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 >

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 >

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 >

Tao Zhu¹, Taofeng Wei¹, Mingdong Yang¹, Junjun Xu¹, Huifang Jiang¹, Wei He¹, Juyan Zheng^2,*, Haibin Dai^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.070180 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Aberrant expression of transcription factors (TFs) is a key mechanism mediating tumor immune escape and therapeutic resistance. The involvement of E26 transformation-specific (ETS) family of TFs in immune regulation is not fully understood. The study aimed to elucidate the function of E-twenty-six variant 4 (ETV4) in tumor immune evasion and its potential as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy in melanoma. Methods: The expression patterns of ETS family TFs were analyzed in melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to dissect the cellular expression and function of ETV4 in the tumor… More >

Kun Deng^1,2,3, Jianliang Huang^1,2,3, Danyang Li^2,3, Wei Gao^2,3, Minghua Wu^2,3,4,*, Mingsheng Lei^1,5,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069442 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) prognosis has seen little improvement over the past two decades. While immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, its impact on GBM remains limited. To characterize the evolving research landscape and identify future directions in GBM immunotherapy, we conducted a comprehensive bibliometric review. Methods: All literature related to immunotherapy in GBM from 1999 to 2024 was collected from the Web of Science Core Collection. CtieSpace and VOSviewer were used to conduct bibliometric analysis and visualize the data. Results: Bibliometric analysis identified 5038 publications authored by 23,335 researchers from 4699 institutions across 96 countries/regions, published in… More >

Xu Guo¹, Yanan Yu², Xiaolin Ma³, Yuanjie Cai^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069274 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) act as epigenetic regulators for tumor hallmarks. This investigation sought to probe the carcinogenic trait of PAN3-AS1 across pan-cancer comprehensively. Methods: We studied the diagnostic and prognostic features and the immune landscape of PAN3-AS1 across pan-cancer by bioinformatics approaches. The hierarchical regulatory networks governing PAN3-AS1 expression in colon cancer were explored via chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase activity assays, and RNA immunoprecipitation, etc. We screened drugs sensitive to WAP four-disulfide core domain 13 (WFDC13) by virtual screening and molecular docking. Results: Single-cell transcriptomics demonstrated that a variety of immune populations abnormally expressed PAN3-AS1… More >

Abdul Baseet Arham¹, John M. Rieth², Michael A. O’Donnell^3,*

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.32, No.6, pp. 605-620, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cju.2025.063632 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Genitourinary (GU) sarcomas are rare soft tissue malignancies, comprising around 2% of all GU cancers. Due to their rarity, limited data exist on optimal management and long-term outcomes. This study presents a 25-year single-institution experience, evaluating clinical presentation, treatment strategies, and survival outcomes, aims to identify trends over time and potential predictors of prognosis. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed with GU sarcomas at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (1998–2023). Data on tumor subtype, staging, histopathology, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier analysis estimated… More >