provides a comprehensive exploration of the metabolic characteristics of malignant cells in lung cancer at single-cell resolution. Our findings provide insights that could improve prognosis and support more targeted treatments for lung cancer patients.
{"title":"Single-cell analysis of lung cancer metabolism and its clinical implications","authors":"Xinglong Li, Guangsong Tang, Wenyue Wang, Chen Zhang, Yu Xue, Ning Xu, Qing fa Wu, Wei qiang Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Lung cancer is a highly prevalent and invasive malignancy, characterized by profound metabolic reprogramming as one of its key features. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has allowed us to study cellular metabolism in greater detail. In this study, we systematically explore the metabolic pathways of distinct cell types within the lung cancer tumor microenvironment using scRNA-seq data. Moreover, we identify potential biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic significance.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We leveraged scRNA-seq data from lung cancer to map the metabolic landscape of different cell types in the tumor microenvironment. Malignant cells were classified into three distinct subgroups based on their metabolic activity: high-metabolism, intermediate-metabolism, and low-metabolism.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Malignant cells exhibit significantly higher metabolic activity compared to non-malignant cell types. The low-metabolism state was strongly associated with immune signaling pathways, with <em>FSCN1</em> identified as a key marker. This state revealed a distinct population of cells enriched for cancer stem cell (CSC)-like characteristics.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study provides a comprehensive exploration of the metabolic characteristics of malignant cells in lung cancer at single-cell resolution. Our findings provide insights that could improve prognosis and support more targeted treatments for lung cancer patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101055"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101057
Huange Zhu, Burong Li, Jie Lu, Zeqi Guo
Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, including China. Early-stage treatment involves anatomical lung resection, while advanced stages require chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Computed tomography screening has been widely used for lung cancer screening, but over 24 % of CT-screened individuals have pulmonary abnormalities that require further investigation. The healthcare system is burdened by these indeterminate abnormalities, with large numbers of nodules being false positives. Biomarkers have been used to identify cancer patients or monitor treatment response. Research on molecular biomarkers for lung cancer includes autoantibodies, blood protein profiling, complement fragments, microRNAs, DNA methylation, and circulating tumor DNA. Blood-based biomarkers offer benefits such as easy acquisition, low cost, minimal patient invasiveness, and established procedures for specimen preparation and assay performance. Panels of biomarkers have been researched for higher sensitivity or specificity, allowing clinicians to rule out malignancy in IPNs found during LDCT screening. For individuals who can benefit from therapy for an extended period, continuous monitoring of changes in indicators during treatment is more sensible. Developing a cost-effective, efficient, and convenient strategy for early lung cancer diagnosis could significantly impact patient management. Further research is needed to determine if biomarkers found from patients with established disease can be used on samples taken earlier in the diagnostic process or at a preclinical stage.
{"title":"Profiles of blood biomarkers in lung cancer","authors":"Huange Zhu, Burong Li, Jie Lu, Zeqi Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, including China. Early-stage treatment involves anatomical lung resection, while advanced stages require chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Computed tomography screening has been widely used for lung cancer screening, but over 24 % of CT-screened individuals have pulmonary abnormalities that require further investigation. The healthcare system is burdened by these indeterminate abnormalities, with large numbers of nodules being false positives. Biomarkers have been used to identify cancer patients or monitor treatment response. Research on molecular biomarkers for lung cancer includes autoantibodies, blood protein profiling, complement fragments, microRNAs, DNA methylation, and circulating tumor DNA. Blood-based biomarkers offer benefits such as easy acquisition, low cost, minimal patient invasiveness, and established procedures for specimen preparation and assay performance. Panels of biomarkers have been researched for higher sensitivity or specificity, allowing clinicians to rule out malignancy in IPNs found during LDCT screening. For individuals who can benefit from therapy for an extended period, continuous monitoring of changes in indicators during treatment is more sensible. Developing a cost-effective, efficient, and convenient strategy for early lung cancer diagnosis could significantly impact patient management. Further research is needed to determine if biomarkers found from patients with established disease can be used on samples taken earlier in the diagnostic process or at a preclinical stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101057"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
: Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is known to contribute to the progression of various cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, its role in oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic inflammatory disorder with malignant potential, remains poorly understood. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate AR expression in OLP and OSCC tissues and explore its potential involvement in their pathogenesis.
Methods
: A cross-sectional study was conducted using 50 paraffin-embedded tissue samples (25 OLP and 25 OSCC). AR expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and graded based on the percentage of positively stained cells. Statistical analysis was performed to compare AR expression between groups.
