A research team from Sun Yat-sen University Sixth Affiliated Hospital has made a groundbreaking discovery in colorectal cancer (CRC) research, identifying a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) named ESSENCE (EGF Signal Sensing CAD's Effect; ENST00000415336) as a critical regulator of tumor progression. The study reveals that ESSENCE stabilizes a key metabolic enzyme, CAD (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamylase, and dihydroorotase), to promote cancer growth and suppress ferroptosis. The findings also propose a novel combination therapy targeting ESSENCE-high tumors, offering new hope for precision treatment.

A study published today in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship found that cancer survivors receiving high-cost immunotherapy treatments were more likely to face financial hardship, leading to increased instances of being unable to afford care and taking fewer medications due to cost.

The research, focusing on Medicare-enrolled patients, investigated the financial challenges faced by cancer survivors, particularly those receiving expensive immunotherapies.

“Although it’s well-known that many cancer patients experience financial hardship due to healthcare costs, there’s not much research available that specifically assesses the financial strain linked to immunotherapy treatments, particularly among Medicare enrollees,” said the study’s senior author Cathy Bradley, PhD, Dean of the Colorado School of Public Health on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. “As more therapies are developed and the cost of drugs continues to increase, it’s important to determine if patients, even those who are insured, can afford out-of-pocket costs or if these costs are becoming a barrier to access life-saving treatment.”

Metastatic cancer remains a major cause of death. MT1-MMP is a key enzyme facilitating cancer cells' invasion and spread. Researchers from Yunnan University have made a surprising discovery: the VPS35/Retromer complex regulates MT1-MMP levels through a dual mechanism, both stabilizing the MT1-MMP protein and increasing its transcription via the STAT3 pathway. This leads to increased MT1-MMP levels and accelerates melanoma metastasis. The findings offer a potential new therapeutic target for preventing or treating metastatic cancer.

Scientists have uncovered a key driver of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression—a metabolic enzyme called LPCAT1—and developed a targeted nanoparticle therapy to block it. By silencing LPCAT1, the treatment disrupts cancer cell energy production and halts tumor growth and lung metastasis in TNBC, the most aggressive breast cancer subtype. This breakthrough offers a promising new strategy for treating advanced TNBC, which currently has limited therapeutic options.

Research on diabetes, multiple myeloma, metastatic colorectal cancer, biomarkers for immunotherapy responses, heart health after pediatric cancer and a potential new treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia are highlighted in this spotlight