Incidence of invasive cervical cancer is low in Saudi Arabia, and it varies by nationality, region and stage. Understanding the trends is essential for designing interventions that align with global elimination goals.

To estimate cervical cancer incidence trends by nationality, region and stage in Saudi Arabia.

In this retrospective study, we analysed data obtained from the Saudi Cancer Registry on all women (N = 3038) diagnosed with cervical cancer in Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2019. We calculated the age-standardised incidence rates by nationality, region and stage at diagnosis using the world standard population.

Incidence of cervical cancer varied by nationality, region and stage. Non-Saudi women had higher rates than Saudi women, while Makkah Region consistently had the highest rates, followed by Riyadh and Eastern regions. The proportion of localised-stage diagnoses increased from 24.2% in 2005 to over 40.0% in 2019, while cases with unknown stage decreased from 19.6% to 6.3%.

In alignment with the global priority of eliminating cervical cancer, Saudi Arabia should intensify efforts to reduce its disease burden by ensuring equitable access to services across the cervical cancer continuum and raising awareness of the early signs and symptoms to increase early stage detection. There is a need to continuously monitor completeness and validity of cancer registry data to ensure that they are of high quality, relevant and suitable for policymaking.

Amidst highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants that continue to circulate in the community, individuals with cancer exhibit variations in immunity and susceptibility for reasons that remain poorly understood.

In a longitudinal cohort study with ongoing SARS-CoV-2 serological and outcomes surveillance, we examined adults receiving cancer treatment (cases, n = 229) or who were free of cancer and other major comorbidities (controls, n = 800), prior to the Omicron era onset and onwards (September 24, 2021-March 10, 2024). The main outcomes were longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike receptor binding domain IgG (IgG-SRBD) antibody response and Omicron and subvariant infection frequency and severity.

Among the 229 participants with cancer (age 66 ± 12 years, 51% female), the most prevalent subtypes included nonmelanoma skin (23%), breast (20%), and hematologic (18%). In mixed-effects linear models, hematologic cancer and B-cell targeted agents were associated with reduced longitudinal IgG-SRBD response (p < 0.05). In multivariable regression analyses, hematologic cancer (p = 0.037) and B-cell targeted agents (p = 0.030) were associated with increased frequency of new infections. The frequency of new infections resulting in moderate illness was increased in patients with active/recent cancer treatment (44%) versus healthy controls (10%; p < 0.001); there were no severe or critical infections. Patients with hematologic, breast, prostate, or skin cancer (p < 0.01), treated with local therapy (odds ratio [OR] 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-3.15; p = 0.032), B-cell targeted therapy (OR 4.81; 95% CI 1.78-12.93; p = 0.002), or small molecule agents (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.05-5.23; p = 0.037) were associated with increased infection severity.

Individuals with hematologic cancer or exposed to B-cell-targeted therapy had reduced humoral immunity and more frequent and severe infections. Active breast, prostate, or skin cancer, or treatment with local therapy or small molecule agents had elevated risk for more severe, but not more frequent, infections. Despite overall low rates of infection associated with lower respiratory disease, certain higher-risk cancer patients may benefit from further protective measures.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, with relatively high morbidity and mortality rates among Chinese women, posing a serious threat to female health. HR+/HER-2- breast cancer is the most common subtype, accounting for approximately 70% of all breast cancers. The vast majority of patients are diagnosed with early breast cancer (EBC) at initial presentation. Stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ EBC constitutes a substantial proportion of cases among Chinese patients, with a significantly younger age of onset observed nationally. Even after standard endocrine therapy, patients still face short-term and long-term recurrence risks, and the risk of recurrence persists lifelong. In recent years, large-scale real-world studies from the National Cancer Center and other institutions, both domestically and internationally, have shown that for stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ HR+/HER-2- EBC patients, those with lymph node positivity and lymph node negative patients with high-risk factors have a significantly higher risk of recurrence and death. The postoperative 5-year recurrence rate for lymph node negative patients with high-risk factors can reach 15%, similar to the recurrence rate of N1 patients. These findings have updated the clinical understanding of defining high-risk patients and raised new requirements for EBC recurrence risk assessment and definition. On the other hand, the clinical management of recurrence risk in early HR+/HER-2- breast cancer has consistently received significant attention. From the initial adjuvant chemotherapy to the entire process of adjuvant endocrine therapy, in recent years, with the publication of clinical trial results for novel targeted agents such as CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) and PARP inhibitors (PARPi) and the subsequent approval of their indications, the treatment paradigm for HR+/HER-2- EBC has gradually evolved from traditional endocrine therapy to a selective strategy of intensified treatment combining endocrine therapy with targeted agents. This underscores the critical importance of precise recurrence risk assessment and optimization of treatment decisions. To assist clinicians in scientifically and accurately assessing recurrence risk and tailoring individualized intensified adjuvant treatment regimens for patients, the Breast Cancer Expert Committee of the National Cancer Quality Control Center, the Professional Committee of Drug Clinical Research of Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, and the Professional Committee of Breast Cancer of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, incorporating advances in clinical research on early breast cancer both domestically and internationally and expert opinions, have formulated the "Consensus on Recurrence Risk and Clinical Management of HR+/HER-2- Early Breast Cancer(2025 edition)". It aims to provide a standardized reference for recurrence risk stratification and clinical management of HR+/HER-2-EBC patients, further enhancing patient treatment benefits and quality of life, and maximizing the potential for cure.

