In conclusion, the UPR score may be useful as a biomarker to predict prognosis and to better understand HCCThe stroma is a relevant player in driving and supporting the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma PDAC, and a large body of evidence highlights its role in hindering the efficacy of current therapies In fact, the dense extracellular matrix ECM characterizing this tumor acts as a natural physical barrier, impairing drug penetration Consequently, all of the approaches combining stroma-targeting and anticancer therapy constitute an appealing option for improving drug penetration Several strategies have been adopted in order to target the PDAC stroma, such as the depletion of ECM components and the targeting of cancer-associated fibroblasts CAFs, which are responsible for the increased matrix deposition in cancer Additionally, the leaky and collapsing blood vessels characterizing the tumor might be normalized, thus restoring blood perfusion and allowing drug penetration Even though many stroma-targeting strategies have reported disappointing results in clinical trials, the ECM offers a wide range of potential therapeutic targets that are now being investigated The dense ECM might be bypassed by implementing nanoparticle-based systems or by using mesenchymal stem cells as drug carriers The present review aims to provide an overview of the principal mechanisms involved in the ECM remodeling and of new promising therapeutic strategies for PDACMultiple myeloma MM has a propensity to develop preferentially in bone and form bone-destructive lesions MM cells enhance osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption through activation of the RANKL-NF-κB signaling pathway while suppressing bone formation by inhibiting osteoblastogenesis from bone marrow stromal cells BMSCs by factors elaborated in the bone marrow and bone in MM, including the soluble Wnt inhibitors DKK-1 and sclerostin, activin A, and TGF-β, resulting in systemic bone destruction with loss of bone Osteocytes have been drawn attention as multifunctional regulators in bone metabolism MM cells induce apoptosis in osteocytes to trigger the production of factors, including RANKL, sclerostin, and DKK-1, to further exacerbate bone destruction Bone lesions developed in MM, in turn, provide microenvironments suited for MM cell growth/survival, including niches to foster MM cells and their precursors  https//wwwselleckchemcom/products/d-ap5html  Thus, MM cells alter the microenvironments through bone destruction in the bone where they reside, which in turn potentiates tumor growth and survival, thereby generating a vicious loop between tumor progression and bone destruction The serine/threonine kinases PIM2 and TAK1, an upstream mediator of PIM2, are overexpressed in bone marrow stromal cells and osteoclasts as well in MM cells in bone lesions Upregulation of the TAK1-PIM2 pathway plays a critical role in tumor expansion and bone destruction, posing the TAK1-PIM2 pathway as a pivotal therapeutic target in MMWorldwide, there are currently around 181 million new cancer cases and 96 million cancer deaths yearly Although cancer diagnosis and treatment has improved greatly in the past several decades, a complete understanding of the complex interactions between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment during primary tumor growth and metastatic expansion is still lacking Several aspects of the metastatic cascade require in vitro investigation This is because in vitro work allows for a reduced number of variables and an ability to gather real-time data of cell responses to precise stimuli, decoupling the complex environment surrounding in vivo experimentation Breakthroughs in our understanding of cancer biology and mechanics through in vitro assays can lead to better-designed ex vivo precision medicine platforms and clinical therapeutics Multiple techniques have been developed to imitate cancer cells in their primary or metastatic environments, such as spheroids in suspension, microfluidic systems, 3D bioprinting, and hydrogel embedding Recently, magnetic-based in vitro platforms have been developed to improve the reproducibility of the cell geometries created, precisely move magnetized cell aggregates or fabricated scaffolding, and incorporate static or dynamic loading into the cell or its culture environment Here, we will review the latest magnetic techniques utilized in these in vitro environments to improve our understanding of cancer cell interactions throughout the various stages of the metastatic cascadeWe reviewed the current published literature on the impact of oral microbiota on oral cavity leukoplakia OLK, aiming at clarifying its role in disease transformation The analysis unveiled that bacterial richness and diversity in the oral cavity tend to be decreased in OLK compared to healthy controls, with a reduction in the prevalent commensals, such as Streptococci, and elevation of anaerobes Moreover, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia are recurrent findings, and they already have been linked to periodontal disease These microbial community changes may also represent a marker for the transition from OLK to oral squamous cell carcinoma Unfortunately, the reviewed studies present several limitations, making an objective comparison difficult To overcome these biases, longitudinal studies are necessary
  Ovarian cancer OC represents the eighth most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among the female population In an advanced setting, chemotherapy represents the first-choice treatment, despite a high recurrence rate In the last ten years, immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors ICIs has profoundly modified the therapeutic scenario of many solid tumors We sought to summarize the main findings regarding the clinical use of ICIs in OC
 
  We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Databases, and conference abstracts from international congresses such as ASCO, ESMO, SGO for clinical trials, focusing on ICIs both as monotherapy and as combinations in the advanced OC
 
