Ruoyan Liu

Active surveillance is increasingly adopted for low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC ≤1 cm). However, a subset of tumors exhibit tracheal or recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) invasion, resulting in upstaging and functional morbidity. Reliable preoperative predictors are needed to optimize patient selection. This retrospective study analyzed 10,112 consecutive PTMC patients (mean age, 44.7 years; 73.8% female) who underwent surgery at a high-volume center between June 2021 and February 2025. Preoperative high-resolution ultrasonography was performed for all the patients. The shortest distances from the tumor to the trachea and posterior thyroid capsule were measured and categorized. Tracheal and RLN invasion were confirmed intraoperatively. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated across risk groups. Tracheal invasion occurred in 1.5% of the patients and was not observed when the tumor-trachea distance exceeded 3 mm. Among tumors ≤1 mm from the trachea, invasion rates increased with tumor-trachea angle (acute 7.6%, right 11.3%, obtuse 17.2%), corresponding to a 47.9-fold higher risk (95% confidence interval, 29.5-77.7) compared with tumors larger than 1 mm. Recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion occurred in 2.3% of the patients and was rare when the tumor-capsule distance exceeded 3 mm (0.05%). Tumors ≤2 mm from the posterior capsule with capsular disruption showed a 34.6% invasion rate, including 9.8% clinically significant RLN invasion, with significantly increased risks of any RLN invasion (OR 45.6) and clinically significant RLN invasion (OR, 66.2). Preoperative ultrasound assessment of tumor proximity and interface with adjacent structures robustly predicts tracheal and RLN invasion in PTMC. These parameters may improve selection for active surveillance and guide surgical decision-making.

Cancer cells and the nervous system engage in a dynamic interplay, significantly influencing initiation and progression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Our findings highlight that cancer cells drive an increase in caveolin-2 (Cav2) expression within trigeminal ganglia and associated neural fibers in the tumor milieu, fostering a reciprocal attractant relationship between tumor cells and nerves. Notably, the knockout of Cav2, either globally or specifically in sensory neurons or glial cells, markedly attenuates the growth of orthotopically implanted tongue tumors. Moreover, Cav2-expressing nerves are implicated in shifting cancer cell metabolism towards mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, a process involved in maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Our results also demonstrate that Cav2-expressing nerves confer stemness properties to cancer cells. Disruption of Cav2 expression, both globally and in specific neural cell types, impedes tumorigenesis and progression in a 4-NQO-induced HNSCC mouse model. This interplay observed between cancer cells, neurons, and glial cells suggests a potential mechanism through which tumor-associated nerves might influence cancer stemness via metabolic reprogramming. This highlights a possible direction for anticancer therapy that warrants further investigation.

Breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance protein 3 (BCAR3) is involved in anti-estrogen resistance and other important aspects of breast cancer. However, the role of BCAR3 in other solid tumors remains unclear. The relationship between the clinicopathologic characteristics of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients and BCAR3 was analyzed using the Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test and logistic regression. The association between BCAR3 expression and clinicopathologic features and survival was analyzed using Cox regression and the Kaplan–Meier method. In vivo and in vitro assays were performed to validate the effect of BCAR3 on HNSCC growth. BCAR3-related mRNAs were determined by calculating the Pearson’s correlation coefficient based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to predict the potential functions of BCAR3. BCAR3 expression is overexpressed in HNSCC and was shown to be associated with perineural invasion (PNI) and poor survival. BCAR3 silencing significantly attenuated the proliferation of HNSCC cells, whereas BCAR3 depletion inhibited tumor growth in vitro. GO and KEGG functional enrichment analyses, and GSEA showed that BCAR3 expression in HNSCC was associated with biological processes, such as cell adhesion, actin binding, cadherin binding, and angiogenesis. BCAR3, which promotes HNSCC growth, is associated with perineural invasion and may be a potential molecular prognostic marker of poor survival in HNSCC.

The advantages of reduced-port laparoscopic surgery (RPLS) for rectosigmoid cancer treatment have been disputed. This study evaluated the outcomes of RPLS compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) for rectosigmoid cancer.