Jing Cai^1,#, Haoyun Zhu^1,#, Weiling Guo¹, Ting Huang¹, Pangzhou Chen^1,2, Wen Zhou¹, Ziyun Guan^1,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.34, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069902 - 30 December 2025

Abstract Background: Therapeutic responses of breast cancer vary among patients and lead to drug resistance and recurrence due to the heterogeneity. Current preclinical models, however, are inadequate for predicting individual patient responses towards different drugs. This study aimed to investigate the patient-derived breast cancer culture models for drug sensitivity evaluations. Methods: Tumor and adjacent tissues from female breast cancer patients were collected during surgery. Patient-derived breast cancer cells were cultured using the conditional reprogramming technique to establish 2D models. The obtained patient-derived conditional reprogramming breast cancer (CRBC) cells were subsequently embedded in alginate-gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel microspheres… More >

Woo-Gyun Choi, Byung Joo Kim^*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.12, pp. 2365-2375, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.072715 - 24 December 2025

Abstract Objectives: Petasites japonicus (PJ) is a traditional medicinal herb widely used in East Asia for treating diverse ailments. However, its anticancer properties and underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. This study investigated the anticancer potential and molecular mechanisms of the methanol extract of Petasites japonicus (PJE) in human adenocarcinoma gastric stomach (AGS) cells. Methods: AGS cells were treated with various concentrations of PJE, and cell viability was measured using MTT and CCK-8 assays. Apoptotic cell death was evaluated by the cell cycle, caspase-3 and -9 activity assays, and western blotting. To elucidate the underlying signaling mechanisms, we… More >

Yizhen Zhang^1,2,#, Juan Li^1,3,#, Huanqing Liu^1,4,#, Hong Xia¹, Jian Su^1,5, Fang Liu¹, Bo Su^6,*, Qi Su^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.12, pp. 3869-3886, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.068689 - 27 November 2025

Abstract Objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) is often associated with high invasiveness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), highlighting the need for novel therapeutic targets. This study explored whether diallyl disulfide (DADS) upregulates retinoic acid-related orphan receptor alpha (ROR) to weaken the protein kinase C alpha (PKC)/RORα-mediated RORα/β-catenin pathway, thereby inhibiting GC cell invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and enhancing 5-FU sensitivity. Methods: Human GC cell lines MGC-803 and SGC7901 were treated with DADS, RORα agonist SR1078/antagonist T0901317, and PKCα agonist TPA/antagonist GO6976. Cell proliferation (MTT), migration (scratch assay), invasion (Transwell), protein expression (Western blot), protein… More >

Yuri A. Piven¹, Danila V. Sorokin², Nastassia A. Varabyeva¹, Alexandra L. Mikhaylova², Fedor B. Bogdanov², Elena V. Shafranovskaya¹, Raman M. Puzanau³, Fedor A. Lakhvich¹, Alexander M. Scherbakov^2,4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.12, pp. 4049-4072, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.067832 - 27 November 2025

Abstract Background: The most aggressive forms of breast cancer are characterized by independence from steroid hormones but a strong dependence on growth factors. In such cancer cells, oncogenic receptors, including human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), are activated, and their targeted inhibition represents an attractive therapeutic strategy. The study aimed to develop small-molecule potential dual heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)-HER2 inhibitors and evaluate them as anticancer agents in HER2-positive cells. Methods: The research project involved obtaining a series of compounds with potential dual inhibitory activity against HSP90 and HER2 by targeted organic synthesis, which was… More > Graphic Abstract

Russel J. Reiter^1,*, Ramaswamy Sharma^2,*, Walter Manucha³, Walter Balduini⁴, Doris Loh⁵, Demetrios A. Spandidos⁶, Alejandro Romero⁷, Vasiliki E. Georgakopoulou⁸, Wei Zhu⁹

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.11, pp. 2033-2067, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.067661 - 24 November 2025

Abstract The development of cancer cell resistance to conventional treatments continues to be a major obstacle in the successful treatment of tumors of many types. The discovery of a highly efficient direct and indirect free radical scavenger, melatonin, in the mitochondrial matrix may be a factor in determining both the occurrence of cancer cell drug insensitivity as well as radioresistance. This relates to two of the known hallmarks of cancer, i.e., exaggerated free radical generation in the mitochondria and the development of Warburg type metabolism (glycolysis). The hypothesis elaborated in this report assumes that the high… More >

