Background/Objectives: Liver metastases are common among patients with breast cancer and have a poor prognosis if left untreated. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate and compare chemoembolization (TACE) versus radioembolization (TARE) treatments in patients with breast cancer liver-dominant metastases in terms of overall survival (OS), local tumor control (LC), and toxicity. Methods: The S.P.I.D.E.R framework was used to address the clinical question. A systematic literature search using PubMed and Scopus was performed to identify full articles evaluating the efficacy of TACE and TARE in patients with liver metastases from breast cancer. Results: The literature search resulted in 10 articles for TACE, 13 articles for TARE and 1 for combined TACE/TARE, totaling 462 patients for the TACE group and 627 for the TARE group. The median LC was 68.7% for TACE and 78.9% for TARE. The median OS was 15.3 months for TACE and 11.9 for TARE. Progression at three months was 32.5% for TACE and 20.6% for TARE. Conclusions: The included studies were heterogeneous, varying widely in design, patient selection, and therapeutic protocols. Nonetheless, this systematic review suggests that locoregional therapies are effective in the treatment of liver metastases in patients with breast cancer and may improve tumor burden, alleviate symptoms and extend overall survival. The median LC of the liver metastases at three months was higher in the TARE group compared to TACE. However, the TARE group showed lower OS rates after treatment.

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence, particularly in the field of deep learning, has opened up new advances in analyzing and processing large and complex datasets. Prospects and emerging trends in this area engage the development of methods, techniques, and algorithms to build autonomous systems that perform tasks with minimal human action. In medical practice, radiological imaging technologies systematically boost progress in the clinical monitoring of cancer through the information that can be analyzed in these images. This review gives insight into deep learning-based approaches that strengthen the assessment of the response to the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. This systematic survey delves into the various approaches to morphological and metabolic changes observed in computerized tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. We highlight the challenges and opportunities for feasible integration of deep learning computer-based tools in evaluating treatments in lung cancer patients, after which CT and PET-based strategies are contrasted. The investigated deep learning methods are organized and described as instruments for classification, clustering, and prediction, which can contribute to the design of automated and objective assessment of lung tumor responses to treatments.

Spread through air spaces (STAS) is defined as the spread of tumor cells into the parenchymal alveolar space beyond the margins of the main tumor, and it is associated with worse clinical outcomes in resected lung adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to evaluate the preoperative computed tomography (CT) findings of primary lung adenocarcinoma in surgically resected T1 cases and to compare CT findings with and without STAS.

A total of 145 patients were included in this study. The following factors were evaluated on CT images: nodule type (pure ground-glass nodule [GGN], part-solid nodule, or solid nodule), margin (smooth or irregular), the presence of lobulation, spicula, cavity, calcification, central low attenuation, peripheral opacity (well-defined or ill-defined), air bronchogram, satellite lesions, pleural retraction, pulmonary emphysema, and interstitial pneumonia; CT values (maximum, minimum, and mean); volume (tumor and solid component); and diameter (tumor and solid component). CT criteria were compared between the presence and absence of STAS.

Lobulation and central low attenuation were significantly more frequent in patients with STAS (p < 0.05). The mean CT value, and the volume, rate, and diameter of the solid component were significantly larger in cases with STAS (p < 0.05). A multiple logistic regression analysis identified central low attenuation as an indicator of the presence of STAS (p < 0.001; odds ratio, 3.993; 95% confidence interval, 1.993-8.001).

Quantitative and qualitative analyses are useful for differentiating between the presence and absence of STAS.

The use of photon-counting detector computed tomography (PCD-CT) has improved image quality in cardiac, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal imaging. Abdominal imaging research, especially about the use of PCD-CT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is sparse.

We aimed to compare the image quality of tumors, the liver parenchyma, and the vasculature in patients with HCC using PCD-CT reconstructions at different slice thicknesses and kernels to identify the most appropriate settings for the clinical routine.

CT exams from twenty adult patients with HCC performed with a clinically approved, first-generation PCD-CT scanner (Naeotom Alpha^®, Siemens Healthineers), were retrospectively reviewed. For each patient, images were reconstructed at four different sharp kernels, designed for abdominal imaging (Br40; Br44; Br48; Br56) and at three slice thicknesses (0.4 mm; 1 mm; 3 mm). The reconstruction with the Br40 kernel at 3 mm (Br40_{3 mm}) was used as a clinical reference. Three readers independently assessed the image quality of different anatomical abdominal structures and hypervascular HCC lesions using a five-point Likert scale. In addition, image sharpness was assessed using line-density profiles.

