Copper has been clinically improving the lives of people since about 1500 BCE, when an Egyptian physician first recorded its use as a treatment for inflammation. Some 35 centuries later, researchers have provided solid evidence that the first metal used medicinally may now have a new role — helping save children from a devastating central nervous system cancer known as medulloblastoma.

Researchers have identified a key molecule in certain kinds of breast cancers that prevent immune cells from entering tumors and killing the cancer cells inside. This research could pave the way toward a new treatment for certain kinds of aggressive breast cancer.

A new machine learning model accurately predicts whether immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), a growing class of immunotherapy drugs, will be effective in patients diagnosed with a wide variety of cancers. The forecasting tool assesses multiple patient-specific biological and clinical factors to predict the degree of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and survival outcomes. It markedly outperforms individual biomarkers or other combinations of variables developed so far, according to new findings.

Researchers have shown that a prostate cancer urine test can identify men at ‚intermediate risk‘ who can safely avoid immediate treatment and benefit from ‚active surveillance‘ instead. Previously, the team’s Prostate Urine Risk (PUR) test could identify men with high and low risk cancers. But thanks to some fine-tuning, it can now help men with intermediate-risk disease – for whom treatment options had been less clear.

In a breakthrough for the treatment of aggressive solid cancers, researchers have developed a novel cancer therapy that targets proteins inside cancer cells that are essential for tumor growth and survival but have been historically impossible to reach. Using the power of large data sets and advanced computational approaches, the researchers were able to identify peptides that are presented on the surface of tumor cells and can be targeted with ‚peptide-centric‘ chimeric antigen receptors (PC-CARs), a new class of engineered T cells, stimulating an immune response that eradicates tumors.

A researcher found that artificial intelligence can accurately detect and diagnose colorectal cancer from tissue scans as well or better than pathologists, according to a new study.

Researchers have developed a new test to more easily diagnose medulloblastoma, the most common malignant childhood brain tumor. The test — which can distinguish between extremely high-risk medulloblastoma cases that need radiation therapy from those that are lower-risk and do not need radiation — could help pave the way for personalized treatment options for children suffering from the disease. It relies on an antibody-based technique called immunohistochemistry which is widely available in clinical laboratories around the world.

A new study adds to the evidence that chemotherapy enhances cancer’s spread beyond the primary tumor, showing how one chemo drug allows breast cancer cells to squeeze through and attach to blood vessel linings in the lungs.

A decade ago, genome sequencing revealed a big surprise: about 50 percent of human cancers are linked to mutations in what are known as epigenetic regulators, which control the activity of genes. Medical researchers have now developed a new drug-like molecule that can counteract the effects of mutated epigenetic regulators, which are known to drive certain types of cancer including lymphoma.

Pioneering research shows that acinar cells in the pancreas form new cell types to mitigate injury but are then susceptible to cancerous mutations.

Researchers have designed a way to selectively turn on gene expression in target cells, including human cells. Their technology can detect specific mRNA sequences, which triggers production of a specific protein.

Researchers have shown for the first time that diet-associated molecules in the gut are associated with aggressive prostate cancer, suggesting dietary interventions may help reduce risk. While more research will be necessary, the study’s lead author says findings from the team’s analysis of nearly 700 patients may have clinical implications for diagnosing and preventing lethal prostate cancer.

Research has shed new light on the way malignant cells change their shape and migration techniques to invade different types of tissue.

Scientists have developed a computer-aided data tool that could improve treatment for a range of illnesses.

Findings show that cell-free DNA in cerebrospinal fluid can be used to detect measurable residual disease and identify patients at risk of relapse.

Molecular targets for therapies that could prevent breast cancer recurrence have been identified by a group of scientists who analyzed tumor cells that proved resistant to the original treatment. Recent advances in early detection and targeted therapy have led to a growing success in treating breast cancer upon first presentation. This often is achieved by silencing tumor driving oncogenes and causing tumor regression.

A non-toxic, bacteria-based system can detect when it is inside a cancer cell and then release its payload of therapeutic drugs directly into the cell. The work could lead to effective, targeted therapies for currently untreatable cancers, such as liver or metastatic breast cancer.

A new model sheds light on the function of a protein that is a major player in cancer growth, and their results could one day help researchers determine better ways to stop the spread of cancer.

Researchers have discovered a new way to jump-start the immune system to attack tumors, which could allow cancer immunotherapy to be used against more types of cancer.

Researchers have used high-density nanofibers that mimic the microenvironment of the brain to capture tumor cells, opening doors to novel therapeutic solutions for aggressive brain cancer.

Researchers have made recommendations for clinicians and patients regarding supplemental screening for women with dense breast tissue.

Men who inherit an increased risk of cancer through ‚Lynch syndrome‘ could benefit from regular PSA testing from age 40 to detect early signs of prostate cancer, researchers believe. Annual PSA tests were eight times more likely to spot cancer in men with genetic hallmarks of Lynch syndrome than those without. Experts say evidence could be incorporated into a targeted screening program in future.

Researchers describe a new liquid biopsy method using lab-on-a-chip technology that they believe can detect cancer before a tumor is even formed. Using magnetic particles coated in a specially designed bonding agent, the liquid biopsy chip attracts and captures particles containing cancer-causing biomarkers. A close analysis can identify the type of cancer they are carrying. This, the researchers say, can significantly improve cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Researchers fabricate gold nanoparticles with a rapidly decaying radioisotope that can be internalized by cancer cells. Because the radiation remains strongly localized, high doses can be administered without concern for side effects. This research may lead to safer and more effective treatments for many types of cancer.

If Black women begin mammography screening every other year starting at age 40, breast cancer deaths could be reduced by 57 percent compared to starting screening 10 years later according to recent analyses.