Zhitao Yang^1,#, Huanyu Cheng^1,#, Xinli Liu¹, Jie Li¹, Xin Ming¹, Beibei Li¹, Luyao Zhang¹, Chunqing MA¹, Yi Jiao¹, Shenjia Wu¹, Ibrar Muhammad Khan², Guanghua Xiong¹, Hongcheng Wang^1,*, Yong Liu^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072736 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Objectives: Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common form of osteoporosis in clinical practice, affecting millions of postmenopausal women worldwide. Postmenopausal osteoporosis demands safe and effective therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of hederagenin (Hed) for treating osteoporosis and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms of action. Methods: The anti-osteoporotic potential of Hed was assessed by investigating its effects on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss in mice and on receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells. Network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were employed to identify key targets, which were subsequently validated experimentally. Results:… More >

Gizem Kaynar Beyaz^1,*, Ahmet Kirbas², Sevgi Kalkanli Tas¹

BIOCELL, Vol.50, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072368 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Peripheral artery disease (PAD) remains a significant global health issue, with current treatments primarily focused on relieving symptoms and addressing macrovascular issues. However, critical immunoinflammatory mechanisms are often overlooked. Recent evidence suggests that monocyte phenotypic plasticity plays a central role in PAD development, affecting atherogenesis, plaque progression, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and chronic ischemic remodeling. This narrative review aims to summarize the latest advances (2023–2025) in understanding monocyte diversity, functional states, and their changes throughout different stages of PAD. We discuss both established and emerging biomarkers, such as circulating monocyte subset proportions, functional assays, immune checkpoint expression, More >

Ke Liu^1,2,3,#, Xia Xue^1,2,3,#, Haiming Qin^4,5,#, Jiaying Zhu^6,#, Meng Jin^1,6, Die Dai⁶, Youcai Tang¹, Ihtisham Bukhari¹, Hangfan Liu¹, Chunjing Qiu¹, Feifei Ren¹, Pengyuan Zheng^1,2,3, Yang Mi^1,2,3,*, Weihua Chen^6,7,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.072661 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Background: The gut microbiome has emerged as a critical modulator of cancer immunotherapy response. However, the mechanisms by which gut-associated metabolites influence checkpoint blockade efficacy in prostate cancer (PC) remain not fully explored. The study aimed to explore how gut metabolites regulate death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade via exosomes and boost immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in PC. Methods: We recruited 70 PC patients to set up into five subgroups. The integrated multi-omics analysis was performed. In parallel, we validated the function of gut microbiome-associated metabolites on PD-L1 production and immunotherapy treatment efficacy in PC cell lines… More >

Ping Wang^1,2,#, Yan-Han Chen^1,2,#, Ze-Tao Zhan^1,2, Jun-Xiang Zeng^1,2, Yu Chen^3,4, Yuan Lin^1,2, Tao Chen^1,5,*, Wei-Jie Zhou^1,2,5,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.071902 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Background: Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative widely used in vaccines. This study aimed to investigate its potential antitumor effects and mechanisms in solid malignancies, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC) and melanoma. Methods: A combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches was employed. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, ATP viability, Western blotting, flow cytometry, wound-healing and Transwell assays. Subcutaneous, lung metastases, and Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt (AOM/DSS)-induced colitis-associated CRC models were established to examine antitumor efficacy and safety. The functional role of mercury ions was validated using structural… More >

Marta Pawłowska^1,*, Dorian Jarek², Jan Milanowski², Karolina Szewczyk-Golec¹

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.071891 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Parasitic infections are increasingly recognized as contributors to cancer development, yet the underlying oncogenic mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. Growing evidence from molecular oncology, immunology, and microbiome research suggests that chronic parasitic infections may drive tumorigenesis through sustained inflammation, deregulated signaling pathways, genomic instability, and the release of parasite-derived exosomes that reshape the tumor microenvironment. These insights underscore the need to integrate parasitology with cancer biology to understand infection-associated malignancies better. The aim of this narrative review is to synthesize current knowledge on how selected parasites contribute to cancer development and to highlight emerging therapeutic and… More > Graphic Abstract

