Journal of Cancer Biology

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to each sector of life. The most affected are the health in general and elective services in specific. The postponement of planned surgical procedures is one of the elective services that not only increased the waiting time in the short-term but will strain the healthcare services in the long-run

Background: Breast cancer remains a major global health burden despite therapeutic advances, necessitating further innovations to address persistent challenges like therapeutic resistance, adverse effects, and mortality in subgroups. Emerging technologies offer promising opportunities in this regard through data-driven, precise, and personalized approaches.

The emergence of new coronaviruses poses a significant global health threat, as witnessed during recent outbreaks. Coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, primarily causing mild respiratory illnesses in humans. The introduction of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2002, on the other hand, constituted a watershed moment. The outbreak began in China and swiftly spread to numerous nations, resulting in severe respiratory sickness and a global public health disaster. The SARS-CoV outbreak demonstrated coronaviruses' ability to cause severe illness and inspired substantial study into their origins and transmission patterns.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in regenerative medicine. They can be isolated from different adult tissues. However, the regenerative potential of MSCs obtained from various sources and from different age donors may significantly differ.

The action potential (AP) in cardiac tissue is important for initiating and coordinating contractions in the heart. In addition, the long refractory period minimizes the potential for developing extrasystoles and arrhythmias. The AP is generated by coordinate changes in different ionic currents. In human (or canine) adult ventricular cells, the depolarization phase of the AP is mainly through the influx of Na+ and Ca2+ through specific voltage gated channels.

The incorporation of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is essential for assessing whether a cancer treatment enhances overall patient well-being, beyond merely extending survival. This scoping review aimed to identify and analyze the use of PROs in ovarian cancer clinical trials.

In many metazoan tissues, highly specialized cells are constantly lost and need to be replaced by tissue homeostasis from adult stem cells. When adult stem cells divide by mitosis their daughter cells either become new stem cells, or enter a proliferation and differentiation path. Recent studies in Drosophila males showed that germline stem cells (GSCs) can increase their mitotic activity in response to repeated mating.

Examining BRCA mutations in preoperative breast cancer patients is very important when selecting a surgical procedure. Although there are advantages and disadvantages associated with knowing about the presence of genetic mutations, including for the patient’s family, there are many benefits for the patient. BRCA genetic testing should be recommended for patients who are strongly suspected of being positive for a BRCA mutation. 

Liver masses account for 5 to 6% of pediatric cancer, which includes hepatoblastoma (HBL) along with rare cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The most dangerous form of pediatric liver cancer is aggressive HBL, which can be characterized by chemo-resistance and multiple nodules or metastases at diagnosis, all correlating with worse clinical prognosis. Despite intensive studies and a significant improvement in overall outcomes, very little is known about the key molecular pathways which determine the aggressiveness of pediatric liver cancer.

In the previous study, Park et al. reported the efficacy of a single-cell protein manufactured from a growth-accelerated high-vital Corynebacterium glutamicum strain and potential strain selection strategy for development of non-GMO industrial strains harboring enriched target nutritional component, named as growth?acceleration?targeted evolution (G.A.T.E.) strategy [1]. 

There is a striking likeness between an old model for the action of mobile genetic elements in Maize and recent observations on endogenous retroviruses in human Multiple Sclerosis. Nexø discussed this and other developments in his recent theory on autoimmunity. Specifically, in analogy to the onc genes Nexø suggest that insertion of a retrovirus activates a so-called aut gene. This aut gene may well be an EBV genome. 

Stem cell therapy for the treatment of cerebral palsy is a rapidly expanding area of research that has been identified as a high priority by consumers. There are several types and sources of stem cell therapies under investigation. Stem cell treatments proposed for cerebral palsy are believed to provide benefit via some or all of the following mechanisms including immunomodulation, paracrine signaling and supporting endogenous reparative processes.

This commentary focuses on two recent publications showing deregulation of the transcription factor Slug/Snail2 and TGF-β function in primary bronchial basal/progenitor cells of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and the impact on proliferation and the expression of genes involved in stem cell maintenance. We discuss the molecular mechanisms related to the exhaustion of airway basal stem/progenitor cells in tobacco smoke-induced COPD, as well as putative links between COPD and lung cancer at the molecular level.

We recently published an article describing the importance of CXCL17 in T cell responses [1]. In summary, we observed the following:
1) Cxcl17 is necessary to maintain normal ratios of T cell subpopulations in lymph nodes (LN).
2) Cxcl17-/- mice develop more intense inflammatory responses than wild type mice.

Here we present some new observations on early stages in chick corneal development obtained by re-mining of datasets obtained via serial block face scanning electron microscopy. We focus on matrix cords, proteoglycan-rich structures of apparent ectodermal origin, emerging from the epithelial basal lamina, which extend proximally into the growing collagenous matrix destined to become the corneal stroma.

Sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric surgery worldwide. However, such a surgery caries risk of complications associated with morbidity and mortality. Gastric leak can occur and represents one of the most severe complications following sleeve gastrectomy. Since the two last decades, regenerative medicine has emerged, offering new strategies to face to sleeve gastrectomy complications.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by multiple molecular and cytogenetic abnormalities, with increasing data to support clinical and prognostic implications to guide clinical decision making. One of the most well described mutations involves fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) that results in a constitutively active tyrosine kinase and is generally associated with poor prognosis involving shorter overall survival and higher rates of relapse.

Cancer biology involves complex dynamics and interactions between cells and the tissue environment. Mathematical modeling and computer simulation can provide a powerful instrument for considering this complexity. Agent-based modeling is a particular discrete hybrid modeling method.

Due to their impressive clinical success, CAR-T therapies are becoming a more mainstream treatment for patients with hematologic malignancies. In order to make this promising form of therapy accessible to patients in need worldwide, a robust scale-up of such a complex supply chain, that is also affordable worldwide, is essential. Already a challenging endeavor in most privileged countries, but a chimerical undertaking in the more logistically challenged regions and emerging markets across the globe.

Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the pillars of locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNSCC) treatment in combination with cisplatin or epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. Despite a very high local tumor control rate, approximately 50% of patients with locally advanced disease will develop a recurrence.