bims-netuvo Biomed News
on Nerves in tumours of visceral organs
Issue of 2025–01–26
fifteen papers selected by
Maksym V. Kopanitsa, Charles River Laboratories
  1. Emerging Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Cancer Neuroscience.
  2. Increased nerve density adversely affects outcome in colorectal cancer and denervation suppresses tumor growth.
  3. The accuracy of radiomics in diagnosing tumor deposits and perineural invasion in rectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  4. Neuroscience of cancer: unraveling the complex interplay between the nervous system, the tumor and the tumor immune microenvironment.
  5. Sympathetic nerve signaling rewires the tumor microenvironment: a shift in "microenvironmental-ity".
  6. Alternative driver pathways in peripheral nerve sheath tumors - including DICER1 and/or KRAS alterations.
  7. Tumor-nerve interactions in cancer regulation and progression.
  8. Giant adrenal schwannoma - A case report and literature review.
  9. Gigantic retroperitoneal pararenal ancient schwannoma masquerading as a mesenchymal malignancy: A diagnostic conundrum.
  10. Structural and functional connectivity coupling as an imaging marker for bone metastasis pain in lung cancer patients.
  11. Pancreatic cancer cells infiltrate nerves through TGFbeta1-driven perineural epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transdifferentiation.
  12. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) of the cervix: differential diagnosis and a favourable oncological outcome with multimodality treatment.
  13. Radiomics for prediction of perineural invasion in colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  14. Bibliometric and visual analysis of chronic stress in cancer research from 2014 to 2024.
  15. Spatially resolved transcriptomics of benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.
  1. Cancer Lett. 2025 Jan 21. pii: S0304-3835(25)00056-4. [Epub ahead of print] 217492
    Emerging Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Cancer Neuroscience.
    Yingying Huang, Xin Zhou, Jiaqi Liu, Ying Cao, Wei Fu, Jing Yang.
      It has become increasingly recognized that neural signals can profoundly influence the prognosis of various cancer types. In the past years, we have witnessed "cancer neuroscience," which primarily focuses on the complex crosstalk between tumors and neural signals, emerging as a new, multidisciplinary direction of biomedical science. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge of this research frontier, with an emphasis on the neuroimmune mechanisms enacted through the reciprocal interactions between tumors and the central or peripheral nervous system. In addition, we wish to highlight several key questions of cancer neuroscience and its neuroimmune action that warrant future research and translational efforts, including novel strategies for manipulating neural signals for antitumor immunotherapies, as well as managing cancer-related neurological or psychiatric complications.
    Keywords:  Cancer neuroscience; gliomas; immune microenvironment; neuroimmunology; peripheral solid tumors
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2025.217492
  2. J Transl Med. 2025 Jan 23. 23(1): 112
    Increased nerve density adversely affects outcome in colorectal cancer and denervation suppresses tumor growth.
    Hao Wang, Ruixue Huo, Kexin He, Weihan Li, Yuan Gao, Wei He, Minhao Yu, Shu-Heng Jiang, Junli Xue.
       BACKGROUND: The colon and rectum are highly innervated, with neural components within the tumor microenvironment playing a significant role in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. While perineural invasion (PNI) is associated with poor prognosis in CRC, the impact of nerve density and diameter on tumor behavior remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of nerve characteristics in CRC and to verify the impact of nerves on tumor growth.
    METHODS: Tissue samples from 129 CRC patients were stained with immunofluorescent markers NF-L and S100B to detect nerves. Nerve diameter and density were measured and normalized. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression models were used to identify prognostic factors. Prognostic models were established using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess the predictive value of neural factors. A murine chemical denervation model was employed to disrupt sympathetic nerves using 6-hydroxydopamine, inhibit muscarinic receptor 3 with darifenacin, and ablate sensory neurons with capsaicin.
    RESULTS: The total nerve density was 0.72 ± 0.59/mm², with intratumoral (0.42 ± 0.40/mm²) being significantly lower than extratumoral regions (1.00 ± 0.75/mm²). The average nerve diameter was 28.14 ± 6.04 μm, with no significant difference between intratumoral (28.2 ± 7.65 μm) and extratumoral regions (27.86 ± 6.72 μm). PNI was observed in 65 patients (50.4%). PNI and high normalized nerve density (NND) were associated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival in CRC patients, with PNI identified as an independent prognostic factor. Patients with PNI exhibit higher NND. Incorporating PNI and NND into ROC curve analysis improved the sensitivity and specificity of survival predictions. In the murine model, chemical denervation of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sensory nerves significantly reduced rectal tumor volume.
