New study shows that in women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, their breast cells already carry a clear pattern of DNA “damage spots” long before any tumor appears. These weak points tend to sit on important cancer-related genes and look very similar to what is later seen in actual breast cancer. In the future this could help doctors detect cancer much earlier and maybe even stop it before it starts.

From 1990 to 2021, global leukemia prevalence increased, whereas overall DALYs declined, indicating divergent trends between disease occurrence and health burden. Leukemia burden exhibited substantial heterogeneity across age, sex, subtype, and sociodemographic levels, with a pronounced bimodal age pattern and consistently higher burden in males. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia was the most prevalent subtype, while acute myeloid leukemia accounted for the largest share of DALYs; marked burden reductions were observed for ALL and CML. Burden decreased in high-SDI regions but continued to rise in low-SDI settings, highlighting persistent global inequalities in leukemia care. High body mass index, tobacco use, and occupational carcinogen exposure were key modifiable risk factors, and therapeutic advances likely contributed to DALY reductions, though benefits remain unevenly distributed.

Cancer cachexia is commonly present in various cancers, including live, pancreatic, gastroesophageal, and bile duct cancers, and is associated with chemotherapy toxicity. M-MDSC induces mTEC apoptosis and impairs T cell negative selection, which leads to autoimmune T-cell infiltration of normal organs and serves as a prerequisite for the occurrence of irAEs. In addition, irAEs patients have higher levels of circulating M-MDSCs. M-MDSCs associated with cancer cachexia can serve as potential predictive biomarkers for irAE in advanced cancer patients.

This review highlights how natural polysaccharide-based microneedles (PMNs) are emerging as a transformative platform for cancer immunotherapy. We report their unique dual role in drug delivery and immune regulation, the innovative use of 3D printing for precision fabrication, and their smart responsiveness to the tumor environment. By integrating biocompatibility, enhanced drug loading, and controlled release, polysaccharide-based microneedles (PMNs) offer a promising strategy to overcome challenges in traditional cancer immunotherapies, potentially supporting the development of more effective and personalized treatments.

Exosomes facilitate cell-to-cell communication and are involved in key biological processes. Understanding the mechanisms regulating exosome production could offer new therapeutic insights for various diseases. Here, Prof. Zhong’s team demonstrates that exosome secretion is significantly inhibited when glucose is replaced with galactose as the primary carbon source in the culture medium. This glycometabolic regulation of exosome secretion is dependent on the cellular hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). Inhibition of HBP via gene knockdown, pharmacological blockade, or metabolite deprivation markedly suppresses exosome secretion. Mechanistically, HBP regulates multivesicular body (MVB) outward trafficking and its fusion with the plasma membrane via synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP25). O-GlcNAcylation of SNAP25 promotes soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex assembly, thereby facilitating exosome release. In summary, these findings reveal a critical role of HBP and protein O-GlcNAcylation in exosome secretion, which may provide new therapeutic targets for exosome-associated diseases, including cancer and inflammatory disorders.