DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for acinic cell breast carcinoma — screening already-approved drugs against its 28-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleAcinic cell breast carcinoma maps to a 28-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for acinic cell breast carcinoma is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) — JAK3 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet izadrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 3LXL · 1.74 Å · ligand 2-TERT-BUTYL-9-FLUORO-3,6-DIHYDRO-7H-BENZ[H]-IMIDAZ[4,5-F]ISOQUINOLINE-7-ONE (IZA). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Primary acinic cell carcinoma of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumour, with fewer than 100 published cases and possibly as few as 30 cases identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database among more than 248,000 invasive breast carcinomas of no special type. Diagnosis cannot be made on microscopic structure alone and requires immunohistochemistry. The tumours are predominantly grade 3 (44%) and diagnosed at an earlier stage (67%). Hormone receptor and HER2 status, available for only 13 patients in the SEER cohort, shows molecular heterogeneity: four patients were HR-/HER2-, two were HR-/HER2+, four were HR+/HER2-, and three were HR+/HER2+. One case report describes a tumour with weak progesterone receptor expression, which the authors note is extremely rare.
The SEER population study reports a median survival time of 19 months for acinic cell carcinoma patients compared with 48 months for patients with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type (p < 0.001). Adjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a more pronounced decline in survival among acinic cell carcinoma patients, with the number at risk in that group diminishing to four patients by 30 months. In multivariable Cox regression adjusting for age, TNM stage, HR/HER2, and chemotherapy, acinic cell carcinoma histology was associated with a 1.69-fold increase in the hazard of death (HR: 1.69; 95% CI: 0.63-4.56), but this result was not statistically significant. The authors conclude that the findings indicate potentially aggressive clinical behaviour but must be interpreted cautiously given SEER limitations, especially regarding histologic and molecular subtyping accuracy.
Case reports describe individual patients treated according to guidelines for invasive breast cancer. One 47-year-old patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery, with drug sensitivity tests performed on primary tumour cells to select postoperative chemotherapy; she was free of symptoms for 14 months after surgery. Another 47-year-old patient underwent mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with four cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide then four cycles of docetaxel, with no sign of recurrence during a nine-month follow-up. The authors of the case reports state that the prognosis is generally good with adjuvant therapy after surgery, but this is based on very limited individual experience.
What is still missing is a coordinated, centralised study with sufficient sample size to accurately characterise the natural history and molecular subtypes of this disease. The SEER data are limited by incomplete hormone receptor and HER2 information, and the small number of cases precludes robust statistical adjustment. No prospective trial has been conducted, and there is no standardised treatment protocol beyond extrapolation from invasive breast cancer guidelines. Patient stratification by molecular subtype is not yet possible, and funding for a multi-institutional registry or trial is lacking.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Heliyon · 2023 · 4 citations · open access
Primary acinic cell carcinoma of the breast: A case report and literature review
AbstractAcinic cell carcinoma (ACCA), a type of malignant epithelial neoplasm, tends to occur in the parotid gland, and is occasionally found within the breast. Published literature regarding primary ACCA of the breast is scarce, and the number of reports may be fewer than 100. At present, full clinical details have not been published. As an extremely rare disorder, ACCA cannot be definitively diagnosed depending on microscopic structure alone and often requires the assistance of immunohistochemistry. Currently, universal therapies are not available. Here, we present a 47-year-old patient with a history of a palpable mass in the outer upper quadrant of the left breast for more than 2 years, which had obviously increased in size in the last half year. This patient was definitively diagnosed with primary ACCA of the breast. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was performed preoperatively, and drug sensitivity tests based on primary tumor cells were conducted after surgery and successfully screened chemotherapy schemes for the patient's greater benefit. The whole treatment course followed the guidelines for invasive breast cancer. The patient was free of symptoms for 14 months after surgery. Long-term follow-up is in progress. Altogether, to further broaden the understanding of primary ACCA of the breast, we detail the diagnosis and treatment of one patient and review the relevant literature.
