ESMO Breast Cancer 2025 will take place between 14-17 May in Munich, Germany.

For a long time, research on the tumor microenvironment (TME) has focused on the influence of immune cells and bacterial communities. However, in recent years, scientists have discovered that fungi may play a more critical role. A team from the Department of Breast Medicine, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University published a review (Doi: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2024.0240) in Cancer Biology & Medicine, systematically revealing the interactions between gut fungi and tumor-related fungi, as well as their profound impact on cancer development and treatment responses. This study has pushed fungi to the forefront of tumor research, particularly highlighting their unique role in cancers such as pancreatic cancer, providing theoretical support for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Growing concerns about exposure to formaldehyde in personal care products have focused on hair relaxers with recent studies showing a link between use of hair relaxers and increased risk of uterine and breast cancer among Black women. The new study is among the first to demonstrate that formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are present in a wide range of personal care products, including shampoo, lotions, body soap, and even eyelash glue.

In Europe, about 150,000 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 15 and 39 develop cancer each year. The chances of recovery in this age group have not improved as much as they have for children or for adults over the age of 40. An interdisciplinary research team of experts from Europe's leading radiation therapy centers, headed by the Faculty of Medicine at TUD Dresden University of Technology, will therefore explore which approaches in radiation therapy can improve treatment outcomes and prevent the occurrence of secondary tumors. The consortium will receive almost one million Euro in funding over the next four years from the European Partnership for Radiation Protection Research (Pianoforte).

Two new advanced predictive algorithms use information about a person’s health conditions and simple blood tests to accurately predict a patient’s chances of having a currently undiagnosed cancer, including hard to diagnose liver and oral cancers. The new models could revolutionise how cancer is detected in primary care, and make it easier for patients to get treatment at much earlier stages.