DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for granular cell cancer — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleGranular cell cancer maps to a 1-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 granular cell cancer 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
bromodomain containing 7 (BRD7) — BRD7 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 befdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 7VDV · 3.4 Å · ligand BERYLLIUM TRIFLUORIDE ION (BEF). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Granular cell tumour is rare and usually benign, but malignant forms exist. A 2018 study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database identified 113 patients with malignant granular cell tumour diagnosed between 1995 and 2014. Median age was 54 years, 77% were female, and frequent sites included soft tissues (36.3%), ovary/testis (16.8%), and skin (11.5%). Median tumour size was 4.0 cm. Metastases to regional lymph nodes occurred in 12.5% and to distant sites in 11.4%. Treatments included surgery (85.0%), radiotherapy (12.4%) and chemotherapy (8.9%). Five- and ten-year cause-specific survival was 74.3% and 65.2% respectively. Survival was worse for tumours larger than 5 cm (hazard ratio 34.03, 95% CI 2.57–450.17) and for patients with metastasis (hazard ratio 15.25, 95% CI 1.19–195.72). Surgery was associated with superior survival (hazard ratio 0.13, 95% CI 0.05–0.34).
A 1990 case report described a 33-year-old woman with a large, recurrent granular cell tumour treated with adjuvant radiotherapy and followed without evidence of recurrence. The authors suggested adjuvant radiotherapy may have a role in selected cases at high risk for recurrence or metastasis, particularly when extensive surgery would cause unacceptable morbidity. A 1997 review noted that tumour can develop years after therapy for the primary lesion and recommended close follow-up and radiographic evaluation if a malignant variant is suspected.
A separate 2019 study examined 36 female patients with malignant granulosa cell tumours of the ovary (a different entity from granular cell tumour) treated at the Egyptian National Cancer Institute between 2007 and 2012. Median age was 44 years, median tumour size 12 cm, median disease-free survival 41.9 months, and median overall survival 45.0 months. Disease-free survival was not significantly affected by tumour size (under 10 cm vs 10 cm or larger), type of surgery, or adjuvant chemotherapy. Capsular invasion significantly affected disease-free survival (p=0.0076). Overall survival was not significantly affected by tumour size, type of surgery, capsular invasion, or adjuvant chemotherapy. The authors concluded capsular infiltration was the most independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival and called for a multi-institutional study with larger sample size and longer follow-up.
What is still missing are prospective trials, larger multi-institutional datasets for malignant granular cell tumour specifically, and validated criteria to identify which patients might benefit from radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The 2018 SEER analysis is retrospective and cannot establish causation. The 2019 granulosa cell tumour study is small, from a single institution, and concerns a different ovarian neoplasm, not granular cell tumour. No randomised controlled trial exists for any drug in granular cell cancer.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Head & Neck · 1997 · 72 citations
Multiple granular cell tumor: A case report and review of the literature
AbstractBACKGROUND: Granular cell tumor was first described by Abrikossoff in 1926. It is rare and usually presents as a benign solitary lesion. Multifocal and malignant forms are known to occur. METHODS: This presentation illustrates an additional case of granular cell tumor. Clinical and histological features to distinguish malignant and benign forms are presented. RESULTS: Tumor can develop years after therapy for the primary lesion. Treatment recommendations are presented. CONCLUSIONS: Patients diagnosed with granular cell tumor require close follow-up. Radiographic evaluation for the presence of metastatic disease is necessary if a malignant variant is suspected.
Adjuvant radiotherapy for recurrent granular cell tumor
AbstractGranular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare neoplasm traditionally treated with surgical excision alone. However, recurrences and metastases of GCT have been reported. The authors review the literature and report the case of a 33-year-old black woman with a large, recurrent GCT. The patient was treated with adjuvant radiation therapy and followed without evidence of recurrence. Adjuvant radiotherapy may have a role in the treatment of certain GCT thought, by clinical or pathologic criteria, to be at high risk for recurrence or metastasis, especially in those cases where extensive surgical excision would produce unacceptable morbidity.
