Research Advances

A new study shows that mutations in the GATA2 gene increase the risk of blood cancers like Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Acute Myeloid Leukemia in a more complex way than previously thought. Instead of completely shutting down the gene, these mutations still allow some activity. However, they work unevenly—failing to support red blood cell production while […]

and Evades Treatment Researchers have developed a new computational tool, FunCN (Functional Cellular Neighborhoods), to better understand how pancreatic cancer spreads and resists treatment. Unlike older methods that look at only nearby cells, FunCN measures how all surrounding cells influence each other, giving a more detailed map of the tumor microenvironment. Using FunCN, the team

A new study shows that colorectal cancer has a unique microbial “fingerprint” that sets it apart from other cancers. Researchers analyzed genetic data from more than 9,000 patients and found that, unlike most cancers, colorectal tumors consistently carry distinct patterns of microbes. This means studying the microbes inside tumors could become a simple and cost-effective

A major study reveals how chemotherapy reshapes the environment around pancreatic tumors, helping explain why some patients do not respond to treatment. Using advanced single-cell and spatial analysis, researchers identified a “chemoresistant niche” where aggressive tumor cells, immune-suppressing macrophages, and exhausted T cells work together to protect the cancer. The study highlights CD276 (also known

A new study shows that high-dose vitamin C may help kill pancreatic cancer cells, but only when given intravenously. Oral vitamin C cannot reach the high blood levels needed for an anti-cancer effect. In laboratory tests, intravenous-level vitamin C significantly reduced the survival of multiple pancreatic cancer cell lines. Researchers also found that iron plays

A new study has found a strong link between exposure to Agent Orange and the development of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a group of bone marrow cancers affecting blood cell production. Researchers discovered that veterans exposed to Agent Orange are twice as likely to carry high-risk genetic abnormalities. Mutations in genes such as TET2, SRSF2, and

A new study sheds light on why pancreatic cancer is so aggressive. Researchers found that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) reactivates genes normally only active during fetal development. This “onco-fetal” behavior may help explain the cancer’s rapid growth and resistance to treatment. The team examined stem cell markers in fetal, adult, and cancerous pancreatic tissues. They

Researchers have discovered how CD8+ T cells use the amino acid cysteine to balance two competing tasks: multiplying and killing cancer cells. The study, published in Cell, found that cysteine is split inside T cells between two pathways. One pathway helps T cells grow by using cysteine to make iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters through the enzyme

Colorectal cancer is becoming a growing crisis, especially among younger adults. It is now a leading cause of cancer death in people under 50, with cases rising about 3% each year in those aged 20 to 49, even as rates fall in older adults. Many younger patients are diagnosed late, with nearly 75% already at

UK researchers have mapped the full range of mutations across 16 cancer types in a study published in Nature Genetics. Part of Genomics England’s 100,000 Genomes Project, the research analyzed the whole genomes of nearly 11,000 NHS patients, identifying 134 mutational signatures—genetic “fingerprints” left by DNA damage, including 26 previously unknown. Beyond single-letter DNA changes,