DeCure for Histiocytic and Dendritic Cell Neoplasm
DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Histiocytic and Dendritic Cell Neoplasm — screening already-approved drugs against its 13-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleHistiocytic and Dendritic Cell Neoplasm maps to a 13-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 histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasm 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
Histiocytic and dendritic cell neoplasms account for less than 1% of all neoplasms arising in lymph nodes or soft tissues, according to a 2014 review covering literature from 1990 to 2013. Most cases are unifocal and solitary presentations have good prognoses with surgical resection. The role of adjuvant therapy in these disorders remains unclear. In cases with disseminated disease, prognosis is poor and data on treatment options are limited. The review concluded that larger pooled analyses or clinical trials are needed to better understand optimal treatment options.
A 2025 French national retrospective study of 141 patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2023 provides the largest treatment outcome data to date. Median age was 62 years (range 1–87). Cases were either primary malignant histiocytoses (64%) or associated with other haematologic malignancies (36%). Phenotypes included histiocytic sarcoma (43%), interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (37%), Langerhans cell sarcoma (12%), and high-grade indeterminate dendritic cell tumours (10%). Tumour cells were almost universally positive for CSF1R and PU.1, and 85% showed phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase positivity. Mutations in the MAPK pathway were more frequent in secondary compared with primary MH (90% vs 55%; P = .0012). PTPN11 mutations were exclusively observed in primary MH (P = .0035). Mutations in DNA methylation genes (TET2, ASXL1, DNMT3A) and TP53 were present in 20% and 14% of cases, respectively. Although therapeutic regimens varied considerably, surgical resection in localised cases and the use of BRAF or MEK inhibitors achieved the highest complete response rates, at 63% and 21%, respectively. The prognosis remains poor, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 31%, comparable to that of T/natural killer cell lymphomas.
Two abstracts on dendritic cell therapy are not relevant to this disease. One from 1999 discusses general issues with dendritic cell therapy, and one from 2017 reviews dendritic cell vaccines for hepatocellular carcinoma. Neither provides data on histiocytic or dendritic cell neoplasms.
What is still missing is prospective follow-up and a standardised treatment approach in specialised reference centres, which the 2025 study authors state are crucial to improving survival. No randomised controlled trials exist for these disorders. Patient stratification by mutation status (MAPK pathway, PTPN11, DNA methylation genes) has not been prospectively tested to guide therapy selection. Funding for multicentre trials in this ultra-rare group of diseases remains absent.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Cancer Control · 2014 · 86 citations · open access
Dendritic Cell and Histiocytic Neoplasms: Biology, Diagnosis, and Treatment
AbstractBACKGROUND: Dendritic and histiocytic cell neoplasms are rare malignancies that make up less than 1% of all neoplasms arising in lymph nodes or soft tissues. These disorders have distinctive disease biology, clinical presentations, pathology, and unique treatment options. Morphology and immunohistochemistry evaluation by a hematopathologist remains key for differentiating between these neoplasms. In this review, we describe tumor biology, clinical features, pathology, and treatment of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma, interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma, indeterminate dendritic cell sarcoma, histiocytic sarcoma, fibroblastic reticular cell tumors, and disseminated juvenile xanthogranuloma. METHODS: A literature search for articles published between 1990 and 2013 was undertaken. Articles are reviewed and salient findings are systematically described. RESULTS: Patients with dendritic cell and histiocytic neoplasms have distinct but variable clinical presentations; however, because many tumors have recently been recognized, their true incidence is uncertain. Although the clinical features can present in many organs, most occur in the lymph nodes or skin. Most cases are unifocal and solitary presentations have good prognoses with surgical resection. The role of adjuvant therapy in these disorders remains unclear. In cases with disseminated disease, prognosis is poor and data on treatment options are limited, although chemotherapy and referral to a tertiary care center should be considered. Excisional biopsy is the preferred method of specimen collection for tissue diagnosis, and immunohistochemistry is the most important diagnostic method for differentiating these disorders from other entities. CONCLUSIONS: Dendritic cell and histiocytic cell neoplasms are rare hematological disorders with variable clinical presentations and prognoses. Immunohistochemistry remains important for diagnosis. Larger pooled analyses or clinical trials are needed to better understand optimal treatment options in these rare disorders. Whenever possible, patients should be referred to a tertiary care center for disease management.
Blood Advances · 2025 · 14 citations · open access
Characterization and treatment outcomes of malignant histiocytoses in a retrospective series of 141 cases in France
AbstractABSTRACT: Malignant histiocytoses (MH) are rare and poorly understood cancers, with no established therapeutic guidelines. We conducted a national retrospective study of MH diagnosed in France between 2000 and 2023. All cases underwent centralized histological review, and several malignant tumors with a stroma highly enriched in histiocytes were excluded. In total, 141 patients were included, with a median age of 62 years (range, 1-87). The cases comprised either primary MH (64%) or MH associated with other hematologic malignancies (36%). Phenotypes corresponded to histiocytic (43%), interdigitating dendritic cell (37%) or Langerhans cell (12%) sarcomas, or high-grade indeterminate dendritic cell tumors (10%), as per the World Health Organization classification. Tumor cells were almost universally positive for CSF1R and PU.1, and 85% showed phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase positivity. Next-generation sequencing was performed in 75 cases. Mutations in the MAPK pathway were more frequent in secondary compared with primary MH (90% vs 55%; P = .0012). PTPN11 mutations were exclusively observed in primary MH (P = .0035). Mutations in genes related to DNA methylation mechanisms (TET2, ASXL1, DNMT3A) and TP53 were present in 20% and 14% of cases, respectively. Although therapeutic regimens varied considerably, our results demonstrate that surgical resection in localized cases, and the use of BRAF or MEK inhibitors achieved the highest complete response rates, at 63% and 21%, respectively. The prognosis remains poor, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 31%, which is comparable to that of T/natural killer cell lymphomas. Prospective follow-up and a standardized treatment approach in specialized reference centers are crucial to improving patient survival. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04437381.
AbstractDendritic cell therapy reflects our increased familiarity and comfort with immune-based therapies. Nonetheless, several fundamental issues need to be addressed. Until these concerns are resolved, it will be difficult for scientists and physicians, as well as the lay public, to understand fully the strength and applicability of this therapeutic approach. See also pages 2674–83.
Review of dendritic cell vaccine in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma
AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignant tumor of liver. HCC is characterized with poor early detection rate and rapid progression. Therefore, bringing the patients with heavy burden of disease, though poor prognosis. Conventional treatment options can include surgical resection or liver transplantation, trans-arterial chemoembolization, ablation, and targeted therapy, but it remains unsatisfying in prognosis improvement. By years, we have come to realize the role of dendritic cells in tumor immunotherapy. Dendritic cells will become a promising treatment option in improvement of prognosis of HCC patients. In this review, we will focus on current trends and updates on dendritic cell vaccines in HCC treatment.
Key words:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); Dendritic cell vaccine; Immunotherapy
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.
