Analysis of microarray and single-cell RNA-seq identifies gene co-expression, cell–cell communication, and tumor environment associated with metabolite interconversion enzyme in prostate cancer Cancer does not have a universally agreed-upon description, but it is characterized by the unregulated proliferation of cells, which may result in the infiltration of the cell basement or the spread to other organs in the body.

In a Discover Oncology Behind The Paper blog post, the author discusses new perspectives on the molecular properties and pathways of differentially expressed genes in prostate cancer and potential biomarkers that play a crucial role in its genesis.

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It's been an exciting week around here - let's end it on a high note with this week's #ACSFriday5!

Here are five new papers from our ACS researchers that we think are worthy of a little extra attention this week:

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#Medsky🧪 #IDsky #oncosky #immunosky #publichealth #vaccinesarematter @jama.com In a cohort of 76 807 patients with cancer, no significant elevation in overall risk of postacute sequelae compatible with long COVID was observed among those infected with the #SARSCoV’2

Held at @jax.org in Bar Harbor, you will:
🔹 Engage with experts
🔹 Develop skills in xenografting and data analysis
🔹 Network with peers and faculty
🔹 Present your research

📆 Submit an abstract by July 1: www.jax.org/education-an...

#Oncosky #Cansky #PhDSky

Exploring Cancer: Biology and Inheritance Discover the fundamental properties of cancer cells and explore the genetic basis, inheritance, risk factors and prevention of this disease.

📊 Are you familiar with the six hallmarks of #cancer?

Learn about the fundamental properties of cancer cells and what drives their development in @jax.org's self-paced Online MiniCourse.

#CanSky #OncoSky

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Index (AIDI) and Bladder Cancer Risk by Stage: A 22-Year Prospective Swedish Cohort Study (1998–2020) Abstract. Background: Dietary patterns influencing systemic levels of inflammation have been proposed and investigated as possible determinants of cancer risk. We evaluated the association between the...

New in @theaacr.bsky.social: "In this large cohort with 22 years of follow-up, higher Anti-Inflammatory Diet Index scores were associated with lower bladder cancer risk, especially for muscle-invasive disease."🍒 #bladdercancer #oncology #cansky #oncsky #oncosky
aacrjournals.org/cebp/article...

What passes for healthcare since Trump & RFK Jr took over. #oncosky #healthcare
www.instagram.com/reel/DWb57T9...

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...and more!

 ➡️ https://bit.ly/irbjobs

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#Medsky🧪 #oncosky Experimental findings from cell lines, 🐁 models, and clinical samples strongly support the role of #tetraploidy in cancer evolution but many studies have reported very large & presumably highly #polyploid cells in drug-resistant & metastatic tumors

Welcome to this week's #ACSFriday5, where we shine the spotlight on new publications from our ACS researchers!

Here are five papers that we think are worth your time this week:

#CanSky #OncoSky 🧪

Waited 65 minutes for my neurosurgeon to join my Zoom appointment at 9:30am. Called the hospital but hung up after hearing, "You are the 8th caller in line". 90 minutes late now...I am thoroughly annoyed. Furious, in fact. 😡 #FuckDougFord #CanSky #OncoSky

🔬 Watch how cancer and immune cells interact in a living system.

Scientists at BCI have developed mini lab-grown ovarian tumours that recreate the complex neighbourhood of cells in patients. Published today in @natcomms.nature.com.

