A new molecular switch, created through protein design, may be a potential way to control when drugs are active or inactive in the body. Researchers hope this approach is a starting point for further developments to reduce side effects from cancer drugs or antibody therapies. This type of designed molecular switch has already been shown to increase the speed of a COVID test. The scientists have also created a switchable version of interleukin-2 in a effort to manage the side effects of this potentially powerful cancer drug. 

A cutting-edge bronchoscope that is guided with the help of a robot can reach very small tumours growing in hard-to-reach parts of the lung, according to results of a gold-standard randomised-controlled trial that will be presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The robot-assisted bronchoscope also uses a specialised CT scanner to find tumours buried in the lungs, enabling doctors to take a biopsy and confirm whether they are cancerous. Being able to find and test these very early cancers gives patients the highest chances of being cured.

Recent advances in radiation oncology have led to shorter treatment times, increased early disease detection, and artificial intelligence applications that continue to improve cancer care. Ahead of this week's 2025 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shared updates on expected key trends.

New research from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) highlights the importance of tumor location in metastasis; shows how regulatory T cells work with sensory nerves in the skin to restrain pain and inflammation; explores whether a large language model can adequately summarize cancer patients’ experiences with pain; and finds proton therapy is effective at treating leptomeningeal metastasis.

Liver fibrosis is a pathological process resulting from various chronic liver injuries that lead to the formation of liver fibrous scars. It can further progress to cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Currently, there are no effective drugs specifically approved for the treatment of liver fibrosis; etiological therapy remains the main treatment strategy. Therefore, it is necessary to develop anti-fibrotic drugs targeting different pathways involved in liver fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a key driver of fibrosis, and targeting TGF-β can effectively reduce liver fibrosis. In this review, we discussed the anti-liver fibrosis effects of TGF-β inhibitors through different signaling pathways, including the application of certain active ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine.