Proinflammatory biomarkers have been increasingly used in epidemiologic and intervention studies over the past decades to evaluate and identify an association of systemic inflammation with cardiovascular diseases. Although there is a strong correlation between the elevated level of inflammatory biomarkers and the pathology of various cardiovascular diseases, the mechanisms of the underlying cause are unclear. Identification of pro-inflammatory biomarkers such as cytokines, chemokines, acute phase proteins, and other soluble immune factors can help in the early diagnosis of disease. The presence of certain confounding factors such as variations in age, sex, socio-economic status, body mass index, medication and other substance use, and medical illness, as well as inconsistencies in methodological practices such as sample collection, assaying, and data cleaning and transformation, may contribute to variations in results. The purpose of the review is to identify and summarize the effect of demographic factors, epidemiological factors, medication use, and analytical and pre-analytical factors with a panel of inflammatory biomarkers CRP, IL-1b, IL-6, TNFa, and the soluble TNF receptors on the concentration of these inflammatory biomarkers in serum.

Lung cancer is among the most prevalent and leading causes of death worldwide. The major reason for high mortality is the late diagnosis of the disease, and in most cases, lung cancer is diagnosed at fourth stage in which the cancer has metastasized to almost all vital organs. The other reason for higher mortality is the uptake of the chemotherapeutic agents by the healthy cells, which in turn increases the chances of cytotoxicity to the healthy body cells. The complex pathophysiology of lung cancer provides various pathways to target the cancerous cells. In this regard, upregulated onco-receptors on the cell surface of tumor including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), integrins, transferrin receptor (TFR), folate receptor (FR), cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) receptor, etc. could be exploited for the inhibition of pathways and tumor-specific drug targeting. Further, cancer borne immunological targets like T-lymphocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and dendritic cells could serve as a target site to modulate tumor activity through targeting various surface-expressed receptors or interfering with immune cell-specific pathways. Hence, novel approaches are required for both the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancers. In this context, several researchers have employed various targeted delivery approaches to overcome the problems allied with the conventional diagnosis of and therapy methods used against lung cancer. Nanoparticles are cell nonspecific in biological systems, and may cause unwanted deleterious effects in the body. Therefore, nanodrug delivery systems (NDDSs) need further advancement to overcome the problem of toxicity in the treatment of lung cancer. Moreover, the route of nanomedicines’ delivery to lungs plays a vital role in localizing the drug concentration to target the lung cancer. Surface-modified nanoparticles and hybrid nanoparticles have a wide range of applications in the field of theranostics. This cross-disciplinary review summarizes the current knowledge of the pathways implicated in the different classes of lung cancer with an emphasis on the clinical implications of the increasing number of actionable molecular targets. Furthermore, it focuses specifically on the significance and emerging role of surface functionalized and hybrid nanomaterials as drug delivery systems through citing recent examples targeted at lung cancer treatment.

Senescence is irreversible cell cycle arrest that results from therapy-induced stress such as DNA damage. It was initially thought to be a tumor-suppressive mechanism, but now getting attention to contribute to tumor progression and therapy resistance through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME), SASP can establish conditions conducive to tumor progression. In addition, senescence is being acknowledged increasingly as a crucial factor in inducing tumor dormancy, a state of reversible quiescence that allows cancer cells to evade therapeutic clearance and survive in protective niches. Eventually, both senescence and tumor dormancy significantly contribute to the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), enhancing their plasticity and tumor-initiating potential. Moreover, SASP can promote aggressive disease state in cancer cells, driving epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis. On the other hand, dormant cancer cells can act as a reservoir, serving as seeds for metastatic spread which reactivate to develop the tumor at secondary sites. Understanding senescence and tumor dormancy mechanisms holds promise for overcoming therapy resistance, cancer stemness and metastasis. Therapeutic strategies targeting cancer cell senescence and tumor dormancy include senolytics, senomorphics, dormancy-disrupting agents, and immunotherapies. Future preclinical and clinical research should prioritize integration of senescence- and dormancy-targeting agents with conventional treatments to achieve durable cancer control.

Background: Anemia during pregnancy remains a major public health issue in Indonesia, especially in rural areas such as Tasikmalaya Regency. Limited knowledge and inadequate partner involvement are key factors contributing to poor anemia prevention practices. This study aimed to assess the relationship between couples’ knowledge of anemia prevention and maternal hemoglobin status. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 pregnant women and their partners in Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and preventive practices were collected using a structured questionnaire, and hemoglobin (Hb) levels were classified according to WHO (2023) standards. Associations were analyzed using the chi-square test and a multivariate logistic regression. Results: Most respondents were aged 21–35 years (78.7%), and 43.3% had completed secondary education. Although 82% attended ≥4 antenatal care visits and 84.7% reported taking iron (Fe) tablets, the prevalence of anemia remained high at 58.7%, with 26.7% classified as having moderate-to-severe anemia.. A significant association was found between couples’ knowledge and maternal hemoglobin status (χ² = 18.43; df = 6; p = 0.005), with a moderate effect size (Cramér’s V = 0.25). Higher knowledge levels were associated with a greater proportion of non-anemic women, whereas lower knowledge levels were more frequently observed among women with moderate to severe anemia. Conclusion: In Tasikmalaya Regency, higher couples’ knowledge of anemia prevention was significantly associated with better maternal hemoglobin status. These findings support the importance of strengthening couple-based educational approaches and improving the quality of anemia prevention strategies within maternal health programs.