Cancer News

October 17, 2025

Top Headlines

This Common Liver Supplement Could Boost Cancer Treatment Success

Oct. 17, 2025 — Salk Institute scientists discovered that bile acids in the liver can weaken immune cell function, making immunotherapy less effective against liver cancer. They pinpointed specific bile acids that suppress T cells and found that supplementing with ...

They Found the Switch That Makes the Body Attack Cancer

Oct. 16, 2025 — Scientists have found a way to transform hard-to-treat tumors into targets for the immune system. Using two protein stimulators, they activated strong T-cell and B-cell responses and built immune structures inside tumors that improved survival and ...

Supercharged Vitamin K Could Help the Brain Heal Itself

Oct. 14, 2025 — Researchers have synthesized enhanced vitamin K analogues that outperform natural vitamin K in promoting neuron growth. The new compounds, which combine vitamin K with retinoic acid, activate the mGluR1 receptor to drive neurogenesis. They also ...

This New Blood Test Can Catch Cancer 10 Years Early

Oct. 13, 2025 — Scientists at Mass General Brigham have created HPV-DeepSeek, a blood test that can detect HPV-linked head and neck cancers nearly a decade before diagnosis. By finding viral DNA in the bloodstream, the test achieved 99% sensitivity and specificity. ...

This Experimental “Super Vaccine” Stopped Cancer Cold in the Lab

Oct. 13, 2025 — UMass Amherst researchers have developed a groundbreaking nanoparticle-based cancer vaccine that prevented melanoma, pancreatic, and triple-negative breast cancers in mice—with up to 88% remaining tumor-free. The vaccine triggers a multi-pathway ...

MIT’s “Stealth” Immune Cells Could Change Cancer Treatment Forever

Oct. 11, 2025 — MIT and Harvard scientists have designed an advanced type of immune cell called a CAR-NK cell that can destroy cancer while avoiding attack from the body’s own immune defenses. This innovation could allow doctors to create “off-the-shelf” ...

Bacteria Hidden Inside Tumors Could Help Beat Cancer

Oct. 7, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that bacteria living inside tumors can produce a molecule that fights cancer and enhances chemotherapy. The molecule, called 2-methylisocitrate (2-MiCit), was found to make colorectal cancer cells more vulnerable to ...

Brain Cancer That Eats the Skull Stuns Scientists

Oct. 5, 2025 — A new study shows glioblastoma isn’t confined to the brain—it erodes the skull and hijacks the immune system within skull marrow. The cancer opens channels that let inflammatory cells enter the brain, fueling its deadly progression. Even drugs ...

Scientists Discover Hidden Protein That Switches Off Hunger

Oct. 5, 2025 — Researchers have uncovered how a protein called MRAP2 acts as a key regulator of hunger. It helps move the appetite receptor MC4R to the cell’s surface, allowing it to send stronger “stop eating” signals. The discovery offers new hope for ...

The Vitamin D Mistake Weakening Your Immunity

Oct. 4, 2025 — Scientists discovered that vitamin D2 supplements can lower levels of vitamin D3, the form the body uses most effectively. Unlike D2, vitamin D3 enhances the immune system’s first line of defense against infections. This raises questions about ...

This “Chaos Enzyme” May Hold the Key to Stopping Cancer Spread

Oct. 4, 2025 — A Weill Cornell Medicine team has found that triple-negative breast cancer depends on the enzyme EZH2 to spread. By silencing key genes, EZH2 drives chaotic cell divisions and fuels metastasis. Blocking EZH2 restored stability and prevented cancer ...

A Common Supplement Could Supercharge Cancer Treatments

Oct. 1, 2025 — Zeaxanthin, best known for eye health, has been found to boost the tumor-killing power of T cells. Researchers showed it strengthens T-cell receptors, enhances immune signaling, and improves the effects of immunotherapy. Found naturally in foods ...

