This is a Letter discussing a recently published article. More >

Procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenases (PLODs) catalyze lysine hydroxylation, promoting collagen crosslinking and extracellular matrix stability, and are implicated in tumor aggressiveness. However, their expression and prognostic value in breast cancer (BC) remain unclear. We explored PLOD1-3 expression in BC using ONCOMINE, TIMER, CCLE, cBioPortal, UALCAN, GEPIA, and HPA. Prognostic associations were assessed via Kaplan-Meier Plotter, with enrichment analysis by clusterProfiler. A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed using TCGA data, and immune infiltration analyzed by TIMER and CIBERSORT. PLOD1-3 were upregulated in BC versus normal tissues at both transcrip... More >

The absence of robust and reliable $in \, vitro$ models that can accurately recapitulate the biological characteristics of many mammalian tissues and disease states represents a major barrier to both basic and translational research, owing to limited sample availability and ethical concerns. Stem cell-derived self-assembling three-dimensional (3D) organoids can replicate key structural and functional aspects of organs in a more physiologically relevant manner than traditional 2D models, thus providing a superior platform for simulating human physiology and pathology. To date, researchers have developed organoid models for a variety of endocrine tissues and their associated diseases (includ... More >

The article by Piffkó A et al. elucidates the double-edged sword role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment. Radiotherapy stimulates tumor cells to secrete amphiregulin (AREG), which in turn activates EGFR$^+$ tumor-associated mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs). This activation feeds back into the EGFR signaling pathway, impairing the anti-tumor functions of MNPs. Moreover, AREG upregulates the expression of the immune checkpoint protein CD47 in tumor cells, thereby enabling them to evade immune-mediated phagocytosis. These insights hold important implications for clinical trial design and for optimizing therapeutic strategies. More >

This editorial mainly states the meaning of creating the Oncology Communications and highlights the importance and outlook of integrative medicine. We stress the importance of multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, encouraging oncologists to work closely with experts from various fields, including basic medicine, mathematics, physics, sociology, artificial intelligence, and materials science. This collaboration aims to clarify the mechanisms of tumor development and progression, identify novel therapeutic targets, promote clinical translation, and ultimately benefit patients. More >