    CONCLUSIONS: PNI and NND are critical factors influencing CRC patient survival and enhance the accuracy of survival prediction models. Moreover, chemical denervation effectively inhibits rectal tumor growth in vivo, highlighting the potential of neural targeting as a therapeutic strategy in CRC.
    Keywords:  Nerve density; Neural remodeling; Perineural invasion; Prognosis; Tumor denervation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06104-2
  3. Front Oncol. 2024 ;14 1425665
    The accuracy of radiomics in diagnosing tumor deposits and perineural invasion in rectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
    Xuewu Liu, Feng Lin, Danni Li, Nan Lei.
       Background: Radiomics has emerged as a promising approach for diagnosing, treating, and evaluating the prognosis of various diseases in recent years. Some investigators have utilized radiomics to create preoperative diagnostic models for tumor deposits (TDs) and perineural invasion (PNI) in rectal cancer (RC). However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive, evidence-based support for the diagnostic performance of these models. Thus, the accuracy of radiomic models was assessed in diagnosing preoperative RC TDs and PNI in this study.
    Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant articles from their establishment up to December 11, 2023. The radiomics quality score (RQS) was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the methodological quality and research level of the included studies.
    Results: This meta-analysis included 15 eligible studies, most of which employed logistic regression models (LRMs). For diagnosing TDs, the c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of models based on radiomic features (RFs) alone were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79 - 0.90), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.75 - 0.91), and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.70 - 0.89); in the validation set, the c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of models based on both RFs and interpretable CFs were 0.87 (95% CI: 0.83 - 0.91), 0.91 (95% CI: 0.72 - 0.99), and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.53 - 0.76), respectively. For diagnosing PNI, the c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of models based on RFs alone were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.74 - 0.86), 0.64 (95% CI: 0.44 - 0.80), and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.68 - 0.87) in the validation set; in the validation set, the c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of models based on both RFs and interpretable CFs were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.77 - 0.89), 0.60 (95% CI: 0.48 - 0.71), and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.84 - 0.94), respectively.
    Conclusions: Diagnostic models based on both RFs and CFs have proven effective in preoperatively diagnosing TDs and PNI in RC. This non-invasive method shows promise as a new approach.
    Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=498660, identifier CRD42024498660.
    Keywords:  machine learning; meta-analysis; perineural invasion; rectal cancer; systematic review; tumor deposits
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2024.1425665
  4. Mol Cancer. 2025 Jan 17. 24(1): 24
    Neuroscience of cancer: unraveling the complex interplay between the nervous system, the tumor and the tumor immune microenvironment.
    Qibo Huang, Bai Hu, Ping Zhang, Ye Yuan, Shiwei Yue, Xiaoping Chen, Junnan Liang, Zhouping Tang, Bixiang Zhang.
      The study of the multifaceted interactions between neuroscience and cancer is an emerging field with significant implications for understanding tumor biology and the innovation in therapeutic approaches. Increasing evidence suggests that neurological functions are connected with tumorigenesis. In particular, the peripheral and central nervous systems, synapse, neurotransmitters, and neurotrophins affect tumor progression and metastasis through various regulatory approaches and the tumor immune microenvironment. In this review, we summarized the neurological functions that affect tumorigenesis and metastasis, which are controlled by the central and peripheral nervous systems. We also explored the roles of neurotransmitters and neurotrophins in cancer progression. Moreover, we examined the interplay between the nervous system and the tumor immune microenvironment. We have also identified drugs that target the nervous system for cancer treatment. In this review we present the work supporting that therapeutic agent targeting the nervous system could have significant potential to improve cancer therapy.
    Keywords:  Nervous system; Neuromodulatory drugs; Neuroscience; Neurotransmitters; Tumor immune microenvironment; Tumorigenesis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-024-02219-0
  5. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2025 Jan 20. 44(1): 25
    Sympathetic nerve signaling rewires the tumor microenvironment: a shift in "microenvironmental-ity".
    Ariana Sattler, Tetiana Korzun, Kasmira Gupta, Parham Diba, Natasha Kyprianou, Sebnem Ece Eksi.
