Cancer

• Kevin González, een 18-jarige met terminale dikkedarmkanker, is kort na de hereniging met zijn ouders in Mexico overleden. • De in Chicago geboren tiener, die vocht tegen terminale kanker, pleitte voor de vrijlating van zijn ouders uit bewaring van de Amerikaanse immigratieautoriteiten; hij is kort na hun hereniging in Mexico overleden, aldus zijn familie tegenover mediakanalen. • De ouders van de 18-jarige Kevin González waren halverwege april in Arizona in bewaring gesteld door Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) nadat zij zonder toestemming de Amerikaanse grens vanuit Mexico waren overgestoken in een poging hem in Chicago te bezoeken nu zijn gezondheid verslechterde.

• Het aantal kankergevallen wereldwijd is drastisch gestegen; het is verdubbeld sinds 1990, met 18,5 miljoen nieuwe diagnoses geregistreerd in 2023, wat wijst op een aanzienlijke toename van de ziektelast wereldwijd. • Het aantal sterfgevallen door kanker is gestegen tot meer dan 10 miljoen per jaar, waarbij de sterkste stijgingen plaatsvinden in lage- en middeninkomenslanden waar de zorginfrastructuur beperkt blijft. • Deze stijging onderstreept de groeiende ongelijkheid in de gezondheidszorg en benadrukt de dringende noodzaak voor uitgebreide programma's voor kankerpreventie, vroegtijdige opsporing en behandeling in onderbediende regio's.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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...

Exclusive: Report shows cost of first appointment rose $20 in one year, with steeper rises in Western Australia, South Australia and TasmaniaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPatients are increasingly going without medically necessary dermatological care, the head of the Consumers Health Forum said, as new report reveals the rising cost of the specialty in Australia.Dermatology is expensive and getting pricier, with an average first visit now costing an adult patient without concessions $230 out-of-pocket, while follow-up appointments cost almost $190, the report from health directory Cleanbill found. Continue reading...

Uncle Jack Pearson, an army captain, says heckling ‘not in the Anzac spirit’ after welcome to country booed in Sydney, Melbourne and PerthIndigenous speakers booed while Ben Roberts-Smith attends separate Gold Coast eventMarcia Langton: The AFL bans disruptive racists. Surely police can do the same for morons who boo welcome to countryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIndigenous leaders have condemned people who booed welcome to country speeches at Anzac Day dawn services across the country, with an army captain stating “racism is a cancer”.Elders who spoke at services in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth on Saturday morning were booed following a campaign by Fight for Australia, the group formerly known as March for Australia, which has previously staged major anti-immigration rallies. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister says early-stage malignant tumour was discovered during a routine check-upMiddle East crisis – live updatesBenjamin Netanyahu has revealed that he received successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, without specifying when the treatment took place.In a statement on social media, as his annual medical report was released, the Israeli prime minister said an early-stage malignant tumour had been discovered during a routine checkup. The 76-year-old said targeted treatment had removed “the problem” and left no trace of it. Continue reading...

NHS struggling to cope with record numbers, which Cancer Research UK says puts progress on survival rates at riskThe number of people in the UK being diagnosed with cancer has reached a record high, with one person diagnosed every 80 seconds, a report reveals.Cancer Research UK found that more than 403,000 people were being diagnosed with the disease each year, largely due to a growing and ageing population, as people are more likely to develop cancer as they get older. Continue reading...

Physicians issue reminder to public after TV doctor and CMS chief relays president’s claim on Don Jr podcastDonald Trump defended his consumption of diet soda by suggesting it might help prevent cancer, according to recent comments shared by Mehmet Oz in an interview with Donald Trump Jr.The remarks have even prompted some doctors to remind the public that, no, diet soda will not do anything to prevent cancer. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Pre-chemotherapy tests previously did not look for gene variant that put some ethnicities at higher risk of serious side effectsThousands of cancer patients from minority ethnic backgrounds will have access to “groundbreaking” genetic testing on the NHS that previously discriminated against them.This routine form of genetic testing, used before chemotherapy treatment, could save the lives of Black and minority ethnic cancer patients who already face poorer health outcomes after diagnosis compared with their white counterparts. Continue reading...

PhenMap tool could spare thousands of patients from treatment that would be ineffective for themA new AI-driven way of identifying how patients with advanced bowel cancer will respond to a drug that was recently introduced by the NHS has been announced.Researchers at London’s Institute of Cancer Research and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin have developed the method with the goal of sparing potentially thousands of patients from being given drugs that would be ineffective in fighting their cancers. Continue reading...

Mo-Rez reduced or eliminated tumours in over 60% of patients and is expected to be a blockbuster drugGSK has revealed positive results for a treatment for gynaecological cancers as its chief executive, Luke Miels, steps up drug development efforts at the group.The company said that in an early-stage trial Mocertatug Rezetecan, known as Mo-Rez, shrank or eliminated tumours in 62% of patients with ovarian cancer where chemotherapy had failed, and in 67% of those with endometrial cancer. Continue reading...

