Financial toxicity (the financial burden that accompanies a cancer diagnosis) uniquely affects adolescent/young adult cancer survivors (AYACS). The objective of this study was to use a mixed-method approach to understand AYACS' perspectives on financial consequences of cancer treatment, to complement quantitative measures of financial toxicity.

In this convergent mixed methods study, data from AYACS participants (n = 35) were collected. Financial toxicity was measured quantitatively using the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST) and a sociodemographic survey. Qualitative measures included semistructured interviews.

The mean COST score was 30.4 (SD 7.26), ranging from 16 to 43. Mixed methods analysis revealed: 1) financial situations related to cancer treatment led to varying levels of support and conversation within families; 2) financial strain was significant for participants of all ages and impacted future planning; 3) participants experienced gratitude for philanthropic funding, while experiences with insurance were mixed; and 4) due to financial strain, some participants experienced stressful emotions, while others did not. No statistically significant differences were found in COST scores across demographic variables.

AYACS experienced financial challenges. While quantitative data did not reveal statistically significant differences in financial toxicity by sex, diagnosis age, or treatment phase, qualitative data uncovered important differences in experiences of younger versus older AYACS, particularly social support's role in protecting against financial toxicity. This study revealed the importance of improving services to ensure AYACS (especially older AYACS) have resources to decrease financial toxicity and designing sensitive quantitative instruments to assess financial toxicity among AYACS with additional focus on assessing social aspects of financial support.

Complete mesocolic excision requires central mesenteric dissection near the middle colic vein (MCV) confluence, where anatomic variability may increase operative risk. However, MCV multiplicity, confluence patterns, and relationships to the middle colic artery (MCA) are not sufficiently defined.

We performed a retrospective secondary analysis of 300 consecutive three-dimensional vascular reconstructions from a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing surgery for right-sided colon cancer (age 65 ± 9 years; 59% female) between November 2017 and December 2022. We classified transverse mesocolic venous trunks operationally as MCV1, MCV2, and MCV3 according to their right-to-left position to standardize the description of multiple venous drainage patterns. MCV trunks (MCV1-3), their confluence patterns, and their spatial relationships to the MCA were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The reconstruction method had been previously validated intraoperatively and was performed by a single investigator.

The MCV was identified in all cases (397 veins total). There was one trunk in 68.7%, two in 30.3%, and three in 1.0% of patients. Confluences were most often into the superior mesenteric vein (65.7%), followed by the inferior mesenteric vein (12.6%) and gastrocolic trunk (9.8%). MCV1 drained mainly into the SMV (72.7%). MCV2 showed variable drainage into the SMV (45.7%), IMV (31.9%), jejunal vein (9.6%), left SMV (3.2%), and left colic angular vein (2.1%). MCV3 drained into the IMV in 66.7% and the left SMV in 33.3%. The MCV and MCA were separate in 67.0% of cases, with anterior crossing in 17.7% and posterior crossing in 15.3%. Left-sided drainage patterns were seen in 20-50% of patients with 2 trunks and 3.

MCV anatomy is highly variable, with multiplicity in 31.3% and frequent alternative confluence pattern. Preoperative 3DCT can identify alternative variants and may support safer, tailored vascular ligation during lymphadenectomy.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide and continues to have poor survival outcomes, with most patients diagnosed at advanced stages of disease. In New Zealand, NSCLC contributes substantially to cancer inequities, with Māori communities experiencing disproportionately high incidence and mortality rates. Although low-dose computed tomography screening can improve early detection, major limitations remain, including false-positive findings, overdiagnosis, high infrastructure costs, and limited accessibility for rural and underserved populations. Liquid biopsy approaches using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), particularly DNA methylation profiling, have emerged as promising, minimally invasive strategies for improving cancer detection, treatment monitoring, and precision oncology.

This study aims to establish integrated genomic and epigenomic predictive and prognostic biomarkers using ctDNA, tumor tissue, and transcriptomic profiling to improve early detection, risk stratification, treatment selection and response prediction, and longitudinal monitoring, with particular emphasis on identifying molecular mechanisms associated with treatment resistance and disease progression.

This prospective observational translational biomarker study is being conducted through the University of Otago and associated respiratory and oncology services in New Zealand. The study will recruit participants with NSCLC (including squamous and nonsquamous subtypes), individuals referred to fast-track lung nodule assessment clinics, and nonmalignant respiratory controls. Serial peripheral blood sampling will be performed in selected participants at predefined clinical follow-up time points to evaluate treatment response and disease progression. The availability of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival tissues will be recorded, but will not be mandatory for enrollment. Genome-scale DNA methylation profiling will be performed using cell-free reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (cfRRBS), while targeted genomic profiling and transcriptomic analyses will be conducted using targeted sequencing panels and RNA sequencing. Integrative bioinformatic analyses will be used to identify molecular biomarkers associated with early-stage disease, advanced disease, treatment response, and therapeutic resistance.