Results
: AR expression was observed in 28% of OLP and 40% of OSCC samples. No significant difference in AR expression was found between OLP and OSCC tissues. In OSCC, AR expression did not significantly vary across tumor grades. Notably, age-matched analysis showed similar AR expression patterns in both groups.
Conclusion
: These preliminary findings suggest that AR signaling may contribute to shared molecular pathways linking chronic inflammation with carcinogenesis. Further large-scale studies are required to confirm these observations.
{"title":"Preliminary study of androgen receptor expression in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma: A comparative cross-sectional analysis","authors":"Shiva Shirazian , Saeide Tehranchi , Nazanin Mahdavi , Mohammad Javad Kharazifard , Mahdieh-Sadat Moosavi","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div><strong>:</strong> Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is known to contribute to the progression of various cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, its role in oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic inflammatory disorder with malignant potential, remains poorly understood. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate AR expression in OLP and OSCC tissues and explore its potential involvement in their pathogenesis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div><strong>:</strong> A cross-sectional study was conducted using 50 paraffin-embedded tissue samples (25 OLP and 25 OSCC). AR expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and graded based on the percentage of positively stained cells. Statistical analysis was performed to compare AR expression between groups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><strong>:</strong> AR expression was observed in 28% of OLP and 40% of OSCC samples. No significant difference in AR expression was found between OLP and OSCC tissues. In OSCC, AR expression did not significantly vary across tumor grades. Notably, age-matched analysis showed similar AR expression patterns in both groups.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div><strong>:</strong> These preliminary findings suggest that AR signaling may contribute to shared molecular pathways linking chronic inflammation with carcinogenesis. Further large-scale studies are required to confirm these observations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101050"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145721028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101052
Teng Yu , Honglin Liu , Yingxuan Chen , Lili Xu , Xiaoni Pang , Haihui Yang , Shuwen Chen , Guanjie Lu , Jianhua Feng , Biwen Mo
<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Zinc finger protein-like protein 1 (ZFPL1) is a key protein involved in various biological processes such as cell growth, migration, proliferation, and metabolism. It plays a significant role in the development and progression of multiple malignancies, including endometrial cancer and gastric cancer. However, research on ZFPL1 in lung cancer remains relatively limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical application value of serum ZFPL1 in the diagnosis, disease monitoring, and therapeutic evaluation of lung cancer by detecting its expression levels in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Serum ZFPL1 levels were measured by ELISA in 75 lung cancer patients (including 32 cases of lung adenocarcinoma, 31 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, and 12 cases of small cell lung cancer) and 75 healthy controls. Differences in serum ZFPL1 expression were analyzed based on various clinical characteristics (gender, age, smoking history, pathological type, tumor location, and TNM stage). Bioinformatics analysis was performed to explore ZFPL1-related signaling pathways. Serum ZFPL1 levels were dynamically monitored before and after treatment in 57 patients receiving two chemotherapy cycles and 18 patients undergoing surgery. The diagnostic efficacy of serum ZFPL1 for different types and stages of lung cancer was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Serum ZFPL1 levels showed no significant differences among lung cancer patients stratified by gender, age, smoking history, pathological type, or tumor location. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that ZFPL1 was significantly enriched in pro-oncogenic signaling pathways such as mTORC1, E2F, MYC, PI3K/Akt, and the reactive oxygen species pathway. Serum ZFPL1 levels were significantly higher in the lung cancer group than in the healthy control group (<em>P</em> < 0.05) and paradoxically higher in early stages (I-II) vs. advanced (III-IV). Both chemotherapy and surgical treatment significantly reduced serum ZFPL1 levels (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) in the chemotherapy group were 17.54 % and 89.47 %, respectively, while the surgical group achieved a 100 % efficacy rate. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for serum ZFPL1 in diagnosing lung cancer was 0.921 (sensitivity 78.67 %, specificity 98.67 %). The AUC values for diagnosing lung adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and small cell lung cancer were 0.920, 0.912, and 0.951, respectively. The AUC for differentiating early-stage from mid-to-late-stage lung cancer was 0.657 (sensitivity 91.23 %, specificity 44.44 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Serum ZFPL1 may serve as a novel serological biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis. Changes in serum ZFPL1 levels can effectively evaluate the efficacy of chemo
