Cancer

Joe Biden's battle with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer has raised new questions about when his illness began, after a physician said it likely spread to his bones during his presidency. Former aides and medical commentators now fear the 83-year-old former US president could have only months to live, though no official prognosis has been confirmed.

Researchers have discovered that cancer spread isn’t random—it follows a kind of biological “program.” By studying colon tumor cells, they identified gene patterns that signal whether a cancer is likely to metastasize. Their AI model, MangroveGS, can predict this risk with about 80% accuracy and even works across multiple cancer types. This could transform how doctors decide who needs aggressive treatment and who doesn’t.

Scientists have engineered probiotic bacteria to act as tumor-seeking drug factories. In mice, these bacteria infiltrated tumors and produced a cancer-fighting drug right where it was needed. This targeted approach could make treatments more effective and reduce side effects. More research is needed before it can be tested in people.

Scientists have found a way to make one of the most aggressive brain tumors vulnerable to the immune system. A single injection of a modified virus can invade glioblastoma, kill cancer cells, and summon immune fighters deep into the tumor. These immune cells persist and attack, which was linked to longer survival in patients.

In a new trial, patients with PD-L1 CPS ≥ 1 HNSCC were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive 20 mg/d lenvatinib orally plus pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously or placebo orally once daily plus pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously.

An editor on the limits of shyness in the face of serious disease.

A recent analysis assesses whether romiplostim can reduce thrombocytopenia-driven chemotherapy dose reductions, delays, and discontinuations.

A common oral bacterium tied to gum disease may help spark and fuel breast cancer, according to new research. Scientists discovered it can travel through the bloodstream to breast tissue, where it causes DNA damage and speeds tumor growth and spread. It also appears to make cancer cells more aggressive and resistant to therapy. The effect is even stronger in people with BRCA1 mutations, raising new questions about the role of oral health in cancer risk.

​For women age 70 and over with a common form of breast cancer, determining "the right size" of treatment can be challenging, in part because clinicians have limited tools to guide individualized treatment decisions.

Researchers engineered T cells to be more efficient and precise in their ability to kill prostate cancer cells. T cell receptors are modified to improve durability of the bond with cancer cells. The post Modifying T Cell Receptor Improves Targeted Cancer Therapy  appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

Imaging-based analysis of over 27,000 adults shows that better thymic health is strongly associated with lower all-cause mortality, reduced lung cancer risk, and improved cardiovascular outcomes. The findings suggest the thymus remains biologically relevant in adulthood, linking immune aging, inflammation, and chronic disease risk, although causality cannot be established.

A proof-of-concept study shows that cancer-linked RNA can be detected in wastewater, raising the possibility of tracking colorectal cancer patterns across communities without relying on individual screening.

The Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Group (GNano) at the University of São Paulo's São Carlos Institute of Physics (IFSC-USP) in Brazil has discovered a way to transform hydroxyapatite, a bioceramic material, into a nanoparticle with enhanced intrinsic luminescence. This paves the way for the use of biocompatible, low-cost nanomaterials in biomedical imaging techniques.

Marking its first early access customer, Nautilus’ Voyager platform is being deployed to help develop a multiomics toolkit for cancer research using single-molecule proteomics and isoform-level analysis. The post Baylor College of Medicine Taps Nautilus’ Voyager for Cancer Proteomics appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

THURSDAY, March 19, 2026 — For decades, medical students were taught that the thymus — a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the upper chest — was essentially inactive once a person hit puberty. But new research suggests this overlooked organ may actua...

A new cohort study finds that female reproductive cancers are a major cause of deaths in women aged 35-60 years, and eliminating these cancers would widen the known survival gap between sexes.

A meta-analysis shows that hidradenitis suppurativa is associated with a higher risk for multiple cancer subtypes.

Research shows tumor debulking in advanced colorectal cancer does not enhance survival outcomes and may increase adverse effects, questioning its efficacy.

Scientists have mapped the genetics of cancer in cats for the first time at scale, uncovering major overlaps with human cancers. Key mutations—like those linked to breast cancer—appear in both species, and some human cancer drugs may also work in cats. Because pets share our environments, these similarities could reveal shared causes of cancer. The research could lead to new treatments that benefit both animals and humans.

The Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Group (GNano) at the University of São Paulo's São Carlos Institute of Physics (IFSC-USP) in Brazil has discovered a way to transform hydroxyapatite, a bioceramic material, into a nanoparticle with enhanced intrinsic luminescence.

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center have discovered a biological pathway that helps explain why some bladder cancers do not respond well to immunotherapy.

A research group led by Professor Cecilia Sahlgren at Åbo Akademi University (Finland) and the InFLAMES Research Flagship has identified a new mechanism directing the adverse remodeling of tumor tissue during breast cancer progression.

