Yuman Fong, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery at City of Hope, this month delivered the Lister Legacy Lecture at the triennial conference of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. This presentation honors the long-term impact of Baron Joseph Lister, M.D., who brought antiseptic techniques and many other innovations to surgery, saving more lives and making a real difference in how patients live. Dr. Fong has surgically cured cancers once thought to be incurable, developed and tested the safety and efficacy of cancer-killing viruses in humans, and is advancing AI and robotic surgery infrastructure for the next generation of remote surgeons.

Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan studied what happens when macrophages—a type of immune cell—encounter dying cancer cells in tumors and discovered a mechanism that accelerates tumor growth. When cancer cells begin to die within tumors, they expose signals on their surface that indicate they are dying. Macrophages then detect these signals and engage in phagocytosis, where they eat dying cancer cells. Using fruit flies as a model organism, the scientists found this triggers production of proteins called cytokines, which activate growth signals in remaining cancer cells. These cells then produce more cytokines, causing an unexpected chain reaction that promotes tumor growth.  

Some disposable, electronic cigarettes and vape pods release higher amounts of toxic metals than older e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, according to a UC Davis study.

Aggressive forms of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remain challenging to treat, especially in patients with FLT3-ITD mutations. Researchers from Japan have identified SETD1B as a key epigenetic regulator that promotes leukemia cell growth by promoting MYC activation through H3K4me3 modification. Using laboratory models, they demonstrated that disrupting SETD1B significantly slows cancer cell proliferation. These findings offer promising new avenues for developing therapies against treatment-resistant AML.  

It’s common knowledge that preventing diabetes decreases the chance of mortality. But even within those with “normal” blood glucose levels, is there an optimal number for reducing the risk of other diseases such as heart disease or cancer? A small farming community in the Tohoku region may have provided medical researchers with the clues they have been looking for. 

Recent findings shed new light on the critical role of TET1, a pivotal player in epigenetic regulation, in the development and progression of various clinical diseases. As an enzyme responsible for DNA demethylation, TET1 influences gene expression by modifying methylcytosine levels, which are crucial for maintaining genomic stability and proper cellular function.

This new review article highlights the critical role of ribosome biogenesis in liver health and disease progression. As the center of protein synthesis, ribosomes influence liver regeneration, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The article explores how disruptions in this process contribute to disease and how targeted therapies could offer new treatment avenues.