Hepatic biliary adenofibroma is an exceedingly rare biliary neoplasm that primarily affects adults. It typically presents as a solitary mass composed of low-grade microcystic and tubuloglandular bile duct structures, which are lined by low columnar to cuboidal non-mucin-producing biliary epithelium and supported by abundant fibrous stroma. Histologically, it resembles the Von Meyenburg complex but is much larger in size and often shows cytologic atypia. Although considered benign, emerging case studies and analyses suggest that biliary adenofibroma may serve as a precursor lesion to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. However, its extreme rarity, coupled with an incompletely understood histogenesis, perpetuates diagnostic uncertainty and may lead to misclassification with other similar entities. This review consolidates the current understanding of the histopathological and molecular characteristics of biliary adenofibroma, highlights its differential diagnosis, explores its potential progression to cholangiocarcinoma, and discusses unresolved questions while proposing future research directions.

New research has looked into a comprehensive and structured approach to genetic testing matching children and young people with cancer to targeted treatments. The study aimed to advance precision medicine in the UK to help young cancer patients receive more targeted cancer treatments, an important step towards increasing survival rates and reducing the side-effects of treatment. Researchers looked at tumours of relapsed childhood cancers to see how they adapt and change in response to treatment. Researchers showed that a ctDNA blood test, a less invasive approach to track tumour evolution, can add valuable information and in some patients detect additional DNA mutations in the tumour that were missed by tumour biopsy. Co-funded by Children with Cancer UK and with Cancer Research UK, the first phase Stratified Medicine Paediatrics research programme led by Institute of Cancer Research. The paper is available on AACR Journal Cancer Discovery.  

Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to every other organ, and blood-forming stem cells must make about 200 billion new red blood cells each day to keep the oxygen flowing. 

For many years, scientists assumed that blood production took place in the bone marrow. But now, researchers at UCSF are showing it’s also happening in the lungs.