Cancer-fighting T cells do not simply "run out of energy." They are molecularly reprogrammed.

Researchers discovered an antioxidant, glutathione, that cancer cells appear to be "addicted to" as fuel, opening new pathways for investigation and a potential drug that can restrict the way tumors use this nutrient.

A protein already targeted by FDA-approved cancer drugs may also help the body fight influenza, according to new research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX).

Cancer the Crab is a dim constellation, yet it contains one of the most beautiful and easy-to-spot star clusters in our sky: the Beehive Cluster. Cancer also possesses one of the most studied exoplanets: the superhot super-Earth, 55 Cancri e.

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 — White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles says she will keep working as she undergoes treatment for early-stage breast cancer.The diagnosis was shared publicly Monday, with President Donald Trump saying Wiles has an "...

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2026 — Women are more likely to survive cancer than men, but they’re also more likely to develop severe side effects to treatment, a new evidence review says.Female cancer patients have a 21% lower risk of death than men across...

Patients with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) have historically had few treatment options. Now, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found a combination of targeted therapies, tucatinib and trastuzumab, plus the chemotherapy drug, capecitabine, may improve symptoms and extend survival in some breast cancer patients with LM.

A large retrospective cohort study finds some cardiovascular benefits when HT is started earlier but generally supports guidelines discouraging use in older women.

Most older adults with advanced cancer value quality of life over extending survival, but that preference may not translate to clinical care or outcomes.

A study highlights a gap in cancer prevention, showing men undergo genetic testing less often yet are more likely to carry high-risk cancer variants.

Women are more likely to survive cancer than men but face a higher risk of serious and adverse side effects from treatment, according to a landmark international study from Adelaide University.

ORNL is a leader both in developing advanced radiotherapies and in providing the radioisotopes needed for those therapies. According to Karen Sikes, director of the National Isotope Development Center, the lab is home to more than 300 isotopes that are available to researchers and others. Besides actinium-225, medical radioisotopes on the list include lead-212, an in vivo alpha emitter generator going through clinical trials for the treatment of liver, prostate, skin and other cancers, and actinium-227, which decays to the alpha emitter radium-223, found in the approved drug Xofigo used to treat prostate cancers that have spread to bone.

One of oncology's biggest challenges is that the same treatment can work well for some patients but fail completely in others.

Every year, millions of people are diagnosed with cancer globally; however, current treatments are limited by disease complexity.

Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment by harnessing the body's own immune system to fight disease.

Detection of a bowel cancer marker (CDH1) in wastewater may offer a new community level early warning system for the disease, suggests a proof of concept study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

The collaboration’s first public sign of trouble came in the first quarter of 2025, when Astellas opted not to continue IND enabling activities it had initiated for the companies’ first collaboration target—choosing instead to prioritize their second nominated collaboration target by initiating GLP toxicology studies for the molecule. The post Astellas Scraps Up-to-$1.7B CytomX Cancer Immunotherapy Collaboration appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

The American Cancer Society estimates that over 55,000 people will die from colorectal cancer in the U.S. this year. Of those, 7% will be under 50.

A growing field of research suggests that some medical treatments, such as cancer therapy or vaccines, might be more effective when given at certain times of the day

Achieving a major milestone, MGI and Predica Diagnostics enhance cervical cancer diagnostics with rapid, scalable HPV testing on advanced sequencing platforms.

Implementing a simple exercise plan during chemotherapy may ease cognitive impairment and fatigue, promoting better health outcomes for cancer patients.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States and is one of the few cancers in which survival rates have steadily declined over the last few decades.

A redesigned cancer immunotherapy is showing striking early results after decades of disappointment with similar drugs. Researchers engineered a more powerful CD40 agonist antibody and changed how it’s delivered—injecting it directly into tumors instead of into the bloodstream. In a small clinical trial of 12 patients with metastatic cancers, six saw their tumors shrink and two experienced complete remission.

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a promising new way to deliver treatment directly to cholangiocarcinoma tumors, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer with limited treatment options, using milk-derived nanoparticles that act like guided delivery vehicles. The findings, published in JHEP Reports, point to a potential targeted genetic therapy designed to attack cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff and a key ally of Donald Trump, has been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Despite the diagnosis, she plans to continue her duties at the White House.

Wiles "will be spending virtually full time at the White House" while being treated for breast cancer, President Donald Trump said Monday.

Colorectal cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, largely due to metastasis and limited responses to immunotherapy in most patients.

Recent advances in drug discovery research have led to the development of numerous drug candidate compounds with high therapeutic efficacy.

Timing is critical in diagnosing diseases such as cancer. Researchers within The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used a historically underappreciated tiny powerhouse to detect diseases sooner.

