Category: Cancer

Categories : CancerTags :

Exercise and Ibuprofen Lessen Cancer-related Brain Fog

On By ModernMedia

Phase II trial reveals that both – alone or in combination – can improve cognitive function in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

Up to 80% of people who receive chemotherapy experience cancer-related cognitive impairment, which most commonly involves mild-to-moderate changes such as difficulty paying attention, memory lapses, and struggles with multitasking. A new Phase II trial found that exercise and low-dose ibuprofen can each help to lessen cognitive problems and help protect patients’ cognitive function. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

Both exercise and anti-inflammatory medications can improve cognitive outcomes in a variety of disease settings, but little is known in the setting of cancer. Because exercise and ibuprofen both reduce inflammation through different pathways, their combined use could potentially have additive or synergistic effects on lessening cancer-related cognitive impairment. 

To investigate, researchers randomized 86 patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy who reported cognitive problems to four study arms for six weeks: Exercise for Cancer Patients (EXCAP) + low-dose ibuprofen, EXCAP + Placebo, low-dose ibuprofen only, and Placebo only. (EXCAP is a home-based, low-to-moderate intensity, progressive walking and resistance exercise prescription.) 

After six weeks, participants in the EXCAP + Placebo group demonstrated significantly better attention performance compared with the Placebo group. The ibuprofen-only group also showed greater improvements than the Placebo group. Compared with Placebo participants, both EXCAP + ibuprofen and EXCAP + Placebo participants exhibited improvements on a measure that assessed how often friends, family, or coworkers have commented on or noticed the patient’s cognitive difficulties. However, the ibuprofen group showed less improvement on a measure of short-term verbal memory compared with those not on ibuprofen, which needs to be further investigated.

The findings suggest that exercise can positively impact cognitive function in individuals receiving chemotherapy. Ibuprofen may also help improve some cognitive functions, but perhaps to a lesser (and less consistent) extent. Phase III trials are needed to explore these findings further.

“We are encouraged by the findings of this trial that suggest possible benefits of both interventions for some cognitive domains. Clearly, we saw a more pronounced effect with exercise, which is notable considering the multiple health benefits of exercise for cancer survivors,” said lead author Michelle C. Janelsins, PhD, MPH, of the University of Rochester and the Wilmot Cancer Institute. “This is one of the first studies specifically designed to assess these interventions for cancer-related cognitive impairment during chemotherapy in patients with multiple diseases using both performance-based cognitive assessments and patient-reported outcomes.”

Dr Janelsins noted that future studies should consider modifying the duration and dose of both the exercise and low-dose ibuprofen interventions. She also stressed that any intervention for cognitive problems should be discussed with a health care provider to ensure there are no contraindications.

Source: Wiley

Categories : CancerTags :

Common Genetic Marker May Guide New Treatment for Acute Leukaemia

On By ModernMedia
SAG Leukaemia. Credit: Scientific Animations CC0

A genetic alteration that is already routinely analysed in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia can be used to identify patients who respond to a new targeted therapy, according to a study published in the journal Discover Oncology.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer in which treatment outcomes vary widely between patients. In the new study, the researchers have identified a way to better select which patients may benefit from a drug that blocks the enzyme DCPS.

Some patients respond better to the treatment

The researchers show that AML patient samples with low levels of the protein FHIT are sensitive to DCPS inhibition. The proportion of patients with low FHIT levels varies between 5 and 24%, with the highest proportion seen in children. In the related blood disorder myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), around 36% of patients showed silencing of the FHIT gene.

The key finding is that patients with a mutation in the IDH2 gene often have low FHIT levels and respond better to DCPS-targeted treatment. Since IDH2 is already part of routine diagnostic testing at AML diagnosis, the marker can be used without introducing any additional tests.

“Many promising cancer drugs fail in clinical trials because they are tested in very broad patient groups,” says Francesca Grassi, doctoral student at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge and first author of the study. 

“By using a biomarker that is already available in healthcare, patient selection can be made both simpler and more precise,” says Francesca Grassi.

May lead to more targeted cancer treatment

The researchers tested 24 primary AML samples with the compound RG3039, which inhibits DCPS, and also analysed publicly available patient data to explore the link between FHIT levels and different genetic alterations.

“The IDH2 mutation captures the information we need to identify the right patients, without additional analyses. This could facilitate the planning of future clinical trials, particularly for patient groups with limited treatment options,” says Francesca Grassi.

The next step is to validate the findings in larger patient cohorts and to gain a deeper understanding of the biological link between IDH2 mutations and FHIT expression. In the longer term, the researchers hope that the results will support the design of a clinical trial of DCPS-targeted therapy in AML.

