DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for lung benign neoplasm — screening already-approved drugs against its 48-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleLung benign neoplasm maps to a 48-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 lung benign 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
ABL proto-oncogene 2, non-receptor tyrosine kinase (ABL2) — ABL2 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 aminosulfonyldrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 3HMI · 1.65 Å · ligand 5-AMINO-3-{[4-(AMINOSULFONYL)PHENYL]AMINO}-N-(2,6-DIFLUOROPHENYL)-1H-1,2,4-TRIAZOLE-1-CARBOTHIOAMIDE (DKI). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
The 2003 CT study of 73 small peripheral lung neoplasms (11 atypical adenomatous hyperplasias, 17 type A, 18 type B, and 27 type C adenocarcinomas) found a stepwise progression from ground-glass opacity to solid nodule. Over a mean interval of 450 days, 56% of 48 lesions with serial CT were first seen as ground-glass opacity nodules; 75% then increased in size, 17% developed solid portions, and 23% showed further increase in solid portions. Significant linear trends were seen for lesion size (r = 0.55), percentage ground-glass opacity (r = 0.75), and prevalence of lobulation, spiculation, air bronchogram, cavity, pleural tag, and solid portions (all p ≤ 0.046). The 2025 review states that benign lung tumours are very rare, with incidence from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 1 million. Despite being non-malignant, certain benign tumours carry significant morbidity and mortality, and diagnostic challenges persist.
The 2014 review notes that lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death, partly because most cases are diagnosed late. It states that the molecular pathogenesis of lung tumours is still largely unknown, and that understanding early phases in normal-appearing epithelia is fundamental for developing earlier detection markers and prevention strategies. The 1997 review covers intrathoracic neoplasms other than bronchogenic carcinoma, including pulmonary metastases, mediastinal neoplasms, and unusual primary lung neoplasms, but provides no quantitative data on benign tumours specifically.
No drug, treatment, or clinical trial is mentioned in any of these abstracts. The 2025 review explicitly notes that the paucity of benign lung tumour cases continues to limit management recommendations and early detection. What is missing is a sufficiently large, prospectively collected cohort of benign lung tumours to enable robust evidence-based management guidelines, and the funding and global collaborative infrastructure needed to compile and analyse such cases. No targeted therapy or repurposed drug is tested or proposed in these papers.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
American Journal of Roentgenology · 2003 · 177 citations
CT Findings and Progression of Small Peripheral Lung Neoplasms Having a Replacement Growth Pattern
AbstractOBJECTIVE: We investigated the imaging findings and progression of replacement lung neoplasms that were revealed on thin-section CT and serial CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the age of patients and thin-section CT findings (lesion size; percentage of ground-glass opacity areas; and presence or absence of solid portions, lobulation, coarse spiculation, air bronchogram, cavity, multiplicity, and pleural tags) in 73 lesions (11 atypical adenomatous hyperplasias, 17 type A [Noguchi's classification], 18 type B, and 27 type C small peripheral adenocarcinomas). We compared the serial findings of 48 of 73 lesions on low-dose screening CT (n = 21) or thin-section CT (n = 27) obtained at a mean interval of 450 days (range, 85-951 days). Progression from atypical adenomatous hyperplasia through type A to type B and then to type C tumor was studied using trend tests. RESULTS: A significant linear trend was seen for lesion size (r = 0.55; p < 0.001), percentages of ground-glass opacity areas (r = 0.75; p < 0.001), and the prevalence of lobulation (p < 0.001), spiculation (p = 0.001), air bronchogram (p = 0.023), cavity (p = 0.046), pleural tag (p < 0.001), and solid portions (p < 0.001). In general from serial CT assessment, lesions were recognized first as a ground-glass opacity nodule (56% of 48 lesions) with subsequent increase in size (75%), then solid portions appeared in the nodule (17%), and finally solid portions increased (23%) with occasional augmentation of tissue contraction (6%). CONCLUSIONS: CT analysis revealed stepwise progression of replacement-type lung neoplasms.
