Cancer

DNA's iconic double helix does more than "just" store genetic information. Under certain conditions it can temporarily fold into unusual shapes.

There are plans for earlier diagnosis and faster treatment in England but experts worry about lack of staff.

A new national fund will help families cover travel costs for children and young people needing specialist cancer care in England.

Mnt News RSS Feed

A new study by cell biologists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, suggests that an early first pregnancy may protect against breast cancer decades later by preventing age-related changes in breast cells that are linked to tumor formation.

TUESDAY, Feb. 3, 2026 — American women might need only two to three cervical cancer screenings their entire lives if HPV vaccination becomes more widespread, a new study says.Women vaccinated against HPV between the ages of 12 to 24 likely need a P...

Barry Manilow, 82, reveals lung cancer diagnosis after MRI uncovers cancerous spot following prolonged bronchitis. The legendary singer's smoking history and upcoming surgery raise serious health concerns as he postpones tour dates.

The TikToker tells You, Me and the Big C podcast about her cancer journey.

Among multifocality metrics, the tumour burden based on the sum of diameters of all foci may be an independent predictor of treatment response in patients with multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Inside a cancer research laboratory on the campus of Harvard Medical School, two dozen small jars with pink plastic lids sat on a metal counter. Inside these humble-looking jars is the core of Joan Brugge's current multiyear research project.

Treatment-naive patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma receive encapsulated fecal microbiota transplants with immunotherapy.

The government sets aside £10 million a year to help families and young people under 24 access cancer treatment.

In a recent study, researchers at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) identify a novel RNA molecule that plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity of a key cellular structure, the nucleolus . Their findings also suggest this molecule may influence patient survival in certain blood cancers. The work is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

By systematically testing in mouse cells all possible mutations in a key cancer gene’s ‘mutation hotspot,’ researchers created a functional map that may help explain why certain mutations appear in specific cancers and potentially guide treatment strategies. The post Mutation Map Indicates How Alterations in Key Cancer Gene Influence Tumor Growth appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

For people who are at high risk of developing breast cancer, frequent screenings with ultrasound can help detect tumors early. MIT researchers have now developed a miniaturized ultrasound system that could make it easier for breast ultrasounds to be performed more often, either at home or at a doctor's office.

The most robust evidence to date shows that people with a type of lung cancer lived longer if they received immunotherapy before 3pm

A prevention strategy developed by Canadian researchers can reduce the risk of the most common and deadly form of ovarian cancer by nearly 80 per cent, according to a new study published today in JAMA Network Open by researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

Scientists have created a complete map showing how hundreds of possible mutations in a key cancer gene influence tumor growth.

The NHS has launched an AI and robot pilot to help spot lung cancer sooner, as well as a screening program that aims to help tackle inequalities in cancer.

Akeega, an oral dual mechanism therapy pairing niraparib with abiraterone, has won a positive committee opinion in Europe for men with early metastatic prostate cancer and DNA repair mutations.

A national clinical trial led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has found that oxybutynin, a drug often used to treat overactive bladder symptoms, reduces hot flashes compared to the placebo in men receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer.

No longer confined to cancer centers, skin complications of cancer therapies are now commonly encountered at the community level and require the care of a dermatologist.

Technology created at The University of Queensland could improve the odds of surviving brain cancer and change how we treat a range of neurological conditions.

A recent study suggests that having a high-deductible health plan is associated with worse overall and cancer-specific survival among cancer survivors.

Breakthrough research presented at the 2026 Society of Thoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting shows that additional lymph node evaluation is needed during surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to accurately identify cancer spread.

University researchers have pioneered a new tool to determine the risk of secondary heart attacks in cancer patients using Artificial Intelligence.

