Cancer News and Discussions

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Trojan horse bacteria sneak cancer-killing viruses into tumors

The bioengineered platform enables a cancer-killing virus to evade the patient’s immune system — and prevents it from spreading throughout the body.

Scientists have engineered a groundbreaking cancer treatment that uses bacteria to smuggle viruses directly into tumors, bypassing the immune system and delivering a powerful one-two punch against cancer cells. The bacteria act like Trojan horses, carrying viral payloads to cancer’s core, where the virus can spread and destroy malignant cells. Built-in safety features ensure the virus can’t multiply outside the tumor, offering a promising pathway for safe, targeted therapy.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 113522.htm

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Cancer vaccine shows promising results in UCLA clinical trial

A new vaccine to prevent pancreatic and colorectal cancer from returning has shown encouraging results in early testing.

Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center recently announced the results of a phase 1 clinical trial to keep certain cancers from leaving remission.

According to a press release from UCLA Health, the researchers tested the vaccine on a group of 25 people who had previously been treated for pancreatic and colorectal cancer and showed minimal signs of a relapse.

Each patient received an injection designed to stimulate the body’s immune response and “train” the immune system to fight mutations that lead to cancer.

Of the 25 patients tested, 21 showed a strong immune system response to the vaccine, remaining cancer-free more than 20 months after being injected.

Additionally, six patients appeared to show no biomarkers of tumors at all.

Both colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer have high rates of recurrence, according to the researchers.

https://www.silive.com/news/2025/08/can ... trial.html

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https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-025-02301-z

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80% of Americans Don’t Know Early-stage Prostate Cancer Often Has No Symptoms
August 28, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A recent survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) focused on Americans’ awareness of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer. The survey results show most people (80%) don’t know early-stage prostate cancer often presents with no physical symptoms, typically only diagnosed with a blood test.

Prostate cancer affects more than 300,000 adults in the United States each year according to the National Cancer Institute. The disease is one of the most common cancers among men, typically affecting those over the age of 50. If caught early, prostate cancer is highly treatable.

“It begins in the prostate gland and in its early stages, often doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms, which is why regular screening is so important,” said Edmund Folefac, MD, medical oncologist at the OSUCCC – James. “Because prostate cancer tends to progress slowly, if caught early, it is very treatable.”

The OSUCCC – James survey also showed more than half (59%) of respondents did not realize sexual dysfunction can be a sign of prostate cancer. Often, it’s the spouse or partner who are the first to notice these issues and encourage their male partner to talk to their health care provider.

More survey results

In the survey of 1,004 respondents age 18 and older, Black adults were more likely to identify some of the lesser-known symptoms of prostate cancer, like fatigue (33% of Black adults versus 24% of white adults) and weight loss (30% of Black adults versus 20% of white adults).

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096002

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Proof-of-concept innate immune checkpoint inhibitor shows promise against solid tumors in rodents
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09- ... point.html
by Arc Institute

Cancer immunotherapy, which primes the body's immune system to fight off tumors, has historically focused on harnessing T cells' natural ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. While this approach has saved the lives of patients with melanoma, as well as certain lung cancers and blood cancers, it has been less effective against solid tumors, which tend to be "cold" environments, where anti-cancer immune responses are inactive and cancer-killing T cells are not recruited.

Biochemist Lingyin Li has been pioneering a new direction for immunotherapy, searching for drugs that would turn these "cold" environments "hot." Instead of stimulating T cells in the adaptive immune system, she focuses on harnessing cGAMP, one of the fast-acting inflammatory molecules in the innate immune system that serve as first responders to threats.

Li discovered that tumors can evade detection (stay cold) by producing excess ENPP1 proteins that destroy cGAMP before it can trigger a broader immune response. With this knowledge of tumor behavior, she and her team developed STF-1623, a drug that inhibits ENPP1 and preserves cGAMP.

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Gene-edited immune cells show promise for universal 'off-the-shelf' cancer therapy
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09- ... shelf.html
by Pralhad Gupta, Peking University

Peking University scientists have developed a cancer therapy that could make life-saving treatment accessible to any patient, anywhere. A team led by Professor Wei Wensheng from Peking University, collaborating with the PLA General Hospital and biotech company EdiGene Inc., has developed a novel cancer therapy that could make advanced treatment accessible to many more patients. Their study is published in the journal Cell.

CAR-T therapy is one of the most exciting breakthroughs in cancer treatment. It works by taking a patient's own immune cells, reprogramming them to recognize cancer, and putting them back into the body to fight the disease. Many patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers have seen dramatic recoveries thanks to this method.

But there are big problems: It takes weeks to prepare each patient's treatment, it is very expensive, and some very sick patients don't have healthy cells to work with. Scientists have long dreamed of an "off-the-shelf" version of CAR-T made from healthy donor cells so treatment could be ready right away. The challenge is that the body usually rejects donor cells, or the donor cells attack the patient, making them unsafe.