Case Reports in Oncology · 2014 · 7 citations · open access
Pulmonary Fibrosis Secondary to FOLFOX Chemotherapy: A Case Report
AbstractA 54-year-old female presented with a 2-week history of increasing shortness of breath and fever. She had a history of a poorly differentiated sigmoid adenocarcinoma for which she underwent an anterior resection 6 months prior to admission, followed by 12 cycles of adjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy. The patient was treated for a severe community-acquired pneumonia; however, she remained hypoxic. A chest CT revealed extensive right-sided fibrotic changes, tractional dilatation of the airways and ground glass density, which had developed since a staging CT scan performed 2 months previously. Although her symptoms improved with steroid therapy, repeat imaging revealed that right hydropneumothorax had developed, and this required the insertion of a chest drain. Following its successful removal, the patient continues to improve clinically and radiographically. The rapid onset and nature of these changes is consistent with a drug-induced fibrotic lung disease secondary to FOLFOX chemotherapy. The phenomenon is underreported and yet, it is relatively common: it occurs in approximately 10% of patients who are treated with antineoplastic agents, although information specifically relating to FOLFOX-induced pulmonary toxicity is limited. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, but is often hard to differentiate from other lung conditions, making the diagnosis a challenge. Pulmonary toxicity is an important complication associated with antineoplastic agents. It should be considered in any patient on a chemotherapeutic regimen who presents with dyspnoea and hypoxia in order to try to reduce the associated morbidity and mortality.
AbstractLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and worldwide. The high mortality of the disease is due, in part, to late diagnosis of the majority of lung cancers. Experience with other epithelial tumors has shown that if neoplastic lesions can be detected and treated at their intraepithelial stage the chances for survival can be significantly improved. Thus, to reduce the mortality rate of lung cancer, new approaches must be developed to identify, diagnose and treat pre-invasive lesions. Lung cancers are tumors with complex biology that we have recently started to understand with the advent of various histological and high-throughput technologies. However, the molecular pathogenesis of lung tumors is still largely unknown. Understanding molecular mechanisms governing lung cancer development including early phases commencing in normal-appearing epithelia is fundamental for the development of markers for earlier detection of lung cancer and possibly new prevention strategies.
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine · 1997 · 4 citations
Intrathoracic neoplasms other than bronchogenic carcinoma
AbstractIntrathoracic neoplasms other than bronchogenic carcinoma comprise a disparate group of tumors that have in common an anatomic location within the thorax. For the purposes of this review, they are divided into three categories: pulmonary metastases from locations other than the thorax, mediastinal neoplasms, and unusual primary lung neoplasms. This article reviews the recent literature; discusses evolving strategies for imaging, diagnosis, and treatment; and presents promising research developments.
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine · 1987 · 3 citations · open access
Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis
AbstractBronchioloalveolar carcinoma(BAC) is the most common histological type of lung cancer arising in an area of scar tissue, and it is frequently superimposed in the fibrotic lung of progressive systemic sclerosis(PSS). The so called scar cancer is believed to be caused by the transformation of hyperplastic epithelium to metaplasia and finally to neoplasia under the conditions of chronic inflammation with some unknown etiological factors.
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine · 2025 · 0 citations
A comprehensive review of benign tumors in the lung
AbstractPURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to provide clinicians a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology, clinical symptoms, radiological features, pathological features, and management recommendations for the vast majority of benign lung tumors. Benign lung tumors are very rare with incidence ranging from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 1 million. Despite not being malignant, certain benign tumors carry significant morbidity and mortality along with diagnostic challenges. RECENT FINDINGS: Advancements in genomic sequencing have led to discovery of mutations in particular benign lung tumors. Improved genotyping have aided the diagnosis of certain tumors and the identification of lung lesions with malignant transformation potential. Genomic understanding has also led to targeted therapy for tumors with significant morbidity. SUMMARY: Despite radiographic and pathologic advances in understanding benign lung tumors, the paucity of cases continues to impact management recommendations and early detection. Global collaborative initiatives in compiling and analyzing cases are essential for stronger evidence based management recommendations.
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.
