Histopathology is the gold standard in cancer diagnosis. However, attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has shown diagnostic potential in other settings. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in evaluating breast lesions.

This study was conducted on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy blocks received at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital between 2022 and 2023. The blocks were categorized into 10 normal (from benign breast tissue), 15 benign, and 31 malignant samples. Tissue sections of 15 µm were obtained during block trimming and floated onto FTIR slides. An additional 4 µm tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for tumor diagnosis and to identify suitable areas on the FTIR slide. Spectrometer readings were taken within the range of 4,000–600 cm−1, 32 scans, and 16 cm−1 resolution, using the average of 10 preprocessed spectra per slide. Biomarkers were calculated by ratioing peak intensities for A1632/A1543, A1632/A2922, A1632/A1080, A1080/A1543, A1237/A1080, and A1043/A1543, which represent protein, diagnostic marker, cytoplasm-nucleus ratio, carcinogenesis marker, phosphate, and glycogen, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the curve (AUC).

The AUC analysis showed that cytoplasm-nucleus ratio values of 0.99 and 0.95 effectively distinguished normal from malignant tissue, and benign from malignant tissue, respectively (p < 0.0001). Additionally, protein marker (AUC = 0.73), diagnostic marker (AUC = 0.85), and cytoplasm-nucleus ratio marker (AUC = 0.94) were able to discriminate normal from benign tissue. Overall, the receiver operating characteristic analysis showed 100% sensitivity and specificity ranging from 54% to 87%. Glycogen (AUC = 1.00) exhibited 100% sensitivity in discriminating fibroadenoma from fibrocystic changes.

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy in differentiating normal, benign, and malignant breast tissues using specific spectral biomarkers. Among these, the cytoplasm-nucleus ratio marker showed strong potential as a reliable spectral indicator for distinguishing various types of breast tumors. The cytoplasm-nucleus ratio marker demonstrated strong potential as a reliable spectral indicator for distinguishing various types of breast tumors.

The refusal of blood transfusions and blood derivatives compels surgeons to face clinical and ethical challenges. We reviewed our perioperative and long-term outcomes of Jehovah’s Witnesses undergoing colon cancer surgery to evaluate the feasibility of bloodless procedures.

We retrospectively analyzed data from patients with colon cancer and Jehovah’s Witnesses who underwent surgery between January 2014 and December 2023. A protocol was systematically followed to optimize hemoglobin levels and other parameters according to the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery guidelines.

Sixteen patients underwent colon surgery, with a median age of 69 years and an equal gender distribution. Thirty-seven and a half percent had preoperative anemia and were managed by a hematologist. All procedures were performed in accordance with oncological standards. Postoperative treatment included low molecular weight heparin, and hemoglobin levels temporarily decreased postoperatively. No blood transfusions were needed during hospitalization. Two patients required surgical intervention due to postoperative hemorrhage. Complications included anastomotic dehiscence and perforation, with an overall morbidity rate of 25% and no 90-day mortality.

This study highlights the challenges in managing patients who reject blood products during colon cancer surgeries; however, the outcomes show results comparable to those of the general population with appropriate protocols. Preoperative optimization is crucial to reduce blood loss. Treatment of postoperative hemorrhage requires a lower threshold for intervention due to limited alternatives to blood products. Despite the limitations of the study, the findings advocate for careful monitoring and intervention. Larger studies are needed to validate these findings and improve care for this group of patients.

In recent years, it has been found that Lycium barbarum can repair liver damage and promote liver regeneration. Additionally, the polysaccharides contained in Lycium barbarum have anticancer properties and can induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Molecular docking, a mature computer-aided method, is widely used in drug discovery. This study aimed to verify the efficacy of active ingredients of Lycium barbarum in the treatment of liver cancer by molecular docking.

The effect of the active ingredients of Lycium barbarum in the treatment of liver cancer was verified by molecular docking, based on a previous study that examined the impact of Lycium barbarum on liver cancer using network pharmacology.

The binding energies of the key active ingredients and core targets were all less than −5.0 kcal/mol (1 kcal = 4.184 J), with most of them being less than −7.0 kcal/mol. This indicates that the key active ingredients and core targets have good binding ability, with most demonstrating strong binding affinity.

Most of the active ingredients in wolfberry can spontaneously bind to the core target protein, thereby playing a therapeutic role in liver cancer.

Epileptogenesis involves complex mechanisms, including inflammation and apoptosis. Rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist, possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. This study investigated whether rosiglitazone can prevent pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced kindling in mice by modulating inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis pathways.

Male C57BL/6 mice (n = 8 per group) were assigned to sham, control, or rosiglitazone-treated groups. Kindling was induced with intraperitoneal PTZ (40 mg/kg) every 48 h for 17 days. Rosiglitazone (0.1 mg/kg) was administered 30 m before each PTZ injection. Seizure progression was monitored, and hippocampal tissues were analyzed via immunohistochemistry and Western blotting to assess cytokine levels (interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma), caspase-3 activity, and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression.

Rosiglitazone significantly delayed seizure progression, reduced seizure scores, and lowered pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma) while increasing IL-10. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed fewer caspase-3-positive cells and reduced glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the treatment group compared to controls.

Rosiglitazone exerts neuroprotective effects in PTZ-induced kindling, likely through its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic actions. These findings underscore its potential as a therapeutic agent for mitigating epileptogenesis, warranting further investigation in combination therapies and clinical trials.

Therapy-related B-lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) following treatment for multiple myeloma is a rare occurrence. Despite its rarity and the lack of recognition by the World Health Organization as a distinct disease entity, previous publications indicate its possible emergence following myeloma treatment.

The patient is a 65-year-old gentleman with a history of IgG kappa multiple myeloma, status post multiple lines of therapy. The patient presented with a fever, and a complete blood count showed cytopenia. Bone marrow morphologic evaluation revealed numerous blasts. Immunophenotypic analysis demonstrated that these blasts were B lymphoblasts, despite MYC and unusual surface kappa light chain expression. A diagnosis of B-ALL with surface kappa light chain expression post-myeloma treatment was made. Ancillary studies indicated that the B-ALL and the previous myeloma were clonally unrelated. Next-generation gene sequencing revealed pathogenic mutations in KDM6A and KRAS.

This case highlights the potential for therapy-related B-ALL following myeloma treatment, a phenomenon deserving further investigation. The expression of surface light chain in blasts can present a diagnostic pitfall.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with marked phenotypic differences observed among its major histological subtypes, adenocarcinoma (ADC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), in both clinical presentation and therapeutic response. In recent years, metabolomics has emerged as a powerful tool for studying cancer metabolic reprogramming, providing new insights into the metabolic distinctions among lung cancer subtypes. This review summarizes recent research advances in the metabolomics of ADC, SCC, and SCLC. Studies have revealed that ADC and SCC display distinct metabolic profiles in lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and cell membrane synthesis, while SCLC demonstrates a unique metabolic pattern. Through metabolomic technologies, particularly mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography, it is possible to effectively differentiate lung cancer subtypes and identify potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and personalized treatment. This review also explores the clinical potential of metabolomics in lung cancer, emphasizing its critical role in early diagnosis and subtype stratification. These methodological advances establish a robust foundation for precision oncology paradigms in thoracic malignancies.

Patients with cirrhosis are at an increased risk of bacterial infection (BI), which is the most common precondition for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the ability of mitochondria-related indicators (mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP)) of T cells in peripheral blood to predict BI and ACLF within 90 days in cirrhotic patients.

We prospectively studied mitochondria-related indicators in various T cells from 235 cirrhotic patients at the Second Hospital of Nanjing. The outcomes of interest were BI and ACLF.

The restricted cubic spline analysis showed that the MMP of CD8+ T cells had a linear relationship with the risk of BI and ACLF (both P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the MMP of CD8+ T cells was an independent risk factor for both BI and ACLF (BI: hazard ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.94–0.98; P < 0.001; ACLF: hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.90–0.97; P < 0.001). The MMP of CD8+ T cells exhibited better diagnostic efficacy than traditional indices in predicting BI (C index: 0.75). The MMP of CD8+ T cells, when combined with traditional models (Child-Turcotte-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease score), improved their diagnostic efficiency in predicting both BI and ACLF. Additionally, the MMP of CD8+ T cells showed a significant negative correlation with inflammation-related markers (P < 0.05). Mitochondrial damage and abnormally activated mitochondrial autophagy were observed in CD8+ T cells from cirrhotic patients with low MMP.

The MMP of CD8+ T cells could serve as a valuable predictor of BI and ACLF within 90 days in cirrhotic patients.

Liquid biopsy (LB) represents a promising strategy for the early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. However, relying solely on single-biomarker immunohistochemistry for predictive purposes has shown limited efficacy, often leading to suboptimal responses in certain patients. LB provides a complementary or alternative approach to immunohistochemistry by aiding in the identification of patients better suited for immunotherapy, thereby improving treatment precision. This review highlights key LB targets, including circulating tumor cells, exosomes, and small protein molecules, and explores the predictive and prognostic value of LB in immunotherapy for lung cancer and other tumors. These biomarkers play complex and multifaceted roles in liquid biopsies. Consequently, researchers have developed numerous targeted detection methods to study and identify key factors among multiple biomarkers in lung cancer and other tumor diseases. In addition, the limitations and future directions of LB are examined, aiming to advance its clinical application and support the development of personalized and precise immunotherapy. The integration of LB with artificial intelligence holds significant clinical potential for guiding immunotherapy and advancing precision medicine in lung cancer and other tumors.