Advances in cancer research最新文献

{"title":"The role of theranostics and nanotheranostics in skin cancer management.","authors":"Shravani Mule, Renuka Maru, Saurabh Maru","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.01.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.01.014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skin cancer remains one of the most significant global health issues due to its high prevalence and wide range of clinical outcomes. The management of skin cancer has changed as a result of recent developments in theranostics and nanotheranostics, which combine therapeutic and diagnostic modalities into single platforms to enable precision medicine and customized treatment. Current developments in molecular biomarkers, diagnostic technologies, epidemiology, and therapeutic approaches-such as immunotherapy and nanocarrier-based methods-are summarized in this review. Multimodal imaging, AI-powered diagnostic models, targeted molecular medicines, and risk assessment tools are some of the major advancements that have improved early identification, individualized care, and monitoring. Obstacles include tumor heterogeneity, safety issues, and regulatory restrictions that prevent widespread clinical translation still exist despite the success of preclinical and a few clinical uses. To further improve the efficacy of skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, future directions suggest the use of multiomics, consumer-driven digital health technologies, sophisticated nanomaterials, and AI-powered customisation. If remaining scientific and practical concerns are resolved, theranostics and nanotheranostics present intriguing opportunities for attaining high degrees of personalization, efficacy, and safety in the treatment of skin cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"169 ","pages":"317-354"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recognizing the significance of cancer-nerve crosstalk in advanced prostate cancer.","authors":"Sreyashi Bhattacharya, Nivedita Nag, Sandeep K Singh, Kaustubh Datta, Samikshan Dutta","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.07.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acr.2026.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in men and is often characterized by disease progression through therapeutic evasion followed by metastasis. Emerging evidence suggests that cancer-nerve crosstalk can influence the tumor microenvironment and promotes aggressive disease behavior. Neural infiltration within prostate tumors favors cancer-nerve crosstalk and therefore can establish a reciprocal exchange of growth factors, chemokines, neurotransmitters, and neurotrophic clues, which leads to tumor growth, therapy resistance, and the development of neuropathic symptoms. In advanced prostate cancer, neural infiltration mediated aberrant signaling within the cancer cells associated with poor clinical prognosis. Therapeutic intervention of locally advanced prostate cancer generates various neurological complications associated with peripheral neuropathy. Conversely, prolonged androgen receptor inhibition or chemotherapies in late-stage prostate cancer are associated with central nervous system complications such as altered neuronal activity, cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, and reduced quality of life. Therefore, preservation of neural integrity during prostate cancer therapy is in high demand to minimize nerve-related complications. However, conventional systemic therapies failed to prevent treatment-associated neural damage. Therefore, targeted therapies are in high demand to mitigate drug-related adverse effects. In this aspect, oncolytic viral therapy could represent a promising approach to aid selective killing of cancer cells. In the future, these could be emerging as viable candidates for first-line therapeutic intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"172 ","pages":"203-234"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148984454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging biomarkers for non-invasive cancer diagnosis and treatment.","authors":"Ashish Kumar Vyas, Sonal Dubey, Umesh Kumar","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2025.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2025.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the world, killing more than 10 million people every year. Early diagnosis greatly enhances patient outcomes; yet, conventional diagnostic methods, including imaging and invasive tissue biopsy, have substantial challenges, such as procedural risks, sampling bias, and the inability to monitor temporal fluctuations. This chapter examines novel non-invasive biomarkers identified using liquid biopsy, a technique that detects tumor-derived compounds in blood and other body fluids. In this chapter, we focuses on circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells, exosomes, DNA methylation patterns, metabolomic profiles, and proteomic panels as innovative biomarkers that enhance cancer diagnosis and advance the precision oncology approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"170 ","pages":"273-281"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147990692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Classification of cancer biomarkers based on treatment strategies.","authors":"Pramodkumar P Gupta, Umesh Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Sanket Kaushik","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2024.07.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2024.07.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The term biomarkers defines a wide collection of biological indicators responsible for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcome for an individual. In cancer, biomarkers are precise and valuable tool in diagnosis of early onset of neoplasm, diversity in oncologic conditions, heterogeneity in tumor and its micro-environment. As cancer treatment has shifted from high dosage and multiple therapy to precise and precision medicine, the role of biomarkers have been exponentially captured the therapeutic market. The cancer biomarkers ranges from diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, pharmacodynamic and monitoring to companion diagnostic biomarkers. The use of these biomarkers are very precise and strategically designed for the high efficacy and less toxic for the patient.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"170 ","pages":"37-67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147990723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent advances in detection techniques regarding predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic biomarkers in solid cancers and its future challenges.","authors":"Suryaprakash Tripathy, Anmol Gaur, Manaswini Jagadeb, Vishnu Swarup, Neeraj Mohan Gupta, Umesh Kumar, Sudip Das, Manoj Kumar Jana","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2025.12.