Scientists find hidden pathways pancreatic cancer uses to spread

Researchers have discovered how pancreatic cancer reprograms its surroundings to spread quickly and stealthily. By using a protein called periostin, the tumor remodels nearby tissue and invades nerves, which helps cancer cells travel and form metastases. This process also creates a tough, fibrous barrier that makes treatments less effective. Targeting periostin could help stop this invasion before it starts.

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A Trojan horse cancer therapy shows stunning results

Scientists at Mount Sinai have unveiled a bold new way to fight metastatic cancer by turning the tumor’s own defenses against it. Instead of attacking cancer cells head-on, the experimental immunotherapy targets macrophages—immune cells that tumors hijack to shield themselves from attack. By eliminating or reprogramming these “bodyguards,” the treatment cracks open the tumor’s protective barrier and allows the immune system to flood in and destroy the cancer.

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A Trojan horse cancer therapy shows stunning results

Scientists at Mount Sinai have unveiled a bold new way to fight metastatic cancer by turning the tumor’s own defenses against it. Instead of attacking cancer cells head-on, the experimental immunotherapy targets macrophages—immune cells that tumors hijack to shield themselves from attack. By eliminating or reprogramming these “bodyguards,” the treatment cracks open the tumor’s protective barrier and allows the immune system to flood in and destroy the cancer.

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Dermatologists say collagen supplements aren’t the skin fix people expect

Collagen pills sound like a shortcut to younger skin, but solid evidence doesn’t back them up. Higher-quality studies show little benefit, and your body doesn’t absorb collagen in the way ads suggest. Some supplements may even pose safety concerns and lack proper testing. Experts recommend focusing on proven habits like sunscreen, retinoids, and a nutrient-rich diet instead.

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Brain cancer may begin years before doctors can see it

Scientists in South Korea have discovered that one of the most common malignant brain tumors in young adults may begin years before a tumor can be seen. IDH-mutant glioma, long treated by removing visible tumor tissue, actually starts when normal-looking brain cells quietly acquire a cancer-linked mutation and spread through the brain’s cortex. Using advanced genetic mapping and animal models, researchers traced the cancer’s true origin to glial progenitor cells that appear healthy at first.

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Scientists turn tumor immune cells into cancer killers

Scientists at KAIST have found a way to turn a tumor’s own immune cells into powerful cancer fighters—right inside the body. Tumors are packed with macrophages, immune cells that should attack cancer but are usually silenced by the tumor environment. By injecting a specially designed drug directly into tumors, researchers were able to “reprogram” these dormant cells to recognize and destroy cancer.

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This discovery could let bones benefit from exercise without moving

Researchers have discovered a biological switch that explains why movement keeps bones strong. The protein senses physical activity and pushes bone marrow stem cells to build bone instead of storing fat, slowing age-related bone loss. By targeting this “exercise sensor,” scientists believe they could create drugs that mimic exercise at the molecular level. The approach could protect fragile bones in people who are unable to stay active.

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Scientists just cracked the hidden rules of cancer evolution

Cancer doesn’t evolve by pure chaos. Scientists have developed a powerful new method that reveals the hidden rules guiding how cancer cells gain and lose whole chromosomes—massive genetic shifts that help tumors grow, adapt, and survive treatment. By tracking thousands of individual cells over time, the approach shows which chromosome combinations give cancer an edge and why some tumors become especially resilient.

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Scientists exposed how cancer hides in plain sight

Pancreatic cancer may evade the immune system using a clever molecular trick. Researchers found that the cancer-driving protein MYC also suppresses immune alarm signals, allowing tumors to grow unnoticed. When this immune-shielding ability was disabled in animal models, tumors rapidly collapsed. The findings point to a new way to expose cancer to the body’s own defenses without harming healthy cells.

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This new antibody may stop one of the deadliest breast cancers

Researchers have identified a promising new weapon against triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. An experimental antibody targets a protein that fuels tumor growth and shuts down immune defenses, effectively turning the immune system back on. In early tests, the treatment slowed tumor growth, reduced lung metastases, and destroyed chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells.