Malignant tumors (commonly referred to as cancer) represent a major global public health challenge and contribute significantly to the worldwide disease burden. Early screening plays a critical role in improving detection rates, enabling timely intervention, and enhancing patient survival rates. However, current cancer screening guidelines primarily focus on site-specific screening, which may not fully address the need for comprehensive early detection. A scientifically rational, multi-cancer screening approach offers several advantages: it optimizes the use of biological samples, reduces time costs for participants, enhances the efficiency and comprehensiveness of screening, and minimizes overall expenses. Such an approach also facilitates the rational allocation of healthcare resources, ultimately helping to reduce the societal burden of cancer. To address this need, the Cancer Epidemiology Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association has developed the Expert Consensus on Combined Screening for Common Cancers in China. This consensus integrates multidisciplinary expertise and synthesizes the latest domestic and international researches on cancer screening, early detection, and treatment for prevalent malignancies. Drawing upon China's unique demographic and healthcare context, as well as practical screening experiences, the consensus provides evidence-based recommendations on target populations, screening technologies, and procedural workflows for multi-cancer screening. These guidelines align with the principles and methodologies established by the World Health Organization (WHO), aiming to enhance the effectiveness of combined cancer screening in China, improve early detection rates, and provide a scientific foundation for national cancer prevention and control strategies.

Objective: To compare the Kadish T staging, AJCC T staging, and Dulguerov T staging system in terms of their impact on surgical treatment selection and survival prognosis in patients with olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB). Methods: The cases of pathologically confirmed ONB from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2000 and 2018 were collected and screened. Tumors were staged according to Kadish staging system, AJCC T staging and Dulguerov T staging guidelines. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate 5-and 10-year overall survival rates for different stages, and the log-rank test was used to detect statistically significant differences. Multivariate analysis was performed using Logistic regression and Cox regression models to explore factors influencing surgical treatment choices and prognosis in ONB patients. Results: A total of 519 ONB patients with complete data available for analysis were included in the study. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor staging, age, and marital status were closely associated with surgical treatment selection. The 10-year survival rates for patients in stage A, B, and C were 74.1%, 68.7%, 55.0%, respectively. The multivariate analysis failed to show a significant prognostic gradient between adjacent stages in any of the three staging systems. Conclusions: The selection of surgical treatment for ONB is influenced by clinical characteristics such as tumor stage and age. The commonly used Kadish, AJCC T, and Dulguerov T staging systems do not significantly differentiate prognosis between adjacent stages, highlighting the need for the development of a more accurate and comprehensive staging system.

Objective: To translate the European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire-head and neck 43(EORTC QLQ-H&N43) and to conduct cultural debugging and reliability and validity testing for the Chinese version of the scale. Methods: The Chinese version of EORTC QLQ-H&N43 was formed through literal translation, integration, back translation, group discussion, cultural adjustment, and pre-investigation of the English version of the scale. From March 2023 to December 2023, convenience sampling was used to investigate 254 patients with head and neck tumors at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, including 197 males and 57 females, aged (55.6±13.6) years. SPSS 25.0 statistical software was used to analyze the performance of the scale. Results: The Chinese version of EORTC QLQ-H&N43 retained all 43 items. After evaluation by 5 experts, the content validity index (I-CVI) at the item level of the scale ranged from 0.80 to 1.00, and the average content validity index (S-CVI/Ave) at the scale level was 0.991. Through exploratory factor analysis, a total of 9 common factors were extracted, with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 68.158%; Cronbach's α coefficient of the total scale was 0.943, and the half reliability was 0.896. Conclusion: The Chinese version of EORTC QLQ-H&N43 has good reliability and validity, which can be used as an effective tool to evaluate the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients in China.

