Reviews & Analysis

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) variant. The exact mechanism underlying PCa development remains unclear due to the limited availability of NEPC models. In this review, the authors summarize strategies for NEPC model development and methods for model evaluation; discuss the origin of NEPC and the neuroendocrine transformation mechanism; and propose the challenges associated with research on NEPC. This study provides valuable insights into NEPC development and reveals potential therapeutic targets for NEPC.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) profiling as liquid biopsy is of clinical utility in carcinomas of adult-onset. However, its application in childhood cancers, including brain tumors, has not been as extensively studied. In this article, we review the current status of applying cfDNA analysis for pediatric central nervous system neoplasms. Technical challenges, evidence for utility based on current literature, and potential future developments are discussed.

Vitamin D has recently emerged as a neurosteroid and a regulator of various physiological functions. It has been widely reported to promote tumor-suppressive effects, however this proposal remains controversial. This article reviews the anti-tumoral mechanisms of vitamin D in glioblastoma, current evidence of its therapeutic application as a supplement to standard chemotherapy, and its potential applications for cancer prevention; it endeavors to offer insight into new means of overcoming chemoresistance and improving glioma patient survival.

The 5th edition of WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System adopted new molecular markers into the revised grading criteria of IDH-mutant and -wild-type astrocytoma, i.e., the CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion for IDH-mutant astrocytoma and the following three criteria for IDH-wild-type astrocytoma: the concurrent gain of whole chromosome 7 and loss of whole chromosome 10, TERT promoter mutations, and EGFR amplification, as independent molecular markers of the highest grade.

During the COVID-19 pandemics, sensitive and reliable assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection are essential for screening the population, identifying asymptomatic individuals, making diagnoses, monitoring treatment responses, and determining viral clearance. This review summarizes the principles, advantages, disadvantages, and specific applications of currently available assays for detection of the viral nucleotide, genome or proteins, as well as host antibody responses, and provide overall guidelines for selection of optimal assays for specific usage.

Data processing and learning has become a spearhead for the advancement of medicine. Computational pathology is burgeoning subspecialty that promises a better-integrated solution to whole-slide images, multi-omics data and clinical informatics as innovative approach for patient care. This review describes clinical perspectives and discusses the statistical methods, clinical applications, potential obstacles, and future directions of computational pathology.