[Lilymoon]

Common plant compound builds tougher cancer-fighting attack cells

A carotenoid that's already widely available in fruit and vegetables, and as a supplement, has been found to bolster the cancer-fighting abilities of immune cells, making it a promising new candidate that could help shrink tumors during immunotherapy treatment.

Following years of work investigating natural compounds to enhance cancer therapies, researchers from the University of Chicago have discovered that zeaxanthin – a carotenoid that promotes eye health – boosts the activity of the immune system's CD8+ T cells, which seek and destroy cancerous tumor cells.

“We were surprised to find that zeaxanthin, already known for its role in eye health, has a completely new function in boosting anti-tumor immunity,” said senior author Jing Chen, Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago. “Our study show that a simple dietary nutrient could complement and strengthen advanced cancer treatments like immunotherapy.”

Screening a large blood nutrient library – the range of nutrients measured in blood tests – the researchers found that zeaxanthin stabilizes and strengthens the formation of T-cell receptor (TCR) structures on CD8+ T cells when the immune cells encounter cancer growths. This then activates stronger signaling within cells, enhancing T-cell activation, cytokine production and tumor-killing abilities. Basically, it equips the immune cells with what they need to mount a fiercer fight.

https://newatlas.com/cancer/plant-compound-cancer/

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Common daily pill slashes colorectal cancer’s return by 55%
By Bronwyn Thompson
September 18, 2025
https://newatlas.com/cancer/medicine-colorectal-cancer/

A study involving more than 1,000 cancer patients has found that a low dose of aspirin halves the risk of colorectal tumors returning after surgery. This readily available and inexpensive treatment could change health outcomes for a significant number of cancer survivors who have problematic gene variants.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital screened 3,508 patients with stage I, II, or III rectal cancer or stage II or III colon cancer, finding that 1,103 of these people had a specific variant in the PI3K pathway – the genetic marker of interest. The team then conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on this gene-altered cohort, with 626 patients receiving 160-mg aspirin daily for three years and the remainder taking a placebo.

This study, known as the ALASCCA trial, was a massive effort involving 33 hospitals in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The team prioritized people with the PIK3CA gene mutation, as well as people with other moderate or high impact variants in PIK3R1 and PTEN. The researchers selected for these genetic alterations because some previous research has shown that aspirin intervention has had a positive impact on suppressing tumor growth.

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Daily vitamin B3 dose cuts skin cancer risk by up to 54%
By Bronwyn Thompson
September 18, 2025
https://newatlas.com/cancer/vitamin-b3- ... ncer-risk/

A common, over-the-counter form of vitamin B3 has emerged as an inexpensive ally in protecting us from skin cancer, lowering the risk by an average of 14% and increasing to a massive 54% for anyone who has previously had a positive diagnosis. This latest study of more than 33,000 patients supports earlier evidence that emerged in a 2015 Australian trial.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center conducted a large real-world analysis of US veterans, which looked at the health records of 33,822 individuals, comparing those prescribed niacinamide (typically 500 mg twice daily for more than 30 days) with matched patients who didn’t take it.

Overall, niacinamide – also known as nicotinamide, a vitamin B3 form found in food and supplements that supports cellular energy, DNA repair and healthy skin – was associated with a 14% lower risk of developing skin cancer. When people began nicotinamide after having earlier received a positive skin cancer diagnosis, the reduction in risk was 54%. What's more, the effect was seen in both basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, with the largest drop in squamous cell cancers.

Protein discovery may lead to better treatment of aggressive cancers
By Paul McClure
September 18, 2025

By knocking out a protein duo’s “bodyguard” role, researchers have exposed a hidden weakness in pancreatic cancer. It’s a discovery that could lead to smarter, more effective treatments for one of the deadliest cancers.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. With an overall survival rate of around 13%, it’s also one of the deadliest cancers. One reason for this is that the cancer is intrinsically resistant to nearly all forms of treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy.

https://newatlas.com/disease/pancreatic ... discovery/

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Magnesium, the microbiome, and reducing the risk of colon cancer
By Paul McClure
September 21, 2025

A new clinical trial suggests magnesium supplements may boost gut bacteria that help block the development of colon cancer – but only for some people, depending on their genes and sex.

An increase in the use of colonoscopies as a surveillance tool has reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer. However, despite this, it remains the third most common cancer globally, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

New research led by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has demonstrated, by way of a clinical trial, that magnesium supplements increase gut bacteria that can inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer.

https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/m ... al-cancer/

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Unique pan-cancer immunotherapy destroys tumors without attacking healthy tissue

by UCI Health
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09- ... troys.html

A new, highly potent class of immunotherapeutics with unique Velcro-like binding properties can kill diverse cancer types without harming normal tissue, University of California, Irvine cancer researchers have demonstrated.