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A common painkiller may be quietly changing cancer risk

Ibuprofen may be doing more than easing aches and pains—it could also help reduce the risk of some cancers. Studies have linked regular use to lower rates of endometrial and bowel cancer, likely because the drug dampens inflammation that fuels tumor growth. Researchers have even found it can interfere with genes cancer cells rely on to survive. Still, experts warn that long-term use carries risks and shouldn’t replace proven prevention strategies.

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A common painkiller may be quietly changing cancer risk

Ibuprofen may be doing more than easing aches and pains—it could also help reduce the risk of some cancers. Studies have linked regular use to lower rates of endometrial and bowel cancer, likely because the drug dampens inflammation that fuels tumor growth. Researchers have even found it can interfere with genes cancer cells rely on to survive. Still, experts warn that long-term use carries risks and shouldn’t replace proven prevention strategies.

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How cancer disrupts the brain and triggers anxiety and insomnia

Scientists have discovered that breast cancer can quietly throw the brain’s internal clock off balance—almost immediately after cancer begins. In mice, tumors flattened the natural daily rhythm of stress hormones, disrupting the brain-body feedback loop that regulates stress, sleep, and immunity. Remarkably, when researchers restored the correct day-night rhythm in specific brain neurons, stress hormone cycles snapped back into place, immune cells flooded the tumors, and the cancers shrank—without using any anti-cancer drugs.

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Vitamin A may be helping cancer hide from the immune system

A vitamin A byproduct has been found to quietly disarm the immune system, allowing tumors to evade attack and weakening cancer vaccines. Scientists have now developed a drug that shuts down this pathway, dramatically boosting immune responses and slowing cancer growth in preclinical studies.

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Northwestern Medicine’s new antibody wakes the immune system against pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer uses a sugar-coated disguise to evade the immune system, helping explain why it’s so hard to treat. Northwestern scientists discovered this hidden mechanism and created an antibody that strips away the tumor’s protective signal. In animal tests, immune cells sprang back into action and tumors grew much more slowly. The team is now refining the therapy for future human trials.

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Scientists discover how the uterus knows when to push during childbirth

Childbirth depends not just on hormones, but on the uterus’s ability to sense physical force. Scientists found that pressure and stretch sensors in uterine muscles and surrounding nerves work together to trigger coordinated contractions. When these sensors are disrupted, contractions weaken and delivery slows. The discovery helps explain stalled labor—and could one day lead to better ways to manage childbirth.

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Long COVID may be fueled by inflammation and tiny clots

Long COVID affects an estimated 65 million people worldwide and can damage the brain, heart, blood vessels, and immune system long after infection. Researchers now link symptoms to lingering virus, inflammation, micro-clots, and disrupted energy metabolism. While structured rehab and pacing can improve quality of life, a growing list of experimental treatments—from antivirals and metformin to microbiome therapies and biologics—shows early promise. Clear answers, however, are still limited by small studies and the lack of large, definitive trials.

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A global cancer surge is underway and the world is not ready

Global cancer cases have surged dramatically, doubling since 1990 and reaching 18.5 million new diagnoses in 2023. Deaths have also climbed to over 10 million a year, with the steepest increases hitting low- and middle-income countries. Without urgent action, researchers project more than 30 million new cases annually by 2050. Alarmingly, around four in ten cancer deaths are tied to preventable risks such as smoking, poor diet, and high blood sugar.

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A smarter way to screen for breast cancer is emerging

A groundbreaking study shows that breast cancer screening works better when it’s personalized. Instead of annual mammograms for all, women were screened based on genetics, health history, and lifestyle factors. This approach reduced advanced cancers without increasing risk for those screened less often. Most women preferred the personalized model, hinting at a major shift in future screening guidelines.

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Menopause symptoms are common even in elite endurance athletes

Menopause symptoms are common among female endurance athletes and often interfere with training and performance. A survey of women aged 40–60 who train regularly found high rates of sleep problems, exhaustion, anxiety, weight gain, and joint pain. Many athletes said these symptoms made it harder to train effectively or perform at their best. The results highlight a need for greater attention to menopause in active women.

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