DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for skin basal cell carcinoma — screening already-approved drugs against its 49-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleSkin basal cell carcinoma maps to a 49-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 skin basal cell carcinoma 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
MYCN proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor (MYCN) — MYCN 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 adpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 5G1X · 1.72 Å · ligand ADENOSINE-5'-DIPHOSPHATE (ADP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer in Caucasian populations, arising on sun-exposed skin. Its incidence is high and still growing. The metastatic rate is low, but the enlarging tumour can cause severe tissue disfigurement and poor cosmetic outcome. The main problem in management is the high recurrence rate. Diagnosis is usually clinical, but there are many subtypes, and correct diagnosis is the clue to appropriate treatment.
In Central Europe, the U.S. and Australia, basal cell carcinoma is the most common tumour, and its increasing incidence presents the health care system, especially dermatology, with great challenges. By 2009, new options for treating basal cell carcinoma had become available, enriching therapeutic options, though the abstract only reviews these approaches without reporting specific efficacy or survival numbers.
The last decade before 2012 saw exponential research broadening understanding of the pathogenesis of basal cell carcinomas, and a targeted approach to therapy was being increasingly experimented. The authors of that book present research on several aspects of the carcinoma, aiming to pave ways for successful targeted therapy of the commonest human cancer.
What is still missing is any controlled trial data showing that a repurposed drug improves outcomes for basal cell carcinoma. The abstracts provide no concrete numbers on response rates, survival, or sample sizes for any drug treatment. No drug is named. The evidence remains at the level of reviews and research summaries, without patient stratification or funding for a dedicated repurposing trial.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Współczesna Onkologia · 2013 · 55 citations · open access
Reviews Basal cell carcinoma – diagnosis
AbstractBasal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer in the Caucasian population. The cancer arises in sun exposed areas of the skin. The incidence of morbidity is high and it is still growing. The metastatic rate is low, but the enlarging tumor may cause severe tissue disfigurement and a poor cosmetic outcome. The diagnosis is usually clinical but there are many subtypes of this carcinoma and correct diagnosis is the clue to appropriate treatment of the lesion. The main problem in basal cell carcinoma management is the high recurrence rate.
JDDG Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft · 2009 · 15 citations
Treatment of basal cell carcinoma
AbstractSummary Basal cell carcinoma is the most common tumor in Central Europe, the U.S. and Australia. The increasing incidence of basal cell carcinoma presents the health care system, especially dermatology, with great challenges. In recent years new options for treating basal cell carcinoma have become available, enriching our therapeutic options. We review the current status of each of these treatment approaches.
AbstractBasal cell carcinoma is the commonest cutaneous malignancy. The last decade has witnessed exponential research which has broadened our understanding of the pathogenesis of basal cell carcinomas. This is also important from a therapeutic point of view as targeted approach to therapy is now being increasingly experimented. Although it is impossible to condense and present all good research in one book, the authors have to be commended on presenting their research on several aspects of basal cell carcinoma in a succinct manner, which shall not only enhance our understanding of, but also hopefully via this open exchange of ideas pave ways for successful targeted therapy of the commonest human cancer.
Lack of Response to Vismodegib in a Patient with Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report
AbstractPurpose: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of skin cancer in humans, rarely progresses to locally advanced or metastatic BCC. The size, extent, and location of the lesion should be carefully considered when selecting a treatment option for patients with BCC. Methods: Moreover, clinicians should review the potential for significant deformity and anticipated morbidity, when considering radiation therapy and surgery for treatment. Vismodegib, the first approved oral therapy for advanced BCC, is a treatment option that clinicians might consider for patients with BCC lesions that exhibit the clinical characteristics as described above. Results: In this manuscript, we reviewed the mechanism of action, clinical efficacy, and safety of vismodegib and consider the possible causes for a lack of response to the drug. Conclusion: The therapeutic response to these tumors may be limited by the challenge of acquired resistance against smoothened antagonists.
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.
