Cancer metastasis to the pituitary gland is rare, but in most cases, it originates from a late-stage breast tumor or lung cancer. The most common symptoms of metastasis to the pituitary gland are diabetes insipidus and visual disturbance. The common site of metastasis is the posterior portion of the pituitary gland because it is highly vascularized. Metastases to this site represent 1% of all tumors [1]. Metastasis to the pituitary gland is difficult to diagnose by hormonal analysis and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and requires biopsy for confirmation [2].

Introduction: Even after surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer the 5-year disease-free survival times (DFS), as well as overall survival rates (OS), are still low and median survival times are below 2 years. Here we retrospectively analyzed the outcome of immunotherapy in the additional adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer with long antigen exposition dendritic cell therapy (LANEX-DC®) in 28 patients who were treated at our institution. Patients: Data were available from 28 patients. Dendritic cells (LAEX-DC®) were produced according to a recently published protocol.Results: Therapy was well tolerated and no serious side effects were observed. The median disease-free survival times and the median survival times were 16,9 months and 29,4 months respectively. Five-year DFS and OS were 14,3% and 17,9%. Conclusion: We were able to show in a small cohort of patients that additional treatment with dendritic cells (LANEX-DC®) is highly effective and extends the median disease-free survival times as well as the median survival in the adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer, whereas the five-year overall survival still remains unsatisfactory.

Cancer is a serious disease that affects deeply and painfully not only the child who has cancer but also their parents. Through this study, we describe the different aspects of the impact of pediatric cancer on parents: the psychological, social, and family impact to offer optimal care to these parents. Results: mothers represent 82.5% of the participants in our survey. More than sixty percent were of urban origin. The average time from diagnosis to parents’ assessment was 7.3 months. This announcement was made by doctors in 87.5% of cases. Conscious denial of cancer when it was announced was reported in 75% of parents. The social impact of pediatric cancer on parents was significant. The child’s illness was experienced as a very significant psychological distress; all of the parents said they had given up on important projects after their children’s illness. The psycho-emotional impact was represented by feelings of guilt in 37.5% and incapacity for illness in 30%. Forty-two percent felt tensions on the marital level with significant repercussions on the couple with a type of destabilization in 60% of cases. The parent’s relationship with the rest of the family, especially siblings, was marked by neglect and anxiety in 35% and 26% respectively.Conclusion: The discovery of pediatric cancer induces various feelings that will inevitably have an impact on the parents of the affected child. Understanding the different aspects of this impact on the parents’ psycho-social, emotional and family experiences will make it possible to offer optimal care.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have uncovered thousands of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci that are associated with complex traits. However, the majority of GWAS discoveries are located in non-coding regions and the biological mechanisms behind these associations are not well understood. Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) have gained popularity in recent years by generating biological interpretable discoveries and facilitating the identification of novel associations that have been missed by GWAS. TWAS has identified more than hundreds of susceptibility genes for many complex diseases and traits, including cancers. Here, in this review, we first summarize TWAS methods, then discuss the opportunities for cancer studies and finally review current challenges and future directions for this method.

Nanotechnology is starting the characterization, fabrication, and possible applications of numerous materials at the Nano-scale. Over the last few eras, nanomaterials provide a platform for researchers from diverse arenas due to the high surface-to-volume ratio and other novels, and new significant belongings. Zinc oxide nanoparticles are receiving diverse biomedical applications because of their distinctive antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, antifungal, antileishmanial, anti-larvicidal, wound healing, anticholinergic, and anti-diabetic properties. Different physical and chemical approaches have been used to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles, but these methods cause ecotoxicity and are time-consuming and costly. Therefore, there is a need for more eco-friendly, cost-effective, and safe methods. Such biogenic Zinc oxide nanoparticles offer more advantages over other physiochemically synthesized methods. In this review, we have summarized the recent literature for the understanding of the green synthesis of Zinc oxide nanoparticles, their characterization, and their various biomedical applications. 

