DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for glomus tumor — screening already-approved drugs against its 4-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleGlomus tumor maps to a 4-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 glomus tumor 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
KRas proto-oncogene, GTPase (KRAS) — KRAS 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 gnpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 7VVB · 1.7 Å · ligand PHOSPHOAMINOPHOSPHONIC ACID-GUANYLATE ESTER (GNP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
In 23 patients with subungual glomus tumour treated by simple blunt dissection through a dorsal transungual approach, one recurrence was observed after a mean follow-up of 30 months; partial-thickness skin necrosis occurred around the tourniquet site, and no postoperative nail deformity was reported. A separate series of 22 Korean patients who underwent surgical excision according to anatomic location showed no recurrence after a mean follow-up of 36.6 months. Among the 13 patients whose tumour involved the nail matrix, eight had complications including nail deformity, decreased sensation, and prolonged pain; among the nine patients with nail bed lesions, only one had prolonged pain. Anatomic location at presentation may predict postoperative complications.
Malignant glomus tumours of cutaneous origin are exceedingly rare, with only 47 reported cases. One case report describes a cutaneous malignant glomus tumour that carried a CCND3 point mutation identified by next generation sequencing, without any of the previously described mutations in GLMN, NF1, BRAF, NOTCH, PDGFRB, KRAS, or SMARCB1. The authors suggest that CCND3 mutations causing cyclin D3 amplification might be targets for CDK4/6 inhibitors, but no treatment data are provided.
No drug therapy is evaluated in any of these abstracts. Surgical excision remains the only reported curative method for subungual glomus tumours, with low recurrence but variable postoperative complications depending on tumour location. For malignant glomus tumours, no systemic treatment data exist. What is missing is prospective trial design, any drug efficacy data, and patient stratification beyond anatomic location.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Otology & Neurotology · 2001 · 81 citations
Long-Term Control of Surgically Treated Glomus Tympanicum Tumors
AbstractOBJECTIVE: The glomus tumor is an enigmatic middle ear neoplasm commonly delayed in diagnosis. Frequently grouped with its skull base counterpart, surgery and radiation are often recommended as therapy. The objective of this report is to highlight the diagnosis and surgical treatment of this neoplasm in a large series. Tumor control in the long term is defined. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Private practice-tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: All patients surgically treated for glomus tympanicum tumors from May 25, 1972 to July 3, 1998 (N = 80). INTERVENTIONS: Surgical excision of glomus tympanicum tumors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Total tumor control in the long term. RESULTS: Surgical treatment resulted in long-term tumor control for the vast majority of the patients studied. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery provides excellent control of glomus tympanicum tumors. It is safe and well tolerated, with minimal morbidity.
AbstractBACKGROUND: The glomus tumor, described as a painful subcutaneous nodule, commonly occurs in subungual regions and is accompanied by tenderness and temperature sensitivity. In treatment of subungual glomus tumor, surgical excision is known to be the only curative method. Under surgical approach, it is challenging to minimize postoperative nail deformity and to reduce tumor recurrence. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of surgical treatment of subungual glomus tumor using simple blunt dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients diagnosed with subungual glomus tumor underwent surgical procedure using a dorsal transungual approach. A single linear incision was made above the tumor, and the exposed mass was meticulously dissected with the opposite end of a single-end probe, and the tumor "popped up." Recurrence of symptom, tumor recurrence, and local complication were evaluated through long-term follow-up. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up period of 30 months, only one case recurred, and partial-thickness skin necrosis occurred around the tourniquet site. There was no postoperative nail deformity. CONCLUSIONS: In treatment of subungual glomus tumor, meticulous simple blunt dissection using a transungual approach led the tumor to "pop up" from the tumor bed. This unique and simple method of treating subungual glomus tumor showed low recurrence and minimal complications.
Dermatologic Surgery · 2013 · 25 citations · open access
Subungual Glomus Tumors: Surgical Approach and Outcome Based on Tumor Location
AbstractBACKGROUND: Subungual glomus tumors are uncommon tumors that present with a classic triad of temperature sensitivity, pain, and localized tenderness. Different surgical approaches can be performed according to the anatomic location of the tumor. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcome of surgical excision of subungual glomus tumors according to anatomic location. METHODS: The records of 22 Korean patients diagnosed with subungual glomus tumor by histopathologic examination who underwent surgical excision over a 7-year period (2005-2011) were retrospectively reviewed. Local complications including persistence of symptoms, surgical methods, and tumor recurrence were evaluated through long-term follow-up. RESULTS: In the 22 patients, 13 tumors were located in the nail matrix and nine in the nail bed. No recurrence was observed after a mean follow-up of 36.6 months. Eight of the 13 patients with nail matrix involvement had complications such as nail deformity, decreased sensation, and prolonged pain sensation, whereas only one of the nine patients with nail bed lesion had prolonged pain sensation. CONCLUSIONS: Careful dissection and complete removal of the tumor offered cure without recurrence; anatomic location of the subungual glomus tumor at initial presentation may predict postoperative complications.
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology · 2022 · 6 citations
A rapidly growing cutaneous malignant glomus tumor with a <scp><i>CCND3</i></scp> mutation
AbstractGlomus tumors are rare mesenchymal neoplasms composed of cells resembling the glomus body. They are most frequently seen in subungual regions but have been reported to arise in almost every anatomic location. Malignant glomus tumors, also called glomangiosarcomas, of cutaneous origin are exceedingly rare with only 47 reported cases. The genetic alterations that lead to the development of cutaneous malignant glomus tumors are not well understood. Small studies report glomus tumors with mutations in glomulin (GLMN), NF1, BRAF, NOTCH, PDGFRB, KRAS, and SMARCB1. These mutations have mostly been studied in deep or visceral glomus tumors. We report a case of a cutaneous malignant glomus tumor with a CCND3 point mutation identified on next generation sequencing, without any of the previously described genetic mutations. CCND3 mutations that cause cyclin D3 amplification may prove to be targets for CDK4/6 inhibitors in the treatment of malignant glomus tumors.
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.
