For the first time, researchers have used machine learning – a type of artificial intelligence (AI) – to identify the most important drivers of cancer survival in nearly all the countries in the world. The study, which is published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology, provides information on which improvements or policy changes can be made in each country that would have the greatest impact on improving cancer survival. By going to the online tool created by the researchers, anyone can find their country and scroll down to see which factors, such as national wealth, access to radiotherapy and universal health coverage, are most associated with cancer outcomes.

An international group of researchers has put together an easy-to-follow guide for parents and coaches to recognize concussions in young athletes and respond appropriately.

Nearly 15 percent of U.S. adults continue to smoke, often because long-term health risks feel too abstract compared with the immediate rewards. Jeff Stein, an addiction researcher at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, is leading a National Cancer Institute–funded study testing whether episodic future thinking — a strategy that helps people vividly imagine their personal future — can reduce impulsivity and support quitting. The fully remote study will enroll 128 participants nationwide and combine the intervention with counseling and nicotine patches.