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2025.12.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The advent of biomarker-driven strategies has focused research on early detection, accurate diagnosis, prognosis assessment, and personalized treatment, thus revolutionizing the landscape of cancer care. The current chapter gives an extensive review of the latest advances in predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic biomarker detection methods in solid tumors using advanced technologies such as liquid biopsy, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), microRNAs, exosomal profiling, and multi-omics platforms that have high specificity and sensitivity in the identification of biomarkers. Additionally, the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in biomarker analysis has showcased its ability to facilitate improved clinical decision-making. In addition, the chapter explores the clinical usefulness of these biomarkers in different solid cancers like breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers. Despite the well-paced development in these fields, issues like tumor heterogeneity, cross-validation in different populations, and translating emerging biomarkers into everyday clinical practice still persist. The chapter concludes by describing future horizons and the imperative of strong standardization, interdisciplinarity, and ethics in applying biomarker-based approaches in oncology. As precision oncology advancements are on the rise, the integration of real-time biomarker monitoring and minimally invasive techniques holds promise for dynamic disease management. Emerging technologies like single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics further enhance our understanding of tumor biology, paving the way for more individualized and adaptive therapeutic interventions in solid cancer treatment. Collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and clinical settings are essential to accelerate biomarker validation and regulatory approval, ensuring equitable access to advanced diagnostic tools across diverse patient populations worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"170 ","pages":"175-220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147990726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tumor-associated macrophages: Ontogeny, plasticity, spatial ecosystems, and therapeutic targeting.","authors":"Atif Elnaggar, Abdelrahman Elnaggar","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.06.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acr.2026.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accumulating evidence demonstrates that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are central regulators of cancer progression rather than passive components of tumor inflammation. Advances in single-cell and spatial technologies have revealed that macrophages actively shape tumor initiation, growth, immune evasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis through context-dependent programs governed by developmental origin, microenvironmental cues, metabolic constraints, and epigenetic remodeling. Tumors exploit the inherent plasticity of macrophages, reprogramming them into diverse functional states that support malignant expansion and therapeutic resistance. This chapter provides an integrated framework for understanding TAM biology across multiple regulatory dimensions, including ontogeny, plasticity, metabolism, epigenetic control, and spatial niche organization. We examine how embryonic-derived and monocyte-derived macrophages acquire distinct identities, how tumor ecosystems sculpt macrophage behavior through cytokine, metabolic, and mechanical signals, and how spatial localization within tumors generates specialized macrophage subsets with nonredundant functions. Emerging insights from spatial transcriptomics, intravital imaging, and multiomic profiling are discussed as transformative tools that redefine macrophage classification and function in human cancer. Finally, we synthesize current and emerging therapeutic strategies targeting TAM recruitment, survival, reprogramming, and phagocytic function, including metabolic and epigenetic interventions, immune checkpoint modulation, and macrophage-engineered cell therapies. By integrating mechanistic biology with translational and clinical perspectives, this chapter highlights tumor-associated macrophages as programmable determinants of tumor behavior and as critical targets for next-generation precision oncology.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"172 ","pages":"97-162"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148984444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Introduction to Nanotechnology in Dermatology.","authors":"Sakshi Verma, Prottay Dutta, Pran Kishore Deb, Ratna Ghosh, Katharigatta N Venugopala, Manik Ghosh","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nanotechnology has been one of the major fields that revolutionized biomedical science, enabling new diagnostics, therapy, and cosmetic dermatological applications. Nanomaterials are capable of overcoming the difficulties of the complex skin structure due to their ability to change size, having a large surface area, and permeating through biological barriers. The chapter gives a detailed review of nanotechnology applications in dermatology, starting with the basics and structure of skin barriers. Focus is made on the role of nanocarriers in skincare and cosmetics, with regard to the delivery of active ingredients, including how such products are used. The application of nanocarriers in dermatology and personal care, and the scientific mechanism behind the improved penetration of active ingredients through the stratum corneum and epidermis, is discussed. Many people are interested in how nanotechnology can aid in wound healing and whether it is applicable to human beings.The chapter analyses safety, toxicity and regulatory concerns, emphasizing on risk evaluation and ethical paradigm. The final sections discuss clinical translation, scalability, long-term safety and potential applications in personalised and precision dermatology.The purpose of this chapter is to provide academicians, clinicians, and industry the knowledge of the radical changes resulting from nanotechnology to the science (knowledge), treatment practices, and commercial enterprise of dermatology. The discussion underscores the potential of nanomedicine to improve patient outcomes as well as shape the future of preventive and cosmetic components of skin health.