Read more: bit.ly/4bMCrVg

🧪 #medsky #oncosky @qmul.bsky.social

Serum neopterin and kynurenine as predictive and prognostic biomarkers in prostate cancer: the role of dietary inflammatory index and biomarker interactions - BMC Cancer Background It has been shown that neopterin levels in various body fluids can help predict the diagnosis of different malignancies. Although many studies have investigated the roles of serum neopterin concentrations, tryptophan metabolism, and the dietary inflammation index (DII) in various cancers, the connection between these factors and prostate cancer (PC) remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive and prognostic roles of serum neopterin, and kynurenine levels, along with the kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio (KTR) and DII in prostate cancer. Methods This study was conducted with 57 newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients, 55 benign prostate hyperplasia patients, and 56 healthy male individuals in the control group, all aged 40 years and older. Participants had specific anthropometric measurements taken, and three-day food records were kept. DII was calculated based on data for thirty-four available nutrients by using food records. Serum levels of neopterin, kynurenine, tryptophan, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results Serum neopterin (11.79 ± 6.09), kynurenine (1655.48 ± 1122.04), TNF-α (221.59 ± 232.06) and IFN-γ (137.68 ± 107.11) levels were higher in the malignant group than in both the control (2.72 ± 0.76, 352.40 ± 69.33, 223.94 ± 226.67, and 23.03 ± 7.28, respectively) and benign groups (3.17 ± 0.74, 377.94 ± 109.05, 179.61 ± 224.36, and 25.63 ± 7.50, respectively) (p < 0.05). Another result of our study is that in the malignant group, serum neopterin levels exhibited significant positive correlations with serum kynurenine (r = 0.80, p < 0.0001), IFN-γ (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001) and TNF-α levels (r = -0.27, p = 0.0453) and DII (r = 0.30, p = 0.0229), while they exhibited weak correlations with serum PSA, and other diet parameters. Additionally, kynurenine was the only parameter showing significant differences in mean values concerning surgical margins (p < 0.05). Conclusions The findings of this study support the hypothesis that serum neopterin and specific tryptophan catabolites (e.g., kynurenine), could serve as predictive and prognostic biomarkers for prostate cancer diagnosis. However, our results do not support the hypothesis that DII and certain dietary factors play a direct role in the development or diagnosis of prostate cancer.

A study published in BMC Cancer supports the hypothesis that serum neopterin and specific tryptophan catabolites (e.g., kynurenine), could serve as predictive and prognostic biomarkers for prostate cancer diagnosis.

#MedSky #OncoSky

Identification of metabolic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis treated with methylprednisolone - Discover Oncology Objective This study aims to screen and identify metabolic biomarkers and targets for methylprednisolone treatment of thymoma with myasthenia gravis (MG) through metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis, thereby improving guidance for clinical medication and treatment. Methods Serum from 15 patients with thymoma accompanied by severe MG was collected. Changes in serum metabolite levels before and after methylprednisolone treatment were determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC—MS). The raw mass spectrometry fragment information obtained was integrated and interpreted using the metabolomics data analysis software Progenesis QI v2.3. Differential metabolites were screened and identified using univariate and multivariate statistical analysis methods. Subsequently, potential targets of methylprednisolone treatment were identified through network pharmacology, and the mechanism of action of methylprednisolone in treating thymoma with MG was explored in conjunction with metabolomics. Finally, key targets and the upstream synthetic enzymes of critical metabolites identified were validated using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results A total of 148 differential metabolites were identified in the metabolomics study, among which key metabolites ceramide (Cer) and sphingomyelin (SM) play a significant role in cell immune regulation, inflammatory response, and tumor control. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) could serve as a potential target for methylprednisolone treatment of thymoma with MG. ELISA validation results showed that the key target TNF and the upstream synthetic enzymes of the key metabolites SM and Cer were all downregulated after methylprednisolone treatment, with the differences being statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion Our Study reveals that TNF could serve as a potential target for methylprednisolone treatment of Thymoma-associated MG, and Cer and SM could act as potential metabolic biomarkers to assess its treatment efficacy.

A study published in Discover Oncology aims to screen and identify metabolic biomarkers and targets for methylprednisolone treatment of thymoma with myasthenia gravis (MG) through metabolomics and network pharmacology analysis.

#OncoSky #MedSky

My last quarterly CTscan showed no sign of recurrence, BUT showed a nodule on my thyroid gland. An ultrasound showed it has an ACR TI-RADS score of TR4 - a “moderately suspicious nodule.” 🕵🏻‍♂️ 👀

FNA biopsy scheduled. Meanwhile, let’s party! 💃🏼🕺🏻

#FkCancer #CanSky #OncoSky

📢 We are #hiring!

▫️Group Leader in Chemical Biology
▫️Group Leader in Structural Biology
▫️Purchasing Technician (temporary position)
▫️ People Administration Officer

...and more!

