Technology Innovation

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have created the first comprehensive spatial atlas of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), specialized immune-cell hubs found within tumors. Led by Linghua Wang, the team used AI and spatial omics technologies to analyze 340 tumor samples from 12 cancer types. The study found that a TLS’s […]

Emerging therapies are reshaping treatment for head and neck cancer, particularly in recurrent or metastatic HPV-negative disease. EGFR-directed bispecific antibodies are showing promising activity and could enter standard care within the next few years. Amivantamab received FDA breakthrough therapy designation in 2026 for recurrent or metastatic HPV-unrelated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma after chemotherapy

At Digestive Disease Week 2026, Alpha Tau Medical reported strong early results from two first-in-human trials of Alpha DaRT® (Diffusing Alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy) in pancreatic cancer. In 19 evaluable patients with advanced, heavily pretreated pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the treatment achieved 100% local disease control. Most patients (79%) had stable disease, and 21% showed tumor shrinkage. Side

A study presents a new lightweight deep learning model that can classify lung cancer from CT scans with very high accuracy while using far less computing power than traditional methods. Researchers combined EfficientNetB0 with a lightweight attention system and a capsule-style feature module to better detect and analyze lung nodules. Unlike older capsule networks, the

Liquid biopsies are emerging as valuable tools in bladder cancer care.  By analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood and urinary tumor DNA (utDNA), doctors can better assess risk and monitor disease compared to traditional methods alone. Tumor-informed ctDNA tests, such as Signatera, are increasingly used to detect minimal residual disease and guide treatment decisions.

Researchers have developed an AI-powered tool called PhenopyCell that can predict how patients with extensive-stage Small Cell Lung Cancer will respond to platinum-based chemotherapy before treatment begins. This is important because about 70% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and doctors currently lack reliable biomarkers to guide treatment decisions. The tool works by

The PANOVA-3 study led to the February 2026 FDA approval of Optune Pax, a new noninvasive device for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. It is used together with standard chemotherapy, including gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The device works by using tumor-treating fields to disrupt cancer cell division. The study showed clear benefits. Median overall survival

Physicians have performed the first endoscopic ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (EUS-MWA) for pancreatic cancer in the United States, introducing a new minimally invasive treatment option. Pancreatic cancer is one of the hardest cancers to treat because the pancreas lies deep in the abdomen, and only about 10–15% of patients are eligible for surgery. This new approach

FES-PET/CT (Cerianna) is an imaging tool for ER-positive metastatic breast cancer that uses a radiolabeled estradiol probe to visualize functional estrogen receptors. This helps confirm if tumors are truly ER-positive, unlike standard CT or FDG-PET scans. It is particularly useful when lesions are hard to biopsy, when standard scans show unclear results, for detecting lobular

Researchers have created a new system that uses caffeine to control gene editing and immune cell activity. The researchers designed a “Caffebody” platform that acts like a chemical switch, turning advanced treatments on and off using common substances. In this system, cells are engineered with three components: a caffeine-sensitive nanobody called a caffebody, a partner protein,