A research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has made a breakthrough in gastric cancer research, revealing how the ‘second brain’—nerves in the digestive system, also known as enteric neurons—influences tumour growth and treatment responses. The study reveals that these enteric neurons increase gastric cancer cells’ reliance on lipids (i.e., fatty acids and cholesterol) for survival. When cancer cells are infiltrated by neurons, targeting this metabolic vulnerability with cholesterol pathway inhibitors can enhance cancer cell death by 6.3 times. This discovery opens new avenues for developing personalised therapies for gastric cancer. The findings were published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Scientists have developed a new computational tool that maps multi-gene pathways more comprehensively than ever before.

The study uncovered a previously unknown protein pathway that, when blocked, kills blood cancer cells.

The discovery could lead to new therapies for patients with drug-resistant blood cancers.

According to a new study, lower doses of approved immunotherapy for malignant melanoma can give better results against tumors, while reducing side effects. This is reported by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Patients undergoing treatment for lymphoma often experience adverse side effects that can be so severe that they stop or slow treatment. But a new study shows that a virtual program focusing on diet and exercise is a feasible strategy for minimizing the side effects of cancer therapies and increasing treatment retention.