 ➡️ https://bit.ly/irbjobs

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Radiomics in pediatric brain tumors: from images to insights - Discover Oncology Radiomics has emerged as a promising non-invasive imaging approach in pediatric neuro-oncology, offering the ability to extract high-dimensional quantitative features from routine MRI to support diagnosis, risk stratification, molecular characterization, and outcome prediction. Pediatric brain tumors, which differ significantly from adult tumors in biology and imaging appearance, present unique diagnostic and prognostic challenges. By integrating radiomics with machine learning algorithms, studies have demonstrated strong performance in classifying tumor types such as medulloblastoma, ependymoma, and gliomas, and predicting molecular subgroups and mutations such as H3K27M and BRAF. Recent studies combining radiomics with machine learning algorithms — including support vector machines, random forests, and deep learning CNNs — have demonstrated promising performance, with AUCs ranging from 0.75 to 0.98 for tumor classification and 0.77 to 0.88 for molecular subgroup prediction, across cohorts from 50 to over 450 patients, with internal cross-validation and external validation in some cases. In resource-limited settings or regions with limited radiologist manpower, radiomics-based tools could help augment diagnostic accuracy and consistency, serving as decision support to prioritize patients for further evaluation or biopsy. Emerging applications such as radio-immunomics and radio-pathomics may further enhance understanding of tumor biology but remain investigational. Despite its potential, clinical translation faces notable barriers, including limited pediatric-specific datasets, variable imaging protocols, and the lack of standardized, reproducible workflows. Multi-institutional collaboration, harmonized pipelines, and prospective validation are essential next steps. Radiomics should be viewed as a supplementary tool that complements existing clinical and pathological frameworks, supporting more informed and equitable care in pediatric brain tumor management.

Radiomics can offer a powerful, non-invasive approach to tumor classification, molecular subtyping, and prognostication in pediatric neuro-oncology, reports a study published in Discover Oncology.

#MedSky #OncoSky

There is a spring in our step because it's time for this week's #ACSFriday5, where we highlight five new publications from our ACS researchers.

Here are this week's papers:

#CanSky #OncoSky 🧪

Check out this short video with Ludwig @ox.ac.uk Director Xin Lu on the goals of Team ATLAS, recent recipients of a @cancergrand.bsky.social award.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlxj...

#CanSky #OncoSky @oxfordcancer.bsky.social

MRD4U: A path to development for personalized liquid biopsy for children with central nervous system tumors - BMC Cancer Background Liquid biopsy assays using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can revolutionize care for children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors by enabling precise monitoring of therapeutic responses and detecting recurrence or measurable residual disease (MRD). These assays can detect cell-free, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) via somatic alterations, though accurately measuring low-abundance ctDNA in CSF is challenging. Methods Our research focused on the optimization of next-generation sequencing library preparation from cell-free DNA (cfDNA), evaluating four commercial kits to address the low nucleic acid yield in CSF-derived cfDNA. The selected kit minimized false positives and detected somatic variants at 5% variant allele frequency using 0.1 ng input of synthetic cfDNA, suitable for low-volume CSF samples. Results We then applied our optimized workflow to six children with CNS tumors using a personalized hybrid-capture sequencing strategy (“MRD4U”), in which individualized panels were designed based on each patient’s tumor sequencing. Using MRD4U, we identified ctDNA in two samples, even though neither patient had radiographic or clinical evidence of disease at the time of liquid biopsy. Notably, one ctDNA-positive patient developed radiographic recurrence four months later, demonstrating the assay’s potential to detect molecular relapse ahead of conventional clinical measures. Conclusions These findings demonstrate applicability of our personalized MRD4U assay in early detection of disease recurrence. Unlike non-targeted or tumor-agnostic CSF liquid biopsy approaches, MRD4U leverages patient-specific genomic information to enable sensitive, tumor-informed monitoring that can be deployed across a wide range of pediatric CNS tumors. Our approach is broadly applicable to any tumor type with existing genomic data, enabling ctDNA detection across diverse diagnoses. Ultimately, this strategy may inform clinical decision-making and enable earlier therapeutic intervention.

A study published in BMC Cancer presents MRD4U: a scalable, cost-effective personalized liquid biopsy method using circulating tumor DNA from cerebrospinal fluid (CNS) to monitor pediatric nervous system tumors.