Compared with the clinical reference, the Br44_{1 mm} and Br48_{1 mm} reconstructions were rated superior for the assessment of the hepatic vasculature (median difference +0.67 [+0.33 to +1.33], p < 0.001 and +1.00 [+0.67 to +1.67], p < 0.001). Reconstructions for Br40_{1 mm} (+0.33 [-0.67 to +1.00], p < 0.001), and Br44_{3 mm} (+0.0 [0.0 to +1.00], p = 0.030) were scored superior for overall image quality. The noise demonstrated a continuous increase when using sharper kernels and thinner slices than Br40_{3 mm} (p < 0.001), leading to a decrease in contrast-to-noise ratio. Although there was a trend toward increased image sharpness using the slope analysis with higher kernels, this was not significantly different compared with the reference standard.

PCD-CT reconstruction Br40_{1 mm} was the most suitable setting for overall image quality, while reconstructions with sharper kernels (Br44_{1 mm} and Br48_{1 mm}) can be considered for the assessment of the hepatic vasculature in patients with HCC.

Objectives: To evaluate the agreement between AI-CAD-guided mammographic and MRI measurements of tumor size and T stage in breast cancer patients being considered for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Methods: This retrospective study included 144 women (mean age, 52 ± 11 years) with invasive breast cancer who subsequently received NAC and underwent both AI-CAD mammography (score ≥ 10) and pre-treatment MRI. Tumor sizes from AI-CAD contours were compared with MRI using Pearson correlation, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and Bland-Altman analysis. Concordance was defined as a ±0.5 cm difference. The contour showing the highest agreement was used to compare T stage with MRI using weighted kappa. Results: The mean AI-CAD abnormality score was 86.3 ± 22.2. Tumor sizes on mammography were 3.0 ± 1.2 cm (inner), 3.8 ± 1.5 cm (middle), and 4.8 ± 2.2 cm (outer), while the MRI-measured tumor size was 4.0 ± 1.9 cm. The middle contour showed the strongest correlation with MRI (r = 0.897; ICC = 0.866), the smallest mean difference (-0.19 cm; limits of agreement, -1.87 to 1.49), and the highest concordance (61.1%). Agreement was higher in mass-only lesions than in NME-involved lesions (ICC = 0.883 vs. 0.775; concordance, 70.9% vs. 46.6%). T stage comparison using the middle contour showed substantial agreement with MRI (κ = 0.743 [95% CI, 0.634-0.852]; agreement, 88.2%), with higher concordance in mass-only lesions (93.0%) than NME-involved lesions (81.0%) and more frequent understaging in the latter (17.2% vs. 2.3%). Conclusions: AI-CAD-guided mammographic assessment using the middle contour demonstrated good agreement with MRI for tumor size and T stage, indicating its value as a supportive tool for clinical staging in MRI-limited settings.

Encouraging discoveries and excellent advances in the fight against cancer have led to innovative therapies such as photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), drug targeting (DT), gene therapy (GT), immunotherapy (IT), and therapies that combine these treatments with conventional chemotherapy (CT). Furthermore, 2,041,910 new cancer cases and 618,120 cancer deaths have been estimated in the United States for the year 2025. The low survival rate (<50%) and poor prognosis of several cancers, despite aggressive treatments, are due to therapy-induced secondary tumorigenesis and the emergence of drug resistance. Moreover, serious adverse effects and/or great pain usually arise during treatments and/or in survivors, thus lowering the overall effectiveness of these cures. Although prevention is of paramount importance, novel anticancer approaches are urgently needed to address these issues. In the field of anticancer nanomedicine, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could be of exceptional help due to their intrinsic, unprecedented features, easy functionalization, and large surface area, allowing excellent drug loading. CNTs can serve as drug carriers and as ingredients to engineer multifunctional platforms associated with diverse treatments for both anticancer therapy and diagnosis. The present review debates the most relevant advancements about the adjuvant role that CNTs could have in cancer diagnosis and therapy if associated with PTT, PDT, DT, GT, CT, and IT. Numerous sensing strategies utilising various CNT-based sensors for cancer diagnosis have been discussed in detail, never forgetting the still not fully clarified toxicological aspects that may derive from their extensive use. The unsolved challenges that still hamper the possible translation of CNT-based material in clinics, including regulatory hurdles, have been discussed to push scientists to focus on the development of advanced synthetic and purification work-up procedures, thus achieving more perfect CNTs for their safer real-life clinical use.