Yi-Tzu Chen^1,2,3,#, Shao-Hsuan Kao^4,5,#, Chun-Yi Chuang^6,7, Chun-Wen Su^4,5, Wei-En Yang^4,5, Chih-Hsin Tang^8,9,10, Shun-Fa Yang^4,5,*, Chiao-Wen Lin^2,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.11, pp. 3387-3404, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.069877 - 22 October 2025

Abstract Background: Alisol A is a natural compound isolated from Alismatis Rhizoma, known for its diverse pharmacological activities, including anticancer and neuroprotective effects. This study aimed to explore the anticancer effects of Alisol A on oral cancer cells and elucidate its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Cell viability was measured by MTT assay, cell cycle by flow cytometry, and apoptosis by Annexin V/PI staining and caspase activation. Regulation of signaling pathways was analyzed using an apoptosis-related protein array, immunoblotting, and specific kinase inhibitors. Results: Alisol A reduced the viability of oral cancer cell lines, induced sub-G1 phase accumulation, and augmented… More >

Xiangyu Yan^1,#, Yusheng Jin^1,#, Yan Yuan¹, Xubaihe Zhang¹, Jiayi Li¹, Ying Xu¹, Yangyang Ge², Anqing Wu^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.10, pp. 1929-1946, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.066935 - 22 October 2025

Abstract Objectives: Fractionated radiotherapy represents a standardized and widely adopted treatment modality for cancer management, with approximately 40% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving it. However, repeated irradiation may induce radioresistance in cancer cells, reducing treatment effectiveness and raising recurrence risk. The long noncoding RNA CRYBG3 (lncRNA CRYBG3), which is upregulated in lung cancer cells after X-ray irradiation, contributes to the radioresistance of NSCLC cells by promoting wild-type p53 protein degradation. This study aims to elucidate the mechanism of fractionated irradiation-induced radioresistance, in which lncRNA CRYBG3 regulates radiation-induced mitochondrial damage and reactive oxygen species… More >

Chuansheng Yang¹, Xiaoling Zhou^2,3, Ling Luo³, Zirun Luo⁴, Kaiming Fan^5,*, Chenglai Xia^2,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.10, pp. 3065-3076, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.066058 - 26 September 2025

Abstract Objectives: Novel drug delivery systems have been designed to enhance local drug concentrations while reducing side effects conducive to improved breast cancer treatment outcomes. This study aimed to identify the anti-cancer function of zeolite imidazole ester-based material loaded with camptothecin nanoparticles. Methods: We utilized a zeolitic imidazolate backbone material to fabricate 9-hydroxycamptothecin nanoparticles and investigated their impact on breast cancer cell proliferation. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed changes in the carrier skeleton of the loaded 9-hydroxyl camptothecin, characterized by a reduction in surface smoothness, accompanied by slight collapses and folds on the… More >

Ting Wei^1,2,#, Pengli Wei^2,3,#, Yalei Wang^1,2, Yaqiu Mao^2,3, Jian Yan², Xiaotong Hu², Zhenze Qi², Xu Cai², Changkai Jia², Zhiyuan Zhao², Bingkun Li², Min Qiao², Yaxin Zou^2,3, Tingting Yang⁴, Shiyang Sun², Xuesong Feng³, Pengyun Li^2,*, Hongzhou Shang^1,*, Zhibing Zheng²

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.10, pp. 2981-3006, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.065123 - 26 September 2025

Abstract Objectives: Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), functioning as molecular glue degraders, have been approved for treating various hematological malignancies; however, the inevitable acquired drug resistance resulting from their skeletal similarity and hematological toxicities poses significant obstacles to their clinical treatment. The study aimed to develop degraders with potent efficiency and low toxicity. Methods: Phenotypic profiling, elaborate structure-activity relationships (SAR), rational drug design and degradation profiles investigations, quantitative proteomics analysis and cell-based functional studies, and pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to develop more potent degraders. Results: This study developed novel CRBN-binding moieties through methylene deletion in lenalidomide’s isoindole core. Lead… More > Graphic Abstract

Alejandro Javier Español^1,2,*, Yamila Sanchez¹, Sofia Volpi²

BIOCELL, Vol.49, No.8, pp. 1449-1480, 2025, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2025.068034 - 29 August 2025

Abstract Background: Triple-negative (TN) breast cancer, the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, is usually treated with high doses of paclitaxel (PX), which induces resistance. To prevent this adverse effect, metronomic chemotherapy based on administering low doses of PX plus carbachol (Carb), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonist, has emerged as an alternative. Other acetylcholine receptors also present in breast tissue are nicotinic ones. When activated by nicotine (Nic), these receptors can decrease the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy. However, whether metronomic chemotherapy with PX and Carb is affected by Nic has not yet been described. This… More >