      Nerve signaling within the tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of solid tumors. Due to their highly responsive behavior and activation upon injury and cancer onset, this review specifically focuses on how sympathetic nerves rewire the TME. Within tumors, sympathetic nerves closely interact with various TME components, and their combined signaling often shifts tumor-intrinsic physiology toward tumor-supportive phenotypes. In turn, the TME components, such as myeloid cells, lymphoid cells, extracellular matrix (ECM), endothelial cells, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and Schwann cells, secrete neurotrophic and axon guidance factors that influence both sympathetic outgrowth and tumor cell behavior, further exacerbating tumor progression and metastasis. Here, we review the current evidence on the multidirectional impacts of sympathetic nerves and both immune and non-immune TME components, the nature of these communication processes, and how exploring these interactions may inform future therapeutics to impair cancer progression and metastasis.
    Keywords:  Cancer neuroscience; Neuro-immune axis; Sympathetic signaling; Tumor microenvironment
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-025-10241-x
  6. J Pathol. 2025 Jan 23.
    Alternative driver pathways in peripheral nerve sheath tumors - including DICER1 and/or KRAS alterations.
    Hsin-Yi Chang, Carla Saoud, Dianne Torrence, William Tap, Ping Chi, Cristina R Antonescu.
      DICER1-associated sarcoma is an emerging entity, defined by either somatic or germline dicer 1, ribonuclease III (DICER1) mutations and sharing characteristic morphologic features irrespective of the site of origin. In addition to the DICER1 driver mutation, concurrent genomic alterations, including tumor protein 53 (TP53) inactivation and RAS pathway activation, are frequently detected. Tumors that morphologically resemble malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) have rarely been reported among DICER1 sarcomas and often pose diagnostic challenges. This study was prompted by a case involving morphologic features of MPNST, which harbored co-existing DICER1 and hotspot KRAS mutations. Hence, we investigated the incidence of these alterations in PNST from our molecular database compared to the genomic and morphologic spectrum of DICER1-mutant sarcomas. In total, we identified three cases diagnosed as MPNST with co-existing DICER1, ATRX chromatin remodeler (ATRX), and KRAS G12V/A alterations occurring in brain, cerebellopontine angle, and intra-abdominal sites. Two additional cases each of MPNSTs and neurofibromas were identified with hotspot KRAS mutations. All five MPNSTs lacked canonical neurofibromin 1 (NF1)/neurofibromin 2 (NF2) alterations, displaying a classic morphologic appearance with fascicular monomorphic spindle cells and followed a diverse clinical behavior. Among the 38 DICER1-associated sarcomas in our database, eight (21%) had secondary KRAS hotspot mutations, all composed of monomorphic spindle and/or round cells, including three with an MPNST-like histology. In contrast, all 10 (26%) DICER1-mutant sarcomas with TP53 mutations showed a pleomorphic phenotype. The DNA-based methylation profile of our index case clustered within the group of sarcomas with DICER1 alterations. Our results highlight a small subset of MPNST associated with DICER1 and/or KRAS mutations. However, their relationship with conventional MPNST remains to be determined in larger studies. © 2025 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
    Keywords:  ATRX; DICER1; KRAS; MPNST; TP53; methylation; peripheral nerve sheath tumor
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/path.6391
  7. Cancer Lett. 2025 Jan 20. pii: S0304-3835(25)00047-3. [Epub ahead of print]612 217483
    Tumor-nerve interactions in cancer regulation and progression.
    Jianyi Zhao, Lilin Cheng, Jian Yang, Feifei Xu, Weixiang Qi, Keman Liao, Li Zhou, Lu Cao, Jiayi Chen, Yingying Lin.
      Tumor-nerve interactions play a critical role in tumor progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance, redefining our understanding of the tumor microenvironment. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of how the peripheral and central nervous systems contribute to cancer biology, focusing on mechanisms of neural invasion, immune evasion, and tumor adaptation. It has highlighted the emerging potential of repurposing nervous system-targeted drugs originally developed for neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases as innovative cancer therapies. The review also addresses key challenges, including the limitations of current experimental models and the complexity of translating preclinical findings to clinical applications. By bridging the gap between neuroscience and oncology, this interdisciplinary study aims to discover novel therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes for cancer patients.