Source: Karolinska Institutet

Categories : CancerTags :

Age, Sex, and Cancer Type Influence Risk of Subsequent Cancers Among Survivors

On By ModernMedia

Findings may have implications for long-term cancer survivorship surveillance

Researchers assess the risk of developing a subsequent primary cancer based on demographic factors and cancer characteristics. Tara Winstead, Pexels (CC0, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

Risk of developing a subsequent primary cancer varied significantly by age at initial diagnosis, sex, and type of first cancer, according to a study by Oxana Palesh and Susan Hong and colleagues at Virginia Commonwealth University, U.S., published April 28th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine.

Advances in cancer detection and treatment have led to a growing population of cancer survivors. In the U.S., the number of cancer survivors is expected to grow by 22% over the next decade – from 18 million in 2025 to more than 22 million by 2035. Survivors remain at higher risk for developing new primary cancers distinct from their original diagnosis. This risk may be influenced by factors such as older age, exposure to radiation and/or chemotherapy and ongoing lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity and poor diet. Understanding who is at greater risk and how this risk changes over time can help to inform prevention and monitoring strategies.

Using retrospective data from more than 3 million cancer survivors in the U.S., researchers examined how demographic factors and cancer characteristics correlate with subsequent cancer risk. Several factors were associated with developing a subsequent cancer, including older age at initial diagnosis and male sex. In addition, survivors of lung, bladder, and skin melanoma were at higher risk of developing new cancer.

These findings reinforce the importance of long‑term survivorship care and risk‑based monitoring. By identifying survivor groups at heightened risk, studies like this can help to inform tailored prevention strategies, surveillance guidelines, and survivorship care planning as the cancer survivor population continues to grow.

First author Hui Cheng adds, “By examining nearly five decades of national data, we found population-level shifts in subsequent primary cancer risk, with several survivor groups experiencing rising risks. These findings can help design more tailored surveillance and prevention strategies.”

Provided by PLOS

Categories : Cancer Surgeries & ProceduresTags :

Innovative Surgery Cuts Ovarian Cancer Risk by Nearly 80% 

On By ModernMedia

New research shows that Canadian-developed surgical procedure dramatically reduces rates of the most lethal gynaecological cancer

Fallopian Tubes. Credit: Scientific Animations CC4.0 BY-SA

A prevention strategy developed by Canadian researchers reduces the risk of the most common and deadly form of ovarian cancer by nearly 80%, according to a new study published today in JAMA Network Open.

The strategy, known as opportunistic salpingectomy (OS), involves proactively removing a person’s fallopian tubes when they are already undergoing a routine gynaecological surgery such as hysterectomy or tubal ligation, commonly called “having one’s tubes tied”.

British Columbia in Canada became the first jurisdiction in the world to offer OS in 2010, after a team of researchers from UBC, BC Cancer and Vancouver Coastal Health designed the approach when it was discovered that most ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes rather than the ovaries. OS leaves a person’s ovaries intact, preserving important hormone production so there are minimal side effects from the added procedure.

The new study, led by a B.C.-based international collaboration called the Ovarian Cancer Observatory, provides the clearest evidence yet that the Canadian innovation saves lives.

“This study clearly demonstrates that removing the fallopian tubes as an add-on during routine surgery can help prevent the most lethal type of ovarian cancer,” said co-senior author Dr Gillian Hanley, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at UBC. “It shows how this relatively simple change in surgical practice can have a profound and life-saving impact.”

New hope against a deadly cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer. Approximately 3100 Canadians are diagnosed with the disease each year and about 2000 will die from it.

There is currently no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer, meaning that most cases are diagnosed at advanced stages when treatment options are limited and survival rates are low.

The OS approach was initially developed and named by Dr Dianne Miller, an associate professor emerita at UBC and gynaecologic oncologist with Vancouver Coastal Health and BC Cancer. She co-founded B.C.’s multidisciplinary ovarian cancer research team, OVCARE.

“If there is one thing better than curing cancer it’s never getting the cancer in the first place,” said Dr. Miller.

The new study is the first to quantify how much OS reduces the risk of serous ovarian cancer – the most common and deadly subtype of the disease. It builds on previous research demonstrating that OS is safe, does not reduce the age of menopause onset, and is cost-effective for health systems.

The study analysed population-based health data for more than 85 000 people who underwent gynaecological surgeries in B.C. between 2008 and 2020. The researchers compared rates of serous ovarian cancer between those who had OS and those who had similar surgeries but did not undergo the procedure.