Jan. 31, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Gut bacteria control how dietary asparagine is used, determining whether it fuels tumor growth or enhances CD8⁺ T-cell–mediated immunity, which may introduce new opportunities for microbiome-based cancer therapies. The post Gut Microbes Shape Cancer Growth and Immunity Through Asparagine Metabolism appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

PrECOG, LLC, today announced the publication of final results from the pivotal phase 3 PATINA study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Microbiologist John van der Oost of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) has received an ERC Proof of Concept grant to further develop a promising CRISPR-based approach to cancer treatment. With funding of €150,000, he and researcher Christian Südfeld will spend the next eighteen months working on a method to kill cancer cells from within, while sparing healthy cells as much as possible.

Two new studies highlight the potential of fecal microbiota transplantation as a boon to cancer immunotherapy.

By targeting three key growth pathways at once, researchers eliminated pancreatic tumors in multiple mouse models and prevented the cancer from returning, a promising step toward overcoming treatment resistance.

Researchers have discovered how pancreatic cancer reprograms its surroundings to spread quickly and stealthily. By using a protein called periostin, the tumor remodels nearby tissue and invades nerves, which helps cancer cells travel and form metastases. This process also creates a tough, fibrous barrier that makes treatments less effective. Targeting periostin could help stop this invasion before it starts.

It is the first immunotherapy-based treatment recommended in Europe for advanced anal cancer.

Cancer patients who suffer a heart attack face a dangerous mix of risks, which makes their clinical treatment particularly challenging.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-supported mammography identifies more cancers during screening and reduces the rate of breast cancer diagnosis by 12% in the years following, finds the first randomised controlled trial of its kind involving over 100,000 Swedish women published in The Lancet journal.

A team of researchers from the Andalusian Centre for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER) and the University of Seville, in collaboration with the Virgen Macarena University Hospital, have identified a fundamental mechanism that links the 24-hour circadian cycle to the precise repair of DNA breaks.

Researchers identify novel plasma biomarkers for early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in two retrospective phase 2 studies.

An enduring challenge for the study of human cancer is just how complex it is: how many different ways there are for cancers to originate, progress, and spread in the people who are diagnosed with them.

Mnt News RSS Feed

As images of Barbacid circulated alongside news of the study, parts of social media fixated not on the science but on his face.

Meet Mariano Barbacid, the Spanish scientist behind a breakthrough that erased pancreatic cancer in mice and reignited hope worldwide.

A Spanish study wipes out pancreatic cancer in mice, causing viral claims of a cure. Breakthrough science or false hope?

Low-dose aspirin may limit cancer metastasis by inhibiting platelet activation and enhancing T-cell immunity, supporting biomarker guided use while balancing bleeding risk overall.

New pancreatic cancer research shows tumours eliminated in preclinical studies. Experts explain what it means and when patients may benefit.

Scientists at Mount Sinai have unveiled a bold new way to fight metastatic cancer by turning the tumor’s own defenses against it. Instead of attacking cancer cells head-on, the experimental immunotherapy targets macrophages—immune cells that tumors hijack to shield themselves from attack. By eliminating or reprogramming these “bodyguards,” the treatment cracks open the tumor’s protective barrier and allows the immune system to flood in and destroy the cancer.

Two decades after a breast cancer vaccine trial, every participant is still alive—an astonishing result for metastatic disease. Scientists found their immune systems retained long-lasting memory cells primed to recognize cancer. By enhancing a key immune signal called CD27, researchers dramatically improved tumor elimination in lab studies. The findings suggest cancer vaccines may have been missing a crucial ingredient all along.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in the tissue around oral cancers both increases nerve sensitivity and makes opioids less effective, according to new research published in Science Signaling.

Interval cancers are aggressive tumours that grow during the interval after someone has been screened for cancer and before they are screened again, and AI seems to be able to identify them at an early stage

The approach offers a potential alternative to chemotherapy and radiation by using light and heat to target cancer cells.

A new study reveals how bacteria in the gut can help determine whether the amino acid asparagine from the diet will feed tumor growth or activate immune cells against the cancer​, according to researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Whereas conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy show their limitations in battling certain advanced cancers, immunotherapy and therapeutic vaccines have opened up a new realm of hope for patients.