Objective: Pelvic masses can be classified as low risk (likely benign) and high risk (likely malignant) based on an initial clinical risk assessment, which involves a detailed history, physical exam, basic laboratory tests, and imaging. In recent years, the Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA), which combines CA125, HE4 and menopausal status, has emerged as a powerful tool in the classification of pelvic masses and triage of patients to either a generalist gynecologist or a gynecologic oncologist for management. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the use of ROMA, alone or in combination with Initial Clinical Risk Assessment (ICRA), provides cost savings compared to triage based on ICRA alone.Methods: A health-economic decision model was developed to assess clinical and cost differences associated with three different clinical pathways of risk assessment for a pelvic mass: ICRA alone, ROMA alone, or ICRA + ROMA in combination. Using previously reported accuracy rates and patient characteristics from a prospective, multicenter, blinded clinical trial, total healthcare costs were modeled for each clinical pathway using the Medicare 2020 reimbursement rates.Results: A total of 461 patients with pelvic masses were included with 10.4% ultimately diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. Total healthcare costs for patients with benign disease, EOC, or low malignant potential tumors (LMP) (n = 441) triaged using ROMA alone were 3.3% lower than when triaged using ICRA alone. While lab costs increased 55% using ROMA, the use of ROMA alone resulted in a 4% decrease in laparoscopy costs and a 3.1% decrease in laparotomy costs compared with ICRA alone. Similarly, total costs associated with a combination of ICRA + ROMA were 3.9% lower than total costs associated with ICRA alone. The model also predicted a 63% reduction in repeat surgeries resulting from false negative ICRA when using ROMA to triage patients.Conclusion: Triage of women with pelvic masses using the more sensitive ROMA score lowers overall healthcare costs compared to ICRA alone. With fewer false negative results than ICRA alone, the ROMA score improves initial detection of malignancy and reduces second surgical treatments in women with pelvic masses.

The prostate gland, found only in men, is an extremely important organ of the reproductive system, but it is not taken care of adequately, leading to prostate inflammation and benign hypertrophy or even cancer. Benign prostate enlargement compresses urine flow through the urethra, leading to uncomfortable urinary symptoms. Hyperplasia increases the risk of bladder stones, urinary tract infections, and kidney problems. In India prevalence of Benign Prostrate Hyperplasia (BPH) is around 50% of men by the age of 60 years. Studies suggest that benign prostatic hyperplasia is a result of the disproportion between oestrogen & testosterone. A higher proportion of oestrogen within the prostate boosts the growth of prostate cells. The management of BPH is streamlined in recent times and the majority are on medical treatment.Prostate cancers are one of the cancers showing a significant increase in incidence along with mouth and kidney and lung cancers among the male population. With an estimated population of 1400 million and about 98 million males over 50 years of age in mid-2022 and the average life expectancy increasing 68.4 years, has a bearing on the changing incidence and pattern of prostate cancer in the current decade in India. Based on the five population-based cancer registries in 2009-10, the age-adjusted annual incidence rates per lakh population of prostate cancers were highest in Delhi (10.2) followed by Bengaluru (8.7), Mumbai (7.3), Chennai (7) and Bhopal (6.1). Cancer can co-exist with BPH. Prostate cancer management is still in the development stage with a 5-year life expectancy of around 64%.The prostate is the second leading site of cancer among males in large Indian cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, and Thiruvananthapuram, and the third leading site of cancer in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. Despite the limitations of diagnosis, the annual cancer incidence rate ranges from 5.0-9.1 per 100,000/year, as compared to the rates in the United States and other developed countries of 110 &180 for whites and blacks respectively.This article is a review of Prostate health in India based on a personal observation of around 183 cases by the author in the last 10 years.Materials & methods: This is an observational study report of three cohorts of men across the country. The sample was of people encountering the author. The sample included i) 69 septuagenarians plus ii) 30 senior citizens aged 60 - 70 years and iii) 84 men in 40 – 60 - year age groups over the last decade. The data source was sharing annual check-up reports or consultation report in person for seeking 2nd opinion. A minimum of 2 consultations, first when diagnosed and the recent between July 2021 to June 2022.

Recent studies on boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) have focused on investigating the appropriate neutron sources based on accelerators for neutron production, such as 7Li(p,n)7 Be. The therapeutic abilities of BNCT have been studied for the possible treatment of lung cancer using thermal and epithermal neutron beams. For neutron transport, the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code was used, and doses in the organs of different Oak Ridge National Laboratory phantoms were evaluated. The right lung was meshed with voxels to obtain depth-dose distributions using 1 eV, 10 eV, 100 eV, 1 keV, 5 keV, 8 keV and 10 keV energy sources. These results suggest that BNCT with an epithermal neutron beam can be used to treat lung cancer. By evaluating the biological dose rate and dose-depth distribution curves in healthy tissues and tumors by simulating a lung phantom, the quantities in the phantom were also evaluated. Our calculations show that with increasing boron concentration applied to the tumor, the dose is increased and the 100 eV energy source has the greatest effect on the tumor dose.

