Scientists at Silent Spring Institute have identified 485 chemicals used in pesticide products that could increase breast cancer risk. The list includes active ingredients as well as hundreds of so-called “inert” or inactive ingredients, which typically evade safety testing. The findings could inform policies to strengthen how pesticides are regulated in the U.S. and ensure that pesticide formulations are properly evaluated for their potential to cause breast cancer.

A retrospective study of 388 patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-related diarrhea finds that low fecal elastase levels often accompany intestinal inflammation yet were associated with similar diarrheal outcomes compared with normal levels. The results suggest low elastase likely reflects stool dilution rather than true pancreatic insufficiency, supporting fecal fat testing before initiating pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

Targeting how cancer cells adapt and survive in nutrient-deprived environments could slow tumour growth and make existing treatments more effective, according to new University of Sheffield research.

A randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Internal Medicine demonstrated that an advisory letter containing the results of a pharmacist-led comprehensive medication review sent to physicians can decrease common medication problems among older cancer patients during rehabilitation.

A five-year, $3.46 million grant from the National Cancer Institute recently was awarded to The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and the University of California San Francisco. The grant will help researchers study why some patients with acute myeloid leukemia respond to treatment while others don't. The findings could help doctors predict which patients will benefit from certain therapy before treatment even begins.

A large prospective study published today in Nature Medicine found that a blood test designed to detect multiple cancers identified cancer signals across 17 broad cancer types, such as ovarian, lung, breast and colorectal cancers, and many which do not have recommended screening tests.