A population-based cohort study finds that an increased use of adjuvant systemic therapy can improve survival in patients with metachronous and synchronous bilateral breast cancer.

Much of the new FDA food guidance aligns with existing advice, but some areas may introduce confusion to advising patients on diet and cancer prevention and survival.

A Sydney-based data scientist used AI to create a personalised cancer vaccine for his dog, leading to significant tumour reduction.

Researchers have created nanoparticles that can remove disease-driving proteins while also delivering a chemotherapeutic or immunotherapeutic payload to cancer cells.

Scientists have discovered that cells can sense far beyond the surfaces they touch. While individual cancer cells can probe about 10 microns ahead by tugging on surrounding collagen fibers, clusters of normal epithelial cells can combine forces to detect layers as far as 100 microns away. This long-range “depth sensing” helps cells decide where to migrate. Understanding how it works could reveal new targets to stop cancer from spreading.

Researchers have developed a tiny antibody that can find a common cancer protein and make tumors light up during PET scans. In tests with mice, tumors containing the protein EphA2 glowed clearly when the antibody was used. This could help doctors quickly identify patients who may benefit from new targeted cancer treatments. The method may also provide a faster and less invasive alternative to traditional testing.

Vitamin B2 metabolism helps cancer cells resist ferroptosis, a form of programmed cell death. Targeting riboflavin-related pathways with compounds like roseoflavin could weaken tumor defenses and enable new cancer therapies. The post Vitamin B2 Pathway Identified as Potential Target for Cancer Therapy appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

A Sydney data engineer has developed the world's first personalised mRNA cancer vaccine for a dog using AI tools like ChatGPT and AlphaFold, achieving remarkable results.

A protein tied to ALS and dementia may have a much bigger role in disease than scientists realized. Researchers found that TDP43 controls a key DNA repair process, but when the protein becomes imbalanced, the repair system can spiral out of control, harming neurons and destabilizing DNA. The team also discovered that high levels of the protein are linked to increased mutation rates in cancer. The discovery places TDP43 at the center of both neurodegeneration and cancer biology.

A collaborative research team has uncovered a previously unknown mechanism of action of yaku'amide B, a structurally complex peptidic natural product derived from deep-sea sponge found in the waters near Yakushima Island, Japan. Natural products often exhibit multifaceted biological activities due to their structural complexity, interacting transiently with multiple biomolecules. Yaku'amide B was previously shown to inhibit ATP synthase, an essential enzyme for cellular energy production. However, this alone could not fully explain its unique anticancer properties.

Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.

The latest news and headlines from Yahoo! News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos.

A lack of vitamin B2 makes tumour cells more susceptible to a unique form of cell death. This was discovered by researchers at the Rudolf Virchow Centre at the University of Würzburg.

Engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a technique that uses microbubbles and ultrasound to help relatively large cancer drugs enter tumor cells and cause them to self-destruct.

A research team led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine scientists has developed a new strategy to engineer immune cells that dramatically prolongs their effectiveness after being infused into patients to fight cancer and HIV, addressing a major limitation of current treatments.

Trump’s pullout from WHO bars federal scientists from working with the International Agency for Research on Cancer and could slash its funding

Clinically available KRAS inhibitors mainly target G12C, which is rare in PDAC and often acquires resistance. Oncogenic KRAS inactivates RB1 via CDK4/6, while RB1 mutation is rare.

Engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a technique that uses microbubbles and ultrasound to help relatively large cancer drugs enter tumor cells and cause them to self-destruct. Dubbed "Sonoporation-assisted Precise Intracellular Nanodelivery"—or SonoPIN for short—the technology caused 50% of targeted cancer cells in a benchtop experiment to self-destruct, while leaving 99% of non-targeted cells healthy. The results show promise for precisely delivering a wide variety of large-molecule therapeutics to cells with few off-target effects. The research appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Nature is the foremost international weekly scientific journal in the world and is the flagship journal for Nature Portfolio. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature publishes landmark papers, award winning news, leading comment and expert opinion on important, topical scientific news and events that enable readers to share the latest discoveries in science and evolve the discussion amongst the global scientific community.

FRIDAY, March 13, 2026 — Cancer patients often speak of “chemo brain” – the brain fog that occurs in some while undergoing chemotherapy.A new study suggests that exercise might help thwart chemo brain, helping people with cancer stay mentally sharp...

FRIDAY, March 13, 2026 — Fertility treatments don’t make women more likely to develop cancer, a new study has concluded.Women undergoing medically assisted reproduction have no higher overall risk of invasive cancer than other women, researchers rep...

