Cancer

• Global cancer cases have surged dramatically, doubling since 1990 with 18.5 million new diagnoses recorded in 2023, representing a significant increase in disease burden worldwide. • Cancer deaths have climbed to over 10 million annually, with the steepest increases occurring in low- and middle-income countries where healthcare infrastructure remains limited. • The surge underscores widening health disparities and highlights the urgent need for expanded cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment programs in underserved regions.

• An mRNA vaccine demonstrated potential in a trial with 16 pancreatic cancer patients, reducing recurrence risk post-surgery according to Nature journal. • Eight patients responded positively, stimulating long-term immune responses as noted by Forbes. • Pancreatic cancer has a 12% five-year survival rate; this could transform outcomes for the 66,000 annual US cases if scaled.

• Researchers at UCL and UCLH conducted a trial where patients with stage 2 or 3 colorectal cancer received just nine weeks of pembrolizumab immunotherapy before surgery, challenging the standard approach of surgery followed by months of chemotherapy. • Early results showed 59% of patients had no detectable cancer after completing immunotherapy and undergoing surgery, and after 33 months of follow-up, none of the patients have experienced a relapse. • This outcome represents a significant shift in colorectal cancer treatment protocols, suggesting that short bursts of targeted immunotherapy prior to surgery may deliver more durable results than conventional post-operative chemotherapy regimens.

• Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle announced recent research findings on May 6, 2026, addressing multiple areas including improved outcomes for stem cell transplants and newly explored connections between solar jetlag and liver cancer development. • The research represents efforts to expand the range of cancer treatment targets beyond conventional approaches, with implications for patient outcomes across multiple cancer types. • These findings contribute to the broader understanding of both cellular and environmental factors influencing cancer development and treatment efficacy, potentially informing new therapeutic strategies.

Glyphosate is currently sprayed on cereal and pulse crops to dessicate them and make them easier to harvestA new trade deal with the EU could lead to restrictions on the use of the controversial weedkiller glyphosate on UK food crops.The full-spectrum herbicide, which kills almost every plant it touches, is often sprayed on wheat, oats and other cereal and pulse crops immediately before harvest to desiccate them and make them easier to handle. Continue reading...

Injectable pembrolizumab can treat several types of cancer and can be administered in under two minutesThousands of patients across England each year will benefit from a new immunotherapy treatment that can be used for several types of cancer, the NHS has announced.The injectable form of pembrolizumab, which can be administered in under two minutes, kills cancer cells by blocking a protein called PD-1, which acts as a brake on immune responses, allowing the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. Continue reading...

Musician Chris Martin, tennis star Iga Świątek and footballer Robert Lewandowski join Piotr Garkowski in epic fundraiserA Polish social media influencer has raised more than £50m after a nine-day, non-stop online stream during which he was joined by a parade of celebrity guests to help a charity supporting children battling cancer.Streaming from a studio flat in right-bank Warsaw, social media influencer Piotr Garkowski, 23, nicknamed Łatwogang, listened to a charity song dedicated to children battling cancer on loop for nine days straight, filling time with entertaining dares and celebrity appearances. Continue reading...