Background: Cervical cancer is a major global health concern, causing approximately 350,000 deaths annually. It is also preventable through effective prevention and early detection. To facilitate elimination, the World Health Organization (WHO) set targets for HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment. Achieving these goals requires frameworks to monitor screening program performance. As many regions transition to HPV primary screening, a standardized Cervical Cancer Screening Cascade can track performance, identify gaps in follow-up, and optimize resource allocation. Methods: This paper introduces a structured cascade developed to monitor uptake, retention, and outcomes in HPV-based screening programs. The Cascade was created through collaboration between public health experts, clinicians, and researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), the Women's Health Research Institute, and BC Cancer. Results: The Cascade outlines four phases: screening, triage, detection, and treatment. Each phase includes two substages: "uptake" and "results," with an additional substage in screening ("invitation"). "Screening" assesses invitation effectiveness and participation. "Triage" tracks follow-up after a positive screen. "Detection" evaluates attendance at diagnostic appointments, and "Treatment" measures the treatment rate for those with precancerous lesions. Conclusions: The Cascade can guide emerging and existing HPV screening programs within Canada and other similarly resourced settings and serve as a benchmark tool for programs to assess their progress towards cervical cancer elimination.

In September 2021, pemigatinib received Health Canada approval for previously treated locally advanced/metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) with FGFR2 rearrangements/fusions. This retrospective study aimed to characterize the real-world management and outcomes of patients with CCA receiving pemigatinib through a Canadian patient support program (PSP).

We evaluated a multi-centre case series of Canadian patients who were prescribed pemigatinib between September 2021 and January 2023 for eligible CCA diagnoses and enrolled in the PSP. The retrospective study data included demographic and disease-, treatment-, and outcome-related information, and these were collected using a survey of prescribing physicians.

Of the 26 patients who initiated pemigatinib in the PSP, we received survey responses for 18 (69%). Their median age was 57 years, 67% were female, 61% had stage IV disease, and 83% had intrahepatic CCA. Prior to pemigatinib, a partial hepatectomy was performed in 44% of the patients, and 66% of the patients received 2-4 prior lines of systemic therapy. All patients were treated with platinum-based regimens as the first-line treatment for unresectable/metastatic disease. The median follow-up time on pemigatinib was 12.6 (range: 2.3-28.4) months, and their median real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) was 12.1 months (95% CI 7.2-NR). The physician-assessed objective response and disease control rates were 56% and 89%, respectively. For the nine patients who discontinued pemigatinib, the median treatment duration was 10.6 months (range: 0.8-21.7). Disease progression was the most common reason for discontinuation (89%). None discontinued due to adverse events.

Objective response rates, disease control rates, and a PFS comparable to that in the phase 2 FIGHT-202 trial was reported with pemigatinib use in this Canadian PSP cohort.

Despite advances in cancer care, disparities persist. The collection of the social determinants of health (SDOH) is fundamental to addressing disparities. However, SDOH are inconsistently collected in many regions of the world. This two-phase multiple methods study examined patient and community perspectives regarding SDOH data collection in Canada. In phase 1, a survey was administered to patients at a cancer centre (n = 549) to assess perspectives on an SDOH data collection tool. In phase 2, broader perspectives were sought through a community consultation with patient partners experiencing structural inequality (n = 15). Most participants were comfortable with SDOH data collection. Of survey respondents, 95% were comfortable with the collection of language, birthplace, sex, gender, education, and disability, and 82% to 94% were comfortable with SES, sexual orientation, social support, and race/ethnicity. Discomfort levels did not differ across subgroups, except women were more uncomfortable disclosing SES (OR: 2.00; 95%CI: 1.26, 3.19). Most (71%) preferred face-to-face data collection with a healthcare professional and only half were comfortable with storage of SDOH in electronic health records. Open-ended survey responses (n = 1533) and the community consultation revealed concerns about privacy, discrimination, relevance to care, and data accuracy. SDOH data collection efforts should include a clear rationale for patients, training for providers, strong data privacy and security measures, and actionable strategies to address needs.

The recent literature has reported an increased association between the use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (dMPA) and cerebral meningioma (CM). Prior studies have been limited in generalizability and did not use an active comparator as a control. The current matched case-control study utilized a bootstrapped sampling design, matching 241 CM cases with controls (i.e., women diagnosed with non-meningioma brain, breast, or skin tumor, one control per type for three total) on age ± 5 years and diagnosis date ± 3 months. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) compared with an active (norethindrone or levonorgestrel) and non-active control group. Exposure to dMPA at any time point was not associated with the diagnosis of cerebral meningioma (OR 1.75, 95% CI 0.81-4.95). Exposure to dMPA within a year of diagnosis was associated with the diagnosis of CM compared to both an active control (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.13-9.70) and a non-active control (OR 6.90, 95% CI 2.31-17.58). This association was also present for those who were exposed within two years prior when compared to a non-active control (OR 3.54, 95% CI 1.50-11.88) but not an active control. Combined with the prior literature, the current results suggest that future research is warranted to understand this association.