VINOTHKUMAR VEERASAMY¹, VEERAVARMAL VEERAN², SIDDAVARAM NAGINI^1,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.8, pp. 1835-1860, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.064010 - 18 July 2025

Abstract The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway is one of the most frequently dysregulated signaling networks in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Although the tumor microenvironment (TME) and epigenetic modifiers are recognized to play a pivotal role in aberrant activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway in OSCC, the available evidence is fragmentary and a comprehensive analysis is warranted. This review evaluates the intricate mechanisms by which various components of the TME facilitate proliferation, apoptosis evasion, invasion, migration, angiogenesis, metastasis, as well as therapy resistance in OSCC through activation of PI3K/AKT signalling. The review has also More >

JIAJIA LV, XIAOYOU ZHONG, LIN WANG, WEIFEI FAN^*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.7, pp. 1581-1592, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.060063 - 26 June 2025

Abstract The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and dynamic network comprised of tumor cells, surrounding cellular components, various signaling molecules, and the stroma. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are pivotal players in the immunosuppressive landscape of the TME, effectively hindering antitumor immune responses and facilitating tumor progression. Originating from pathologically activated myeloid precursors and relatively immature myeloid cells, MDSCs retain plasticity to further differentiate into other myeloid cells, such as macrophages or dendritic cells, which underpins their heterogeneity and adaptability in response to the TME. In this review, we delve into the plasticity of MDSCs in More >

LINGJIE XU¹, YIQIN XIA¹, QIN QIN¹, GUIQUN WANG¹, KAI TAO², WEI WEI^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.7, pp. 1649-1666, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.056176 - 26 June 2025

Abstract Background: The centrosome, a crucial cellular structure involved in the mitotic process of eukaryotic cells, plays a significant role in tumor progression by regulating the growth and differentiation of neoplastic cells. This makes the centrosome a promising target for therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment. Methods: Utilizing data from the TCGA database, we identified centrosome-related genes and constructed a prognostic model for 518 lung adenocarcinoma patients. Prognosis-associated genes were initially screened using univariate Cox regression, with overfitting minimized by applying LASSO regression to remove collinearity. Finally, a set of 12 genes was selected through multivariable Cox… More >

Yinghui Ye^1,#, Yulou Luo^2,#, Yutian Sun³, Yujie Zhang¹, Jiaxin Lin⁴, Ziling Yang⁵, Anping Xu^6,*, Bei Xue^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.6, pp. 1383-1404, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.062584 - 29 May 2025

Abstract Objectives: The tumorigenic progression of Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the predominant NSCLC subtype, is predominantly driven by co-occurring mutations in KRAS proto-oncogene (KRAS)/Tumor protein p53 (TP53). However, their impact on tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity, particularly neutrophil dynamics, remains poorly understood. This present study aims to elucidate how KRAS/TP53 mutations reprogram the TME and develop a neutrophil-centric prognostic signature for LUAD. Methods: Leveraging single-cell RNA sequencing data and transcriptome data, neutrophil subpopulations were identified using Seurat and CellChat R packages, with trajectory analysis via Monocle2 R package. High-dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis (hdWGCNA), univariate Cox regression,… More >

HYEON JI KIM^1,#, BO KYUNG JOO^1,#, JIN-SEOK BYUN^2,3,*, DO-YEON KIM^1,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.6, pp. 1271-1282, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.062207 - 29 May 2025

Abstract Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly aggressive and devastating disease arising primarily from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. HNSCC ranks as the sixth most common cancer worldwide, carrying significant morbidity and mortality. HPV-positive HNSCC can be partially prevented with the FDA-approved HPV vaccine and generally exhibits a more favorable prognosis compared to HPV-negative cases. However, effective screening and treatment approaches remain elusive for HPV-negative HNSCC. While precancerous lesions may precede invasive cancer in certain situations, most patients present with advanced disease without prior indication of precancerous More >

MOEKA NAKASHIMA, NAOKO SUGA, AKARI FUKUMOTO, SAYURI YOSHIKAWA, SATORU MATSUDA^*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.5, pp. 1007-1017, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.059657 - 18 April 2025