Immunization with human recombinant EGF chemically bound to the P64k protein of Neisseria meningitides (hrEGF-P64k) and adjuvanted in Montanide ISA 51 VG (Montanide) is an efficient strategy to induce polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) response targeting this self -antigen in cancer patients, which is the basis of the CIMAvax-EGF vaccine. The neutralizing potential of EGF-specific induced PAbs supports promising clinical data obtained to date with this vaccine. Herein, we evaluated a combination of very small-size proteoliposomes (VSSP) and aluminum hydroxide (Alum) as a novel adjuvant to induce specific PAbs with neutralizing and anti-proliferative properties on tumor cells, considering EGF as a model antigen. Toxicity at the injection site was not detected for the vaccine formulation containing VSSP/Alum, and it was immunogenic in BALB/c mice, as evidenced by the induction of high titers of EGF-specific polyclonal antibodies (PAbs). While schedule optimization increased the magnitude of the PAbs response induced by VSSP/Alum, induced PAbs’s avidity and intrinsic neutralizing potential were comparable to the humoral response induced by Montanide. Also, VSSP addition switched IgG subclasses distribution into a Th1-like pattern, as obtained with Montanide and desirable for a cancer vaccine. Finally, equivalent PAbs titers were induced by the vaccine formulations adjuvanted in VSSP/Alum or Montanide in tumor-bearing-mice, and immunosuppressed mice, suggesting the feasibility of the VSSP/Alum combined adjuvant for inducing anti-EGF antibodies in cancer patients at advanced stages of the disease.

An established side-effect of neck dissection (ND) for head and neck (HNC) tumour management includes shoulder dysfunction (SD), which can impact quality of life (QOL). Shoulder strength and range of movement (ROM) are key parameters to be monitored in SD. However, such evaluations are not routinely conducted in the clinical setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate objectively the impact of ND on shoulder functions. Methods: This is a pilot exploratory study in a tertiary cancer centre. Five participants with unilateral ND and advanced HNC, completed the study. Outcome measures consisted of self-reported QOL questionnaires, C2–T1 dermatomes and shoulder ROM and strength testing. Data was collected at baseline, 1.5-months after surgery and 6-months after diagnosis (after adjuvant treatment completion). Results: Most outcome measures on the surgically affected side were negatively impacted post-operatively, with varied recovery seen at follow-up. Sensory loss was noted at C3–4 dermatome levels. Shoulder ROM and strength was reduced on the surficial side for all participants, with some recovery after six months except for two participants.Conclusion: Results of SD after ND are diverse and unique to each patient. Findings from this pilot study indicate that regular rehabilitation/exercise may facilitate recovery of shoulder function post HNC surgery. However, customised rehabilitation may yield better outcomes. Future studies with a larger sample are indicated to validate the findings of this study.

Through the development of new analysis technologies, many issues regarding the approach to tumoral diseases have been elucidated. With analytical assays developed in the last years, various omics technologies have evolved in such a manner that the characteristics of tumor cells and products can be evaluated (assessed) in the bloodstream of cancer patients at different times. Ovarian Cancer (OC) is one of the most difficult to diagnose umors, with low survival rates due to the high heterogeneity of these diseases that are distinct in terms of etiology and molecular characteristics, but which simply share an anatomical appearance. Recent findings have indicated that several types of ovarian cancer classified into different histotypes are in fact derived from non-ovarian issues and share few molecular similarities. Within this context, ovarian cancer screening and diagnosis can be made through the evaluation of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood using liquid biopsy technologies. Advances in the study of various molecules analyzed by liquid biopsy have shown that elucidation of intratumoural and intertumoural heterogeneity and spatial and temporal tumor evolution could be traced by serial blood tests rather than by histopathological analyses of tissue samples from a primary tumor. Therefore, evaluation of some molecules such as circulating tumor cells (CTC), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating cell-free RNA (non-coding and mRNA, extracellular vesicles), tumor-educated platelets or different miRNAs using liquid biopsy could lead to improvement of patient management.