Stefano Dore¹, Matteo Sacchi¹, Antonio Pinna¹, Giuseppe Palmieri^2,3, Panagiotis Paliogiannis^4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.071831 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular cancer, with approximately 5.2 individuals per million affected annually in the United States. It represents approximately 3% of the global malignant melanoma cases, accounting for 80% of the overall noncutaneous melanomas. Clinically, it remains silent in about 30% of the cases; when symptomatic, it generally causes metamorphopsia (painless loss or distortion of vision) and/or photopsia (flashing or flickering of light in the visual field). Discoloration of the iris, astigmatism, glaucoma, and even blindness are other, less common clinical manifestations. Several pathophysiological mechanisms underlie the development of UM.… More >

Ruoxue Cai^1,#, Shuyi Hu^2,#, Feiyang Li², Huanhuan Sha^3,*, Guoren Zhou^2,*, Ying Fang³

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070893 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Objective: To determine whether immunotherapy can bring new hope for patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). We conducted this retrospective study to evaluate whether immunotherapy can achieve better efficacy in LS-SCLC patients. Methods: We evaluated 122 LS-SCLC patients who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or sequential chemoradiotherapy (SCRT) (Group A) and immunotherapy combined with CCRT/SCRT followed by immunotherapy (Group B), to assess the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progression-free survival (PFS). Factors affecting prognosis were also explored using Cox analysis. The prognosis of patients with type 2 diabetes and patients with… More >

Zhilong He^1,#, Jing Qin^1,#, Sixuan Wu^2,#, Xian Liang¹, Yu Liu¹, Jinfeng Qiu¹, Zhimin Li^2,*, Kai Hu^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070567 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Objective: The contribution of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with protein palmitoylation to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unclear. This study sought to establish a prognostic signature based on palmitoylation-related lncRNAs and explore their functional implications in HCC. Methods: RNA sequencing and clinical data for HCC and normal tissues were sourced from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Pearson correlation analysis was used to identify lncRNAs that were co-expressed with palmitoylation-related genes. Univariate Cox regression was applied to select lncRNAs with prognostic value, followed by the construction of a predictive model using the… More >

Kamila Mozga¹, Olga Synowiecka¹, Igor Rydzyk¹, Anna Marek¹, Ewelina Wieczorek¹, Alicja Petniak^2,*, Paulina Gil-Kulik²

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070505 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Objectives: Immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has become a key treatment for melanoma. However, the increasing number of cases of melanoma resistant to immunotherapy highlights the need to develop methods to overcome this resistance. This study aims to collect the most recent information on melanoma immunotherapy, discuss potential strategies to overcome resistance to immunotherapy, and identify areas that require further analysis. Methods: To achieve this goal, scientific publications from 2021–2024 available in PubMed and Google Scholar databases were analyzed. The databases were searched using the following terms: “melanoma”, “immunotherapy”, “Immune Checkpoint Blockade”, and More >

Marco Siringo^1,2,#,*, Michela De Meo^1,#, Alain Jonathan Gelibter³, Chiara Nicolazzo^4,5,§, Paola Gazzaniga^5,§

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069832 - 19 January 2026

Abstract Objectives: Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted therapies have reshaped treatment non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) paradigms, prognosis remains poor for many patients due to delayed diagnosis and resistance mechanisms. Liquid biopsy offers a minimally invasive approach to monitoring tumor evolution. Among circulating biomarkers, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and cancer-associated macrophage-like cells (CAM-Ls) may provide complementary prognostic insights. The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of CTC and CAM-Ls dynamic in metastatic NSCLC patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 77 patients with metastatic NSCLC who underwent CTC and CAM-L evaluation via the CellSearch® system… More >