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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive therapeutic modality that has gained great attention in the past years as a new therapy for cancer treatment. PDT uses photosensitizers that, after being excited by light at a specific wavelength, react with the molecular oxygen to create reactive oxygen species in the target tissue, resulting in cell death. Compared to conventional therapeutic modalities, PDT presents greater selectivity against tumor cells, due to the use of photosensitizers that are preferably localized in tumor lesions, and the precise light irradiation of these lesions. This paper presents a review of the principles, mechanisms, photosensitizers, and current applications of PDT. Moreover, the future path on the research of new photosensitizers with enhanced tumor selectivity, featuring the improvement of PDT effectiveness, has also been addressed. Finally, new applications of PDT have been covered.

Spinal cord compression involves tumor invasion or extension into the epidural space or pathologically collapsed vertebral bone fragments impinging on the spinal cord.Spinal cord compression involves tumor invasion or extension into the epidural space or pathologically collapsed vertebral bone fragments impinging on the spinal cord.

To date, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) is included in routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols for several cancers. The real additive role of DWI lies in the “functional” information obtained by probing the free diffusivity of water molecules into intra and inter-cellular spaces that in tumors mainly depend on cellularity. Although DWI has not gained much space in some oncologic scenarios, this non-invasive tool is routinely used in clinical practice and still remains a hot research topic: it has been tested in almost all cancers to differentiate malignant from benign lesions, to distinguish different malignant histotypes or tumor grades, to predict and/or assess treatment responses, and to identify residual or recurrent tumors in follow-up examinations. In this review, we provide an up-to-date overview on the application of DWI in oncology.

In recent times, researchers working on tumor metabolism have paid increasing attention to the tumor microenvironment. Emerging evidence has confirmed that epigenetic modifications of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) alters the characteristics of glucose metabolism to achieve a symbiotic relationship with the cancer cells. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) exerts anti-tumor effects via a variety of mechanisms, although the underlying mechanism that accounts for the effects of EGCG on glucose metabolic alterations of CAFs have yet to be elucidated. In the present study, through co-culture with colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, human intestinal fibroblasts were transformed into CAFs, and exhibited enhanced aerobic glycolysis. Induced CAFs were able to enhance the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro. EGCG treatment led to direct inhibition of the proliferation and migration of CRC cells; furthermore, EGCG treatment of CAFs suppressed their tumor-promoting capabilities by inhibiting their glycolytic activity. Blocking the lactic acid efflux of CAFs with a monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) inhibitor or through silencing MCT4 could also suppress their tumor-promoting capabilities, indicating that lactate fulfills an important role in the metabolic coupling that occurs between CAFs and cancer cells. Taken together, the results of the present study showed that EGCG targeting of the metabolism of tumor stromal cells provided a safe and effective strategy of anti-cancer therapy.

As the range of successful treatments for cancer expands, demand for skilled and trained nursing teams is growing. This new text supported by the UK Oncology Nursing Society, and written by a team of over 30 experienced practitioners, provides an illustrated primer for anyone training to be a nurse or embarking on specialist training in the field.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/ti.2025.14304.].

PurposeNationwide mass vaccination against Covid-19 started in Israel in late 2020. Soon we identified on [18F]FDG PET-CT studies vaccine-associated hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy (VAHL) in axillary or supraclavicular lymph nodes (ASLN) ipsilateral to the vaccination site. Sometimes, differentiation between the malignant and benign nature of the hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy (HLN) could not be made, and equivocal HLN (EqHL) was reported. The purpose of the study was to determine the overall incidence of VAHL after BNT162b2 vaccination and also its relevance to PET-CT interpretation in oncologic patients.MethodsA total of 951 consecutive patients that underwent [18F]FDG PET-CT studies in our department were interviewed regarding the sites and dates of the vaccine doses. A total of 728 vaccinated patients (All-Vac group) were included: 346 received the first dose only (Vac-1 group) and 382 received the booster dose as well (Vac-2 group). Studies were categorized as no HLN, malignant-HLN (MHL), VAHL, or EqHL. In studies with VAHL, location, [18F]FDG-intensity uptake and nodes size were recorded.ResultsThe incidences of HLN were 45.6%, 36.4%, and 53.9% in All-Vac, Vac-1, and Vac-2 groups, respectively. VAHL was reported in 80.1% of vaccinated patients with HLN. Lower incidences of VAHL were found during the first 5 days or in the third week after the first vaccine and beyond 20 days after the booster dose. In 49 of 332 (14.8%) vaccinated patients, we could not determine whether HLN was MHL or VAHL. Breast cancer and lymphoma were the leading diseases with EqHL.ConclusionVAHL is frequently observed after BNT162b2 administration, more commonly and with higher intensity following the booster dose. To minimize false and equivocal reports in oncological patients, timing of [18F]FDG PET-CT should be based on the time intervals found to have a lower incidence of VAHL, and choice of vaccine injection site should be advised, mainly in patients where ASLN are a relevant site of tumor involvement.

Background Metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been reported to be related to oncologic outcomes. The main goal of the study was to study the relationship between these proteins and the long‐term prognosis of patients undergoing oncologic lung resection surgery. Methods This was a substudy of the phase IV randomized control trial (NCT 02168751). We analyzed MMP‐2, ‐3, ‐7, and ‐9 in blood samples and bronchoalveolar lavage (LBA) and the relationship between MMPs and long postoperative outcomes (survival and disease‐free time of oncologic recurrence). Results Survival was longer in patients who had lower MMP‐2 levels than those with higher MMP‐2 in blood samples taken 6 h after surgery (6.8 vs. 5.22 years; p = 0.012) and MMP‐3 (6.82 vs. 5.35 years; p = 0.03). In contrast, survival was longer when MMP‐3 levels were higher in LBA from oncologic lung patients than those with lower MMP‐3 (7.96 vs. 6.02 years; p = 0.005). Recurrence‐free time was longer in patients who had lower MMP‐3 levels in blood samples versus higher (5.97 vs. 4.23 years; p = 0.034) as well as lower MMP‐7 (5.96 vs. 4.5 years; p = 0.041) or lower MMP‐9 in LBA samples (6.21 vs. 4.18 years; p = 0.012). Conclusion MMPs were monitored during the perioperative period of oncologic lung resection surgery. These biomarkers were associated with mortality and recurrence‐free time. The role of the different MMPs analyzed during the study do not have the same prognostic implications after this kind of surgery. Population: 145 patients underwent lung cancer surgery. Intervention: Perioperative metalloproteinases (MMP) values in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Comparison of patients with high MMP values versus low values. Outcome of long‐term survival and oncologic disease‐free time. MMPs (blood and BAL) monitoring in lung resection surgery could be associated with a long outcome.