Latest Headlines

updated 8:55am EDT

Exercise Might Be the Key to a Younger, Sharper Immune System

Oct. 14, 2025 — Endurance exercise may train the immune system as much as the muscles. Older adults with decades of running or cycling had immune cells that functioned better and aged more slowly. Their inflammation ...

A Toxic Alzheimer’s Protein Could Be the Key to Fighting Cancer

Oct. 10, 2025 — A surprising link between Alzheimer’s and cancer reveals that amyloid beta, a harmful protein in the brain, actually empowers the immune system. It strengthens T-cells’ energy production, helping ...

The Hidden Iron Switch That Makes Cancer Cells Self-Destruct

Sep. 29, 2025 — Scientists discovered that inhibiting the enzyme STK17B forces multiple myeloma cells into iron-driven death and makes therapies more effective. Early mouse studies show strong potential for a new ...

Scientists Uncover How to Block Pain Without Side Effects

Sep. 26, 2025 — Scientists have discovered a way to block pain while still allowing the body’s natural healing to take place. Current painkillers like ibuprofen and aspirin often come with harmful side effects ...

Dementia-Like Clumps Found in Cells Before Cancer Strikes

Sep. 22, 2025 — Researchers found that pancreatic pre-cancer cells mimic dementia by forming clumps of proteins due to faulty recycling processes. These insights could shed light on why pancreatic cancer develops so ...

A Hormone That Silences the Immune System May Unlock New Cancer Treatments

Sep. 22, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that cancer uses a hidden hormone to switch off the body’s natural defenses, allowing tumors to grow unchecked. By uncovering this secret signal, they found a way to ...

Rogue DNA Rings May Be the Secret Spark Driving Deadly Brain Cancer

Sep. 17, 2025 — Rogue DNA rings known as ecDNA may hold the key to cracking glioblastoma’s deadly resilience. Emerging before tumors even form, they could offer scientists a crucial early-warning system and a ...

Blood Test Spots Hidden Mesothelioma That Scans Can’t See

Sep. 11, 2025 — New research suggests that immunotherapy given before and after surgery could help patients with diffuse pleural mesothelioma, one of the most challenging cancers to treat. A phase II clinical trial ...

Blocked Blood Flow Makes Cancer Grow Faster

Sep. 11, 2025 — Researchers at NYU Langone Health discovered that cutting off blood flow accelerates cancer growth by prematurely aging the bone marrow and weakening the immune system. In mouse models, restricted ...

A Common Supplement Could Reverse the Hidden Harm of Sucralose

Sep. 6, 2025 — Sucralose, the sugar substitute in many diet products, may weaken cancer immunotherapy by altering gut bacteria and reducing arginine levels needed for immune cells. But supplementation with arginine ...

Earlier Headlines

Scientists Discover How to Wipe out Breast Cancer’s Hidden Cells

Sep. 2, 2025 — Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have shown for the first time that it’s possible to detect dormant cancer cells in breast cancer survivors and eliminate them with repurposed drugs, ...

How Long Can One RSV Shot Protect Seniors? Study Shows Surprising Two-Year Shield

Sep. 1, 2025 — A single RSV vaccine dose is proving to be a powerful shield for older adults, significantly reducing hospitalizations and severe illness over two consecutive RSV seasons. While protection is ...

Hidden Viruses in Our DNA Could Be Medicine’s Next Big Breakthrough

Sep. 3, 2025 — Scientists have decoded the 3D structure of an ancient viral protein hidden in our DNA. The HERV-K Env protein, found on cancer and autoimmune cells, has a unique shape that could unlock new ...

The Hidden DNA Organizer Linking Fertility and Cancer

Aug. 26, 2025 — Scientists at Kyoto University have uncovered a hidden protein complex that organizes DNA in sperm stem cells, a discovery that reveals surprising ties between fertility and cancer. When this ...

Tiny Green Tea Beads Trap Fat and Melt Away Pounds Without Side Effects

Aug. 24, 2025 — Researchers have created plant-based microbeads that trap fat in the gut, helping rats lose weight without side effects. Unlike current drugs, the beads are safe, tasteless, and easy to mix into ...

