An Iowa State University-led research team identified two essential components — a pervasive protein and a crucial cellular signaling pathway — needed to make some types of blood cells, a discovery that could lead to a new treatment for leukemia.

BUFFALO, NY — July 24, 2026 — A new research perspective was published in Volume 13 of Oncoscience on June 3, 2026, titled “The dual axis of tumorigenesis: MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways in papillary thyroid carcinoma.”

Low brain metabolism as measured from ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT is associated with higher mortality in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to new research published in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Incorporating brain ¹⁸F-FDG uptake alongside clinical, tumor, and biological data improved prediction of overall survival, providing physicians with valuable insight to identify patients most likely to benefit from early supportive care.

Researchers including those from the University of Tokyo found a way to optimize how cells bind to small packages they release called extracellular vesicles. By coating the vesicles with metal ions, they made cells and their corresponding vesicles stick together more strongly than they would naturally. This reduced the time needed for cells to capture their own vesicles, even in mixtures containing billions of other vesicles. The team demonstrated an application of this by improving two kinds of blood tests for cancer cells, and it could have downstream applications in drug delivery, rejuvenation and more. 

-  KAIST and TheraZyne developed a computational antibody-design approach to target intracellular cancer mutations that are inaccessible to conventional antibodies.

-  The engineered antibodies selectively eliminate cancer cells carrying the KRAS G12D mutation while minimizing off-target effects, highlighting their potential as next-generation precision antibody therapeutics.

-  The study establishes a new platform for developing personalized antibody therapies against a broad range of difficult-to-treat cancers, with further validation in animal models underway.

Salk scientists identify two cellular programs linked to age-related dysfunction, ferroptosis and senescence, are mechanistically linked through the enzyme acid ceramidase. The team finds that senescent “zombie” cells are more vulnerable to regulated cell death through ferroptosis and that they can pass that sensitivity on to neighboring cells. The observations suggest acid ceramidase could be a powerful therapeutic target for supporting healthy aging and preventing age-related diseases and disorders such as arthritis, dementia, and cancer.

Tumors can evade immune attack by manipulating the thymus, the organ where T cells are trained. Researchers from Japan discovered that specialized immune cells called plasmacytoid dendritic cells transport tumor antigens to the thymus, promoting immune tolerance to tumors. Disrupting this process in mice enhanced anti-tumor immunity and reduced tumor growth. The findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism of tumor immune evasion and identify CCR9 as a potential target for future cancer immunotherapies. 

Off-the-shelf and mass-producible immune cells fight solid human tumors engrafted into mice. The Kobe University development is a significant contribution towards faster and cheaper cancer immunotherapy.