{"title":"Serum ZFPL1 as a clinical biomarker for diagnosis, progression tracking, and treatment response in lung cancer","authors":"Teng Yu , Honglin Liu , Yingxuan Chen , Lili Xu , Xiaoni Pang , Haihui Yang , Shuwen Chen , Guanjie Lu , Jianhua Feng , Biwen Mo","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Zinc finger protein-like protein 1 (ZFPL1) is a key protein involved in various biological processes such as cell growth, migration, proliferation, and metabolism. It plays a significant role in the development and progression of multiple malignancies, including endometrial cancer and gastric cancer. However, research on ZFPL1 in lung cancer remains relatively limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical application value of serum ZFPL1 in the diagnosis, disease monitoring, and therapeutic evaluation of lung cancer by detecting its expression levels in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Serum ZFPL1 levels were measured by ELISA in 75 lung cancer patients (including 32 cases of lung adenocarcinoma, 31 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, and 12 cases of small cell lung cancer) and 75 healthy controls. Differences in serum ZFPL1 expression were analyzed based on various clinical characteristics (gender, age, smoking history, pathological type, tumor location, and TNM stage). Bioinformatics analysis was performed to explore ZFPL1-related signaling pathways. Serum ZFPL1 levels were dynamically monitored before and after treatment in 57 patients receiving two chemotherapy cycles and 18 patients undergoing surgery. The diagnostic efficacy of serum ZFPL1 for different types and stages of lung cancer was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Serum ZFPL1 levels showed no significant differences among lung cancer patients stratified by gender, age, smoking history, pathological type, or tumor location. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that ZFPL1 was significantly enriched in pro-oncogenic signaling pathways such as mTORC1, E2F, MYC, PI3K/Akt, and the reactive oxygen species pathway. Serum ZFPL1 levels were significantly higher in the lung cancer group than in the healthy control group (<em>P</em> < 0.05) and paradoxically higher in early stages (I-II) vs. advanced (III-IV). Both chemotherapy and surgical treatment significantly reduced serum ZFPL1 levels (<em>P</em> < 0.05). The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) in the chemotherapy group were 17.54 % and 89.47 %, respectively, while the surgical group achieved a 100 % efficacy rate. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for serum ZFPL1 in diagnosing lung cancer was 0.921 (sensitivity 78.67 %, specificity 98.67 %). The AUC values for diagnosing lung adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and small cell lung cancer were 0.920, 0.912, and 0.951, respectively. The AUC for differentiating early-stage from mid-to-late-stage lung cancer was 0.657 (sensitivity 91.23 %, specificity 44.44 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Serum ZFPL1 may serve as a novel serological biomarker for lung cancer diagnosis. Changes in serum ZFPL1 levels can effectively evaluate the efficacy of chemo","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101052"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145665311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101053
Xinyu Miao, Zhenpeng Wang, Dongzhen Liu, Shuyu Ji, Jiajia Li , Songling Zhang
Ovarian cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. Although standard treatment regimens, including cytoreductive surgery combined with platinum-based chemotherapy, have achieved certain therapeutic advances, the high recurrence rate and the emergence of platinum resistance continue to represent significant clinical challenges. This highlights the urgent need to explore novel therapeutic strategies.As an emerging modality of immunotherapy, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors enhance anti-tumor immune responses by modulating the immune system. Although ovarian cancer has traditionally been regarded as a tumor with low immunogenicity, studies have demonstrated that the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the expression of PD-L1 indicate a potential response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.This review focuses on the application of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of ovarian cancer, summarizing their mechanisms of action, clinical research progress, potential combination strategies, and future perspectives. A deeper understanding of the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in ovarian cancer will contribute to optimizing therapeutic strategies and improving patient outcomes. Despite the potential of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in ovarian cancer treatment, overcoming resistance mechanisms, refining patient selection criteria, and improving safety profiles remain key challenges for clinical application.
{"title":"Exploring the application of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for ovarian cancer","authors":"Xinyu Miao, Zhenpeng Wang, Dongzhen Liu, Shuyu Ji, Jiajia Li , Songling Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.101053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ovarian cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. Although standard treatment regimens, including cytoreductive surgery combined with platinum-based chemotherapy, have achieved certain therapeutic advances, the high recurrence rate and the emergence of platinum resistance continue to represent significant clinical challenges. This highlights the urgent need to explore novel therapeutic strategies.As an emerging modality of immunotherapy, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors enhance anti-tumor immune responses by modulating the immune system. Although ovarian cancer has traditionally been regarded as a tumor with low immunogenicity, studies have demonstrated that the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the expression of PD-L1 indicate a potential response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.This review focuses on the application of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of ovarian cancer, summarizing their mechanisms of action, clinical research progress, potential combination strategies, and future perspectives. A deeper understanding of the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in ovarian cancer will contribute to optimizing therapeutic strategies and improving patient outcomes. Despite the potential of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in ovarian cancer treatment, overcoming resistance mechanisms, refining patient selection criteria, and improving safety profiles remain key challenges for clinical application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 101053"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although radiologic ground-glass opacity (GGO) components are associated with favorable prognosis, limited evidence supports the prognostic significance of corresponding histologic lepidic components. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of lepidic components in patients with surgically resected invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma at pathologic (p-) stages I to IIIA.
