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Cancer trial drug may work differently than scientists believed, raising concerns for clinical research

Researchers found that the cancer drug zavondemstat and a closely related compound QC6352 do not primarily target KDM4, but instead work by blocking DHODH, an enzyme cancer cells rely on to produce molecules needed for rapid growth. This discovery highlights a broader challenge in cancer drug development, emphasizing the need for great...

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Chemical Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 6, 2026

ASTRO issues its first clinical guideline on radiation therapy for bladder cancer

For appropriately selected patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, preserving the bladder can be a curative treatment option, and trimodal therapy is recommended as an alternative to radical cystectomy. The guideline also provides guidance on radiation therapy after surgery and for patients with metastatic or symptomatic disease.

SourceAmerican Society for Radiation Oncology·JournalPractical Radiation Oncology·DateSep 16, 2026

Adjuvant immunotherapy shows no survival benefit for NSCLC patients achieving pCR after neoadjuvant treatment

A real-world observational study found no significant survival benefit from post-surgery immunotherapy in NSCLC patients with pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. The study suggests that these patients may already derive the maximum benefit from neoadjuvant therapy alone.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateSep 2, 2026

Aggressive breast cancer sets a trap for itself – and that is just where researchers intend to strike

A University of Helsinki research group has discovered a weakness in aggressive breast cancer cells that can be exploited, targeting the MYC protein's metabolic grip. By inhibiting energy production and glutamine uptake, researchers were able to slow breast cancer growth in mice, paving the way for new and personalised treatments.

SourceUniversity of Helsinki·JournalCell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 28, 2026

Cancer biosimilars associated with lower costs for insurers and patients, UCLA study finds

A UCLA study found that patients with cancer who used biosimilars had lower average monthly costs for insurers and patients, with savings of $3,820 for insurers and $39.50 for patients. The study also found that biosimilar entry led to lower prices and declining market share for the original branded biologic drugs.

Mount Sinai study finds chemotherapy-free treatment shows promise for some patients with metastatic breast cancer

A chemotherapy-free combination of targeted therapies showed encouraging results in patients with HR-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, offering a potential first-line treatment option. The regimen produced durable responses while maintaining a manageable safety profile for many patients.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 20, 2026

Preoperative chemo-immunotherapy more effective than immunotherapy alone in patients with head and neck cancer

A study published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery found that preoperative chemo-immunotherapy was more effective than immunotherapy alone in reducing tumor size in patients with head and neck cancer. The study analyzed data from 86 adults with head and neck cancer treated between July 2024 and March 2026, and showed that pat...

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalJAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery·DateAug 13, 2026

Chinese Neurosurgical Journal reviews explore blood–brain barrier-aware nanomedicines for glioblastoma

Recent research explores the use of nanomaterial-based drug delivery to increase treatment efficacy for glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor with poor prognosis. Stimuli-responsive and biomimetic nanomedicines are designed to overcome the blood–brain barrier and deliver drugs selectively within tumors.

SourceChinese Neurosurgical Journal·JournalChinese Neurosurgical Journal·TypeSystematic review·DateAug 12, 2026

Cancer medicine approvals in the US

A cross-sectional study examines trends in US FDA-approved cancer medicines for adult solid tumors between 2006 and 2025. The analysis reveals significant increases in approvals, particularly for original indication approvals.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA·DateJul 30, 2026

Chinese Medical Journal Review highlights stable CircRNAs as non‑invasive biomarkers for cancer detection and therapy

Circulating circRNAs show high cell-type and tissue specificity, making them ideal for non-invasive cancer management. They can be detected in multiple body fluids and reflect treatment response, positioning them as functional drivers of therapy resistance.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeLiterature review·DateJul 28, 2026

New approach to designing drugs supercharges cancer medication

Researchers have developed a new approach to designing drugs that can target multiple types of cancer cells, significantly improving treatment outcomes in mice. By self-assembling into two antibodies that bind together and attack multiple receptors, the modified antibody-drug conjugates outperformed standard treatments.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 15, 2026

New study finds common blood pressure drug boosts cancer treatment

A new study found that the common blood pressure medication telmisartan can significantly enhance the cancer-killing activity of olaparib, potentially expanding its use to many more patients. Telmisartan made tumors more vulnerable to PARP inhibitors, even when they lacked specific DNA repair defects.

