Starving tumors makes cancer treatment work better

Pancreatic cancer cells are known for being hard to treat, partly because they change the environment around them to block drugs and immune cells. Scientists discovered that these tumors use a scavenging process—called macropinocytosis—to pull nutrients from nearby tissue and keep growing. By blocking this process in mice, researchers were able to change the tumor’s environment, making it softer, less dense, and easier for immune cells and therapies to reach.

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Perfectly timed cancer combo wipes out tumors by supercharging the immune system

Head and neck cancer, notoriously hard to treat, might have a new weakness—timing. Researchers discovered that syncing radiation and immunotherapy in just the right way can make tumors disappear in mice. By protecting the body’s immune system hubs, they’ve unlocked a potentially powerful method to fight aggressive cancers more effectively. Clinical trials are already underway, hinting at a new era in cancer treatment.

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Breakthrough lung cancer treatment supercharges immune cells with mitochondria

Scientists have found a way to supercharge lung cancer treatment by transplanting healthy mitochondria into tumors, which both boosts immune response and makes chemotherapy far more effective. By combining this novel method with cisplatin, researchers reversed harmful tumor metabolism and empowered immune cells to fight back, all without added toxicity.

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This vaccine uses dental floss instead of needles

Scientists have discovered that flossing between your teeth could one day help vaccinate you. By targeting a uniquely permeable gum tissue called the junctional epithelium, this new method stimulates immunity right where many infections enter: the mouth, nose, and lungs. Using dental floss on mice to apply a flu vaccine triggered a robust immune response—better than existing oral approaches and comparable to nasal vaccines, but without the risks. It even worked with mRNA and protein-based vaccines.

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This gut hormone could explain 40% of IBS-D cases—and lead to a cure

A mysterious gut hormone may be behind many cases of chronic diarrhea, especially in people with undiagnosed bile acid malabsorption, a condition often mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome. Researchers from the University of Cambridge identified that the hormone INSL5 spikes when bile acid reaches the colon, triggering intense diarrhea. Their discovery not only sheds light on the biological cause of symptoms but opens the door to a diagnostic blood test and new treatment options, including a surprising existing drug that blocks this hormone’s effects.

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Breakthrough: How radiation helps the immune system kill cancer

Radiation therapy, once thought of mainly as a local cancer treatment, is now showing power to awaken the immune system in surprising ways. Researchers discovered that combining radiation with immunotherapy can transform stubborn, unresponsive lung tumors into targets for immune attack—especially those considered “cold” and typically resistant. This happens through a rare and poorly understood effect where immune cells are activated systemically, not just at the radiation site. Patients whose tumors underwent this “warm-up” had significantly better outcomes, revealing a promising new strategy for fighting hard-to-treat cancers.

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Three-person DNA IVF stops inherited disease—eight healthy babies born in UK first

In a groundbreaking UK first, eight healthy babies have been born using an IVF technique that includes DNA from three people—two parents and a female donor. The process, known as pronuclear transfer, was designed to prevent the inheritance of devastating mitochondrial diseases passed down through the mother’s DNA. The early results are highly promising: all the babies are developing normally, and the disease-causing mutations are undetectable or present at levels too low to cause harm. For families once haunted by genetic risk, this science offers more than treatment—it offers transformation.

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Not just hot flashes: The hidden depression crisis in early menopause

Premature menopause isn t just a hormonal issue it s a deeply emotional one for many women. A new study reveals that almost 30% experience depression, and it s not just about hormone loss but also grief, identity, and support systems.

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Hormone therapy supercharges tirzepatide, unleashing major weight loss after menopause

Postmenopausal women struggling with weight loss may find a powerful solution by combining the diabetes drug tirzepatide with menopause hormone therapy. A Mayo Clinic study revealed that this dual treatment led to significantly greater weight loss than tirzepatide alone. Women using both treatments lost 17% of their body weight on average, compared to 14% in those not using hormone therapy—and nearly half achieved dramatic 20%+ weight loss.

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The fatal mutation that lets cancer outsmart the human immune system

Scientists at UC Davis discovered a small genetic difference that could explain why humans are more prone to certain cancers than our primate cousins. The change affects a protein used by immune cells to kill tumors—except in humans, it’s vulnerable to being shut down by an enzyme that tumors release. This flaw may be one reason treatments like CAR-T don’t work as well on solid tumors. The surprising twist? That mutation might have helped our brains grow larger over time. Now, researchers are exploring ways to block the enzyme and give our immune system its power back.

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