Cancers doi: 10.20517/2394-4722.2025.152

Authors: Shanshan Weng,Danhua Wang,Lei Zhang,Shenghao Wu

Aim: The FAM (family with sequence similarity) gene family, implicated in various malignancies, remains underexplored in microsatellite-stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC). MSS CRC represents the majority of CRC cases and lacks reliable prognostic biomarkers as well as effective immunotherapeutic strategies.

Methods: Transcriptome profiles and matched clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas-COADREAD cohort were used as a training set, while GSE29623 and GSE39582 served as independent validation cohorts. A prognostic signature (FAM gene Family-associated expression scoring (FAMscore)) was constructed based on FAM family genes using Multivariate-Cox regression. Associations between FAMscore, survival outcomes, tumor immune microenvironment features, and predicted drug sensitivity were explored through computational analyses.

Results: The FAMscore stratified MSS CRC patients into high- and low-risk groups with significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) overall survival (OS) in the training cohort and consistent trends in validation datasets. A high FAMscore was associated with an immunosuppressive tumor immune microenvironment, characterized by increased regulatory T cells and M2 macrophages. Exploratory analyses suggested differential predicted sensitivity to selected targeted agents.

Conclusions: FAMscore is associated with prognosis and immune landscape features in MSS CRC. These findings are exploratory and hypothesis-generating, and further experimental and prospective validation is required.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/2394-4722.2025.96

Authors: Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan,Maria Maddalena Marrapodi,Hande Uzuncibuk,Gabriele Cervino,Silvia Piccolo,Nicola Fiorito,Diana Russo,Giuseppe Minervini

Aim: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) challenges clinicians with its complex pathology and high risk of complications.

Methods: We searched seven databases - PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholar - and adapted the search strings for each database to optimize retrieval of relevant studies. We then systematically reviewed the included studies to identify the most effective treatments for promoting MRONJ healing.

Results: A total of 329 records were identified through database searches across seven electronic databases. After removal of 45 duplicates, 284 records were screened. Following title and abstract screening and full-text assessment, 13 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. The included studies consisted primarily of randomized controlled trials and retrospective cohort studies investigating surgical, pharmacological, and adjunctive therapeutic strategies for MRONJ management. Risk-of-bias assessment using the RoB 2.0 and ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias in Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions) tools showed that most studies presented low to moderate risk of bias, although some methodological concerns were identified. Surgical interventions were commonly associated with improved clinical healing, while adjunctive therapies such as bone morphogenetic protein-2 and teriparatide showed promising outcomes in selected cases. Follow-up periods ranged from 1 month to 2 years, and outcome measures included clinical, radiological, and histological evaluations.

Conclusion: MRONJ treatment is diverse and multifaceted. Such inferences were made to varying degrees in previous investigations, illustrating the limitations for clinical use, revealing the need for further studies to clarify both the efficacy and optimal use of the interventions in diverse clinical settings.

Cancers doi: 10.20517/2394-4722.2025.108

Authors: Divyanshu Aggarwal,Anita Thyagarajan,Ravi P. Sahu

Lung cancer remains one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies worldwide, characterized by a poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Although therapeutic strategies targeting oncogenic signaling cascades, such as receptor tyrosine kinases, have shown promising outcomes by regulating cellular functions such as survival and proliferation, their long-term effectiveness is often limited by mechanisms, including tumor resistance, drug toxicity, and adverse events. These challenges underscore the urgent need to identify new molecular targets and develop alternative therapeutic approaches. One promising avenue lies in the exploration of microRNAs (miRs) and their significance in cancer biology. Among them, miR-218 has drawn significant attention for its tumor-suppressive properties. Multiple experimental studies have emphasized the role of miR-218 as a key regulator of cell signaling pathways critical to cancer progression, including proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis. Notably, miR-218 has been investigated as both a diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutic target. Importantly, clinical evidence further supports its relevance, showing an inverse correlation between miR-218 expression levels and tumor aggressiveness, reinforcing its translational significance. This review logically consolidates the functional significance, mechanistic insights, and experimental and clinical findings that emphasize the pivotal role of miR-218 in regulating molecular pathways involved in lung cancer growth.