Overall, people who had OS were 78% less likely to develop serous ovarian cancer. In the rare cases where ovarian cancer occurred after OS, those cancers were found to be less biologically aggressive. The findings were validated by data collected from pathology laboratories from around the world, which suggested a similar effect.

From B.C. innovation to global impact

Since its introduction in B.C. in 2010, OS has been widely adopted, with approximately 80 per cent of hysterectomies and tubal ligation procedures in the province now including fallopian tube removal.

Globally, professional medical organizations in 24 countries now recommended OS as an ovarian cancer prevention strategy, including the Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Canada, which issued guidance in 2015.

“This is the culmination of more than a decade of work that started here in B.C.,” said co- senior author Dr. David Huntsman, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and obstetrics and gynaecology at UBC and a distinguished scientist at BC Cancer. “The impact of OS that we report is even greater than we expected.”

The researchers say expanding global adoption of OS could prevent thousands of ovarian cancer cases worldwide each year.

“This is a powerful example of how UBC research is changing clinical practice worldwide and saving lives,” said Dr Sharmila Anandasabapathy, dean of the faculty of medicine and vice-president, health, at UBC. “It speaks to the strength of our researchers and clinicians working together to translate discovery into real-world impact for patients here at home and around the world.”

Extending OS to other abdominal and pelvic surgeries where appropriate could further increase the number of people who could benefit from the prevention strategy. B.C. recently became the first province to expand OS to routine surgeries performed by general and urologic surgeons through a project supported by the Government of B.C. and Doctors of BC.

“Our hope is that more clinicians will adopt this proven approach, which has the potential to save countless lives,” said Dr Huntsman. “Not offering this surgical add-on may leave patients unnecessarily vulnerable to this cancer.”

Brett Goldhawk

Source: University of British Columbia

Categories : CancerTags :

Triple-negative Breast Cancer Survival Nearly Doubled with New Treatment

On By ModernMedia

Results of a global, multicentre, phase III clinical trial indicate that datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) is effective in improving survival for untreated, advanced triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) 

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

A global, multicentre phase III trial, TROPION-Breast02, led by a senior medical oncologist and researcher from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, has demonstrated a significant breakthrough in improving the survival of patients with untreated, advanced triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) using the novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd). Published in the Annals of Oncology, the findings demonstrate the potential of Dato-DXd as an effective new treatment option for this aggressive disease.

“In the TROPION-Breast02 trial, first-line Dato-DXd demonstrated clinically meaningful and significant improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival for these TNBC patients, and a higher overall response rate compared with chemotherapy. As a medical oncologist treating triple-negative breast cancer patients for the past 20 years, I am deeply encouraged that this data shows we now have a much-needed new tool to help women affected by this devastating disease,” said lead investigator Prof Rebecca Dent, Deputy CEO (Clinical) and Senior Consultant in the Division of Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Centre Singapore.

The burden of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women globally. Approximately 10 to 20% of breast cancers are TNBC, an aggressive subtype that disproportionately affects young women under the age of 40. TNBC is associated with early recurrence, high likelihood of metastasis and shorter survival. In recent years, TNBC patients with PD-L1-positive tumours or germline BRCA mutations have been eligible for immunotherapy. However, 70% of TNBC patients are ineligible for immunotherapy and receive first-line chemotherapy treatment, which has modest and limited efficacy. Approximately half of patients with metastatic TNBC do not receive treatment beyond first-line chemotherapy, making it an urgent need to find new treatment options to improve clinical outcomes.

A new treatment for TNBC

To address this need, clinician-investigators from multiple centres around the world conducted the TROPION-Breast02 open-label, phase III clinical trial using Dato-DXd to treat TNBC. Dato-DXd is an ADC that delivers a potent cancer-killing drug directly to tumour cells by targeting the TROP2 protein. Currently, Dato-DXd is approved for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, but not TNBC.

In total, 644 TNBC patients were enrolled in TROPION-Breast02 across multiple sites across the globe including the United States, Canada, Europe, China, Korea, Japan and Singapore. Patients were randomly assigned to two treatment arms: intravenous Dato-DXd 6 mg/kg once every three weeks (323 patients) or the investigator’s choice of chemotherapy (321 patients). Patients had to be 18 and above to enrol, have locally recurrent inoperable or metastatic TNBC that was untreated, and be ineligible for treatment with immunotherapy.

