Current oncology最新文献

{"title":"Multi-Level Oncological Management of a Rare, Combined Mediastinal Tumor: A Case Report.","authors":"Vasileios Theocharidis, Thomas Rallis, Apostolos Gogakos, Dimitrios Paliouras, Achilleas Lazopoulos, Meropi Koutourini, Myrto Tzinevi, Aikaterini Vildiridi, Prokopios Dimopoulos, Dimitrios Kasarakis, Panagiotis Kousidis, Anastasia Nikolaidou, Paraskevas Vrochidis, Maria Mironidou-Tzouveleki, Nikolaos Barbetakis","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080423","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080423","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Malignant mediastinal tumors are a group representing some of the most demanding oncological challenges for early, multi-level, and successful management. The timely identification of any suspicious clinical symptomatology is urgent in achieving an accurate, staged histological diagnosis, in order to follow up with an equally detailed medical therapeutic plan (interventional or not) and determine the principal goals regarding efficient overall treatment in these patients. We report a case of a 24-year-old male patient with an incident-free prior medical history. An initial chest X-ray was performed after the patient reported short-term, consistent moderate chest pain symptomatology, early work fatigue, and shortness of breath. The following imaging procedures (chest CT, PET-CT) indicated the presence of an anterior mediastinal mass (meas. ~11 cm × 10 cm × 13 cm, SUV: 8.7), applying additional pressure upon both right heart chambers. The Alpha-Fetoprotein (aFP) blood levels had exceeded at least 50 times their normal range. Two consecutive diagnostic attempts with non-specific histological results, a negative-for-malignancy fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA-biopsy), and an additional tumor biopsy, performed via mini anterior (R) thoracotomy with \"suspicious\" cellular gatherings, were performed elsewhere. After admission to our department, an (R) Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) was performed, along with multiple tumor biopsies and moderate pleural effusion drainage. The tumor's measurements had increased to DMax: 16 cm × 9 cm × 13 cm, with a severe degree of atelectasis of the Right Lower Lobe parenchyma (RLL) and a pressure-displacement effect upon the Superior Vena Cava (SVC) and the (R) heart sinus, based on data from the preoperative chest MRA. The histological report indicated elements of a combined, non-seminomatous germ-cell mediastinal tumor, posthuberal-type teratoma, and embryonal carcinoma. The imminent chemotherapeutic plan included a \"BEP\" (Bleomycin<sup>®</sup>/Cisplatin<sup>®</sup>/Etoposide<sup>®</sup>) scheme, which needed to be modified to a \"VIP\" (Cisplatin<sup>®</sup>/Etoposide<sup>®</sup>/Ifosfamide<sup>®</sup>) scheme, due to an acute pulmonary embolism incident. While the aFP blood levels declined, even reaching normal measurements, the tumor's size continued to increase significantly (DMax: 28 cm × 25 cm × 13 cm), with severe localized pressure effects, rapid weight loss, and a progressively worsening clinical status. Thus, an emergency surgical intervention took place via median sternotomy, extended with a complementary \"T-Shaped\" mini anterior (R) thoracotomy. A large, approx. 4 Kg mediastinal tumor was extracted, with additional RML and RUL \"en-bloc\" segmentectomy and partial mediastinal pleura decortication. The following histological results, apart from verifying the already-known posthuberal-type teratoma, indicated additional scattered small lesions of combined high-grade rabdomyosarcoma, chondrosarcoma,","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384428/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Different Master Regulators Define Proximal and Distal Gastric Cancer: Insights into Prognosis and Opportunities for Targeted Therapy.","authors":"Luigi Marano, Salvatore Sorrenti, Silvia Malerba, Jaroslaw Skokowski, Karol Polom, Sergii Girnyi, Tomasz Cwalinski, Francesco Paolo Prete, Alejandro González-Ojeda, Clotilde Fuentes-Orozco, Aman Goyal, Rajan Vaithianathan, Miljana Vladimirov, Eleonora Lori, Daniele Pironi, Adel Abou-Mrad, Mario Testini, Rodolfo J Oviedo, Yogesh Vashist","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080424","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Background:</i> Gastric cancer (GC) represents a significant global health burden with considerable heterogeneity in clinical and molecular behavior. The anatomical site of tumor origin-proximal versus distal-has emerged as a determinant of prognosis and response to therapy. The aim of this paper is to elucidate the transcriptional and regulatory differences between proximal gastric cancer (PGC) and distal gastric cancer (DGC) through master regulator (MR) analysis. <i>Methods:</i> We analyzed RNA-seq data from TCGA-STAD and microarray data from GEO (GSE62254, GSE15459). Differential gene expression and MR analyses were performed using DESeq2, limma, corto, and RegEnrich pipelines. A harmonized matrix of 4785 genes was used for MR inference following normalization and batch correction. Functional enrichment and survival analyses were conducted to explore prognostic associations. <i>Results:</i> Among 364 