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"169 ","pages":"1-37"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Basics of skin cancer: Types, diagnosis, and current challenges.","authors":"Rupesh Khalse, Nikhat Khan, Mohit Sharma, Saurabh Maru, Prajakta Patil","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with increasing incidence due to factors such as excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, genetic mutations, and immunosuppression. It is broadly classified into melanoma and non-melanoma types, with melanoma being the most aggressive and lethal form. Recent advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis have highlighted key signalling pathways such as MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and Notch, along with mutations in genes like BRAF and p53, contributing to uncontrolled cell proliferation and tumour progression. Non-melanoma skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), present distinct pathological and histological features, yet share overlapping risk factors and challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Despite advances in histopathology, imaging technologies like confocal laser microscopy, optical coherence tomography, and high-frequency ultrasonography, as well as artificial intelligence-based models, early detection remains a significant hurdle, especially in darker skin types where presentation differs. Treatment efficacy is further complicated by the skin's complex biological barriers, drug resistance mechanisms, and the tumour microenvironment (TME), which impedes therapeutic delivery and immune responses. Emerging nanotechnology, novel biosensors, and AI-driven diagnostic tools hold promise for overcoming these barriers, offering potential for more precise, non-invasive detection and targeted therapies. Nonetheless, challenges such as high recurrence rates, treatment-associated toxicities, and substantial healthcare costs persist. A comprehensive understanding of skin cancer's molecular mechanisms, improved diagnostic accuracy, and development of innovative therapeutics remain critical for improving patient outcomes and reducing the global burden of skin cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"169 ","pages":"39-68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preclinical and clinical trials in nanotech skin cancer treatment.","authors":"Jeet Kumar Ghosh, Satyajit Mohanty, Tuhin Mukherjee, Pradip Jana, Swadesh Kumar Pattanik, Pranav Kumar Prabhakar","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.01.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.01.011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skin cancer continues to be a major and increasing health problem all over the world, with increasing incidence rates of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Conventional therapeutic treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are often limited by systemic toxicity, poor selectivity, and issues with drug resistance. Nanotechnology offers innovative strategies to address these limitations by enabling targeted drug delivery, reducing off-target side effects, and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Various nanocarrier formulations, including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles (especially gold and silver), dendrimers and hybrids, are described for enhancing drug solubility, targeted delivery to specific sites and combination therapy. These platforms show promise in both topical and systemic administration for melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Preclinical studies have suggested that nanocarriers facilitate increased drug accumulation in tumor tissue, controlled release kinetics, and lower systemic toxicity. In vitro and in vivo studies, especially utilizing cell line and animal models, illustrate enhanced anti-tumor efficacy, immune modulation, and synergistic effects when multiple agents are co-delivered. Clinical trials primarily focus on adapting nanomedicine platforms, originally designed for other cancers, to skin cancer treatment. Examples include liposomal formulations like doxorubicin, nanoemulsion-based gels, and polymeric micelles. Early data suggest improved safety, higher local drug concentrations, and lower adverse effects compared to conventional drugs, but full regulatory approval specific to skin cancer is pending. The review emphasizes the main obstacles in translation, such as interspecies variation of response, technical challenges of making large quantities at scale, worries about long-term toxicity, red-tape and high development costs. However, personalized nanomedicine, AI incorporation, and theranostic nanocarriers provide a bright future to overcome these challenges. In conclusion, nanotechnology-enabled approaches show the potential to revolutionize skin cancer treatment through their ability to address challenges associated with conventional therapies and provide opportunities for specific, safe and efficient patient management. Continued interdisciplinary investigations and strong clinical verification will be necessary for their effective translation into routine practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"169 ","pages":"355-379"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147825347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of epigenetic modifications in mediating cancer health disparities.","authors":"Dhanvin Yajaman, Dhanush Bearelly, Dhruv Bearelly, Steven Grant, Keri Maher","doi":"10.1016/bs.acr.2026.08.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acr.2026.08.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The dysregulation of tumorigenesis at the epigenetic level entails erratic gene expression, in which changes do not rely on alterations to the genetic sequence. Such changes are often orchestrated by mechanisms that involve modifying DNA or the histones that package it, as well as interrupting or suppressing microRNAs. For instance, tumor suppressor genes may be turned off, oncogenes can be turned on, or the genes affecting cellular genetic stability may be damaged recognizably, i.e., with certain patterns of expression, such as the hypermethylation of the BRCA1 gene in some types of breast cancer or such as the hypermethylation of the BRCA1 gene in some types of breast cancer or the combination of promoter-specific hypermethylation and global hypomethylation that characterizes many colorectal cancers. The so-called \"social determinants of health (SDOH),\" which also have been shown to include aspects of physical and social environments such as exposure to pollution, food insecurity, and the compounding of health-threatening factors due to chronic stress, are one of the key players in the story of the epigenome and cancer. The review aims to address how these cancer-causing factors alter the epigenome, particularly in the context of social determinants of health. If we wish to prevent and treat cancer among the socially disadvantaged, we must reshape research and policy in a global way. For the prevention and treatment of cancer, an advanced understanding of epigenetic analysis is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":94294,"journal":{"name":"Advances in cancer research","volume":"172 ","pages":"75-95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148984421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}