Researchers at ITQB NOVA, in collaboration with IPO Lisboa, will seek new biomarkers to monitor the progression of the most aggressive types of breast cancer and help personalize treatment by studying how tumors “shut down” the immune system.

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have uncovered a key reason why immunotherapy has largely failed in pancreatic cancer — and identified a promising strategy to overcome that resistance. 

The study, published in the journal Immunity, shows that pancreatic tumors actively reshape their immune environment by co‑opting regulatory immune cells that normally shut down tumor-killing cells. By reprogramming those cells, the research reveals a potential pathway to make immunotherapy effective against one of the deadliest and most treatment‑resistant cancers. 

Breast cancer (BCA) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, with a high rate of mortality and morbidity in women. This review focuses on the applications of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and nanoparticles (NPs) in BCA, encompassing diagnosis and therapy. Nanotechnologies, nanocarriers, and nano-encapsulations versus their corresponding counterparts for BCA diagnosis and therapy have been discussed. Various drug formulations into different nanocarriers (lipid NPs, nanoemulsions, polymeric NPs, and metal-based NPs) enhanced their bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, overcoming the limitations of conventional formulations. Additionally, clinical specialists have achieved improved outcomes in the detection and monitoring of BCA at various stages using nanotechnology, ultimately leading to an improved quality of life for patients.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a critical subpopulation within tumors, drive cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, relapse, and resistance to therapy due to their innate capacity for self-renewal and differentiation. Although the molecular mechanisms controlling CSC biology are poorly understood, recent research highlights the pivotal regulatory role of non-coding RNAs—specifically long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)—in governing these processes.

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers found that occupational exposure to talc that is not contaminated with asbestos is not associated with an increase in the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, or laryngeal cancer.  The findings are published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the official journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.  Access the complete study here: https://www.jto.org/article/S1556-0864(26)00163-2/.

A new review reveals how focal adhesion kinase (FAK) acts as a central regulator of tumor progression and immune suppression in solid tumors. The study summarizes molecular mechanisms of FAK activation and highlights emerging combination therapies and next-generation inhibitors that could reshape future cancer treatment strategies.

Thanks to supercomputing, the research was able to analyze the activity of 20,000 genes in more than one million cells with unprecedented resolution, revealing different aging dynamics between men and women, which will be key to achieving precision medicine.

This study highlights that many characteristics of immune system aging that were previously considered universal actually present specific dynamics according to biological sex.