Scientists Uncover Sugar Pathway Driving Aggressive Childhood Cancer

Aug. 20, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a hidden weakness in one of the deadliest childhood cancers. The tumors, which spread quickly and are notoriously hard to treat, rely on a sugar-processing pathway to ...

Trojan Horse Bacteria Sneak Cancer-Killing Viruses Into Tumors

Aug. 17, 2025 — Scientists have engineered a groundbreaking cancer treatment that uses bacteria to smuggle viruses directly into tumors, bypassing the immune system and delivering a powerful one-two punch against ...

Lithium Deficiency May Be the Hidden Spark Behind Alzheimer’s

Aug. 29, 2025 — Harvard scientists have uncovered that lithium, a naturally occurring element in the brain, may be the missing piece in understanding Alzheimer’s. Their decade-long research shows that lithium ...

Hidden Gene in Leukemia Virus Could Revolutionize HIV Treatment

Aug. 2, 2025 — Scientists in Japan have discovered a genetic "silencer" within the HTLV-1 virus that helps it stay hidden in the body, evading the immune system for decades. This silencer element ...

The 30-Minute Workout That Could Slash Cancer Cell Growth by 30%

Aug. 13, 2025 — A vigorous workout can spark anti-cancer proteins, cut cancer cell growth, and help survivors fight recurrence by reducing inflammation and improving body ...

Breakthrough Lung Cancer Treatment Supercharges Immune Cells With Mitochondria

Aug. 3, 2025 — Scientists have found a way to supercharge lung cancer treatment by transplanting healthy mitochondria into tumors, which both boosts immune response and makes chemotherapy far more effective. By ...

This Vaccine Uses Dental Floss Instead of Needles

Aug. 3, 2025 — Scientists have discovered that flossing between your teeth could one day help vaccinate you. By targeting a uniquely permeable gum tissue called the junctional epithelium, this new method stimulates ...

Max-Dose Statins Save Lives—here’s Why Doctors Are Starting Strong

July 30, 2025 — Potent statins are the best-proven weapon against heart disease, especially when paired with lifestyle changes. Most people aren’t active enough—and many are underdiagnosed—so starting ...

The 0.05% RNA Process That Makes Cancer Self-Destruct

July 30, 2025 — A group of Australian scientists has uncovered a new way to fight some of the toughest cancers by targeting an overlooked cellular process called minor splicing. This tiny but vital mechanism turns ...

Can AI Predict Cancer? New Model Uses Genomics to Simulate Tumors

July 27, 2025 — A team of scientists has developed a remarkable new approach to modeling how cells behave over time—using a digital "forecast" much like predicting the weather. By combining patient ...

This Common Fruit Has Over 1,600 Compounds That Boost Brain, Heart, and Gut Health

Aug. 5, 2025 — Fresh grapes contain a potent mix of over 1,600 compounds that benefit heart, brain, skin, and gut health. New evidence suggests they deserve official superfood recognition, with benefits even at the ...

Starving Tumors Makes Cancer Treatment Work Better

Aug. 5, 2025 — Pancreatic cancer cells are known for being hard to treat, partly because they change the environment around them to block drugs and immune cells. Scientists discovered that these tumors use a ...

The Plant Virus That Trains Your Immune System to Kill Cancer

July 25, 2025 — A virus from humble black-eyed peas is showing extraordinary promise in the fight against cancer. Unlike other plant viruses, the cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) can awaken the human immune system and ...

Breakthrough: How Radiation Helps the Immune System Kill Cancer

July 23, 2025 — Radiation therapy, once thought of mainly as a local cancer treatment, is now showing power to awaken the immune system in surprising ways. Researchers discovered that combining radiation with ...

Reversing Alzheimer's Damage: Two Cancer Drugs Demonstrate Surprising Power

July 31, 2025 — In an exciting breakthrough, researchers have identified cancer drugs that might reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease in the brain. By analyzing gene expression in brain cells, they ...