SourceDartmouth Health·JournalJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2026

Elinzanetant reduces severity and frequency of hot flushes and night sweats, regardless of type of hormone treatment breast cancer patients receive

A new analysis shows elinzanetant effectively relieves moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with endocrine therapy, regardless of the type of hormone treatment. The drug reduces VMS frequency and severity by blocking a protein that triggers these symptoms.

SourceEuropean Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 25, 2026

Bursting cancer-seeking microbubbles to deliver deadly drugs

Researchers at Duke University have developed a technique using microbubbles and ultrasound to deliver large cancer drugs into cells, causing them to self-destruct. The technology, called SonoPIN, shows promise in precisely delivering therapeutics to cancer cells with minimal off-target effects.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 13, 2026

Deep-sea natural compound targets cancer cells through a dual mechanism

Researchers discovered yaku'amide B induces CD9 degradation, a cancer stem cell-related protein, in addition to inhibiting ATP synthase, leading to cellular energy depletion and cancer cell suppression. This natural compound has potential as a new therapeutic approach for cancer treatment.

SourceTokyo University of Agriculture and Technology·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2026

Chemotherapy candidate can marshall attention from the body’s natural defenses

Researchers discover a potential chemotherapy agent that causes cancer cells to release signals similar to those released by infected cells, triggering an immune response. This finding could lead to a new approach in cancer treatment, using lower doses of chemotherapy drugs to recruit the immune system as an ally.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2026

Multiple myeloma: Established cancer drug reactivates immunotherapy

Researchers have discovered a new mechanism by which an existing cancer drug can block the loss of BCMA molecules on cancer cells, allowing CAR T cell therapy to become effective again in some patients. The study shows that carfilzomib can prevent the degradation of BCMA and restore its presence on the surface of malignant plasma cells.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalBlood·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 11, 2026

New England Journal of Medicine publishes phase 3 PATINA trial data demonstrating a significant progression-free survival benefit with palbociclib in metastatic HR+, HER2+ breast cancer

The PATINA trial demonstrates a significant progression-free survival benefit with palbociclib in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer. The study showed a median progression-free survival of 44.3 months, compared to 29.1 months in the control arm.

SourcePrECOG, LLC·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJan 29, 2026

Researchers uncover how tumors become resistant to promising p53-targeted therapy

A Mass General Brigham study identifies new mutations that emerge in tumor cells following treatment, driving resistance in patients with different types of cancer. The researchers found two main categories of mutations: those impairing p53 function and others disrupting drug binding, highlighting a path forward for overcoming resistance.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalCancer Discovery·TypeObservational study·DateJan 12, 2026

Mathematicians tame cellular “noise” to control life at the single-cell level

Researchers create a novel mathematical framework to control biological noise, enabling precise single-cell control. The 'Noise Robust Perfect Adaptation' technology suppresses stochastic fluctuations while maintaining stable average behavior, with promising applications in cancer therapy and synthetic biology.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 2, 2026

Machine learning drives drug repurposing for neuroblastoma

A study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine has identified a combination of statins and phenothiazines that shows promise in treating aggressive neuroblastoma. The drug combination was found to impede tumour growth and improve survival rates in laboratory trials with mice.

SourceLund University·JournalEMBO Molecular Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 29, 2025

From inhibition to destruction – kinase drugs found to trigger protein degradation

A new study reveals that kinase inhibitors can accelerate the degradation of targeted proteins, which is not a rare quirk but a common mechanism. This discovery could help design better drugs that remove kinases altogether or explain unexpected effects of existing therapies.