Genetic predisposition to excess body weight and survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 13-Jan-2026 11:11 ET (13-Jan-2026 16:11 GMT/UTC)
The American Cancer Society today released its annual “Cancer Statistics, 2026” and “Cancer Facts & Figures 2026” report — the first national snapshot of this year’s cancer trends. Experts from City of Hope®, one of the country’s leading cancer research and treatment institutions, are available immediately for interviews to help interpret key trends and provide context for how these findings affect patients, families and the future of cancer care. We also have patients available for interviews.
An international team of scientists analysed the ongoing colonization by two retroviruses of the germline of koalas and resulting deaths from cancer in multi-generational pedigrees of over 100 koalas in US and European Zoos. In the journal Nature Communications, they describe the genome sequencing of the koalas and their analysis of integration in or near genes involved in cancer, new germline integrations within a single generation, and deaths from cancer caused by the retroviral integration. Based on this work, the scientists calculated genetic risk scores (GRS) that can help guide koala breeding programs and thereby benefit koala conservation efforts.
The FXYD proteins (FXYD domain-containing ion transport regulators) are a family of seven distinct proteins that play crucial roles in regulating Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) activity. Each of these proteins is characterized by a conserved 35-amino-acid FXYD domain, essential for their functions, and exhibits tissue-specific expression, contributing to diverse roles in various tissues.
Research over the years has highlighted the role of the FXYD proteins in regulating numerous physiological processes, including ion transport, neuronal activity, cell adhesion, and migration; conversely, their altered expression has been implicated in the progression of various diseases, such as cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, and renal diseases, and others. Understanding the FXYD proteins and their underlying regulatory mechanisms may therefore aid in identifying novel therapeutic targets.
A research team at the Medical University of Vienna has discovered a new approach to treating a particularly frequent and difficult-to-treat form of lung cancer. The study shows that a combination of two well-studied classes of drugs – ERBB inhibitors and Aurora kinase inhibitors – is significantly more effective against KRAS-mutated lung adenocarcinomas than existing therapies. The research, currently published in the journal npj Precision Oncology, opens up a new and promising path for patients for whom there are currently only limited treatment options.
Scientists have discovered that blocking a key cellular enzyme thought to protect against fatty liver disease may instead increase the risk of chronic liver damage and cancer as we age.