Purpose: To evaluate the role of dietary components, physical activity, smoking and Obesity in colorectal cancer.Materials and methods: With a population-based case-control study, 49 colorectal cancer patients and 72 controls were interviewed with uniform questionnaires. Conditional logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis of colorectal cancer. A total of 121 pairs of case controls were interviewed.Results: Relationship between body mass index (BMI) and colorectal cancer was shown in this study, obesity was shown in 21 patients (42.86) before cancer and in 0% of patients during colorectal cancer. Physical activity was a significant risk factor p < 0.0001. Malnutrition was noted in 48 patients (97. 96%) according to Brachial muscular circumference in patients with colorectal cancer (p = 0.002). Daily consumption of sugar Khi² of Wald (5.423) and butter Khi² of Wald (7.694) is higher in cases than in controls.  During that time, high daily consumption of pasta (p = 0.018) and vegetables (p = 0.045) was a protective factor for colorectal cancer.Conclusion: Colorectal cancer in Algeria was related to dietary and environmental factors. The research results support the colorectal cancer etiological hypothesis of deficiency vegetable and high consumption of lipids and sugar.  Obesity and lack of physical activity were also correlated with colorectal cancer.

Malignancy of the small bowel is exceedingly rare, accounting for 3% - 5% of all gastrointestinal malignancies [1-3]. However, in recent years because of improved diagnostic accuracy, the incidence of small bowel cancer is rising. It is estimated that 10, 470 new cases of primary SI cancer will be diagnosed in the US with 1450 cancer-related deaths [4]. The most frequent histologic types of small bowel malignant tumors include adenocarcinomas, carcinoids, lymphomas, and sarcomas. Adenocarcinoma of the small intestine is the second most common histologic type of SI cancer. The most frequent location of SI adenocarcinoma is the duodenum (57%), followed by the jejunum (29%) and ileum (13%) [5]. SI cancers are more common in men than women [6]. They occur more commonly in the African-American population and after 60 years of age [7].

Approximately 73.4% of global deaths are caused by chronic non-communicable diseases, among them, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, tumors, and chronic respiratory diseases ranked in the top 3 respectively [1]. An accumulating body of evidence showed that the risk of all-cause mortality in cancer patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) was 3.78 times higher than that of those without CVD and 8.8% of cancer survivors died of CVD [2]. Heart failure (HF) is a serious manifestation or terminal stage of various heart diseases. Although myocardial damage and dysfunction are the main causes of HF, the cardiovascular injury caused by the tumor itself and the detrimental effect of cancer treatment also play an important role. More recently, the data has suggested that up to 25% - 30% of patients with HF have histories of cancer for about 10 years; and cancer also determines the prognosis of heart HF [3]. 

Saliva is produced by and secreted from salivary glands. It is an extra-cellular fluid, 98% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells, enzymes, and anti-microbial agents. Saliva serves a critical role in the maintenance of oral, dental, and general health and well-being. Hence, alteration(s) in the amount/quantity and/or quality of secreted saliva may induce the development of several oro-dental variations, thereby the negatively-impacting overall quality of life. Diverse factors may affect the process of saliva production and quantity/quality of secretion, including medications, systemic or local pathologies and/or reversible/irreversible damage. Herein, chemo- and/or radio-therapy, particularly, in cases of head and neck cancer, for example, are well-documented to induce serious damage and dysfunction to the radio-sensitive salivary gland tissue, resulting in hypo-salivation, xerostomia (dry mouth) as well as numerous other adverse Intra-/extra-oral, medical and quality-of-life issues. Indeed, radio-therapy inevitably causes damage to the normal head and neck tissues including nerve structures (brain stem, spinal cord, and brachial plexus), mucous membranes, and swallowing muscles. Current commercially-available remedies as well as therapeutic interventions provide only temporary symptom relief, hence, do not address irreversible glandular damage. Further, despite salivary gland-sparing techniques and modified dosing strategies, long-term hypo-function remains a significant problem. Although a single governing mechanism of radiation-induced salivary gland tissue damage and dysfunction has not been yet elucidated, the potential for synergy in radio-protection (mainly, and possibly -reparation) via a combinatorial approach of mechanistically distinct strategies, has been suggested and explored over the years. This is, undoubtfully, in parallel to the ongoing efforts in improving the precision, safety, delivery, and efficacy of clinical radiotherapy protocols/outcomes, and in designing, developing, evaluating and optimizing (for translation) new artificial intelligence, technological and bio-pharmaceutical alternatives, topics covered in this review.

Cancer is a disease that implies several different genotypic and phenotypic traits in its whole process of development: tumorigenesis.