Researchers studying over 8,400 colonoscopies discovered that having both adenomas and serrated polyps in the bowel can raise the risk of serious precancerous changes by up to five times. These two polyp types may represent separate cancer pathways that can occur at the same time. Nearly half of patients with serrated polyps also had adenomas, making this high-risk combination more common than expected. The results emphasize the importance of early detection and regular colonoscopy monitoring.

A severe case of COVID-19 or influenza could increase the risk of lung cancer later on, according to new research. Scientists discovered that serious viral infections can alter immune cells in the lungs, leaving behind chronic inflammation that may help tumors develop months or years later. The increased risk was seen mainly after severe infections that required hospitalization. Vaccination, however, appears to prevent the dangerous lung changes.

'Married at First Sight' expert Mel Schilling reveals colon cancer has spread to her brain after months of treatment.

British novelist Jane Fallon shares her breast cancer diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of routine screenings. Her prognosis is excellent, and she remains optimistic about recovery.

Lauren Macpherson was travelling home from a festival in London when her life changed forever.

Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy may beat immunotherapy alone when it comes to pathologic response, but its impact on survival remains to be seen.

Mel Schilling, 'Married At First Sight' star, shares a heartbreaking update on her cancer spreading to her brain and lungs. Despite limited options, she stays resilient and focused on family.

Doctors warn colon cancer is rising in younger adults after a 28-year-old mother's symptoms were initially mistaken for haemorrhoids.

A meta-analysis explores whether there’s a survival benefit to adding hormone therapy to postoperative radiation for patients with low PSA levels.

Mel Schilling steps down from MAFS UK as she battles cancer. Her emotional journey and John Aiken's new role.

Cancer is caused by faulty genes, but what also shapes a cancer cell's behaviour is how a gene's instructions are trimmed and rearranged before they are turned into the proteins that keep a cell alive.

Immunotherapy given during and after chemoradiation did not improve survival for study participants with limited-stage, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) according to the results of an international clinical trial, NRG-LU005, led by NRG Oncology in collaboration with the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. The results are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Increasing use of blood tests to detect prostate cancer is leading to overworked doctors. NTNU has now created an AI diagnostic tool that can help lighten the burden.

For five decades, scientists have known about a notorious cancer-causing enzyme called SRC. But they always assumed it only appeared on the inside of cells, where it sent signals that fueled tumor growth and stayed hidden from the immune system.

A topical cream activated the skin's immune defenses and suppressed tumor growth in two preclinical models of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), one of the most common cancers in the world, according to a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Scientists have discovered that a rare “mirror-image” version of the amino acid cysteine can dramatically slow the growth of certain cancers while leaving healthy cells largely untouched. Unlike most anticancer treatments that harm normal tissues, this molecule—called D-cysteine—is taken up mainly by some cancer cells through a specific transporter on their surface. Once inside, it shuts down a crucial mitochondrial enzyme that cancer cells rely on to produce energy and maintain DNA, effectively halting their growth.

Researchers discovered that cancer-causing enzyme, Src, previously assumed to reside on the inside of cells, also appears on the surface of bladder, colorectal, breast, and pancreatic tumor cells, where it is visible to potential therapies, such as antibodies. The post Cell Surface “Flag” Identified as Potential Cancer Target for Antibody Therapeutics appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

A new study led by UCLA researchers suggests that a personalized counseling program can significantly help women who have survived cervical precancer or cervical cancer to quit smoking - and does so at a cost that researchers say represents good value for healthcare systems.

VALANX Biotech (VALANX), a biotech company developing a technology for site-selectable, site-specific protein conjugation, today announced it has secured €3 million to advance its lead antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) program.

Combat Medical (Combat), a medical device company optimizing the delivery and efficacy of cancer therapeutics, today announced it has raised £2.6 million in the first close of a Series A financing to advance its hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy treatment, HIVEC® through phase 3 clinical trials and toward FDA registration.

The Bellmunt Risk Score can provide prognostic information on survival among patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, new data suggest.

The inquiry is being held over concerns of poor care at the County Durham and Darlington trust.

For some women with de novo metastatic breast cancer, surgical resection of the primary tumor is associated with longer survival.

New research published in Nature finds that tumor cells within supratentorial ependymomas (SE) – an aggressive childhood brain cancer – cluster into distinct tumor cell populations. Much like a neighborhood in your hometown, each cell subtype within these "communities" has a specific (and previously unappreciated) role to play.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have identified a protein linked to an increased risk of metastasis and recurrence in lung cancer. The findings are presented in a study that paves the way for new precision medicine approaches, particularly for older patients.

Nearly 300 abstracts on prostate cancer research from around the world will be presented at the European Association of Urology Congress (EAU26), taking place in London from 13–16 March 2026.