#MedSky #OncoSky

patients are already seeing DTC ads...get ready for increased demand for testing!
#oncosky
#medsky

A complete DNA map to better detect cancer-causing changes – Sciworthy Researchers used a complete map of the human genome to better detect large DNA changes associated with cancer.

Scientists in Canada and the USA demonstrated that comparing patients' DNA sequences with the complete human genome can help them detect structural variants in cancer more accurately than the standard reference genome.
#SciComm #SciNews #CanSky #OncoSky
sciworthy.com/a-complete-d...

🚨 Last Call for Abstracts! 🚨

The deadline to submit abstracts to present your work at this summer's Cancer Prevention Research Conference is Friday, March 20th - that's tomorrow!

Learn more about the conference and submit your abstracts here: amercancer.co/2026CancerPr...

#CanSky #OncoSky 🧪

New Radiation #Oncology music recommendation: The Postal Service.

Jimmy Tamborello's beats beautifully mash up with the whirring of the machinery, Ben Gibbard's vocals carry you away from the moment, and Jenny Lewis' back up vocals calm the nerves.

👩‍🍳💋

#CanSky #OncoSky #Cancer #RadOnc

SARS-CoV-2 infection heightens the risk of developing HPV-related carcinoma in situ and cancer - Discover Oncology Objective This study aims to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on HPV-related cancer and carcinoma in situ. Method We utilized data from TriNetX, a database encompassing 106 healthcare organizations spanning 15 countries and comprising information from over 124 million participants. Propensity score matching was utilized to compare two cohorts: SARS-CoV-2 infection and non- SARS-CoV-2 infection groups. The cohorts consisted of females aged 18–90 with no previous history of HPV-related cancers before SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2020 and no HPV vaccine before 2020. We utilized Cox proportional hazard regression analysis to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were performed based on age and race to validate the findings. Results The study included a total of 4,872,295 patients, with 1,281,997 in the SARS-CoV-2 infection group and 3,590,298 in the non-infection group. After propensity score matching, both groups comprised 1,281,997 patients each. Over a 3-year follow-up period, individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection had significantly higher risks of developing HPV-related cancers compared to those without infection: a 67% increase in cervical cancer, 131% in vaginal cancer, 98% in vulvar cancer, 92% in anal cancer, and 78% in oropharyngeal cancer. Similar trends were observed for carcinoma in situ, with increased risks of 34% for cervical, 61% for vaginal, 74% for vulvar, 96% for anal, and 78% for oropharyngeal carcinoma in situ. Subgroup analyses stratified by age and race demonstrated consistent results. Conclusion SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with elevated risks of HPV-related carcinoma in situ and cancer, irrespective of age or race. The findings underscore the importance of understanding the interplay between viral infections and cancer development, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with elevated risks of HPV-related carcinoma in situ and cancer, irrespective of age or race, reports a study published in Discover Oncology.

#MedSky #OncoSky

📢 We are #hiring!

▫️Group Leader in Chemical Biology
▫️Group Leader in Structural Biology
▫️Head, Advanced #Genomics Technologies Core Facility
▫️Lab Technician
▫️ People Administration Officer

...& many more!

 ➡️ https://bit.ly/irbjobs

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#Medsky🧪 #oncosky This study develops a computational framework to identify evolutionary signatures (ESs) from cancer genome data, revealing how tumors evolve and interact with their immune environment
treatment responses . - 4 Evolutionary Signatures:

Check out this short video with Ludwig CEO and Scientific Director Chi Van Dang on the goals of Team ATLAS, recent recipients of a @cancergrand.bsky.social award.

#CanSky #OncoSky

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHo5...

High caliber study &
there’s a lot to unpack here, eg
“Patients who received CAM only had the highest mortality…followed by untreated patients”
#bcsm
#oncosky
#cancersky

🚨 Webinar Reminders!

On Monday, March 16, the American Cancer Society Extramural Discovery Science team will host two informational webinars about our current grant funding opportunities for interested potential applicants:

🧪 #CanSky #OncoSky #ResearchGrants #CancerResearch