Relacorilant, typically used to treat Cushing’s syndrome, could improve outcomes in platinum-resistant casesA drug originally used to treat a rare disease could extend the lives of patients with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer, according to a clinical trial.Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer occurs when the disease progresses within six months of starting platinum-based chemotherapy. This form of chemotherapy is different from other types because it uses compounds that contain platinum to destroy cancer cells by preventing them from dividing. Continue reading...

• A Philadelphia cancer patient who had exhausted conventional treatment options was kept alive using a novel T-cell therapy developed and administered at Rutgers Health. • The case represents a breakthrough application of immunotherapy, offering hope to patients facing terminal cancer diagnoses with limited options. • The success demonstrates the therapeutic potential of advanced cellular therapies and highlights Rutgers Health's role in pioneering cutting-edge cancer treatment innovations.

‘There is no doubt that the cells and tissues of the oral cavity, the mouth and the lungs are altered by inhalation from e-cigarettes,’ academic saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVaping is likely to cause lung and oral cancer, researchers have found, as they urged regulators to act now rather than wait decades for a definitive level of risk.Cancer researchers led by UNSW in Sydney analysed reviews of evidence from animal studies, human case reports and laboratory research published between 2017 and 2025, in one of the most detailed assessments to date of whether nicotine e-cigarettes could cause cancer. Continue reading...

Tim Sweeney, chief of firm that created Fortnite, received backlash after worker’s wife revealed loss of life insuranceThe chief of the company that created Fortnite, a popular online game, has issued an apology following backlash after recent mass layoffs cost an employee with terminal brain cancer his job – and his life insurance.On Sunday, Tim Sweeney, the Epic Games chief executive, apologized after Jenni Griffin, the wife of Mike Prinke, a laid off employee, revealed on social media that the loss of her husband’s job also meant he was losing his life insurance. Continue reading...

Papers reveal how chemical lobby influenced policy, reversing Biden-era limits on a common carcinogenSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA new trove of chemical producer and US Environmental Protection Agency documents reveal an elaborate industry operation that killed strong regulations around formaldehyde, a highly toxic carcinogen widely used in everyday goods from cosmetics to furniture to craft supplies.The Biden EPA in late 2024 determined any exposure to formaldehyde increased the risk of cancer and other health problems. The Trump EPA in late 2025 moved to undo those findings and replace them with less protective figures. Continue reading...

• HHS through the National Cancer Institute announced a $200 million public-private partnership to fund clinical trials for cancer vaccines targeting high-risk recurrence patients. • The initiative supports mRNA and other vaccine types, aiming to accelerate development with private sector involvement including venture capital. • 'Nothing of this scale has been attempted in cancer vaccines before,' said Stacey Adam, VP of science partnerships for the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.

• An NIH-funded mouse study shows chronic colitis induces long-lasting epigenetic changes in gut stem cells, boosting AP-1 transcription factor activity and tumor growth potential. • Researchers analyzed over 52,000 cells, finding damage memories persist more than 100 days after inflammation ends, heritable across new cells. • The findings from Broad Institute scientists explain how sustained inflammation elevates colorectal cancer risk through dynamic epigenome alterations.

• Researchers led by Professor Silvia von Karstedt discovered that loss of Caspase 8 protein in small cell lung cancer triggers inflammation promoting tumor growth and spread. • The study, published in Nature Communications on March 25, 2026, shows this loss reprograms cancer cells into an aggressive neuron-like state associated with relapse. • Findings from the CECAD Cluster of Excellence explain the cancer's notorious aggressiveness and poor prognosis.

ACA requires firms to cover colonoscopies for over-45s but young people face hurdles to receive appropriate testsAs colon cancer rates are rising among people in their 20s and 30s, some adults in the US who are under 45 and experiencing worrying symptoms are struggling to get insurance coverage for colonoscopies, which can detect colon cancer.The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurance companies to cover colonoscopies for people over 45 “because it’s been recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force”, says Caitlin Murphy, a cancer epidemiologist and professor at the University of Chicago. The ACA requires preventive screenings, including pap smears, for example, to be completely covered. Continue reading...

• The FDA granted accelerated approval to a novel immunotherapy combination for metastatic pancreatic cancer on March 21, 2026, based on Phase 2 trial data showing a 35% response rate. • The drug combination demonstrated a median overall survival of 14.2 months compared to 11.8 months with standard chemotherapy in the clinical trial of 280 patients. • Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers with a five-year survival rate below 12%, making this approval potentially significant for the estimated 64,000 Americans diagnosed annually.

• Recent research links extreme heat exposure, gaps in obesity coaching, cancer treatment delays, ACA premium cost spikes, and income inequality to widening health disparities across the US. • These factors exacerbate vulnerabilities in underserved populations, with global implications but focused US data. • Findings underscore needs for targeted interventions in public health equity amid rising climate and economic pressures.

• Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff for President Donald Trump, announced on Monday her diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer, caught early with no plans for leave. • She will undergo several weeks of treatment in Washington, D.C., while remaining full-time at the White House. • President Trump stated, 'She will soon be better than ever!' highlighting her continued role amid health challenges.