    Keywords:  Cancer neuroscience; Crosstalk; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor-nerve interactions
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2025.217483
  8. Urol Case Rep. 2024 Jul;55 102756
    Giant adrenal schwannoma - A case report and literature review.
    Hsu-Cheng Ko, Yu-Feng Chuang, Hong-Wei Gao, Chao-Yu Hsu, Yen-Chuan Ou, Min-Che Tung, Kuan-Chun Hsueh.
      We introduce a 39-year-old man with an exceedingly large adrenal schwannoma who visited our outpatient department with epigastric pain and a palpable mass in the left upper abdomen. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a giant cystic lesion measuring >25 cm. Laparotomy was performed for tumor excision and partial nephrectomy. Pathological examination confirmed adrenal schwannoma. The patient has been free of tumor recurrence for 10 months. The tumor size in this case is unprecedented in the English literature indexed in PubMed. Precise preoperative evaluation, delicate radical excision, and postoperative monitoring are essential for successful management of such tumors.
    Keywords:  Adrenal tumor; Case report; Laparotomy; Schwannoma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eucr.2024.102756
  9. Urol Case Rep. 2025 Jan;58 102920
    Gigantic retroperitoneal pararenal ancient schwannoma masquerading as a mesenchymal malignancy: A diagnostic conundrum.
    Neha Aggarwal, Shaivy Malik, Charanjeet Ahluwalia.
      Ancient schwannoma is a rare benign variant of schwannoma with marked degenerative changes, often mimicking malignancies, particularly when retroperitoneal and pararenal. A 34-year-old woman presented with a rapidly growing 15 cm retroperitoneal pararenal mass. Imaging suggested an aggressive malignancy. Surgical resection and histopathology revealed a well-encapsulated tumor with degenerative changes, nuclear atypia, and strong S100 positivity, confirming ancient schwannoma. Complete excision achieved negative margins, and follow-up showed no recurrence. Diagnostic challenges arise from its rarity and atypical features. Histopathology is crucial for differentiation from malignancies. Ancient schwannomas should be considered for large retroperitoneal masses to ensure accurate diagnosis and management.
    Keywords:  Ancient schwannoma; Mesenchymal malignancy; Neoplasm; Pararenal mass; Schwannoma; Surgical excision
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eucr.2024.102920
  10. Brain Res Bull. 2025 Jan 18. pii: S0361-9230(25)00022-X. [Epub ahead of print]221 111210
    Structural and functional connectivity coupling as an imaging marker for bone metastasis pain in lung cancer patients.
    Jiahui Zheng, Chengfang Wang, Xiaoyu Zhou, Yu Tang, Lin Tang, Yong Tan, Jing Zhang, Hong Yu, Jiuquan Zhang, Daihong Liu.
       BACKGROUND: Cancer pain is a common symptom in patients with malignant tumors and associated with poor prognosis and a high risk of death. Structural connectivity (SC) and functional connectivity (FC) couplings have not yet been explored in lung cancer patients with bone metastasis pain.
    METHODS: In total, 51 patients with lung cancer without bone metastasis pain (BMP-), 52 patients with lung cancer with bone metastasis pain (BMP+), and 28 healthy controls (HC) were prospectively enrolled in our study. Firstly, SC-FC couplings were measured and analyzed at global, regional, and modular levels. Subsequently, individualized SC-FC coupling networks were constructed based on the Euclidean distance metric. In addition, the convolutional neural network (CNN) model was selected to analyze and classify three groups based on individualized networks.
    RESULTS: The coupling analysis demonstrated that weaker SC-FC couplings related to lung cancer itself were present at various levels, including global, regional, inter-network, and intra-network couplings. Notably, hyper-couplings related to bone metastasis pain were present in several brain regions, mainly involving the default mode network, frontoparietal network, salience network, and limbic system. Significant positive correlations were observed between regional coupling in the right amygdala and the numeric rating scale scores in BMP+. Moreover, CNN model built on individualized networks exhibited relatively great classification performance.
    CONCLUSION: Alterations in SC-FC coupling patterns may play a crucial role in the development and modulation of bone metastasis pain. Understanding these changes could provide valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying cancer pain.
    Keywords:  Bone metastasis pain; Brain networks; Diffusion spectrum imaging; Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging; Structure-function coupling
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111210
  11. Neoplasia. 2025 Jan 21. pii: S1476-5586(25)00005-3. [Epub ahead of print]60 101126
    Pancreatic cancer cells infiltrate nerves through TGFbeta1-driven perineural epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transdifferentiation.