Acinic Cell Carcinoma of the Breast: A Population‐Based Clinicopathologic Study
AbstractPURPOSE: Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is a very rare, primary salivary gland-type breast malignancy, with ~100 reported cases in the literature. Limited information about the clinical features and outcomes of patients with ACC is available. METHODS: We utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify ACC patients. For comparison, we also examined a cohort of invasive breast carcinomas of no special type (NST). RESULTS: Thirty ACC patients were identified among the more than 248 000 invasive breast carcinoma NST patients. ACCs were predominantly grade 3 carcinomas (44%) and were diagnosed at an earlier stage (67%). Hormone receptor (HR) and HER2 status data were available for only 13 patients, revealing molecular heterogeneity: HR-/HER2- (four patients), HR-/HER2+ (two patients), HR+/HER2- (four patients), and HR+/HER2+ (three patients). The median survival time for ACC patients was 19 months vs. 48 months for NST patients (p < 0.001). A complete-case approach was utilized for the adjusted analyses, restricting the sample to 46 257 patients without missing data on all relevant covariates. The adjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a more pronounced decline in survival probabilities among patients with ACC compared to those with NST, with the number at risk in the ACC group diminishing to four patients by the 30-month mark. In contrast, NST patients exhibited a more gradual decrease. In the multivariable Cox regression, which adjusted for age, TNM stage, HR/HER2, and chemotherapy, ACC histology was correlated with a 1.69-fold increase in the hazard of death (HR: 1.69; 95% CI: 0.63-4.56), although this result was not statistically significant. Age and advanced stage continued to be strong predictors of poor survival, and the inclusion of an age-time interaction enhanced the model fit. CONCLUSION: Acinic cell carcinoma of the breast is a very rare primary breast malignancy. Our study indicates potentially aggressive clinical behavior in mammary ACC; however, findings must be interpreted cautiously given inherent SEER limitations, especially regarding histologic and molecular subtyping accuracy. Further centralized studies are urgently needed for the accurate characterization of this rare entity.
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology · 2024 · 1 citations · open access
Imaging Findings of Primary Acinic Cell Carcinoma of the Breast: A Case Report
AbstractAcinic cell carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor that accounts for 2%-3% of salivary gland tumors. Acinic cell carcinoma arising from the breast is extremely rare, with only approximately 70 cases reported to date. Owing to its rarity, previous studies have primarily focused on pathological findings. Herein, we present the clinical and radiological features of acinic cell carcinoma of the breast in a 33-year-old woman.
AbstractJournal Article Acinic Cell Carcinoma on Breast MRI Get access Jessica Peterson, MD, Jessica Peterson, MD Department of Radiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA Corresponding author: Jessica Peterson ([email protected]) Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Jasmeet Assi, MD Jasmeet Assi, MD Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Breast Imaging, Volume 6, Issue 2, March-April 2024, Pages 225–227, https://doi.org/10.1093/jbi/wbad065 Published: 01 April 2024 Article history Received: 26 June 2023 Editorial decision: 27 July 2023 Published: 01 April 2024
Image 2_Breast acinic cell carcinoma with weak progesterone receptor expression: a case report and literature review.jpeg
AbstractRationale Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor characterized by acini cell differentiation, clinical low-grade malignancy, and a molecular triple-negative subtype. Patient concern A 47-year-old female presented with a 1-month history of a painless mass in her right breast. Diagnosis Ultrasound imaging, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion, approximately 3.0cm×1.5cm in size, in the right breast, which was considered to be a malignancy. After the surgery, the AcCC of the breast was confirmed histologically. Interventions Right breast mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed. Adjuvant chemotherapy included 4 cycles of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel (Taxotere). Outcomes The patient was discharged from the hospital after surgery. There was no sign of recurrence during a 9-month follow-up period. Lessons Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor that can be accurately diagnosed based on histopathologic morphology and immunohistochemistry. The weak positive progesterone receptor (PR) expressed in this case is extremely rare, which may provide a new research direction for the endocrine therapy of AcCC. Both AcCC and microglandular adenosis(MGA) exhibit microglandular growth, and the relationship between them remains unclear. Differentiation between them not only relies on histomorphology and pathological immunohistochemistry but also depends on clinical manifestations and other presentations. Optimal treatment of AcCC is the same as that for invasive breast cancer. The prognosis is generally good, with adjuvant therapy after surgery.