Adults with kidney cancer who received faecal microbiota transplants on top of their existing drugs did better than those who had placebo transplants as their add-on intervention

Scientists in South Korea have discovered that one of the most common malignant brain tumors in young adults may begin years before a tumor can be seen. IDH-mutant glioma, long treated by removing visible tumor tissue, actually starts when normal-looking brain cells quietly acquire a cancer-linked mutation and spread through the brain’s cortex. Using advanced genetic mapping and animal models, researchers traced the cancer’s true origin to glial progenitor cells that appear healthy at first.

A retrospective study reports that the incidence of vulval SCC has remained stable over the past decade, but the diagnosis is delayed due to poor awareness and clinical presentation challenges.

Drinking heavily over many years is linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, especially rectal cancer, according to new research tracking U.S. adults for two decades. People who drank heavily throughout adulthood faced sharply higher risks than light drinkers. Former drinkers did not show increased cancer risk and had fewer precancerous tumors. The results suggest that quitting alcohol may help lower long-term cancer risk.

The findings show diligence from the FDA and a need for clinicians to discuss risks, benefits, and unknowns with patients before using drugs with accelerated approval.

Various imaging modalities show low sensitivity for detecting pelvic lymph node invasion prior to surgery in patients with intermediate risk prostate cancer.

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified a targetable driver of brain metastases in patients with aggressive inflammatory breast cancer.

Teen Isla Sneddon died after breast cancer symptoms were not urgently investigated due to her age, prompting calls to reform referral rules for young patients.

Lifetime alcohol intake, not just recent drinking, is associated with colorectal cancer risk in older adults followed in the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial. Heavy and consistent long-term drinking was linked to higher colorectal cancer risk, while alcohol cessation was associated with lower odds of early, nonadvanced adenomas.

Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT), can dramatically improve cancer treatment, suggest two groundbreaking studies published in the prestigious Nature Medicine journal.

For almost 60 years, scientists have tried to understand why DNA doesn't replicate wildly and uncontrollably every time a cell divides, which happens constantly. Without this process, we would die. These essential, ongoing cell divisions involve a cell copying its unique genetic material, DNA, and then forming new cells. Cells know exactly when and how to do this during the roughly 24 hours it takes to complete a division, and they also know what type of cell they should become: a liver cell, a brain cell, or a skin cell.

Researchers have developed smart nanoparticles that can seek out and destroy disease-causing proteins the body can’t normally eliminate. Unlike traditional drugs, these particles can reach hard-to-access tissues, including the brain, and precisely target problem proteins without widespread side effects. Early results show promise against major cancer drivers, and the platform is designed to be easily adapted to many diseases. The work could reshape the future of precision medicine.

Scientists at KAIST have found a way to turn a tumor’s own immune cells into powerful cancer fighters—right inside the body. Tumors are packed with macrophages, immune cells that should attack cancer but are usually silenced by the tumor environment. By injecting a specially designed drug directly into tumors, researchers were able to “reprogram” these dormant cells to recognize and destroy cancer.

Scientists at Oregon State University have developed a new nanomaterial that triggers a pair of chemical reactions inside cancer cells, killing the cells via oxidative stress while leaving healthy tissues alone.

Cancer immunotherapy has been a game-changer, but many tumors still find ways to slip past the immune system. New research reveals a hidden trick: cancer cells can package the immune-blocking protein PD-L1 into tiny particles that circulate through the body and weaken immunotherapy’s impact. Scientists in Japan discovered that a little-known protein, UBL3, controls this process—and surprisingly, common cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins can shut it down.

King Charles is said to be 'dead-set' on reuniting with Prince Harry as his cancer care enters a precautionary phase, amid talks over security and family time.

Researchers developed an innovative metal-organic framework that induces oxidative stress in tumors, leading to total cancer cell eradication without toxicity.

The study highlights how color vision deficiency can delay bladder cancer diagnosis, increasing mortality risk and underscoring the need for targeted screening.

Because treatment of the whole prostate can lead to long-term side effects in patients with prostate cancer, interest in minimally invasive, focal treatment options has been growing for certain patients.

Researchers assess the adequacy of tissue ablation by a cooled laser therapy in patients with localized prostate cancer.