Background: Ovarian fibroma is a very unusual epithelial tumor representing less than 1% of all ovarian tumors. It can be asymptomatic and discovered during surgery or be associated with a pleural effusion preferentially located on the right side and a more or less abundant free ascites in the framework of the so-called Meigs syndrome. The challenge of management then lies in distinguishing benign from malignant since clinically, radiologically, and biologically everything points towards malignant which requires radical surgical treatment. We report here the case of a 69-year-old postmenopausal patient with a clinical form of Meigs' syndrome that strongly suggested ovarian cancer.Case presentation: We hereby report here the case of a 69-year-old patient, menopausal, gravida 4 para 3 with 3 live children delivered vaginally and one miscarriage. She presented with ascites, hydrothorax, and a solid tumor of the ovary. Serum CA 125 and HE 4 levels were very high. ROMA score was highly suggestive of malignancy. A hysterectomy with adnexectomy was performed. It was only the histological evidence of ovarian fibroma and the rapid resolution of its effusions that confirmed Meigs syndrome.Conclusion: Meigs syndrome is an anatomical-clinical entity that associates a benign tumor of the ovary, ascites, and hydrothorax. Highly elevated CA 125 and HE-4 tumor markers often point clinicians toward a malignant tumor and compel radical surgical treatment. This case report reminds us once again that only histology confirms the diagnosis of cancer.

Aim: To determine the correlation between mammographic features of breast cancer with molecular subtypes and to calculate the predictive value of these features. Materials and method: This is a retrospective study of breast cancer patients presenting between January 2017 and December 2021, who underwent mammography of the breast followed by true cut biopsy and immunohistochemical staining of the tissue sample. Breast carcinoma patients without preoperative mammograms, those unable to undergo histopathological and IHC examinations and h/o prior cancer treatment were excluded. On mammography, size, shape, margins, density, the presence or absence of suspicious calcifications and associated features were noted. Results: Irregular-shaped tumors with spiculated margins were likely to be luminal A/B subtypes of breast cancer. Tumors with a round or oval shape with circumscribed margins were highly suggestive of Triple negative breast cancer. Tumors with suspicious calcifications were likely to be HER2 enriched. Conclusion: Mammographic features such as irregular or round shape, circumscribed or noncircumscribed margins and suspicious calcifications are strongly correlated in predicting the molecular subtypes of breast cancer and thus may further expand the role of conventional breast imaging.

The pathogenesis of an ovarian disease is connected with PTN and its receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor Z1 (PTPRZ1). Paclitaxel is the first-line drug for the therapy of ovarian cancer. With the increment of paclitaxel chemotherapy, paclitaxel obstruction happens in the late phase of therapy frequently. By treating A2780 and SKOV-3 cells with PTN, we found the development of the two cell lines was enhanced. Different concentrations of PTN were added to A2780 and SKOV-3 cells treated with paclitaxel and the results of MTT showed that the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on these two cell lines was weakened. The results of apoptosis assays showed that PTN could slow down the rate of apoptosis and its concentration dependence in both cell lines. To further investigate the impact of PTN on the paclitaxel responsiveness of ovarian malignant growth cells, A2780 and SKOV-3 cells were transfected with sh-PTN-1, sh-PTN-2 and sh-NC plasmids. The results of PCR and Western Blot showed that both RNA-interfering plasmids could inhibit PTN in A2780 and SKOV-3 cells. The results of MTT showed that the inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on cells transfected with sh-PTN-1 expanded compared with the benchmark group. Apoptosis assays showed that the complete apoptosis pace of A2780 and SKOV-3 cells with sh-PTN-1 plasmid induced by paclitaxel was accelerated obviously compared with the benchmark group. To summarize, the results suggested that PTN could enhance the resistance to paclitaxel in ovarian cancer cells, which provides a groundwork for studying on drug resistance of cancer cells to paclitaxel and a new perspective for ovarian cancer therapy.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is the forefront disorder of the bone marrow among others that disrupt the normal production of blood cells and platelets. The bone marrow microenvironment or the bone marrow niche (BM niche) that orchestrates the proliferation and survival of Leukaemic stem cells (LSC) is the reason for relapse after complete remission and also chemotherapy drug resistance. As for most cancers oxidative phosphorylation, a fundamental mitochondrial process of energy production, is under focus for the treatment of AML and a novel strategy of targeting heat shock proteins appears as a promising route for further research.