Ethics approval for the study has been obtained from the New Zealand Health and Disability Ethics Committee (2022 EXP 12566). This study commenced in 2022, and recruitment and biospecimen collection are ongoing. The study aims to recruit approximately 450 participants, including patients with NSCLC, individuals referred through respiratory diagnostic pathways, and nonmalignant controls. As of July 31, 2026, 205 participants have been recruited, with recruitment continuing until the target sample size is reached. Molecular and data analyses are ongoing, with additional publications expected as the cohort matures.

This study will generate one of the first integrated genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic liquid biopsy datasets for NSCLC in New Zealand. The findings are expected to support the development of sensitive, accessible, and equitable blood-based biomarkers for NSCLC detection and treatment monitoring while also contributing to improved precision oncology approaches and reducing NSCLC inequities among Māori populations.

Finding reliable prognostic markers for patients with brain metastases would be beneficial since they could be used in clinical practice when making treatment decisions. Recent literature has analyzed the role of temporalis muscle thickness (TMT) as a prognostic marker in patients with brain metastases with mixed results. Previous studies have generally focused on patients younger than 65 years.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of TMT measured from head CT scans on the prognosis of patients with brain metastases receiving radiotherapy aged 70 years or older.

We identified all patients with brain metastases treated with radiotherapy and measured their TMT from head CT scans at the date of treatment planning CT scans. The patients' demographic data, primary tumor, and treatment allocation were recorded. Sex-specific cut-offs for low TMT (males: 4.3 mm, females: 3.975 mm) were determined by maximizing Youden's index for 3-month survival. We evaluated the association between TMT and 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month overall survival (OS) using Cox proportional hazards modelling. This retrospective study included 249 patients. The mean age of the patients in the cohort was 76.0 ± 4.9 years. Male patients had higher TMT than females (4.7 ± 1.6 vs. 3.7 ± 1.5 mm, p < 0.001). Altogether, 35 (14.1%), 125 (50.2%), 178 (71.5%), and 216 (86.7%) patients had deceased at 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month points, respectively. Although having low TMT was associated with a higher risk of death at 3- and 6-month timepoints (hazard ratio range: 1.41-1.54) in univariate analyses, TMT was not associated with 3- or 6-month survival after adjustment for other clinical factors.

Low TMT is not an independent marker of lower prognosis in patients aged 70 years or older with brain metastases treated with radiotherapy.

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly proposed as clinical decision-support tools; however, their agreement with real-world multidisciplinary tumor board (MDT) decisions remains insufficiently investigated in thyroid oncology. To evaluate the concordance between treatment recommendations generated by ChatGPT 5.2 and Gemini 3.0 and decisions made by a tertiary multidisciplinary thyroid tumor board.

This study included 59 consecutive patients discussed at a tertiary MDT between August and December 2025. Anonymized clinical data, including demographics, ultrasonographic findings, and Bethesda cytology, were provided to both LLMs using standardized structured prompts. MDT decisions were defined as the reference standard. Agreement was assessed using exact concordance rates and Cohen's kappa (κ) statistics with 95% confidence intervals.

ChatGPT 5.2 achieved a concordance rate of 71.2% (42/59), demonstrating substantial agreement (κ = 0.623; 95% CI 0.459-0.771). Gemini 3.0 showed a concordance rate of 64.4% (38/59), reflecting moderate agreement (κ = 0.527; 95% CI 0.359-0.684). Discordance increased in complex scenarios involving lateral neck dissection, radioactive iodine therapy, and active surveillance.

While LLMs demonstrate promising concordance in standardized thyroid cancer management, they are best positioned as supportive decision aids-such as in MDT preparation and workflow streamlining-rather than replacements for expert multidisciplinary evaluation, particularly in complex clinical scenarios.

3.

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a crucial role in tumor immunity. STAT3 promote angiogenesis, EMT, CD8⁺ T cell activation and exhaustion and CD4⁺ T cells differentiation. Simultaneously, STAT3 aberrant activation inhibits DC function. Moreover, STAT3 inducts immune evasion, making it one of the most promising targets for cancer therapy. Targeting STAT3 represents a promising potential therapeutic strategy, with several STAT3 inhibitors having advanced into clinical trials. In this review, we outline the regulatory role of STAT3 and its mediated signaling pathways in tumor immunity, summarize STAT3-based targeted therapies and combination immunotherapies.