Image 5_Breast acinic cell carcinoma with weak progesterone receptor expression: a case report and literature review.jpeg
AbstractRationale Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor characterized by acini cell differentiation, clinical low-grade malignancy, and a molecular triple-negative subtype. Patient concern A 47-year-old female presented with a 1-month history of a painless mass in her right breast. Diagnosis Ultrasound imaging, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion, approximately 3.0cm×1.5cm in size, in the right breast, which was considered to be a malignancy. After the surgery, the AcCC of the breast was confirmed histologically. Interventions Right breast mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed. Adjuvant chemotherapy included 4 cycles of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel (Taxotere). Outcomes The patient was discharged from the hospital after surgery. There was no sign of recurrence during a 9-month follow-up period. Lessons Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor that can be accurately diagnosed based on histopathologic morphology and immunohistochemistry. The weak positive progesterone receptor (PR) expressed in this case is extremely rare, which may provide a new research direction for the endocrine therapy of AcCC. Both AcCC and microglandular adenosis(MGA) exhibit microglandular growth, and the relationship between them remains unclear. Differentiation between them not only relies on histomorphology and pathological immunohistochemistry but also depends on clinical manifestations and other presentations. Optimal treatment of AcCC is the same as that for invasive breast cancer. The prognosis is generally good, with adjuvant therapy after surgery.
Image 1_Breast acinic cell carcinoma with weak progesterone receptor expression: a case report and literature review.jpeg
AbstractRationale Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor characterized by acini cell differentiation, clinical low-grade malignancy, and a molecular triple-negative subtype. Patient concern A 47-year-old female presented with a 1-month history of a painless mass in her right breast. Diagnosis Ultrasound imaging, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion, approximately 3.0cm×1.5cm in size, in the right breast, which was considered to be a malignancy. After the surgery, the AcCC of the breast was confirmed histologically. Interventions Right breast mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed. Adjuvant chemotherapy included 4 cycles of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel (Taxotere). Outcomes The patient was discharged from the hospital after surgery. There was no sign of recurrence during a 9-month follow-up period. Lessons Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor that can be accurately diagnosed based on histopathologic morphology and immunohistochemistry. The weak positive progesterone receptor (PR) expressed in this case is extremely rare, which may provide a new research direction for the endocrine therapy of AcCC. Both AcCC and microglandular adenosis(MGA) exhibit microglandular growth, and the relationship between them remains unclear. Differentiation between them not only relies on histomorphology and pathological immunohistochemistry but also depends on clinical manifestations and other presentations. Optimal treatment of AcCC is the same as that for invasive breast cancer. The prognosis is generally good, with adjuvant therapy after surgery.
Image 3_Breast acinic cell carcinoma with weak progesterone receptor expression: a case report and literature review.jpeg
AbstractRationale Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor characterized by acini cell differentiation, clinical low-grade malignancy, and a molecular triple-negative subtype. Patient concern A 47-year-old female presented with a 1-month history of a painless mass in her right breast. Diagnosis Ultrasound imaging, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion, approximately 3.0cm×1.5cm in size, in the right breast, which was considered to be a malignancy. After the surgery, the AcCC of the breast was confirmed histologically. Interventions Right breast mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy were performed. Adjuvant chemotherapy included 4 cycles of doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel (Taxotere). Outcomes The patient was discharged from the hospital after surgery. There was no sign of recurrence during a 9-month follow-up period. Lessons Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the breast is an extremely rare malignant epithelial tumor that can be accurately diagnosed based on histopathologic morphology and immunohistochemistry. The weak positive progesterone receptor (PR) expressed in this case is extremely rare, which may provide a new research direction for the endocrine therapy of AcCC. Both AcCC and microglandular adenosis(MGA) exhibit microglandular growth, and the relationship between them remains unclear. Differentiation between them not only relies on histomorphology and pathological immunohistochemistry but also depends on clinical manifestations and other presentations. Optimal treatment of AcCC is the same as that for invasive breast cancer. The prognosis is generally good, with adjuvant therapy after surgery.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