Materials and Methods
We retrospectively analyzed 352 patients who underwent resection for invasive non-mucinous adenocarcinoma between 2012 and 2016. Histopathologic features, CT findings, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were reviewed. True non-invasive lepidic components were distinguished from invasive lepidic-like proliferations.
Results
Lepidic-positive tumors (n = 226; 64%) were significantly associated with female sex, presence and higher ratio of GGO, EGFR mutations, lower p-stage, and absence of pleural, vascular, and lymphatic invasion. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was significantly higher in lepidic-positive than lepidic-negative tumors (89% vs. 47%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the presence of lepidic components as an independent predictor of favorable prognosis (hazard ratio, 0.48; CI, 0.29–0.81; p = 0.0057). A lepidic component ≥10% was associated with favorable outcomes in p-stage IA and IB disease, regardless of exact percentage. Lepidic and GGO components showed a positive correlation and similar prognostic relevance.
Conclusions
Histologic lepidic and radiologic GGO components reflect less aggressive tumor behavior and may serve as favorable prognostic indicators in invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma.
虽然放射学上的磨玻璃混浊（GGO）成分与良好的预后有关，但有限的证据支持相应的组织学上的透明成分对预后的意义。本研究旨在评估手术切除的侵袭性非黏液肺腺癌病理（p-）期I至IIIA期患者中leeptic成分的预后价值。材料与方法回顾性分析2012年至2016年间352例行侵袭性非粘液腺癌切除术的患者。我们回顾了组织病理特征、CT表现、临床特征和结果。真正的非侵入性鳞片成分与侵入性鳞片样增生区分开来。结果slepidi阳性肿瘤（n = 226;64%）与女性、GGO的存在和较高比例、EGFR突变、p期较低、胸膜、血管和淋巴浸润不存在显著相关。鳞片阳性肿瘤的5年无复发生存率明显高于鳞片阴性肿瘤（89%比47%，p < 0.001）。多因素分析发现，卵黄成分的存在是预后良好的独立预测因子（风险比0.48;CI 0.29-0.81; p = 0.0057）。在p期IA和IB疾病中，卵黄成分≥10%与有利结果相关，无论确切百分比如何。Lepidic和GGO成分呈正相关，与预后有相似的相关性。结论GGO的组织学指标和放射学指标反映肿瘤的侵袭性较低，可作为侵袭性非粘液肺腺癌的良好预后指标。
{"title":"Prognostic significance of lepidic component in invasive non-mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung","authors":"Hironori Ishida , Yoshihiko Shimizu , Tetsuya Umesaki , Hiroyuki Nitanda , Ryo Taguchi , Yoshinobu Ichiki , Hiroshi Kagamu , Masanori Yasuda","doi":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.100990","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ctarc.2025.100990","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Although radiologic ground-glass opacity (GGO) components are associated with favorable prognosis, limited evidence supports the prognostic significance of corresponding histologic lepidic components. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of lepidic components in patients with surgically resected invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma at pathologic (p-) stages I to IIIA.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><div>We retrospectively analyzed 352 patients who underwent resection for invasive non-mucinous adenocarcinoma between 2012 and 2016. Histopathologic features, CT findings, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were reviewed. True non-invasive lepidic components were distinguished from invasive lepidic-like proliferations.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Lepidic-positive tumors (n = 226; 64%) were significantly associated with female sex, presence and higher ratio of GGO, EGFR mutations, lower p-stage, and absence of pleural, vascular, and lymphatic invasion. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was significantly higher in lepidic-positive than lepidic-negative tumors (89% vs. 47%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the presence of lepidic components as an independent predictor of favorable prognosis (hazard ratio, 0.48; CI, 0.29–0.81; p = 0.0057). A lepidic component ≥10% was associated with favorable outcomes in p-stage IA and IB disease, regardless of exact percentage. Lepidic and GGO components showed a positive correlation and similar prognostic relevance.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Histologic lepidic and radiologic GGO components reflect less aggressive tumor behavior and may serve as favorable prognostic indicators in invasive non-mucinous lung adenocarcinoma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9507,"journal":{"name":"Cancer treatment and research communications","volume":"45 ","pages":"Article 100990"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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