Real-time biopsies uncover hidden response to glioblastoma therapy
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 11-Oct-2025 01:11 ET (11-Oct-2025 05:11 GMT/UTC)
Early clinical trial results show that serial brain biopsies reveal immune activity in brain cancer not captured by standard scans
A multi-institutional study from the Accelerating GBM Therapies Through Serial Biopsies TeamLab, led by investigators from the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, found that serially testing tumor samples can help detect when a cancer treatment is activating the immune system in recurrent glioblastoma (GBM), even when traditional imaging measures cannot. Their results are published in Science Translational Medicine.
Researchers from UC San Francisco (UCSF), have discovered that a novel combination of immunotherapies can reprogram the immune environment of colon cancer tumors that spread to the liver. In preclinical models, this therapy often eliminated tumors entirely, offering a potential new path for treating patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
A new study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that older adults receiving federal housing assistance were on average diagnosed at earlier stages with three common cancers—colon, breast, and non-small cell lung—compared to peer cancer patients who were not receiving assistance.
A study published in Nature by researchers at IRB Barcelona and the University of Washington shows that smoking and biological sex influence how mutated cells expand in healthy bladder tissue.
The findings may help explain why men and smokers are more likely to develop bladder cancer.
The novel approach used in this study reveals many more mutations than previously detected.
The research aims to pave the way for prevention and early detection tools in bladder cancer.
University of Calgary professor Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, PhD, is hoping to recruit up to ten thousand people from all over Canada to test their homes for radon and collect and send in their toenail clippings for analysis.
In a proof-of-concept (pilot) study published in Environment International, Goodarzi and co-principal investigator Dr. Michael Wieser, PhD, showed that measuring radioactive lead in toenails is a promising way to estimate a person’s long-term radon exposure.
The naturally occurring, odorless, colourless but radioactive gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking. Despite that, rules governing lung cancer screening programs in Canada can’t yet include radon exposure as one of risk criteria. The reason being few people can reliably report their radon exposure across decades like they can report the number of years they’ve smoked tobacco.
Breastfeeding until at least six months helps babies to fight off infections and reduces chronic inflammation, according to a new study. And better understanding the way specific nutrients in breast milk impact the immune system will improve health outcomes for all infants including those not breastfed.