Cancer

Lab-grown replicas of the pancreas have been developed by scientists at MIT, with the team hopeful the technology behind them can not just help develop new drugs for cancers afflicting the organ, but other particularly deadly types as well.

A new study has shown how tumors that have gone "cold" due to a lack of key immune cells can be heated up through a carefully managed dose of radiation, drawing in fresh immune cells that can take up the fight from within.

Oxford scientists have demonstrated a cancer vaccine and immunotherapy combo in mice. The vaccine boosted levels of tumor-hunting immune cells, while the immunotherapy made them more effective killers. Human trials are due to start within months.

In a development likened to targeting the roots rather than cutting the weeds, scientists have identified proteins that may help unravel low-lying but dangerous cancer stem cells, which could translate to new treatments for aggressive brain tumors.

Researchers in Canada have discovered a new vulnerability in an enzyme considered the "Achilles' heel" of solid tumor cells, and demonstrated how it can be targeted to drive the cancer cells to a "catastrophic death."

New research has identified one of the ways cholesterol can enhance the ability of cancer cells to metastasize. The study focused particularly on breast cancer, shedding light on prior observational work linking statin use to higher survival rates.

A new study is showing how fructose can alter cells in the small intestine, subsequently enhancing nutrient absorption and promoting weight gain. The research indicates excessive fructose consumption increases the body’s ability to absorb dietary fats.

A new study is showing a novel blood test can detect the presence of lung cancer with over 90 percent accuracy. The test uses artificial intelligence to identify abnormal patterns in fragments of cancer DNA circulating in a patient’s bloodstream.

CAR T cell immunotherapy is a promising treatment for cancer, but it can trigger dangerous side effects. A new study precisely targets cancer by engineering CAR T cells to activate at higher temperatures, then heating tumors with ultrasound.

In the wide-ranging search for new weapons against cancer, some see great potential in the idea of a urine test that can reveal telltale signs of the disease. So where does the technology stand right now?

New preclinical work has found a combination of three experimental immunotherapy drugs could help shrink pancreatic tumors. Each of the drugs have demonstrated safety in early human trials and the hope is to begin testing the triple combo by the end 2021.

A study is offering the most detailed investigation to date into the relationship between breast cancer survival and statins – common cholesterol-lowering drugs. The study saw a 58 percent greater survival rate in breast cancer patients taking statins.