A newly approved National Cancer Institute-funded clinical trial aims to improve survival for head and neck cancer patients whose disease returns after radiation therapy – a setback that affects up to 40% of patients and is often associated with poor outcomes.

A Purdue University team led by Kyle Cottrell has discovered a new therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer.

Scientists at Oregon State University have developed a new nanomaterial that triggers a pair of chemical reactions inside cancer cells, killing the cells via oxidative stress while leaving healthy tissues alone. The study led by Oleh and Olena Taratula and Chao Wang of the OSU College of Pharmacy appears in Advanced Functional Materials.

Colorblind people might have a unique disadvantage in noticing an early warning sign of certain cancers, a new study suggests.

Recent findings suggest no significant overall survival difference for patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who had neoadjuvant vs adjuvant therapy.

TUESDAY, Jan. 27, 2026 — Heavy drinking increases a person’s risk of colon cancer over their lifetime, a new study says.People who routinely have 14 or more drinks a week have a higher risk of colon and rectal cancer compared to those who partake in...

In Germany, nearly one third of childhood cancer survivors report having at least one endocrine or metabolic disease, with hypothyroidism being the most common.

Researchers compare breast tissue composition among adolescent girls participating in varying levels of recreational physical activity.

National data indicates that lowering alcohol consumption could prevent thousands of cancer deaths, emphasizing the importance of public health interventions.

A recent retrospective study identifies key factors contributing to high failure rates of clinical trials evaluating treatments for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

A large French study tracking more than 100,000 people over a decade has found that higher consumption of certain food preservatives—commonly found in processed foods and drinks—is linked to a modestly higher cancer risk. While many preservatives showed no association, several widely used ones, including potassium sorbate, sulfites, sodium nitrite, and potassium nitrate, were tied to increased risks of overall cancer and specific types such as breast and prostate cancer.

City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States with its National Medical Center ranked among the nation's top cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, has opened a phase 2 clinical trial comparing three different strategies for protecting heart health in prostate cancer patients who receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a potentially lifesaving hormone therapy.

New study shows that aggressive cancer cells can be identified in a simple, new way; by how they physically behave, not just by their genes.

Studies have demonstrated a link between alcohol consumption and an elevated risk of colorectal cancer. New research now reveals that higher lifetime alcohol consumption is also associated with a higher risk,

Scientists have found a possible explanation for why cancer patients are less likely to develop Alzheimer's.

Researchers at Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) and the Cancer Research Institute at Kanazawa University have uncovered how targeted lung cancer drugs alter the shape and behavior of a key cancer-driving protein—revealing a hidden mechanism that helps explain why some treatments stop working over time.

Cancer is transported from one organ to another by invisible bubbles. Understanding these microscopic messengers could change the fight against metastasis.

A new study reveals a simple and fast, label-free way to distinguish aggressive cancer cells by how they physically behave. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed this novel way to identify aggressive cancer cells, not by analyzing their genes or chemical markers, but by observing how they physically interact with their environment.

Mnt News RSS Feed

From February, the NHS will cut the FIT blood threshold, triggering more colonoscopies and earlier detection of hundreds more bowel cancers.

For women with higher-risk breast cancer, 3 days of radiotherapy might enhance the immune response to checkpoint inhibitors.

NHS England lowers bowel cancer FIT test threshold from 120 to 80 micrograms, set to detect 600 more early cancers yearly.

Cancer doesn’t evolve by pure chaos. Scientists have developed a powerful new method that reveals the hidden rules guiding how cancer cells gain and lose whole chromosomes—massive genetic shifts that help tumors grow, adapt, and survive treatment. By tracking thousands of individual cells over time, the approach shows which chromosome combinations give cancer an edge and why some tumors become especially resilient.

Study shows aggressive cancer cells reveal themselves by physical behavior on textured metasurfaces, not genes, enabling fast, label-free detection missed by flat tests.

MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2026 — Esophageal cancer is a tumor that forms inside your esophagus, the passageway through which food and water travel from your mouth to your stomach. This tube starts in the back of your throat, goes through your neck and c...