Scientists are highlighting long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as promising targets in the effort to overcome one of cancer treatment’s most persistent challenges: therapeutic resistance. A comprehensive review published in Genes & Diseases examines how these RNA molecules can influence resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and explores their potential for improving treatment outcomes.

A new review in Genes & Diseases highlights FTO, an enzyme involved in RNA modification, as a potentially important biomarker and therapeutic target across gastrointestinal cancers. The article brings together current understanding of FTO in gastric, liver, colorectal and pancreatic cancers, revealing a complex role in which the enzyme can both promote and suppress cancer progression depending on biological context.

A deeper understanding of mitochondrial function could create new opportunities for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer. The complex relationship between mitochondrial dynamics, energy metabolism and cancer-cell survival is revealing potential targets that could support more personalized treatment strategies.

A new review published in Genes & Diseases highlights the expanding potential of DNA-based vaccines as a flexible platform for preventing infectious diseases, treating cancer and strengthening preparedness for future disease outbreaks. The article charts the evolution of DNA vaccination from early concepts in the 1990s to increasingly sophisticated technologies with applications across infectious disease, oncology and precision medicine.

Long-term tracking of nearly 160,000 people from across the United States suggests that brain cancer risk rises as exposure to radon increases.

For patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer, resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)—most often driven by MET amplification—remains a major clinical obstacle. Researchers have now developed a structure-guided rational design method that converts existing monoclonal antibodies into common-light-chain bispecific antibodies, without large-scale library screening. Applying this framework, the team generated ALK101, an EGFR×c-MET bispecific antibody with binding affinity and biological activity comparable to the approved benchmark amivantamab. ALK101 showed robust antitumor efficacy across multiple tumor models, including tumors resistant to first-, second-, and third-generation TKIs, together with favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles in non-human primates. The study establishes a generalizable route to accelerate bispecific antibody development and nominates ALK101 as a promising clinical candidate.