  20 studies were identified, of which 16 were phase I or II and 4 phase III trials These trials used ICIs targeting PD1 nivolumab, pembrolizumab, PD-L1 avelumab, aterolizumab, durvalumab, and CTLA4 ipilimumab, tremelimumab There was no reported improvement in survival, and some trials were terminated early due to toxicity or lack of response Combining ICIs with chemotherapy, anti-VEGF therapy, or PARP inhibitors improved response rates and survival in spite of a worse safety profile
 
  The identification of biomarkers with a predictive role for ICIs' efficacy is mandatory Moreover, genomic and immune profiling of OC might lead to better treatment options and facilitate the design of tailored trials
 The identification of biomarkers with a predictive role for ICIs' efficacy is mandatory Moreover, genomic and immune profiling of OC might lead to better treatment options and facilitate the design of tailored trialsSurgical resection is the gold standard for the treatment of many kinds of tumor, but its success depends on the early diagnosis and the absence of metastases However, many deep-seated tumors liver, pancreas, for example are often unresectable at the time of diagnosis Chemotherapies and radiotherapies are a second line for cancer treatment The "enhanced permeability and retention" EPR effect is believed to play a fundamental role in the passive uptake of drug-loaded nanocarriers, for example polymeric nanoparticles, in deep-seated tumors However, criticisms of the EPR effect were recently raised, particularly in advanced human cancers obstructed blood vessels and suppressed blood flow determine a heterogeneity of the EPR effect, with negative consequences on nanocarrier accumulation, retention, and intratumoral distribution Therefore, to improve the nanomedicine uptake, there is a strong need for "EPR enhancers" Electrochemotherapy represents an important tool for the treatment of deep-seated tumors, usually combined with the systemic intravenous administration of anticancer drugs, such as bleomycin or cisplatin A possible new strategy, worthy of investigation, could be the use of this technique as an "EPR enhancer" of a target tumor, combined with the intratumoral administration of drug-loaded nanoparticles This is a general overview of the rational basis for which EP could be envisaged as an "EPR enhancer" in nanomedicineThere is a clear relationship between inflammatory response and different stages of tumor development Common inflammation-related carcinogens include viruses, bacteria, and environmental mutagens, such as air pollutants, toxic metals, and ultraviolet light The expression pattern of ncRNA changes in a variety of disease conditions, including inflammation and cancer Non-coding RNAs ncRNAs have a causative role in enhancing inflammatory stimulation and evading immune responses, which are particularly important in persistent pathogen infection and inflammation-to-cancer transformation In this review, we investigated the mechanism of ncRNA expression imbalance in inflammation-related cancers A better understanding of the function of inflammation-associated ncRNAs may help to reveal the potential of ncRNAs as a new therapeutic strategyExosomes are a class of extracellular vesicles, with a size of about 100 nm, secreted by most cells and carrying various bioactive molecules such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, and reflect the biological status of parent cells Exosomes have natural advantages such as high biocompatibility and low immunogenicity for efficient delivery of therapeutic agents such as chemotherapeutic drugs, nucleic acids, and proteins In this review, we introduce the latest explorations of exosome-based drug delivery systems for cancer therapy, with particular focus on the targeted delivery of various types of cargoesPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma PDAC remains among the deadliest solid tumors that remain treatment-refractory and show a dismal prognosis More than 90 of PDAC tumors harbor mutations in the K-Ras that exert a strong pro-tumorigenic effect by activating several downstream effector pathways, including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase PI3K-Akt The role of frequently activated PI3K/Akt pathway in promoting PDAC aggressiveness is well established Therapeutic approaches targeting PI3K and downstream signaling components in different cellular compartments, including tumor, stromal and immune cells, have directly impacted the tumor burden in this cancer type Our previous work has demonstrated that targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway reduced tumor growth and improved survival in the genetic mouse model of PDAC Here, we discuss the significance of targeting PI3K signaling and the biological impact of PI3K inhibition in modulating the tumor-stromal immune crosstalk within the microenvironment of pancreatic cancer Furthermore, this review updates on the current challenges involving the therapeutic implications of targeting this pathway in PDAC
  To evaluate the suitability of psoas and erector spinae muscle proton density fat fraction PDFF and fat volume as biomarkers for monitoring cachexia severity in an oncological cohort, and to evaluate regional variances in muscle parameters over time
 
  In this prospective study, 58 oncological patients were examined by a 3 T MRI receiving between one and five scans Muscle volume and PDFF were measured, segmentation masks were divided into proximal, middle and distal muscle section
 
  A regional variation of fat distribution in erector spinae muscle at baseline was found 
  lt; 001 During follow-ups significant relative change of muscle parameters was observed Relative maximum change of erector spinae muscle showed a significant regional variation Correlation testing with age as a covariate revealed significant correlations for baseline psoas fat volume r = -055, 
  lt; 001 and baseline psoas PDFF r = -052, 
  = 002 with maximum BMI change during the course of the disease
 
  In erector spinae muscles, a regional variation of fat distribution at baseline and relative maximum change of muscle parameters was observed