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A recent paper published in iScience by an interdisciplinary team at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center explores the role of the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis in promoting drug resistance in oral cancer tumors. The researchers found that P. gingivalis interferes with chemotherapy-induced mitophagy, a process that removes damaged mitochondria, thereby allowing the tumors to become resistant to the drug's effects. The team identified the fimbriae, protein structures on the outside of the bacteria, as the key component responsible for this interference. The findings suggest that inhibiting the fimbriae with antibiotics could potentially prevent drug resistance. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open by an international group of researchers examines the effectiveness of chemotherapy, with or without radiation therapy, before surgery for pancreatic cancer patients. The study focuses on pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients and found that nearly five percent of patients achieved a pathological complete response (pCR), meaning no detectable cancer cells were left in the area where the tumor was. Patients with pCR had a 5-year survival rate of 63 percent, compared to 30 percent for those without pCR. The study also explores factors that contribute to pCR and suggests tailoring treatment based on these factors could be beneficial. However, further research is needed to validate these findings and understand their broader applicability. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, aimed to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of applying a second course of radiotherapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of recurrent esophageal cancer. The study analyzed data from 956 patients and found that combining the second course of radiotherapy with single-drug chemotherapy had advantages in treating recurrent esophageal cancer with manageable side effects. However, further subgroup analysis comparing the side effects of restorative radiation with combined chemotherapy using a single drug versus multiple drugs was not possible due to insufficient data. This research has been peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology. [Extracted from the article]

A recent report from Oslo University Hospital in Norway discusses the use of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) as a treatment option for low-volume metastatic seminoma in testicular cancer patients. The study included 62 patients from Norway and Sweden who underwent RPLND surgery. The findings showed low complications and relapse rates, suggesting that RPLND could be an alternative to chemotherapy or radiation for selected patients with limited metastatic spread. This research provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of surgery as a treatment option for seminoma patients. [Extracted from the article]

A report from the University of Brescia in Italy discusses the potential of radiomics, a noninvasive method that uses medical imaging to extract quantitative data from tumors, in predicting patient responsiveness to laryngeal preservation strategies for laryngeal cancer. The report highlights the promising results of studies that have used radiomics to assess the tumor and predict response to induction chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, the report also emphasizes the need for larger multicentric studies to validate the value of radiomics in this field. The research concludes that while there are some early promising studies, the lack of validation and larger studies limits the application of radiomics in clinical practice. [Extracted from the article]

A study conducted by researchers at Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China, has proposed a new method for assessing the efficacy of drugs in killing liver cancer cells. The study suggests the use of a microwave biosensor to detect the number of live cells and evaluate the effects of drug concentrations on cytotoxicity. The researchers compared the results obtained from the microwave biosensor with those from the CCK-8 method and found them to be congruent. This research supports the potential of microwave-based methods to quantify cell growth inhibition by drug concentrations. [Extracted from the article]

MIT engineers have developed a closed-loop drug-delivery system that could improve chemotherapy by personalizing the dose to each patient. The current method of calculating chemotherapy doses based on body surface area does not take into account factors such as body composition, genetic makeup, and circadian fluctuations in drug-metabolizing enzymes. The new system, called CLAUDIA, continuously monitors drug concentrations in the patient's system and adjusts the infusion rate accordingly to keep the drug within the therapeutic window. In animal tests, CLAUDIA was able to keep drug levels within the target range for a longer period of time compared to traditional chemotherapy administration. [Extracted from the article]

A new report from the University of Oklahoma discusses the use of pressure sensor-impregnated walkways to analyze plantar pressures in women with cancer. The study aims to identify consistencies in an individual's plantar pressure dynamics before they undergo neurotoxic chemotherapy. The researchers found that their approach was at least 86% accurate in identifying individuals based on their pressure dynamics. They suggest that this method could be used to automate the identification of peripheral neuropathy and other chemotherapy side effects that impact mobility. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at the American University Cairo provides insights into the metabolism and mechanism of action of the anticancer agent cyclophosphamide (CP). CP is commonly used in cancer chemotherapy and is activated by a liver enzyme to produce a cytotoxic metabolite. The study used computational analysis to investigate the different metabolic phases and the mechanism by which CP exerts its cytotoxic effects. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of new and improved anticancer drugs in the future. [Extracted from the article]