New research out of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center—published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity—is the first to suggest that a tumor-driving gene known as AEG-1 actively regulates the inflammation responsible for causing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), a common and painful side effect of cancer treatment. Eliminating the function of this gene using targeted therapies could become a critical strategy for managing a debilitating side effect experienced by many cancer patients.

Research has shown that ferroptosis can overcome chemotherapy resistance induced by apoptosis, making the combination of chemotherapy and ferroptosis a very promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the high levels of glutathione in the tumor environment and insufficient intracellular iron content limit the anticancer effects mediated by ferroptosis. Recently, a study published in Nano Research utilized the tumor environment to achieve a "multi-machine integrated" combined strategy, enhancing the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy and ferroptosis. The study was published in Nano Research with the DOI of 10.26599/NR.2025.94907298.