cancer

A new trial reports that stereotactic radiosurgery improves survival for patients with small cell lung cancer that has spread to the brain. The findings challenge the routine use of whole-brain radiation therapy for these patients and are drawing attention among oncologists, with searches about cancer trending in Australia and France.

AstraZeneca has invested $2bn in US biotech firm Summit Therapeutics as part of a major cancer research collaboration. The FTSE 100 drugmaker agreed to buy 109,000 shares in the Nasdaq-listed company at $18.36 per share, funding a tie-up aimed at developing new cancer treatments.

New research reported in Nature shows that the p53 protein, best known as a tumour suppressor, maintains a balance between transcription and DNA replication in cells. When this balance is disrupted, chromosomes can shatter in a catastrophic event known as chromothripsis, a recognised driver of cancer. The findings clarify how p53 guards genome integrity beyond its established roles in halting damaged cells.

Researchers led by Dr. Jona Kayser at MPZPM report that physical processes in dense cell populations strongly influence the best timing of treatment cycles, with implications for both cancer therapy and antibiotics. Treatment resistance remains one of the central challenges in medicine, and the findings suggest that timing could be adjusted based on how tightly cells pack together rather than on biology alone. The work points to new ways of scheduling therapies to delay or avoid resistance.

Biomedical researchers are once again debating how much of the published scientific literature can be reliably reproduced. Concerns that many experimental findings in fields like cancer biology and pharmacology fail when independently repeated have prompted calls for better study design, data sharing and stricter peer review. The discussion continues to shape how journals, funders and laboratories address the reliability of research that ultimately informs medical practice.

A new study has found that infections cause roughly one in eight cancer cases worldwide. The finding points to the significant role viruses and bacteria play in triggering cancers, suggesting prevention through vaccination and treatment of infections could substantially reduce the global cancer burden.

A new study reports that a combination of vitamin C and DMSO produced promising results against skin cancer, with reported elimination of lesions in 56% of cases within 12 weeks and 94% of patients avoiding surgery. Other research suggests DMSO may enhance delivery of anticancer drugs directly into tumors, and early reports involving ivermectin are also circulating.

An essay in Aeon argues that the word 'cancer' should be used far more cautiously, since the term lumps together conditions of wildly different danger and leads to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The author calls for a better vocabulary to describe what is often called cancer, arguing that language shapes how patients understand risk and choose treatment.

A new study finds that roughly one in eight cancer cases worldwide are caused by infections, according to CBC News coverage. The finding highlights the role of viruses and bacteria in cancer development and has prompted discussion about prevention, vaccination, and screening efforts globally.

Will Reeve, a correspondent for ABC's Good Morning America and son of the late actor Christopher Reeve, has announced that he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. He shared the news publicly, drawing an outpouring of support from viewers and colleagues, and adding to his well-known advocacy work around health and disability issues following his father's legacy.

Doctors are highlighting theranostics, an emerging approach to treating advanced prostate cancer that pairs diagnostic imaging with targeted therapy in a single process. The method allows physicians to detect cancer cells and deliver radiation treatment directly to them, potentially improving outcomes for patients whose disease no longer responds to standard therapies.

Will Reeve, an ABC News correspondent and son of the late Superman actor Christopher Reeve, has announced that he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment. The news is being picked up widely by US media outlets, with viewers and colleagues offering support and praising his decision to share the diagnosis publicly.

Haga Bioscience and Imagenomix have announced a partnership to develop AI-based spatial biomarker analysis for cancer pathology. The collaboration aims to combine spatial biology techniques with artificial intelligence to improve how biomarkers are measured in tumor tissue, potentially supporting more precise cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions.

News coverage is highlighting lung cancer cases in people who have never smoked, a group historically overlooked in screening and public awareness. Reports note that never-smokers can develop the disease, often at later diagnosis, and discussion is focusing on possible causes such as air pollution, genetic factors, and radon exposure, as well as what this means for screening guidelines and research funding.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center has announced the Edison System, a technology it says can destroy certain cancers without the need for surgery. The claim, reported by the Amarillo Globe-News, suggests a non-invasive alternative for treating selected tumors. Details on how the system works, which cancer types it targets, and whether clinical testing has begun have not been made available, so the announcement should be treated as an early claim pending independent confirmation.