TCGA and 492 GEO patients, PGC was associated with more aggressive clinicopathological features and poorer outcomes. We identified 998 DEGs distinguishing PGC and DGC. PGC showed increased FOXM1 (a key regulator of cell proliferation), STAT3, and NF-κB1 activity, while DGC displayed enriched GATA6, CDX2 (a marker of intestinal differentiation), and HNF4A signaling. Functional enrichment highlighted proliferative and inflammatory programs in PGC, and differentiation and metabolic pathways in DGC. MR activity stratified survival outcomes, reinforcing prognostic relevance. <i>Conclusions:</i> PGC and DGC are governed by distinct transcriptional regulators and signaling networks. Our findings provide a biological rationale for location-based stratification and inform targeted therapy development.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384658/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144945877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The -124C>T Mutation of the <i>TERT</i> Promoter Indicates Favorable Prognosis in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma: A Single Institutional Study in China.","authors":"Xiaonan Zhou, Yifei Liu, Jue Hu, Jing Zhang, Min Ren, Gang Ji, Xu Cai, Rui Bi","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080422","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080422","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) is characterized by chemoresistance and poor prognosis in advanced or recurrent cases. This study aimed to find specific prognostic markers for OCCC. <b>Methods:</b> We analyzed 169 OCCC patients for clinicopathological features. TERT promoter and PIK3CA mutations were assessed by Sanger sequencing, and immunohistochemistry for ARID1A, HDAC6, Cyclin E1, and p53 was performed on tissue microarrays. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. <b>Results:</b> The -124C>T TERT promoter mutation was associated with longer OS and PFS and was an independent predictor of favorable OS. This mutation correlated with lower CA125 levels and higher SNP frequency. p53 mutations indicated advanced disease, bilateral tumors, reduced Cyclin E1, and poor prognosis. Low HDAC6 expression was linked to worse PFS. Mutual exclusivity was observed between PIK3CA exon 20 mutations and SNPs. <b>Conclusions:</b> The -124C>T TERT promoter mutation may serve as a favorable prognostic marker in OCCC, while p53 mutations and reduced HDAC6 expression are associated with poor outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depression and Anxiety After Radiation-Induced Brain Injury: A Review of Current Research Progress.","authors":"Feng Yang, Rundong Liu, Xiaohong Peng, Na Luo, Min Fu, Wenjun Zhu, Qianxia Li, Guangyuan Hu","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080419","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080419","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Radiation therapy serves as a fundamental treatment for primary and metastatic brain tumors, whether used alone or combined with surgery and chemotherapy. Despite its oncological efficacy, this treatment paradigm frequently induces radiation-induced brain injury (RBI), a progressive neuropathological condition characterized by structural and functional damage to healthy cerebral parenchyma. Patients with RBI frequently develop affective disorders, particularly major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, which profoundly impair psychosocial functioning and quality of life. The pathophysiology involves complex mechanisms such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier disruption, and white matter damage. Current management strategies include antidepressants, corticosteroids, and neuroprotective agents, while emerging therapies targeting neuroinflammation and neural repair show promise. This review comprehensively examines the pathogenesis of RBI-related affective disorders and evaluates both conventional and novel treatment approaches. By synthesizing current evidence, we aim to provide insights for developing more effective interventions to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384074/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bone Health and Endocrine Therapy with Ovarian Function Suppression in Premenopausal Early Breast Cancer: A Real-Life Monocenter Experience with Denosumab.","authors":"Angelachiara Rotondi, Valentina Frescura, Giorgia Arcuri, Giovanna Garufi, Letizia Pontolillo, Luca Mastrantoni, Elena Di Monte, Noemi Maliziola, Maria Antonia Fucile, Francesca Salvatori, Rita Mondello, Ilaria Poli, Gaia Rachele Oliva, Ginevra Mongelli, Antonella Palazzo, Alessandra Fabi, Emilio Bria, Giampaolo Tortora, Armando Orlandi","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080421","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080421","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Adjuvant endocrine therapy for early breast cancer significantly reduces recurrence but increases bone fragility. Given limited data on denosumab (60 mg every 6 months) in premenopausal patients receiving endocrine therapy for early breast cancer, we conducted a retrospective real-world study at the Gemelli Hospital (September 2018-January 2025). A descriptive analysis was