Although antibiotic therapy effectively cures active tuberculosis (TB), many survivors are left with permanent lung damage and long-lasting immune alterations. Growing epidemiological evidence indicates that individuals with prior pulmonary TB have a two- to three-fold increased risk of lung cancer, independent of smoking, suggesting mechanisms beyond shared risk factors. This review advances the concept that TB imprints a durable "memory" within the lung, characterized by persistent structural remodeling and immune reprogramming that together create a tumor-permissive microenvironment. We synthesize evidence showing that TB granulomas act as dynamic immune niches that induce hypoxia, fibrosis, and immune exhaustion, features that frequently persist after microbiological cure. Post-TB sequelae including fibrotic scarring, cavitation, bronchiectasis, and vascular remodeling, promote chronic inflammation, oxidative DNA damage, and mechanotransduction pathways linked to oncogenesis. Concurrently, sustained T-cell exhaustion, macrophage polarization toward tumor-associated phenotypes, and impaired antigen presentation weaken tumor surveillance. We further discuss emerging roles for lung microbiome dysbiosis in sustaining inflammation. Collectively, these processes provide a mechanistic framework linking healed TB to lung carcinogenesis and highlight TB survivors as a distinct population for targeted surveillance and preventive strategies.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignant tumor with a high potential for local invasion and distant metastasis. Migration and invasion enhancer 1 (MIEN1) is a recently identified protein that contributes to the pathogenesis of various cancers by promoting cell migration and invasion.

This study aimed to assess the expression of MIEN1 in OSCC and to compare it with its expression in dysplastic and hyperkeratotic oral epithelium.

In this retrospective study, MIEN1 expression was evaluated in 79 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples, including 43 cases of OSCC, 23 of oral epithelial dysplasia, and 13 of hyperkeratotic oral epithelium, using immunohistochemical staining. The association between MIEN1 expression and clinicopathological parameters including patients age, sex, lesion location, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages was analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney test at a significance level of p Value< 0.05.

MIEN1 overexpression was significantly higher in OSCC compared to both moderate and mild dysplastic epithelium (p< 0.05). None of hyperkeratotic epithelial samples exhibited positive MIEN1 expression. Additionally, MIEN1 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (p< 0.05). However, no significant correlation was found between MIEN1 expression and patient age, sex, lesion location, or tumor size (p> 0.05).

Our findings indicate that MIEN1 expression is correlated with the progression of OSCC. It likely plays a crucial role in the migration and invasion of cancer cells, as well as in the metastatic spread of the disease.

Sweet's syndrome, or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a rare inflammatory condition that may occur idiopathically or in association with malignancy, drugs, or systemic disease. Among malignancy-associated cases, hematologic neoplasms predominate. Its bullous variant is uncommon and is more frequently linked to underlying hematologic disorders, where it may act as a paraneoplastic manifestation or an early marker of disease progression. We report a 54-year-old woman with long-standing, low-risk essential thrombocythemia, diagnosed in 2011 and maintained on hydroxyurea and aspirin with stable blood counts for over a decade. She presented with an acute onset of painful erythematous swellings progressing to tense bullae over the hands and feet, accompanied by intermittent fever. Histopathological examination of a skin biopsy demonstrated dense neutrophilic infiltration of the dermis without vasculitis, consistent with Sweet's syndrome. Systemic corticosteroid therapy led to rapid clinical improvement, and hydroxyurea was discontinued. Given the known association between Sweet's syndrome and hematologic disease progression, further evaluation was undertaken. Bone marrow examination and cytogenetic analysis revealed a complex karyotype, while next-generation sequencing identified an acquired TP53 mutation along with a CALR mutation, indicating clonal evolution and progression to a high-risk disease state. This case highlights bullous Sweet's syndrome as a rare but important cutaneous marker of clonal evolution in essential thrombocythemia. New-onset neutrophilic dermatoses in patients with previously indolent myeloproliferative neoplasms should prompt dermatologic evaluation and comprehensive hematologic reassessment, as early recognition may facilitate timely diagnosis of disease progression and guide management.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms with intermediate malignant potential. While most commonly arising in the lung, airway involvement is exceedingly uncommon. Endobronchial IMTs typically manifest with symptoms of airway obstruction, including dyspnea, wheezing, and stridor. Diagnosis involves radiological imaging, bronchoscopic evaluation, and histopathological analysis. Additionally, assessment of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) status is particularly important in young and pediatric patients, as ALK-targeted therapies constitute a viable treatment option for tumors harboring ALK rearrangements or other actionable kinase fusions. Complete surgical resection remains the gold standard for treatment; however, bronchoscopic resection may be an effective option in selected cases. Herein, we describe two cases of IMTs involving the airways-one in an adult and one in a child-both presenting with significant airway obstruction and managed with bronchoscopic resection.