Recent research from U-M Medical School uncovers more clues about the risk conferred by variants in a gene linked to colon cancer, called MUTYH, the normal function of which is to repair DNA.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies of the female reproductive system and ranks among the three primary types of gynecological cancers. Recent trends indicate a rising incidence of EC in younger patients, highlighting the urgent need for effective early screening strategies. This review examines the challenges associated with early diagnosis and screening, including ambiguous methodologies (e.g., transvaginal ultrasound: sensitivity 80–90%, specificity 60–70%), undefined target populations, and the absence of efficient, cost-effective, minimally invasive solutions (e.g., cytology sensitivity ≤50% in community settings). The article provides an overview of the current landscape and emerging innovations in universal EC screening, highlighting advancements in early detection and diagnosis, such as DNA methylation panels (sensitivity 89–94%, specificity 91–97% in phase II trials) and vibrational spectroscopy (sensitivity 92%, specificity 88% in pilot studies). Additionally, future directions for implementing effective screening strategies are explored, emphasizing the potential of high-accuracy biomarkers and scalable technologies to reduce mortality and healthcare costs.

A new UNLV study by a team of chemical biologists, published in Advanced Materials, details a way to selectively route mRNA to the pancreas by using the body’s own endogenous pathways – systems responsible for moving materials through the body.

Drug sensitivity analysis is crucial for precision cancer therapy. We developed CPADS, a web tool integrating transcriptomic data from 29,000+ samples (44 cancers, 288 drugs, 9,000+ gene perturbations). It enables differential expression, pathway, drug, and gene perturbation analyses with interactive visualization. CPADS aids researchers in exploring drug resistance mechanisms at gene/pathway levels. Access: https://smuonco.shinyapps.io/CPADS/ or https://robinl-lab.com/CPADS.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have shown for the first time that a type of human papillomavirus (HPV) commonly found on the skin can directly cause a form of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) when certain immune cells malfunction. cSCC is one of the most common cancers in the United States and worldwide. Previously, scientists believed HPV merely facilitated the accumulation of DNA mutations caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, usually the primary driver of cSCC. The findings were published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

This review synthesizes current knowledge on the triggers and characteristics of T cell senescence in the tumor microenvironment (TME), elucidates how senescent T cells interact with other immune cells, and assesses the impact of these cells on tumor prognosis. In addition, this review systematically examines targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of T cell senescence on cancer treatment.