Racial differences in tumor collagen structure may impact cancer prognosis
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 15-Nov-2025 16:11 ET (15-Nov-2025 21:11 GMT/UTC)
A new study from the University of Rochester reveals that key optical measurements of tumor collagen structure differ between Black and White patients with breast and colon cancer. Using second-harmonic generation imaging, researchers analyzed collagen organization in over 300 tumor samples and found significant racial differences in a prognostic marker known as the forward-to-backward scattering ratio (F/B), which is linked to metastatic risk. These findings highlight the need for racially diverse clinical trials to ensure that emerging diagnostic tools accurately predict cancer outcomes for all patient populations.
In a recent study published in New Phytologist, researchers at Michigan State University have uncovered how Amazon rainforest canopy trees manage the intense sunlight they absorb — revealing resilience to hot and dry conditions in the forest canopy while also offering a way to greatly improve the monitoring of canopy health under increasing extreme conditions. The study was made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation and NASA.
Monitoring health inequity across Europe
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Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are the leading causes of disability worldwide, resulting in significant healthcare and social support costs. One of the reasons for this increasing burden seems to be the variability in the number and nature of allocated resources across Europe, as well as organisational aspects of health systems that result in disparities and health inequities across countries.
How do patients search for health information online?
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Rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) have an important impact on quality of life, and represent an economic burden to society. EULAR – The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology – has emphasised the role of patient empowerment through education.1
For both men and women without a Bachelor’s degree (BA), a new study in JAMA Health Forum found that mortality between 2011-2023 was markedly higher than would have been expected had death rates from 2006-2010 continued. Among 564,855 excess deaths in 2023 alone, 481,211 occurred among people without a BA—a 26 percent increase in mortality among this population, compared to pre-2010 trends. In contrast, mortality only increased by eight percent among people who received a BA.