Your browser does not fully support modern features. Please upgrade for a smoother experience.
Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort by:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Malignant Traits and Extracellular Vesicles in Metastasis
Metastases are responsible for the vast majority of cancer deaths, yet most therapeutic efforts have focused on targeting and interrupting tumor growth rather than impairing the metastatic process. Traditionally, cancer metastasis is attributed to the dissemination of neoplastic cells from the primary tumor to distant organs through blood and lymphatic circulation. A thorough understanding of the metastatic process is essential to develop new therapeutic strategies that improve cancer survival. Since Paget’s original description of the “Seed and Soil” hypothesis over a hundred years ago, alternative theories and new players have been proposed. In particular, the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by cancer cells and their uptake by neighboring cells or at distinct anatomical sites has been explored.
  • 719
  • 15 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Omics Approaches in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, which represents 80% of pancreatic cancers, is mainly diagnosed when treatment with curative intent is not possible. Consequently, the overall five-year survival rate is extremely dismal—around 5% to 7%. In addition, pancreatic cancer is expected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. Therefore, advances in screening, prevention and treatment are urgently needed. Fortunately, a wide range of approaches could help shed light in this area. Beyond the use of cytological or histological samples focusing in diagnosis, a plethora of new approaches are currently being used for a deeper characterization of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, including genetic, epigenetic, and/or proteo-transcriptomic techniques. Accordingly, the development of new analytical technologies using body fluids (blood, bile, urine, etc.) to analyze tumor derived molecules has become a priority in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma due to the hard accessibility to tumor samples. These types of technologies will lead us to improve the outcome of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients.
  • 718
  • 08 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has emerged as an alternative staging approach in women with assumed early-stage endometrial carcinoma. Through image-guided surgery and pathologic ultrastaging, the SLN approach is introducing “precision medicine” to the surgical management of gynecologic cancers, providing a comprehensive evaluation of high-yield lymph nodes. This approach improves the surgeons’ ability to detect small-volume metastatic disease while reducing intraoperative and postoperative morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy. Although the majority of clinicians in Europe and the USA have recognized the value of SLN biopsy in endometrial carcinoma and introduced this as part of clinical practice, there is ongoing debate regarding its role in very low-risk patients as well as in patients at high risk of nodal metastasis. The significance of low-volume metastasis is not fully understood, and there is no consensus in regard to how the presence of isolated tumor cells should guide adjuvant therapy. Standardized protocols for histopathologic evaluation of SLNs are lacking.
  • 718
  • 28 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Lung Cancer Biomarkers
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Detecting lung malignancies promptly is essential for any anticancer treatment to reduce mortality and morbidity, especially in high-risk individuals. 
  • 718
  • 02 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Molecular Targeted Therapies in Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most frequent cancer in males (15.1%) and the fifth cause of cancer-related death (6.83%) in men worldwide. Although the traditional treatment approach, which includes surgical resection, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy, has led to great improvements in both survival and quality of life in patients with localized disease, the prognosis for metastatic disease remains poor. Molecular targeted therapies, aimed at blocking specific molecules or signaling pathways in tumor cells or in their microenvironment, with a low risk of damage to normal tissues, have demonstrated their efficacy in several types of cancer. Various trials have had encouraging results in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. 
  • 718
  • 05 Jun 2023
Topic Review
BRCA Mutations in Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer was the second most common cancer and ranked fifth in causing cancer-related death in men worldwide in 2020. BRCA mutations have been found to be especially clinically relevant with a role for germline or somatic testing. Prostate cancer with DDR defects may be sensitive to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors which target proteins in a process called PARylation.
  • 717
  • 20 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Nuclear Imaging in Prostate Cancer
Accurate staging of prostate cancer (PCa) at initial diagnosis and at biochemical recurrence is important to determine prognosis and the optimal treatment strategy. To date, treatment of metastatic PCa has mostly been based on the results of conventional imaging with abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) and bone scintigraphy. However, these investigations have limited sensitivity and specificity which impairs their ability to accurately identify and quantify the true extent of active disease. Modern imaging modalities, such as those based on the detection of radioactively labeled tracers with combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning have been developed specifically for the detection of PCa. Novel radiotracers include 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF), 11C-/18F-fluorocholine (FCH), 18F-fluordihydrotestosterone (FDHT), 68Gallium and 18F-radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (e.g., 68Ga-PSMA-11, 18F-DCFPyL). PET/CT with these tracers outperforms conventional imaging. As a result of this, although their impact on outcome needs to be better defined in appropriate clinical trials, techniques like prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT have been rapidly adopted into clinical practice for (re)staging PCa.
