DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for squamous cell carcinoma of colon — 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 moduleSquamous cell carcinoma of colon 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 squamous cell carcinoma of colon 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
From 4,561 epithelial colon and rectal cancers recorded at one centre between 1940 and 1996, only one additional case of primary squamous-cell carcinoma of the colon could be verified after excluding anal cancers with proximal rectal extension. That single patient had metastatic disease to the liver at diagnosis and showed a response to systemic chemotherapy, reported in 1999 as the first such case in the literature. A 2005 review states that surgery is the most effective therapy and that adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy should be considered, especially for node-positive patients, but provides no new response data. A 2007 case report adds no quantitative treatment outcomes.
No prospective trial, no cohort larger than single-case reports, and no controlled data exist for this tumour type. The 1999 case is the only one in the published record that documents a response to chemotherapy in the metastatic setting. The 2005 review does not report any additional responding patients, and the 2007 report offers no survival or response figures.
The natural history and optimal treatment of primary squamous-cell carcinoma of the colon remain unknown. What is missing is any systematic collection of cases, any prospective registry, any dedicated clinical trial, and any reliable estimate of response rates or survival beyond anecdote. Without patient stratification and funding for a multi-centre registry, clinicians have only single-case experience to guide decisions.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum · 1999 · 73 citations
Squamous-cell carcinoma of the colon responsive to combination chemotherapy
AbstractPURPOSE: The majority of colorectal neoplasms diagnosed are adenocarcinomas. Other histologies such as squamous, adenosquamous, carcinoid tumors, or lymphoid tumors are occasionally identified. Given the rarity of squamous-cell tumors, it is very difficult to study their natural course and response to therapy. An attempt is made to describe the frequency, anatomic location, and response to therapy with a review of the literature. METHODS: From the Cancer Registry at the University of Missouri-Columbia Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, tumors of the colon identified above the dentate line were selected for chart review. Data were extracted from cases between the years 1940 and 1996. The key terms used to identify cases were epidermoid, squamous cell, and cancer of the rectum or colon. Using this approach, forty patients were identified and each record was reviewed. RESULTS: The majority of these cases were anal cancers with proximal extension into the rectum and were excluded. Of 4,561 cases of epithelial colon and rectal cancers identified, only one additional case of squamous-cell cancer could be verified. In this report we describe a patient with a primary squamous-cell carcinoma of the sigmoid colon with metastatic disease to the liver at diagnosis who responded to systemic chemotherapy. We believe this to be the first reported case of this rare tumor type in which the patient's tumor responded to systemic chemotherapy. Two cases with a thorough review of literature are presented. CONCLUSIONS: Primary squamous-cell carcinoma of the colon is a rare malignancy of unknown cause and pathogenesis. Metastatic tumors to the colon should be ruled out in all cases before therapy. Early detection and surgery remain the main therapeutic options, but as presented in our case, response to chemotherapy in advanced disease is encouraging.
European Journal of Cancer Care · 2005 · 39 citations
Squamous cell carcinoma of the rectum: a case report and review of the literature
AbstractSquamous cell carcinoma of the colon and rectum are extremely rare neoplasms. Many questions regarding their histogenesis and biological behaviour remain unanswered. Surgery is the most effective therapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy should be considered, especially for node-positive patients. We present a patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the middle rectum who underwent abdominoperineal resection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The pertinent literature is reviewed.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the cecum.A case report
AbstractSquamous cell carcinoma of the colon is a distinctly rare entity. Squamous cell carcinoma and adenoacanthoma occur in the colon and upper rectum 0.05% as frequently as adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma of the cecum is an even rarer entity, this case appearing to be the seventh recorded case. A review of the literature concerning this topic is included in this report.
Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice · 2007 · 6 citations
A case of primary squamous cell colon cancer
AbstractCarcinomas of the colon are a common cancer seen in both inpatient and outpatient settings with approximately 145,000 new cases being diagnosed every year in the USA. Despite the frequency of these cancers being seen, it continues to be a rarity to see a primary squamous cell cancer of the colon. In this article, such a case is presented. While the exact aetiology of this rare tumour is currently still not completely understood, various aetiologies include chronic irritation leading to squamous differentiation, embryonic migration of ectodermal cells to the colon, or adenomas undergoing squamous transformation.
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.