A team led by Michael Demetriou, MD, Ph.D., has reported that by targeting cancer-associated complex carbohydrate chains called glycans with binding proteins, they could penetrate the protective shields of tumor cells and trigger their death without toxicity to surrounding tissue.

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Lancet Study Warns Cancer Deaths Could Surge Nearly 75% by 2050
By Brad Reed
September 25, 2025

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) An ominous new study in the Lancet medical journal projects that deaths from cancer will surge over the next two-and-a-half decades, with lower-income countries set to be the hardest hit.

The study, which was released on Wednesday, estimates that there will be 18.6 million cancer deaths and 30.5 million cancer cases in 2030. The estimated number of cancer deaths would represent a nearly 75% increase from the estimated 10.4 million cancer deaths in 2023.

The study explains that the forecasted death increases “are greater in low-income and middle-income countries” than in wealthy nations, and that most of the projected increases are likely to come from an older population, not a rise in the lethality of cancer overall.

All the same, the study warns that the total increase in cancer cases and deaths will put a strain on global health systems.

“Effectively and sustainably addressing cancer burden globally will require comprehensive national and international efforts that consider health systems and context in the development and implementation of cancer-control strategies across the continuum of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,” the study says.

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/glob ... s-lancet

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UC Irvine Study Shows Unique Pan-cancer Immunotherapy Destroys Tumors Without Attacking Healthy Tissue


Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Irvine, Calif., Sept. 25, 2025 — A new, highly potent class of immunotherapeutics with unique Velcro-like binding properties can kill diverse cancer types without harming normal tissue, University of California, Irvine cancer researchers have demonstrated.

A team led by Michael Demetriou, MD, PhD, reported that by targeting cancer-associated complex carbohydrate chains called glycans with binding proteins, they could penetrate the protective shields of tumor cells and trigger their death without toxicity to surrounding tissue.

Their biologically engineered immunotherapies – glycan-dependent T cell recruiter (GlyTR, pronounced ‘glitter’) compounds, GlyTR1 and GlyTR 2 – proved safe and effective in models for a spectrum of cancers, including those of the breast, colon, lung, ovaries, pancreas and prostate, the researchers reported today in the journal Cell.

“It’s the holy grail – one treatment to kill virtually all cancers,” said Demetriou, a professor of neurology, microbiology and molecular genetics at the UC Irvine School of Medicine and the paper’s corresponding author. “GlyTR’s velcro-like sugar-binding technology addresses the two major issues limiting current cancer immunotherapies: distinguishing cancer from normal tissue and cancer’s ability to suppress the immune system.”

The researchers were awarded a Cancer Moonshot Initiative grant from the National Cancer Institute in 2018 for this study.

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1099821

For a technical presentation of study results as published in Cell: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S009 ... 5)01032-3

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Radiation a 'strong alternative to surgery' for early-stage lung cancer
By Paul McClure
October 04, 2025

Precision-targeted radiation is proving a match for surgery in early-stage lung cancer, offering patients similar long-term survival with less invasiveness, and potentially transforming how this common cancer is treated.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for about 87% of all lung cancers. It is typically slow-growing and spreads more slowly than small-cell lung cancer. If caught early, it’s often successfully treated with surgery. However, many patients, especially older adults or those with other health issues, may not be good candidates for surgery.

A recent report from a clinical trial led by researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center investigated whether a far less invasive radiotherapeutic approach could be as good as surgery in treating patients with early-stage NSCLC.

https://newatlas.com/disease/radiothera ... ng-cancer/

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https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release ... ned-combat

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A New 'Nanoparticle Vaccine' Prevented Cancer In Mice, Study Says

Source: 404 Media

Scientists have developed a unique nanoparticle vaccine that prevented the development of multiple forms of cancer in mice, reports a study published in Cell Reports Medicine on Thursday.

Eighty percent of mice that received the novel vaccine and were subsequently exposed to cancerous cells did not develop tumors and survived to the end of the 250-day long experiment. In contrast, all of the mice that received different vaccine formulations, or remained unvaccinated, developed tumors and none survived longer than 35 days.

It’s too early to know if this breakthrough will ever be applicable to human cancer prevention or treatment, but the successful demonstration in mice is a promising result for the team’s so-called “super-adjuvant” vaccine. This approach uses nanoparticles made of fatty molecules to deliver two distinct “adjuvants,” which are substances in vaccines that enhance an immune response.

“The results that we have are super exciting, and we're really looking forward to pushing forward to the next steps,” said Griffin Kane, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and first author on the paper, in a call with 404 Media. “But I think that the translation of these types of therapies from preclinical mouse models to the clinic is a very humbling experience for a lot of people and teams.”

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Read more: https://www.404media.co/a-new-nanoparti ... tudy-says/
https://www.umass.edu/news/article/umas ... ancer-mice