Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a groundbreaking diagnostic tool that could transform the way acute leukemia is identified and treated. The tool, called MARLIN (Methylation- and AI-guided Rapid Leukemia Subtype Inference), uses DNA methylation patterns and machine learning to classify acute leukemia with speed and accuracy. This tool has the potential to significantly improve patient care by allowing faster and more precise treatment decisions.

Hot flashes which are sudden, temporary intense sensations of body warmth, often accompanied by flushing and sweating during the day and night (night sweats) are referred to as vasomotor symptoms (VMS). These VMS are associated with sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, severe fatigue, increased pain severity and decreased quality of life. Hot flashes affect up to 80% of women going through the menopause transition, 80% of men with prostate cancer undergoing or after completion of androgen deprivation therapy and 50-80% of breast cancer patients receiving hormone deprivation therapy.

 

The consequences of VMS experienced by perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, aging men and breast and prostate cancer patients cannot be overstated. These overwhelming devastating symptoms not only have a significant impact on the quality-of-life, affect decision-making for life preserving hormone deprivation therapy for breast cancer and prostate cancer patients but also have significant economic and societal consequences.

 

A new study from Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine has shown that a wristband cooling device significantly reduced severe hot flash episodes among breast cancer, prostate cancer and postmenopausal women.

A recent analysis published by Wiley online in CANCER reveals a modest decline from 2016 to 2020 in new and additional opioid prescriptions for patients with cancer. Among those patients with metastatic cancer, prescribing remained stable for those reporting any pain and declined steeply for those reporting no pain.

In a new study that combines synthetic biology with cancer immunotherapy, researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) and Central South University in China have developed an engineered strain of gut-homing bacteria that stimulates potent antitumour immune responses against colorectal cancer (CRC).

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide, with incidence rates continuing to rise. However, known risk factors, including genetics and lifestyle, do not fully explain the upward trend. Researchers are increasingly turning to metabolomics—the large-scale study of small molecules in biological systems—as a promising avenue for identifying new risk factors and improving prediction methods for breast cancer.

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shows that the glucose-fructose mix found in sugary drinks directly fuels metastasis in preclinical models of advanced colorectal cancer. The study was published today in Nature Metabolism.

The principle of "food and medicine homology" (FMH), deeply embedded in traditional Chinese medicine, posits that certain natural substances can function as both food and medicine. A recent opinion piece posits that substances with FMH properties, recognized for their nutritional benefits and minimal toxicity, may present innovative opportunities in supplementary cancer treatment and prevention. The authors underscore the solid theoretical underpinnings and international acknowledgement of this approach, emphasizing how cutting-edge technologies can substantiate these age-old practices and facilitate their incorporation into modern, comprehensive cancer management programs.