performed. The primary endpoint was to assess efficacy, evaluated by changes in bone mineral density via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and by monitoring bone turnover markers, particularly serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen. Safety was evaluated based on adverse endocrine therapy events (osteoporotic fractures) and adverse denosumab events (osteonecrosis of the jaw). Sixty-nine patients were eligible for the study. Endocrine therapy included ovarian function suppression with exemestane (89.8%) or tamoxifen (10.1%). Baseline spinal osteoporosis decreased from 20.3% to 5.8%, osteopenia from 39.1% to 34.8%, with normal T-scores rising from 17.4% to 34.8%. Femoral improvements were similar. Serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen levels (evaluated in 35.8%) showed stable reduction in 97%. Denosumab adherence was 89.9%. One osteonecrosis of the jaw case occurred (1.4%); no fractures were reported. Denosumab demonstrated efficacy in improving bone density and reducing bone turnover, with excellent adherence and favorable safety. Longer follow-up is needed to assess post-discontinuation effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384533/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sleep Quality Moderates the Impact of Place-Based Social Adversity on Physical Health in Women with Breast Cancer Transitioning from Active Treatment to Survivorship.","authors":"Crystal L Park, Katherine E Gnall, Caroline Salafia, Keith M Bellizzi","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080420","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080420","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Social adversity is linked to poorer physical health in breast cancer survivors, highlighting the urgency of addressing health equity. Simultaneously, identifying individual-level factors that mitigate these effects may provide more immediate relief for survivors. This study examined whether four modifiable psychosocial factors-emotion dysregulation, physical activity, sleep disturbance, and social support-moderate the relationship between place-based social adversity and physical health in 255 breast cancer survivors (Mage = 56.03, 74.5% non-Hispanic White) within six months post-treatment. Linear regression analyses with 5000 bootstrapped estimates revealed that sleep disturbance significantly moderated the relationship between place-based social adversity and physical health (B = -0.014, SE = 0.001, bootstrapped 95% CI = -0.027, -0.001). Specifically, greater place-based social adversity was associated with poorer physical health at high levels of sleep disturbance (B = -0.22, <i>p</i> = 0.004), but not at low (B = 0.01, <i>p</i> = 0.94) or average (B = -0.10, <i>p</i> = 0.07) levels. Emotion dysregulation, physical activity, and social support did not moderate this relationship. Findings suggest that improving sleep quality may buffer the negative impact of social adversity on physical health, identifying sleep as a potential target for interventions aimed at reducing disparities among breast cancer survivors.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384604/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"BCMA CAR-T: From Multiple Myeloma to Light-Chain Amyloidosis.","authors":"Ellen Lewis, Victor Hugo Jimenez-Zepeda","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare clonal plasma cell disorder that, if left untreated, carries a high risk of organ damage and mortality. Due to the rarity of the disease and the vulnerability of affected organ systems, treatment requires significant caution and nuance. As a plasma cell dyscrasia, AL amyloidosis treatment regimens are often adapted from those used for related disorders, particularly multiple myeloma. Despite substantial progress in research and drug development, optimal treatment strategies for relapsed/refractory (RR) AL amyloidosis remain unclear, and no FDA-approved therapies currently exist for this setting. B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) has emerged as a promising immunotherapy target, with associated drug classes including antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T cell therapies. These therapies have been extensively studied in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) and are now being explored in the context of RR AL amyloidosis. This review summarizes the current literature on the efficacy and tolerability of BCMA-directed therapies in AL amyloidosis, with a particular emphasis on CAR-T cell therapy and offers comparisons to outcomes observed in RRMM.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384386/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Small-Molecule Drugs in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology.","authors":"Stephanie Vairy, George Michaiel","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080417","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080417","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advances in molecular diagnostics have enabled precision medicine approaches in pediatric neuro-oncology, with small-molecule drugs emerging as promising therapeutic candidates targeting specific genetic and epigenetic alterations in central nervous system (CNS) tumors. This review provides a focused overview of several small-molecule agents under investigation or in early clinical use, including ONC201, tazemetostat, vorasidenib, CDK inhibitors, selinexor, and aurora kinase A inhibitors, among others. Highlighted are their mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic properties, early efficacy data, and tolerability in pediatric populations. Despite encouraging preclinical and early-phase results, most agents face limitations due to study heterogeneity, lack of large-scale pediatric randomized trials, and challenges in drug delivery to the CNS. The review underscores the critical need for robust prospective clinical trials for the integration of these therapies into pediatric neuro-oncology care.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of the Population, Treatment Patterns, and Outcomes of Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation (EGFRm): A Retrospective Cohort Study from IPO Porto.","authors":"Ana Rodrigues, Marta Pina, Rita Calisto, Pedro Leite-Silva, Pedro Medeiros, Catarina Silva, Ana Sofia Silva, Patrícia Redondo, João Ramalho-Carvalho, Susana Ferreira Santos, Maria José Bento","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080414","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Most patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with advanced/metastatic disease at diagnosis, and molecular profiling is critical in guiding treatment decisions. This retrospective cohort study aimed to characterize EGFR mutations (EGFRm) in advanced/metastatic NSCLC patients, treatment patterns, and real-world outcomes. Adults diagnosed between 2018 and 2021 and treated at a Comprehensive Care Center were included. Time-to-event outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 110 patients were included, with a median age of 69.0 years (range, 37-93), 76.4% female, and 83.2% non-smokers. About 97.3% had adenocarcinomas, with 93.6% at stage IV, 40.9% with ≥ three metastatic sites (brain metastases in 24.5%), 33.6% ECOG 2-4, and 58.2% with an EGFR exon-19 deletion. A minority started supportive care or curative-intent treatment, and 81.8% underwent first-line palliative systemic therapy (TKIs, 91.1%; chemotherapy, 8.9%). Median real-world overall survival (rwOS) was 18.9 months (95% CI, 13.8-28.1). Worse rwOS was observed in patients with ECOG 2-4 versus ECOG 0-1 (10.3 vs. 22.8 months; HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.17-2.85; <i>p</i> = 0.008) and in patients with exon-21 L858R versus exon 19 deletions (15.8 vs. 24.2 months; HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.00-2.54; <i>p</i> = 0.048). In patients treated with palliative systemic treatment, median progression-free survival was 10.9 months (95% CI, 8.8-13.6). This study provides important insights regarding real-world characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes from a cohort of EGFRm advanced/metastatic NSCLC patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384510/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mediation Analysis to Investigate Differences in Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Stage Through Environmental Risk Factors in Louisiana.","authors":"Nubaira Rizvi, Randy Hamilton, Xiao-Cheng Wu, Michael D Celestin, Tung-Sung Tseng, Qingzhao Yu","doi":"10.3390/curroncol32080416","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32080416","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Prostate Cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men. In Louisiana (LA), Black men are disproportionately diagnosed at later stages compared to White men. This study explores environmental risk factors as potential intermediate variables linking race to cancer diagnosis stage. The Louisiana Tumor Registry data included 24,647 male patients diagnosed with PCa in LA between 2010 and 2018. Among them, 15,875 (64.40%) were Caucasian American (CA) and 8772 (35.59%) African American (AA). Mediation analysis using multiple additive regression trees (MART) identified possible intermediate variables that potentially explain the observed disparity. The study found that individual characteristics and environmental factors jointly explained 84% (95% CI: 44.1%, 94.6%) and 18.6% (95% CI: 7.3%, 53.7%) of the observed racial disparity in PCa stage at diagnosis, respectively. Individual factors included BMI (35.9%), marital status (28.5%), CDI (8.2%), female-headed households (2.3%), comorbidity (3.9%), and insurance status (6.3%). Environmental contributors included cancer risk due to air toxicity exposure (7.2%), asthma prevalence (6.6%), acetaldehyde levels (2.1%), railroad proximity (2.1%), walkability (0.3%), and ozone level (-0.1%). Environmental factors jointly played a significant role in the observed racial disparity. The factors such as air toxicity, acetaldehyde levels, and asthma prevalence highlight the need to address industrial pollutants to reduce the differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":11012,"journal":{"name":"Current oncology","volume":"32 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12384859/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144946106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}