In recent years, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as an important component of comprehensive cancer treatment owing to its minimally invasive nature, low systemic toxicity, and high selectivity. However, the clinical efficacy of conventional photosensitizers has long been limited by their dependence on oxygen, insufficient tissue penetration, and inadequate targeting precision. Recently, a research team from China Three Gorges University published a review article in the journal BM, systematically summarizing the latest advances in six major classes of organic photosensitizers for cancer PDT: porphyrins, chlorins, phthalocyanines, fused-ring quinones, phenothiazines, and BODIPY derivatives. The review highlights that molecular-structure engineering, the development of nanodelivery systems, and multimodal combination-treatment strategies can substantially enhance reactive oxygen species generation and tumor-killing efficacy. These findings provide a systematic reference for the design of next-generation phototherapeutic agents that are highly efficient, minimally toxic, and suitable for treating deep-seated tumors.

A leading Western Australian cancer researcher has been named the Cure Cancer 2026 Researcher of the Year for his groundbreaking work in paediatric leukaemia.  

 

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have identified a molecular switch that helps determine whether cancer cells remain soft and difficult to destroy or become stiff enough for the immune system to attack.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for some skin cancers, but its success is limited by how deeply both drugs and activating light can penetrate tissue. Researchers have shown that dissolving microneedles, already known for improving drug delivery through the skin, may also enhance the distribution of light during PDT. Using biodegradable, pyramid-shaped microneedle arrays, the team demonstrated that the structures scatter and redirect light, creating a more uniform illumination pattern than conventional surface exposure. Optical measurements revealed that the microneedles act as multidirectional light emitters, potentially helping light reach a larger volume of tissue. Because the devices can also deliver photosensitizing drugs directly into tumors, they offer a dual-function platform that combines drug administration and light guidance in a single minimally invasive system. The findings suggest that dissolving microneedles could help overcome two major obstacles in photodynamic therapy, improving treatment of skin cancer and other dermatological diseases.

Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have developed a new AI-based method to assess patients with a form of blood cancer called myelodysplastic neoplasms. The method, published June 30 in Leukemia, compares the physical locations and morphometric (size and shape) characteristics of every hematopoietic cell in the patient’s bone marrow sample with those in healthy bone marrow, to generate a score that reflects disease severity.

Several types of cancer are triggered by mutations in a protein called BRAF. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have resolved a previously unknown conformation adopted by this protein during cell proliferation. Their study, which has now been published in the journal Molecular Cell, opens new avenues for cancer treatment.