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacies of gasless transoral vestibular robotic surgery and open surgery for the treatment of thyroglossal duct cysts. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with thyroglossal duct cysts who underwent surgical treatment in the Department of Otolaryngology at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University from August 2020 to October 2023. According to the differences in surgical methods, patients were divided into a robotic surgery group and an open surgery group. Statistical analysis was conducted on demographic data, surgical time, bleeding volumes, drainage volumes, postoperative complications, scar conditions, postoperative aesthetic scores, and recurrence rates of the two groups of patients. For normally distributed measurement data, inter-group comparison was done via independent-sample t-test. For non-normally distributed data, Mann-Whitney U test was applied. Comparisons of composition ratios or rates were performed using the χ² test or Fisher's exact probability method. Results: A total of 44 patients with thyroglossal duct cysts who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included, including 22 males and 22 females, aged from 3 to 73 years old. Both the robotic surgery group and the open surgery group had respectively 22 cases. The maximum diameter of tumors of the open surgery group was 3.45(2.50, 4.00) cm, while the robotic surgery group measured 2.50 (2.10, 3.20) cm, with the open group demonstrating significantly larger tumor dimensions compared to the robotic group (Z=-2.329, P<0.05). Compared to the open surgery group, the robotic surgery group showed significantly more surgical time [105.00 (95.00, 135.00) min vs. 65.00(58.75, 76.25) min, Z=-5.377, P<0.05], postoperative hospitalization time [4.00 (3.75, 5.00) days vs. 3.00(2.00, 4.00) days, Z=-3.202, P<0.05] and bleeding volume [20.00 (10.00, 20.00) ml vs. 5.00 (5.00, 10.00) ml, Z=-4.769, P<0.05], but had less scar length [0 cm vs. 4.00 (2.00, 5.00) cm, Z=-6.097, P<0.05] and better postoperative cosmetic satisfaction [10.00 (10.00, 10.00) vs. 8.00 (6.75, 8.00), Z=-5.221, P<0.05]. With follow-up of 10.0-48.0 months, both the robotic surgery group and the open surgery group showed no recurrence. There was no significant difference in the follow-up time between the two groups (Z=-0.224, P=0.823). Conclusion: Gasless transoral vestibular robotic surgery is safe and feasible for the treatment of thyroglossal duct cysts, with efficacy comparable to traditional surgery, which can provide a new option for the treatment of thyroglossal duct cysts.

In patients with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa), the appropriate population for radical prostatectomy (RP) remains unclear.

Newly diagnosed mPCa patients were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and divided into no local therapy (NLT) and RP groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline characteristics. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate cancer-specific survival (CSS).

A total of 9,215 patients were included, with 8,844 receiving NLT and 371 undergoing RP. After PSM, 321 patients in each group were included. RP was associated with significantly better CSS (HR = 0.38, 95% CI, 0.27-0.54, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed consistent survival benefit of RP except in patients with M1c disease (HR = 0.55, 95% CI, 0.21-1.46, p = 0.229) or PSA ≥60 ng/ml (HR = 1.19, 95% CI, 0.53-2.86, p = 0.673). An exploratory classification defined low tumor burden as PSA <60 ng/ml and M1a/M1b disease, and high tumor burden as PSA ≥60 ng/ml or M1c. RP significantly improved CSS in the low tumor burden group (HR = 0.30, 95% CI, 0.20-0.46, p < 0.001), but not in the high tumor burden group (HR = 0.98, 95% CI, 0.53-1.84, p = 0.961).

In patients with newly diagnosed mPCa, the survival benefit of RP varies with tumor burden.

Programmed cell death is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and emerging forms such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis (NPF) are associated with cancer progression. However, their exact roles remain poorly characterised. In this study, we investigated the role of NPF-related genes in cancer prognosis by analysing gene expression and clinical data from the TCGA pan-cancer dataset. A multigene prognostic model was developed to predict patient survival. Pathway enrichment and tumour microenvironment analyses revealed significant associations between NPF-related genes and immune cell types, particularly highlighting the link between TLR4 expression and macrophage infiltration. Elevated TLR4 expression in tumour cells was correlated with an immunosuppressive environment, positioning TLR4 as a potential therapeutic target. Moreover, treatment with the TLR4 inhibitor TAK-242 was shown to inhibit cell proliferation and migration in PANC-1 and SW1990 cell lines. These findings underscore the potential of NPF-related pathways as prognostic biomarkers and support TAK-242 as a promising therapeutic candidate for cancer treatment.