Journal of Surgical Oncology · 2018 · 30 citations
Malignant granular cell tumor: Clinical features and long‐term survival
AbstractBACKGROUND: Malignant granular cell tumor GCT (mGCT) has not been well described. We sought to investigate associations between tumor characteristics, treatments and survival. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with mGCT years 1995-2014 were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. Descriptive statistics regarding tumor and treatment characteristics were calculated. Chi-square tests determined associations between tumor location and features. Survival analyses included Kaplan-Meier functions and Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: Of 113 patients included, median age was 54 years and 77.0% were female. Frequent tumor sites included soft tissues (36.3%), ovary/testis (16.8%), and skin (11.5%). Median tumor size was 4.0 cm. Metastases to regional lymph nodes (12.5%) and distant sites (11.4%) occurred. Treatments included surgery (85.0%), radiotherapy (12.4%) and chemotherapy (8.9%). Overall five and 10-year cause-specific survival was 74.3% and 65.2%, respectively. Survival was worse for patients with tumors >5 cm compared to those with tumors ≤5 cm (HR = 34.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.57-450.17), and patients with metastasis (HR = 15.25; 95% CI: 1.19-195.72) compared with those without metastasis. Patients who underwent surgery had superior survival than those who did not (HR = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.05-0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Particular tumor features and treatments are associated with superior survival. This information may be used to more accurately estimate prognosis.
Granular cell tumor: importance of histopathology in determining malignant potential
AbstractGranular cell tumors (GCTs), sometimes called Abrikossoff tumors, are rare and typically benign soft tissue tumors. Malignant GCTs, which are even rarer than benign GCTs, can occur and must be detected early given their high mortality rate. Distinguishing between benign and malignant GCTs is difficult clinically; however, histologic evaluation plays an essential role in this endeavor.
Journal of Cancer Science and Clinical Therapeutics · 2019 · 0 citations · open access
Impact of Different Prognostic Factors on the Survival of Patients with Malignant Granulosa Cell Tumors of the Ovary: An Institutional Based Study at the Egyptian National Cancer Institute
AbstractIntroduction: Emphasizing and evaluating different prognostic factors including the age, size of the tumor, type of surgery, capsular infiltration and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy, which may affect the disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with malignant Granulosa cell tumors (MGCTs). Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of 36 female patients diagnosed with MGCTs and managed at the National Cancer Institute – Cairo University-Egypt, in the period from May 2007 –October 2012. Follow –up reached up to 116 months (3-116 mo.) with a median of 72 months. Prognostic factors as the age, size of the tumor, type of surgery, capsular infiltration and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy with number of cycles in correlation with DFS and OS were statistically analyzed to detect any significant correlation. Results: The median age was 44 years. The median tumor size was 12 cm. The median DFS was 41.9 months. The median OS was 45.0 months. The disease free survival (DFS) was not significantly affected by the size of the tumor (<10 cm/ ≥10 cm) nor the type of surgery (Panhysterectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy) nor administration of adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents where p-value=0.4487, 0.8471 and 0.0986 respectively. However, capsular invasion significantly affected the DFS (p-value=0.0076). The overall survival (OS) was not affected by the size of the tumor (<10 cm/ ≥10 cm) with a nearly significant correlation (p=0.0615). No statistical significance on OS regarding the type of surgery (Panhysterectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy) (p=0.7792), the capsular affection (p=0.0871), nor the adjuvant chemotherapeutic administration (p= 0.2848). Conclusion: Capsular infiltration is by far the most independent prognostic factor affecting disease free survival (DFS) in patients with malignant granulosa cell tumors and to a lesser extent, overall survival (OS), Tumor size ≥10 cm is nearly affecting OS but not DFS. A Multi-institutional study with larger sample size and longer follow-up is needed to re-evaluate our results.
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.