  • 716
  • 26 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Biomarkers in Childhood Leukemias
Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) in childhood leukemias remains a major cause of treatment failures. Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid constitutes the most important diagnostic pillar in the detection of CNS leukemia and relies primarily on cytological and flow-cytometry studies. With increasing survival rates, it has become clear that treatments for pediatric leukemias pose a toll on the developing brain, as they may cause acute toxicities and persistent neurocognitive deficits. Preclinical research has demonstrated that established and newer therapies can injure and even destroy neuronal and glial cells in the brain. Both passive and active cell death forms can result from DNA damage, oxidative stress, cytokine release, and acceleration of cell aging. In addition, chemotherapy agents may impair neurogenesis as well as the function, formation, and plasticity of synapses. Clinical studies show that neurocognitive toxicity of chemotherapy is greatest in younger children.
  • 716
  • 13 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma
Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (PACC) is a distinct type of pancreatic cancer with low prevalence. We aimed to analyze prognostic factors and survival outcome for PACC in comparison to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), based on data from the German Cancer Registry Group. 
  • 716
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Mechanism of Action of circRNAs in Cancer Cells
The ever-increasing number of cancer cases and persistently high mortality underlines the urgent need to acquire new perspectives for developing innovative therapeutic approaches. As the research on protein-coding genes brought significant yet only incremental progress in the development of anticancer therapy, much attention is now devoted to understanding the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in various types of cancer. The ncRNAs recognized previously as “dark matter” are, in fact, key players in shaping cancer development. Moreover, breakthrough discoveries concerning the role of a new group of ncRNAs, circular RNAs, have evidenced their high importance in many diseases, including malignancies. 
  • 716
  • 17 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Capsaicin and Cancer
Capsaicin is the main pungent in chili peppers, one of the most commonly used spices in the world; its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties have been proven in various cultures for centuries. It is a lipophilic substance belonging to the class of vanilloids and an agonist of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 receptor. Taking into consideration the complex neuro-immune impact of capsaicin and the potential link between inflammation and carcinogenesis, the effect of capsaicin on muco-cutaneous cancer has aroused a growing interest. 
  • 716
  • 24 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Precision Oncology Beyond Genomics
Cancer is a multifactorial disease with increasing incidence. There are more than 100 different cancer types, defined by location, cell of origin, and genomic alterations that influence oncogenesis and therapeutic response. This heterogeneity between tumors of different patients and also the heterogeneity within the same patient’s tumor pose an enormous challenge to cancer treatment.
  • 715
  • 06 May 2021
Topic Review
Cholangiocarcinoma and Combined Hepatocellular Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a biliary malignancy that accounts for 3% of gastrointestinal malignancies and 15% of primary liver cancers. CCA can be subclassified based on its anatomical site of origin. These classifications include intrahepatic CCA (iCCA) (A–H), perihilar CCA (pCCA), and distal CCA (dCCA).
  • 715
  • 16 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Cell-Free DNA in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been used as a non-invasive biomarker for detecting cancer-specific mutations. 
  • 715
  • 04 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Bispecific Antibodies for the Treatment of Lung Cancer
Bispecific antibodies are a promising type of therapy for the treatment of cancer due to their ability to simultaneously inhibit different proteins playing a role in cancer progression. The development in lung cancer has been singularly intense because of the increasingly vast knowledge of the underlying molecular routes, in particular, in oncogene-driven tumors.
  • 715
  • 26 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Biology/Chemoresistance of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer (OC) is a gynecological malignancy responsible for 4.4% of cancer-related deaths in the world and is the most lethal gynecological tumor. The five-year overall survival of epithelial OC patients ranges from 20% at stage IV to 89% at stage I, but 80% of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages (III or IV) due to unspecific clinical manifestations. The standard treatment for OC consists of cytoreductive surgery combined with chemotherapy based on platinum (cisplatin or carboplatin) alone or in combination with paclitaxel, doxorubicin, or docetaxel, as well as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for patients with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2.