    Theresa Krauss, Ibrahim Halil Gürcinar, Ulrike Bourquain, Maren Hieber, Evelyn N Krohmer, Nan Wu, Sergey Tokalov, Rüdiger Goess, Carmen Mota Reyes, Dieter Saur, Helmut Friess, Güralp O Ceyhan, Ihsan Ekin Demir, Okan Safak.
      Neural invasion is a prognostic hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), yet the underlying mechanisms behind the disruption of perineural barriers and access of cancer cells into intrapancreatic nerves remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in perineural epithelial cells during neural invasion.Histopathological analysis of human and murine primary tumors using perineurium-specific GLUT1 antibody revealed a reduction in perineural integrity, which positively correlated with the extent of neural invasion in human PDAC cases. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines were found to secrete TGFbeta1, which induced EMT of perineural epithelial cells, characterized by the loss of epithelial markers (CK19-9) and the acquisition of mesenchymal markers (alphaSMA, N-Cadherin). Additionally, these transitioning perineural epithelial cells demonstrated increased matrix-degrading capabilities through the upregulation of matrix-metalloproteases 3 and 9 via SMAD2. In an autochthonous mouse model with elevated endogenous TGFbeta1 levels in addition to oncogenic Kras activation (Ptf1aCre/+, LSL-KrasG12D/+, LSL-R26Tgfβ/+), decreased perineural integrity could be reproduced in vivo.Collectively, these findings underscore the role played by TGFbeta1-overexpressing pancreatic cancer cells in the dismantling of perineural barriers during neural invasion.
    Keywords:  Epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transdifferentiation; Nerve infiltration; Pancreatic cancer; TGFbeta1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neo.2025.101126
  12. BMJ Case Rep. 2025 Jan 23. pii: e260709. [Epub ahead of print]18(1):
    Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) of the cervix: differential diagnosis and a favourable oncological outcome with multimodality treatment.
    Divya Sehra, Sarita Kumari.
      Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs) are aggressive sarcomas that occur rarely in the cervix. Considering the varied clinical features and the absence of a pathognomonic immunohistochemical marker, it is always challenging to diagnose these tumours. Treatment has not been standardised as yet, but a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy is used to treat MPNSTs of the cervix. Here, we report a case of a woman in her 40s with a 10×7 cm polypoidal lesion in the cervix, diagnosed as an MPNST. She was treated with surgery, ifosfamide-based chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy before developing pulmonary metastases. She was treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy for the pulmonary metastases, and the patient has been on follow-up since then. We are also summarising the clinicopathological findings, surgical treatment and follow-up of all reported cases of cervical MPNSTs to date.
    Keywords:  Cancer - see Oncology; Cervical cancer; Cervix Uteri; Surgical oncology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2024-260709
  13. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2025 Jan 22.
    Radiomics for prediction of perineural invasion in colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
    Ning Tang, Shicen Pan, Qirong Zhang, Jian Zhou, Zhiwei Zuo, Rui Jiang, Jinping Sheng.
       BACKGROUND: Perineural invasion (PNI) in colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant prognostic factor associated with poor outcomes. Radiomics, which involves extracting quantitative features from medical imaging, has emerged as a potential tool for predicting PNI. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of radiomics models in predicting PNI in CRC.
    METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published up to July 28, 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on studies using radiomics models to predict PNI in CRC with sufficient data to construct diagnostic accuracy metrics. The quality of the included studies was assessed using QUADAS-2 and METRICS tools. Pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed based on imaging modalities, segmentation methods, and other variables.
    RESULTS: Twelve studies comprising 2853 patients were included in the systematic review, with ten studies contributing to the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for radiomics models in predicting PNI were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63-0.82) and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79-0.90), respectively, in the training cohorts. In the validation cohorts, the sensitivity was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.57-0.72), and specificity was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.81-0.89). The AUC was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.63-0.82) for the training cohorts and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.81-0.87) for the validation cohorts, indicating good diagnostic accuracy. The METRICS scores for the included studies ranged from 65.8 to 85.1%, with an overall average score of 67.25%, reflecting good methodological quality. However, significant heterogeneity was observed across studies, particularly in sensitivity and specificity estimates.
