New research shows that X and Y chromosomes drive risk of diseases, including cancer, independent of hormones. Understanding these mechanisms could drive sex-aware medicine.         

A new study by scientists at City of Hope and TGen found surprisingly large differences in the number of mutations present in organs of healthy individuals. Some study participants had a similar number of mutations as is typically found in cancer patients. These results provide an explanation for why some individuals ultimately end up with cancer, opening the door to improved approaches for cancer risk assessment and prevention.

Glioma brain tumors are diffuse, so surgeons usually cannot excise all of the cancer during surgery. Currently, surgeons remove as much of the tumor as they can and then analyze the borders of the tumor after surgery. Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new method in which mass spectrometry could be used during surgery to evaluate tissue. This information could help guide the surgical team’s decisions, increasing the amount of cancerous tissue they are able to remove and improving the patient’s outcomes.