cancer research

AstraZeneca has invested $2bn in US biotech firm Summit Therapeutics as part of a major cancer research collaboration. The FTSE 100 drugmaker agreed to buy 109,000 shares in the Nasdaq-listed company at $18.36 per share, funding a tie-up aimed at developing new cancer treatments.

New research has identified 485 chemicals used in US pesticide products that are linked to breast cancer. The findings, reported by The Guardian, are raising concerns about consumer and worker exposure to common agricultural chemicals and prompting calls for tighter regulation and further safety review of pesticide ingredients.

Researchers led by Dr. Jona Kayser at MPZPM report that physical processes in dense cell populations strongly influence the best timing of treatment cycles, with implications for both cancer therapy and antibiotics. Treatment resistance remains one of the central challenges in medicine, and the findings suggest that timing could be adjusted based on how tightly cells pack together rather than on biology alone. The work points to new ways of scheduling therapies to delay or avoid resistance.

A new study shows that loss of parts of the Y chromosome, a change seen in many men as they age, can actively drive cancer development. Researchers report the missing genetic material affects tumour growth in men, offering a possible explanation for why certain cancers behave differently between the sexes.

New reporting highlights that people who survived cancer in childhood face a significantly elevated risk of serious mental health difficulties in adulthood, including depression, anxiety and other psychiatric conditions. The findings point to long-term psychological effects of early cancer diagnosis and treatment, and renew calls for survivors to receive sustained mental health monitoring and support, not just physical follow-up care, well into their adult lives.

Researchers report that cancer cells entering a 'proliferative pause' — a dormant, slow-dividing state — may expose a critical window during which brain metastasis could be prevented. The finding suggests that targeting cells during this quiescent phase, before they resume growth in the brain, could open new preventive strategies against one of the deadliest consequences of cancer spread.

UF Health researchers report that cancer diagnoses in the United States drop sharply during holiday periods, while outcomes for patients diagnosed around those dates are worse. The findings suggest holiday disruptions delay screenings and follow-up care, allowing cancers to be caught at later, harder-to-treat stages, and raise questions about how seasonal healthcare patterns affect patient survival.

Researchers publishing in Communications Biology report that deletions and regulatory disruption of the Y chromosome recur across cancers, suggesting loss of this chromosome may play a functional role in tumour development rather than being a harmless byproduct. The findings add to growing interest in how sex chromosome instability shapes cancer risk and progression in men.

Research published in Nature reports that the p53 tumour suppressor protein maintains a balance between transcription and DNA replication, and that this balance prevents chromothripsis, a catastrophic form of chromosome shattering linked to cancer. The finding adds to understanding of how p53 suppresses tumours beyond its established roles in cell-cycle control and apoptosis, and highlights genome instability mechanisms relevant to cancer research.

New research suggests that analysing the biology of prostate cancer tumours can help doctors identify which patients are most likely to benefit from hormone therapy. The findings could support more personalised treatment decisions, allowing clinicians to target therapy at those most likely to respond rather than applying it universally. The report has drawn attention in medical news coverage.

Mount Sinai has announced a collaborative research agreement to evaluate a novel liquid radioembolic agent for treating brain tumors. The therapy would deliver radiation directly to tumor tissue in liquid form, an approach being explored for cancers that are difficult to treat surgically. Details on the partner institution, trial design and timeline have not yet been released, and clinical results remain pending.

Coverage is circulating of the second part of a highlights roundup from the World Cancer Congress 2026, summarising key presentations and developments shared at the global oncology gathering. The roundup is aimed at cancer professionals and researchers following the congress remotely, distilling sessions into digestible takeaways. Interest centres on what new research, treatment approaches and policy discussions were featured at this year's event.

Volunteers and advocates with the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network visited Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress, urging support for cancer research funding and patient-focused legislation. The advocacy day brings grassroots concerns about prevention, treatment access, and federal research investment directly to lawmakers, and is part of the organization's ongoing effort to keep cancer policy on the national legislative agenda.

New figures from the European Commission show that 5% of Europeans consumed alcohol every day in 2025. The statistic highlights that despite overall declines in drinking across much of the continent, a small but notable share of the population still drinks daily, a pattern linked in public health research to higher risks of liver disease, cancer and other harms. Health advocates are likely to use the data in ongoing debates over alcohol pricing, advertising and labelling rules across EU member states.

Researchers have documented recurrent deletions and regulatory disruption of the Y chromosome across cancer types, according to a study published in Nature. The work suggests loss or alteration of Y chromosome genetic material may play a functional role in tumour development rather than being incidental, opening questions about how such changes influence cancer biology and potential sex-based differences in disease.