Research Advances

A study examined how changes in gut bacteria and related metabolites contribute to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Researchers analyzed intestinal tissue samples from 110 patients across four stages: normal control, low-grade precancerous lesions, high-grade precancerous lesions, and confirmed tumors. As disease severity increased, bacterial diversity steadily declined. Beneficial bacteria that produce butyrate—such as […]

Researchers at Duke University found that blocking a key enzyme not only kills multiple myeloma (MM) cancer cells but also boosts the effectiveness of existing therapies. MM is an incurable blood cancer, and drug resistance is an increasing problem. The study, published in Blood, focused on ferroptosis, a natural form of cell death triggered by

New research shows that PARG (poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase) plays a key role in gastric cancer growth by controlling the cell cycle through the protein p21 (CDKN1A). PARG is highly expressed in gastric cancer and linked to poor patient outcomes. Removing PARG in cancer cells causes genomic instability and cell cycle arrest, which slows tumor growth. The study

A new study uses advanced imaging and spatial analysis to predict how patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) respond to the combination of Pembrolizumab and Vorinostat. Unlike standard PD-L1 testing, this approach maps the tumor microenvironment at the single-cell level and analyzes spatial patterns of immune and tumor cells. Researchers identified two distinct tumor “ecologies”: patients

Researchers report that sympathetic nerves—the body’s “fight or flight” system—play an important role in pancreatic cancer. The study shows that these nerves grow directly into tumors and communicate with cancer cells and surrounding fibroblasts, helping the tumor grow. Patients with higher levels of sympathetic nerve–related genes had worse survival. In mouse models, removing these nerves

Researchers have identified a key driver of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL), an aggressive type of T cell cancer. Using a mouse model, they discovered a unique subset of tumor cells called Double-Expressor (DE) Tfh cells. These cells grow rapidly, boost B cell expansion, and show inflammatory signaling, making them central to tumor progression. DE

A study explains how polyamines, such as spermidine, can both support healthy aging and promote cancer growth. Their effect depends on which of two similar proteins they activate. In healthy cells, polyamines activate eIF5A1, which supports cellular cleanup (autophagy) and normal mitochondrial energy production, contributing to healthy aging. In cancer cells, polyamines activate a related

A clinical study (NCT06552078) examined how bacteria in the mouth and small intestine are linked to Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). To ensure accurate results, researchers excluded patients with bile duct blockages so that any microbial changes were related to the cancer itself, not secondary complications. The study included 24 PDAC patients and 24 healthy people

Researchers at Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have developed a new CRISPR tool that can identify the genetic drivers of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) by editing patient cells directly. Unlike traditional lab-grown cell studies, this approach uses real patient samples, capturing the complexity and diversity of actual cancers. The tool efficiently edits

Researchers found that 8.9% of patients had harmful gene fusions—higher than previously reported. Five genes accounted for most of these fusions: FGFR3 (37%), MET (21%), EGFR (20%), NTRK2, and PDGFRA. The most common fusion types included FGFR3:TACC3, PTPRZ1:MET, and EGFR:SEPT14. Tumors with gene fusions had different molecular features compared with typical glioblastoma. They more often