Xiangyang Wang^1,#, Ying Wu^2,3,#, Yutong Fu^3,4, Ejakpovi Emmanuel Oghenefejiro^2,3, Zakari Shaibu³, Cunxi Li⁵, Qi Zhou⁶, Liang Yin^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.087144 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of global cancer mortality, with progression and therapy resistance heavily influenced by the dynamic tumor microenvironment (TME). Despite advances in surgical techniques, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, overall survival for advanced disease remains poor, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of resistance mechanisms. A hallmark of the TME is metabolic reprogramming, which sustains tumor growth and actively shapes an immunosuppressive landscape. This review aims to detail the coordinated metabolic adaptations of GC cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and immune cells within the TME, focusing on nutrient competition, immunosuppressive… More >

Yu Zheng^1,#, Peng Zheng^2,#, Yidan Zheng³, Zihan Xi^1,*, Tao Huang^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.087138 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Objective: Liposomal doxorubicin (L-DOX) may alter macrophage-mediated immune regulation in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but its role in programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-associated immune escape remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether L-DOX induces a macrophage-centered PD-L1 response and affects the efficacy of PD-L1 blockade in TNBC. Methods: Public bulk and single-cell transcriptomic datasets, bone marrow-derived macrophage models, CD8⁺ T-cell co-culture assays, promoter-binding analyses, and syngeneic EO771 and 4T1 TNBC mouse models were used to examine PD-L1 regulation and immune function after L-DOX treatment. Results: The principal findings were that L-DOX preferentially induced a PD-L1-high macrophage state… More > Graphic Abstract

Ziyou Bai^1,2,#, Xiaoyan Song^3,#, Jiayin Sun^1,2,#, Wen Xiao^1,2,*, Xiangui Meng^1,2,*, Wei Dong^1,2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.086230 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Bladder cancer (BC) is a prevalent malignancy characterized by a high recurrence rate and the necessity for long-term surveillance demands, creating a need for accurate yet practical tools for early detection and monitoring. While current standards including cystoscopy, urinary cytology, and imaging remain indispensable, their clinical utility is constrained by invasiveness, suboptimal sensitivity for selected lesions or low-grade lesions, inter-observer variability, and cumulative costs. Currently, biomarker research has expanded from single protein assays to multi-analyte strategies encompassing DNA, RNA, proteins, extracellular vesicle-associated cargo, and metabolomics signatures. This review synthesizes recent advances in diagnostic, surveillance, prognostic, More >

Dimitrios Papakonstantinou¹, Vasileios Vardas¹, Despoina M. Varouhaki², Aikaterini Kotzamouratoglou¹, Karolina Mangani¹, Julia A. Ju³, Catherine Alix-Panabières^4,5,6, Stuart S. Martin³, Constantinos M. Athanassopoulos², Galatea Kallergi^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.085665 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Objectives: Combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) is a microtubule-disrupting agent with established anti-tumor properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of CA-4 on key metastatic traits of cancer cells, including migration, clonogenic potential, cytoskeletal protein expression, and microtentacle (McTN) formation, using multiple cancer cell models, including the colon patient-derived circulating tumor cell line CTC-MCC-41. Methods: H1299 (non-small cell lung cancer), MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast cancer), HT-29 (colorectal cancer), and CTC-MCC-41 (derived from the blood of a colon cancer patient) cells were treated with CA-4 (10 μM) for 24 and 48 h. Colony formation was assessed with a clonogenic… More > Graphic Abstract

Chunming Wang^*, Xu Wang, Yubo Liu, Jia Xu, Pingfa Li

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.085395 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Breast cancer (BC) continues to be a major cause of cancer-related mortality among women, and early diagnosis remains critical for improving survival outcomes. Conventional tissue biopsy and imaging techniques are constrained by invasiveness and limited sensitivity in early-stage disease, whereas routine serum tumor markers lack sufficient specificity for reliable early detection. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have increasingly been recognized as promising non-invasive biomarkers, owing to their remarkable stability and detectability in plasma. Here, we summarize the current landscape of plasma circRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and chemoresistance-related biomarkers in BC, emphasizing their clinical relevance in therapy selection,… More >