  • 715
  • 19 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Treatment Individualization in Renal Cancers
Therapeutic options for treating advanced renal cell cancer (RCC) are rapidly evolving. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-directed therapy, predominantly VEGF receptor (VEGFr) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) had been the most effective first line treatment since 2005 irrespective of International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk stratification. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have recently changed the treatment paradigm for advanced RCC particularly as the first-line systemic treatment modality. The combination of Ipilimumab and Nivolumab provides better disease control and long-term outcomes compared with the anti-VEGFr TKI Sunitinib for IMDC intermediate- to poor-risk patients and we now have the option of using ICI with TKI upfront for all IMDC risk groups. This poses a challenge for physicians, both to select the most suitable first line regimen and the most suitable subsequent therapy given the lack of data about sequencing in this setting. This treatment landscape is expected to become more complex with the emerging treatment options. Moreover, these therapeutic options cannot be generalized as significant variability exists between individual’s disease biologies and their physiologies for handling treatment adverse effects. Notable efforts are being made to identify promising predictive biomarkers ranging from neo-antigen load to gene expression profiling. These biomarkers need prospective validation to justify their utility in clinical practice and in treatment decision making. This review article discusses various clinicopathological characteristics that should be carefully evaluated to help select appropriate treatment and discusses the current status of biomarker-based selection.
  • 714
  • 05 Jan 2021
Topic Review
RAC1 Activation in Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma
Metastasis is a complex process by which cancer cells escape from the primary tumor to colonize distant organs. RAC1 is a member of the RHO family of small guanosine triphosphatases that plays an important role in cancer migration, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. 
  • 714
  • 27 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Synergism of Radiotherapy, PARP Inhibition, and Immune-Checkpoint Blockade
Radiotherapy and, more recently, PARP inhibitors (PARPis) and immune-checkpoint inhibitors represent effective tools in cancer therapy. Radiotherapy exerts its effects not only by damaging DNA and inducing tumor cell death, but also stimulating anti-tumor immune responses. PARPis are known to exert their therapeutic effects by inhibiting DNA repair, and they may be used in combination with radiotherapy. Both radiotherapy and PARPis modulate inflammatory signals and stimulate type I IFN (IFN-I)-dependent immune activation. However, they can also support the development of an immunosuppressive tumor environment and upregulate PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. When provided as monotherapy, immune-checkpoint inhibitors (mainly antibodies to CTLA-4 and the PD-1/PD-L1 axis) result particularly effective only in immunogenic tumors. Combinations of immunotherapy with therapies that favor priming of the immune response to tumor-associated antigens are, therefore, suitable strategies. The widely explored association of radiotherapy and immunotherapy has confirmed this benefit for several cancers. Association with PARPis has also been investigated in clinical trials. Immunotherapy counteracts the immunosuppressive effects of radiotherapy and/or PARPis and synergies with their immunological effects, promoting and unleashing immune responses toward primary and metastatic lesions (abscopal effect). 
  • 714
  • 22 Feb 2023
Topic Review
BMP Signaling in Endometrial Cancer
The effects of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family, in endometrial cancer (EC) have yet to be determined. In this study, we analyzed the TCGA and MSK-IMPACT datasets and investigated the effects of BMP2 and of TWSG1, a BMP antagonist, on Ishikawa EC cells. Frequent ACVR1 mutations and high mRNA expressions of BMP ligands and receptors were observed in EC patients of the TCGA and MSK-IMPACT datasets. Ishikawa cells secreted higher amounts of BMP2 compared with ovarian cancer cell lines. Exogenous BMP2 stimulation enhanced EC cell sphere formation via c-KIT induction. BMP2 also induced EMT of EC cells, and promoted migration by induction of SLUG. The BMP receptor kinase inhibitor LDN193189 augmented the growth inhibitory effects of carboplatin. Analyses of mRNAs of several BMP antagonists revealed that TWSG1 mRNA was abundantly expressed in Ishikawa cells. TWSG1 suppressed BMP7-induced, but not BMP2-induced, EC cell sphere formation and migration. Our results suggest that BMP signaling promotes EC tumorigenesis, and that TWSG1 antagonizes BMP7 in EC. BMP signaling inhibitors, in combination with chemotherapy, might be useful in the treatment of EC patients. 
  • 714
  • 26 Jul 2021
  • Page
  • of
  • 129
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Reprints

>>
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
Encyclopedia of Engineering
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of Medieval Royal Iconography
Academic Video Service
Feedback