DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for lacrimal duct cancer — screening already-approved drugs against its 3-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleLacrimal duct cancer maps to a 3-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 lacrimal duct 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
NRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase (NRAS) — NRAS 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 gdpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6ZIO · 1.55 Å · ligand GUANOSINE-5'-DIPHOSPHATE (GDP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Primary adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal drainage system is a rare malignancy, and poorly differentiated subtypes show aggressive behaviour with metastasis not uncommon. A 2019 case report describes a patient with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct with orbital extension, managed by combined external and endoscopic excision followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. No survival or response data are given for that single case.
A 2023 analysis of 3620 patients with lacrimal gland malignancies in the USA from 1995 to 2018 found that lymphomas accounted for 59.3% (n=2146) and carcinomas for 37% (n=1339). The cumulative age-adjusted incidence rate per million was 0.53 for all malignancies, 0.31 for lymphomas, and 0.2 for carcinomas. Five- and 10-year relative survival rates were 88.64 months (95% CI 85.81–90.93) and 80.26 months (95% CI 76.21–83.7). Older age, non-lymphoma tumours, and advanced stage at diagnosis were significantly associated with worse outcomes. Relative survival rates did not change significantly from 1995 to 2018 regardless of gender, race, or treatment received.
A 2024 review discusses lactate-lactylation in malignancy and its potential role in tumour immunity and immunotherapy, but it is a general review of the mechanism across cancers, not a study of lacrimal duct cancer. No data from that review apply directly to this disease.
What is still missing is any prospective trial testing a specific drug or immunotherapy in lacrimal duct adenocarcinoma, any biomarker to stratify patients by lactylation status, and dedicated funding for a disease so rare that even large registry studies span decades with only a few thousand cases.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Frontiers in Immunology · 2024 · 46 citations · open access
A review of lactate-lactylation in malignancy: its potential in immunotherapy
AbstractLactic acid was formerly regarded as a byproduct of metabolism. However, extensive investigations into the intricacies of cancer development have revealed its significant contributions to tumor growth, migration, and invasion. Post-translational modifications involving lactate have been widely observed in histone and non-histone proteins, and these modifications play a crucial role in regulating gene expression by covalently attaching lactoyl groups to lysine residues in proteins. This discovery has greatly enhanced our comprehension of lactic acid's involvement in disease pathogenesis. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the intricate relationship between lactate and tumor immunity, the occurrence of lactylation in malignant tumors, and the exploitation of targeted lactate-lactylation in tumor immunotherapy. Additionally, we discuss future research directions, aiming to offer novel insights that could inform the investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of related diseases.
Poorly differentiated primary adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal sac and the nasolacrimal duct
AbstractPrimary adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal drainage system is a rare malignancy. Poorly differentiated subtypes of this tumor demonstrate aggressive behaviors, and metastasis is not uncommon. We present a patient with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct with an orbital extension. The case was managed by a combined external and endoscopic approach excision followed by adjuvant radiotherapy.
In-Depth Analysis of Incidence and Survival of Lacrimal Gland Malignancies in the United States of America from 1995 to 2018
AbstractPurpose To investigate lacrimal gland malignancies’ incidence and survival rates in the USA between 1995 and 2018.Methods Incidence and survival data from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries of lacrimal gland malignancies between 1996 and 2018 were extracted and analyzed.Results This study analyzed data pertaining to 3620 patients (females 56.7%, n = 2051). A sizable number of patients were 60–79 years of age (45.1%, n = 1633), with a substantial majority being of the non-Hispanic white ethnicity (82.9%, n = 3002). A little above half of patients (52.1%, n = 1886) had presented with a localized disease. Lymphomas represented 59.3% (n = 2146) of lacrimal gland malignancies, while 37% (n = 1339) were carcinomas. The cumulative age-adjusted incidence rate per million was 0.53 for all malignancies, 0.31 for lymphomas, and 0.2 for carcinomas. While the annual crude incidence rate showed a significant steady increase (average annual change of 1.24%; P < .05), age-adjusted rates did not show a similar trend. The five- and 10-year relative survival rates were 88.64 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 85.81–90.93) and 80.26 months (95%CI: 76.21–83.7), respectively. Older age, non-lymphoma tumors, and advanced stage at diagnosis were significantly associated with worse outcomes. Relative survival rates did not show significant changes from 1995 to 2018, irrespective of gender, race or treatment received.Conclusions Early detection and localized tumor management can improve survival outcomes for patients with lacrimal gland malignancies. Further research is needed to understand these malignancies’ risk profiles and develop more effective treatment strategies.
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.
