📄 Category

cancer biology

256 papers

Cancer biology explores the complex ways cells grow out of control, investigating the genetic mutations and environmental factors that drive tumor formation. This field seeks to understand how healthy cells transform into malignant ones and how these rogue cells spread throughout the body. By decoding these fundamental mechanisms, researchers aim to develop more effective treatments that target the disease at its source while sparing healthy tissue.

At Gist.Science, we process every new preprint published in this category directly from bioRxiv to ensure you stay ahead of the curve. Our team provides both accessible plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries for each study, bridging the gap between raw research data and practical understanding. Whether you are a specialist or a curious reader, our goal is to make these critical findings clear and actionable.

Below are the latest papers in cancer biology, offering fresh insights into the ongoing fight against this disease.

📄 cancer biology

Lipogenesis-driven EGFR palmitoylation enables metastatic immune evasion in triple-negative breast cancer.

This study reveals that de novo lipogenesis drives metastatic immune evasion in triple-negative breast cancer by promoting FASN-mediated EGFR palmitoylation, which sustains a lipid-dependent PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling axis to suppress MHC-I antigen presentation and enable CD8+ T cell escape, a process that can be reversed by inhibiting FASN to restore anti-tumor immunity and block lung metastasis.

Ko, M. S., Ramchandani, D., Simmons, G., McCormick, J., Carrasco, S., Singh, A., Yoffe, L., Zhang, G., Mittal, V.2026-05-26
📄 cancer biology

Isolation Strategy Shapes the Matrisome Landscape of Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Extracellular Vesicles

This study demonstrates that the choice of isolation method (ultracentrifugation, size exclusion chromatography, or EXODUS nanofiltration) significantly alters the protein composition and purity of cancer-associated fibroblast extracellular vesicles, proving that MISEV2023 compliance alone does not guarantee biological equivalence and that isolation protocols must be treated as critical biological variables.

Eldahshoury, M. K., Moss, E., Gillett-Woodley, J., Hindle, M. S., Ilett, M., Collins, M. O., Boyne, J. R.2026-05-26
📄 cancer biology

ASS1 deficiency defines a therapeutic vulnerability in Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

This study identifies argininosuccinate synthase (ASS1) deficiency as a defining metabolic vulnerability in Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia that renders the disease dependent on extracellular arginine, thereby establishing arginine deprivation with pegargiminase as an effective monotherapy and a potent strategy to overcome tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance.

Austin, M. J., Patel, S., Kesmez, R., Kalampalika, F., Davies, C., Sud, A., Kizilors, A., Lea, N., Inocencio, P., Tappen (…)2026-05-25
📄 cancer biology

Mirror-image mRNA display uncovers isoform-selective D-peptide macrocycles targeting a cryptic KRAS pocket

This study utilizes mirror-image mRNA display to discover stable, all-D macrocyclic peptides that selectively target a cryptic back pocket on KRAS, offering a novel, isoform-specific therapeutic mechanism distinct from existing switch-II pocket inhibitors.

Mitcheltree, M. J., Boo, N., Boyer, N., Brown, Z. Z., Chai, X., Duggal, R., Garrigou, M., Hayes, R. P., Johnston, J. M. (…)2026-05-22
📄 cancer biology

Reactivation of DRP1 plays a functional role in resistance to MEK inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells

This study demonstrates that reactivation of the mitochondrial fission protein DRP1, driven by a c-Myc-CDK6 signaling axis, mediates resistance to MEK inhibitors in pancreatic cancer, suggesting that targeting mitochondrial fission could overcome therapeutic resistance.

Sharmin, S., Kashatus, J. A., Adair, S. J., Bakall Loewgren, E., Fallahi-Sichani, M., Bauer, T. W., Kashatus, D.2026-05-22
📄 cancer biology

Aging-Associated Decline in Macrophage STAT6-OXPHOS Programs Promotes Tumor-Like Multinucleated Syncytia

This study reveals that aging-associated macrophage deregulation, characterized by attenuated STAT6-mediated oxidative phosphorylation programs, drives the formation of tumor-like multinucleated syncytia in metastatic cancers, a process that can be modulated by targeting the STAT6-EP2 axis.

Wu, L.-Y., Liao, H.-C., Chen, C.-C., Chou, C.-W., Huang, T. H.-M., Hung, C.-N.2026-05-21
📄 cancer biology

Febuxostat enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of 2-fluoroadenine and 5-methylthioadenosine in MTAP-deleted cancer

This study demonstrates that combining the xanthine oxidase inhibitor febuxostat with 2-fluoroadenine and 5-methylthioadenosine overcomes the limited in vivo efficacy of the original drug pair by preventing 2-fluoroadenine degradation, thereby significantly enhancing tumor regression in MTAP-deleted cancers.

Tang, B., Lee, H.-O., Krzikike, D., Gupta, S., Cai, K. Q., kruger, w. D.2026-05-21
📄 cancer biology

Identification of a large class of cancer-germline microproteins as a source of immunotherapeutic targets

This study identifies a large, previously unexplored class of non-canonical cancer-germline microproteins (ncCGAs) encoded by non-coding RNAs and untranslated regions, demonstrating their tumor-specific expression, evolutionary youth, and potential as immunotherapeutic targets through the generation of immunogenic HLA class I peptides.

E. Camarena, M., Vara, C., Papadopoulos, C., Montanes, J. C., Razquin-Sola, S., Taillandier-Coindard, M., Pak, H., Müll (…)2026-05-20
📄 cancer biology

Extending structural surfaceomics to identify aberrant conformations of tumor surface proteins as potential immunotherapy targets

This study expands the "structural surfaceomics" framework across multiple cancer models and healthy controls to compile a comprehensive crosslinking database, enabling the identification of tumor-specific protein conformations and aberrant epitopes as promising targets for next-generation immunotherapies.

Kishishita, A., Cismoski, S., Grant, T., Deo, R., Prudhvi, S., Sue, C., Barpanda, A., Yu, C., Shenoy, S., Berman, S., Re (…)2026-05-18