    CONCLUSION: Radiomics models show promise as a non-invasive tool for predicting PNI in CRC, with moderate to good diagnostic accuracy. However, the current study's limitations, including reliance on retrospective data, geographic concentration in China, and methodological variability, suggest that further research is needed. Future studies should focus on prospective designs, standardization of methodologies, and the integration of advanced machine-learning techniques to improve the clinical applicability and reliability of radiomics models in CRC management.
    Keywords:  Artificial intelligence; Colorectal cancer; METRICS score; Neural invasion; Rectal cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-024-04713-x
  14. Discov Oncol. 2025 Jan 22. 16(1): 79
    Bibliometric and visual analysis of chronic stress in cancer research from 2014 to 2024.
    Zhuheng Wei, Anxia Li, Ling Su, Bo Zhang, Yuanyuan Yan.
       OBJECTIVE: In today's fast-paced society, stress has become a widespread phenomenon, garnering increasing attention for its impact on cancer. This study aims to investigate the current status and research hotspots of chronic stress in cancer research from 2014 to 2024, with the goal of providing valuable insights for future studies.
    METHODS: We retrieved 618 articles published between 2014 and 2024 from the Web of Science database and analyzed them using R software, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace.
    RESULTS: There is an overall upward trend in chronic stress-related cancer research, with China leading in publications, followed by the United States, India, Australia, and Italy. The journal most cited is Brain Behavior and Immunity. Key themes identified include 'inflammation', 'breast cancer', 'anxiety', 'psychological stress', and 'oxidative stress'. The primary focus of the research is the impact of chronic stress on various cancer types, the underlying molecular mechanisms, and the implications of chronic stress-related treatments on cancer outcomes.
    CONCLUSION: Chronic stress is increasingly recognized as a Carcinogenic factors. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of chronic stress-related cancer research from 2014 to 2024, offering valuable guidance for future research in this field.
    Keywords:  Bibliometric; Cancer; Endocrine; Immune system; Psycho-oncology chronic stress
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-01744-8
  15. Neuro Oncol. 2025 Jan 23. pii: noaf016. [Epub ahead of print]
    Spatially resolved transcriptomics of benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors.
    Juliane Bremer, Pamela Franco, Joelle Aline Menstell, Shelisa Tey, Kamil Kajetan Zajt, Klimentina Popzhelyazkova, Kay Nolte, Jürgen Schlegel, Maria Teresa Pedro, Anja Osterloh, Daniel Delev, Marc Hohenhaus, Christoph Scholz, Oliver Schnell, Juergen Beck, Joachim Weis, Dieter Henrik Heiland.
       BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) encompass entities with different cellular differentiation and degrees of malignancy. Spatial heterogeneity complicates diagnosis and grading of PNSTs in some cases. In malignant PNST (MPNST) for example, single cell sequencing data has shown dissimilar differentiation states of tumor cells. Here, we aimed at determining the spatial and biological heterogeneity of PNSTs.
    METHODS: We performed spatial transcriptomics on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded diseased peripheral nerve tissue. We used spatial clustering and weighted correlation network analysis to construct niche-similarity networks and gene expression modules. We determined differential expression in primary pathologies, analysed pathways to investigate the biological significance of identified meta-signatures, integrated the transcriptional data with histological features and existing single cell data, and validated expression data by immunohistochemistry.
    RESULTS: We identified distinct transcriptional signatures differentiating PNSTs. Immune cell infiltration, APOD and perineurial fibroblast marker expression highlighted the neurofibroma component of hybrid PNSTs (HPNSTs). While APOD was evenly expressed in neurofibromatous tumor tissue in both, HPNST and pure neurofibromas, perineurial fibroblast markers were evenly expressed in HPNST, but restricted to the periphery in plexiform neurofibromas. Furthermore, we provide a spatial cellular differentiation map for MPNST, locating Schwann cell precursors, neural crest-like cells and those with mesenchymal transition.
    CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study shows that applying spatial transcriptomics to PNSTs provides important insight into their biology. It helps establishing new markers and provides spatial information about cellular composition and distribution of cellular differentiation states. By integrating morphological and high-dimensional molecular data it can improve PNSTs classification in the future.
    Keywords:  Biomarker; Peripheral nerve sheath tumors; Spatial Transcriptomics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noaf016
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