Shaoxiong Bai^1,#, Yilei Duan^2,#, Tian Yao¹, Yanan Shi¹, Xin Zhang³, Xiaole Ma¹, Kai Jia^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.085030 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Background: Exosomes mediate intercellular communication within the tumor microenvironment. However, their role in modulating mast cell activity in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate whether GC-derived exosomes activate mast cells via the SCF/c-KIT pathway to promote angiogenesis and metastasis, and to assess the therapeutic potential of targeting this axis. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from GC cell lines (AGS, MKN1), a normal gastric epithelial cell line (GES-1), and mouse gastric tumor tissues, followed by characterization via NTA, TEM, and western blot. Mast cell (LAD2) degranulation was quantified by β-hexosaminidase release and ELISA. Cell… More >

Zhen Li^1,2, Xinya Yu¹, Boning Wu³, Jialin Zhang¹, Xinyu Ju¹, Yajun Wang¹, Jieli Song¹, Qiao Liu⁴, Peng Huang^4,5,*, Qi Ding^6,*, Yupeng Wu^1,7,8,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.084987 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Background: Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) modulates the expression of key lipogenic enzymes fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) in colorectal cancer (CRC), but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Methods: Bioinformatics analyses were performed to evaluate FSCN1 expression and its prognostic value in CRC. Intracellular lipid levels following FSCN1 knockdown were assessed by Nile Red/DAPI co-staining and triglyceride quantification, and further validated by Oil Red O staining of xenograft tumors. Expression levels of key metabolic enzymes were measured by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. RNA sequencing identified FSCN1-associated pathways, which were functionally investigated using pharmacological inhibitors. Results: FSCN1… More > Graphic Abstract

Aiyu Ma^1,2,#, Xu Wang^1,2,#, Lu Lu¹, Shuaijie Wang³, Qiuyu Zhao¹, Xuemei Zhang³, Yiping Sun¹, Xuan Meng¹, Yan Zhang¹, Yuzhong Yang¹, Jinhua Zheng^1,2, Xiang Zheng^1,2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.084662 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Objectives: YTH N6-Methyladenosine RNA Binding Protein F2 (YTHDF2) had been implicated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) progression. Increasing evidence indicated that numerous circular RNAs (circRNAs) were involved in regulating tumor progression. However, how the regulation of circRNAs by YTHDF2 contributes to NPC progression remains to be uncovered. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the role and mechanism of YTHDF2-mediated circRNA regulation in NPC migration and invasion. Methods: YTHDF2 expression in NPC was assessed using GEO datasets and immunohistochemistry. Functional experiments were performed in HNE1 and 5-8F cells, with migration/invasion evaluated by wound healing and transwell assays,… More >

Jiang-Nan Xia^#, Shan-Dong Zhu^#, Wei-Ling Qu, Yi-Lin Hu, Wen-Yi Ma, Wenyan Wang, Qian-Lan Huang, Bing-Yuan Lin, Jia-En Guo, Ying-Wei Li^*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.084576 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Objectives: As an aggressive subtype of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is constrained by the limited availability of effective treatments and the absence of well-validated therapeutic targets. This study aimed to explore whether honokiol, a potent YAP/TAZ inhibitor, suppresses stem cell–like properties and enhances chemotherapeutic efficacy in TNBC by blocking YAP/TAZ–TEAD transcriptional complex. Methods: Through both in vitro and in vivo models of TNBC, the current study examined how honokiol influences cell proliferation, cancer stem cell (CSC) traits, and paclitaxel sensitivity. To uncover the molecular mechanisms, we analyzed the transcript levels and protein abundance of core YAP/TAZ–TEAD… More >

Zhiyi Min^1,2, Chunbin Wang³, Tongjin Yin⁴, Wanyan Jiao⁴, Dandan Zhou³, Xuyao Zhang^2,*, Junli Cui^5,*, Zhe Ding^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.10, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2026.084396 - 14 September 2026

Abstract Objectives: MET inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy in several MET-driven malignancies; however, their therapeutic potential in pancreatic cancer remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the antitumor activity of the selective MET inhibitor savolitinib in MET-high pancreatic cancer and to investigate the role of autophagy in the cellular response to MET inhibition. Methods: MET-high pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1 and BxPC-3) were treated with savolitinib. Cell viability, apoptosis, transcriptomic profiling, and signaling pathway analyses were performed to characterize its antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms. Autophagy induction was assessed using monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining, transmission electron microscopy,… More >