Abstract Malignant tumors are heterogeneous diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and/or recurrence of their malignancies. In particular, cancer stem cells (CSCs) within these tumors might be responsible for the property of invasiveness and/or therapies-resistance. CSCs are a self-renewing, awfully tumorigenic subpopulation of cancer cells, which are notorious for strong chemoresistance and are frequently responsible the aggravated invasion, metastasis, and/or recurrence. Developing targeting therapies against CSCs, therefore, may be deliberated a more encouraging mission for the greater cancer therapy. Innovation for a more potent anti-CSC treatment has been required as soon as possible.… More > Graphic Abstract

HAISU LIANG^1,2,#, WEI YAN^3,#, ZHI LIU^1,4, YUNBO HE^1,2,5, JIAO HU¹, ZHIWEI SHU¹, HUIHUANG LI¹, BELAYDI OTHMANE¹, WENBIAO REN^1,6, CHAO QUAN¹, DONGXU QIU¹, MINFENG CHEN¹, WEI XIONG⁵, BINGNAN ZHANG^1,*, PEIHUA LIU^1,2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.5, pp. 1105-1119, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.054623 - 18 April 2025

Abstract Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of non coding RNA that possess unique single stranded circular structures formed through reverse splicing mechanisms. Due to the lack of a free end that is typically susceptible to degradation by nucleases, circular RNAs exhibit resistance to ribonuclease R, making them highly stable in eukaryotic cells. The complex relationship between circRNA dysregulation and various pathophysiological conditions, especially cancer. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a collective term for various components surrounding tumors and is an important factor affecting tumor development. Simultaneous infiltration of TME by different types of immune cells; These… More >

LIWEN FENG^1,2,#,*, YUTING CHEN^3,#, WENYI JIN⁴

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.5, pp. 1091-1103, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.054207 - 18 April 2025

Abstract Osteosarcoma (OS) is a prevalent primary bone malignancy with limited treatment options. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate and understand the mechanisms underlying OS pathogenesis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are markedly abundant in tumor stromal cells and are essentially involved in the modulation of tumor occurrence and development. In recent years, CAFs have become a hotspot as researchers aim to elucidate CAF mechanisms that regulate tumor progression. However, most studies on CAFs are limited to a few common cancers, and their association with OS remains elusive. This review describes the role and current knowledge of CAFs More >

SHUANG ZHAO^1,#, HONGYONG WEN^2,#, BAIQI WANG², QINGLIN XIONG¹, LANXIN LI¹, AILAN CHENG^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.4, pp. 795-810, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.057317 - 19 March 2025

Abstract Approximately half of all cancers have p53 inactivating mutations, in addition to which most malignancies inactivate the p53 pathway by increasing p53 inhibitors, decreasing p53 activators, or inactivating p53 downstream targets. A growing number of researches have demonstrated that p53 can influence tumor progression through the tumor microenvironment (TME). TME is involved in the process of tumor development and metastasis and affects the clinical prognosis of patients. p53 participates in host immunity and engages in the immune landscape of the TME, but the specific mechanisms remain to be investigated. This review briefly explores the More >

CHRISTINA LOH¹, YUQI ZHENG¹, ISLAM ALZOUBI², KIMBERLEY L. ALEXANDER^3,4, MAGGIE LEE⁴, WEI-DONG CAI², YANG SONG⁵, KERRIE MCDONALD⁶, ANNA K. NOWAK⁷, RICHARD B. BANATI^8,9, MANUEL B. GRAEBER^1,4,10,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.4, pp. 937-950, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.056436 - 19 March 2025

Abstract Background: Microglia and brain macrophages contribute significantly to the tumor microenvironment in highly malignant glioblastoma where they are considered important drivers of tumor progression. A better understanding of the role of the brain macrophages present in glioblastoma appears crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes, especially in the context of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. Methods: We investigated the regulation of two well-established markers for microglia and brain macrophages, IBA1 and CD163, in relation to glioblastoma tumor necrosis using immunohistochemistry and modality fusion heatmaps of whole slide images obtained from adjacent tissue sections. Results: IBA1 and CD163 showed remarkable differences… More >