Trial results showed that:

  • Progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer with Dato-DXd compared with chemotherapy: median PFS 10.8 months versus 5.6 months (nearly double) 
  • Overall survival (OS) was improved with Dato-DXd compared with chemotherapy: median OS 23.7 months versus 18.7 months 
  • Patients treated with Dato-DXd had an overall positive response rate to treatment of 63% compared to patients treated with chemotherapy who had an overall response rate of 29%. Median duration of response, or how long patients responded to treatment, was 12.3 months in the Dato-DXd arm and 7.1 months in the chemotherapy arm.

Dato-DXd’s most common drug-related adverse events were stomatitis (inflammation of tissue lining the mouth or lips), nausea, alopecia and neutropenia (lower levels of a type of white blood cell), whilst the most common for chemotherapy were alopecia, neutropenia and fatigue. Only 4% of patients on Dato-DXd stopped treatment due to drug-related adverse events compared to 7% of patients on chemotherapy.

What this means for TNBC patients

Not only did the trial find Dato-DXd to be an effective treatment for untreated, inoperable metastatic TNBC, but ASCENT-03, a separate, earlier phase III clinical trial of TROP2-directed ADC sacituzumab govitecan, also demonstrated improved PFS compared to chemotherapy. Combined, the results from TROPION-Breast02 and ASCENT-03 indicate that TROP2-directed ADCs are a promising class of drugs to treat TNBC.

The team is further evaluating Dato-DXd in phase III clinical trials to treat patients with Stage I-III TNBC with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant systemic therapy, Stage II-III triple-negative or hormone receptor (HR)-low, HER2-low or -negative breast cancer and metastatic TNBC PD-L1 expressed tumours.

Dato-DXd is currently under review as first-line treatment for unresectable, metastatic TNBC by the US Food and Drug Administration and the Singapore Health Sciences Authority.

Source: National Cancer Centre Singapore

Categories : CancerTags :

Treating Tumours Independently of Oxygen

On By ModernMedia
Graphical abstract by Montesdeoca et al., JACS 2026.

Most tumours grow so rapidly that vascular growth cannot keep up, and oxygen-depleted areas form within them. A new active agent could make it possible to treat them with photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic treatment of cancer is based on administering an initially inactive substance that is only activated in the tumour via targeted light irradiation. It then generates reactive oxygen species that kill the cancer cells. However, this method reaches its limits when no oxygen is present, as is the case with many fast-growing tumours. Professor Johannes Karges’ research group at Ruhr University Bochum has achieved a breakthrough that makes the treatment of such tumours possible: When oxygen is absent, an alternative action mechanism comes into effect. This uses hydrogen peroxide, a natural metabolic product of the cells. The researchers report their findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society from April 6, 2026.

An entirely new action mechanism

Photodynamic therapy, or PDT, is an established method for treating cancer and is widely used in clinical practice. Karges and his team have developed an entirely new action mechanism that functions independently of the oxygen concentration within the tissue: Light converts the ruthenium-based active agent into an excited electronic state. When oxygen is present, energy is transferred to molecular oxygen, creating singlet oxygen, which has a harmful effect on cells. “This process corresponds to the conventional, oxygen-dependent mechanism of photodynamic therapy,” says Karges.

When oxygen is absent, another mechanism comes into effect. The cause is the coordination of intracellular iron to the active agent. This interaction alters the electronic characteristics of the system such that instead of a transfer of energy, an ultra-fast, metal-to-metal transfer of electrons occurs from the excited ruthenium centre to the iron centre. The hydrogen peroxide is thereby converted into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. “Because hydrogen peroxide is a natural metabolic product of the cell, this process can occur independently of the molecular oxygen,” explains Karges. The hydroxyl radicals that have formed cause oxidative damage to central cellular structures and thus kill the cancer cells.

This means that the substance remains active even under severe conditions where past therapies have failed. In the current study, the researchers demonstrated this with breast cancer cells. “This method can be used for many different types of tumours, in principle,” says Karges. “However, we have not yet begun trying this out with human subjects and are working to develop this.”

Source: Ruhr University Bochum

Categories : Cancer Cardiovascular DiseaseTags :

New Study Finds Common Blood Pressure Drug Boosts Cancer Treatment

On By ModernMedia
Credit: Pixabay CC0

Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC) researchers have discovered that an existing, widely used blood pressure medication may help improve the effectiveness of certain cancer treatments – potentially expanding their use to many more patients and reducing toxicities.

In a new study led by clinician-scientist Tyler J. Curiel, MD, MPH, FACP, investigators found that the FDA-approved blood pressure drug telmisartan can significantly enhance the cancer-killing activity of the targeted cancer therapy olaparib.

“This study shows that a common, safe, convenient, tolerable, and inexpensive once-daily pill may significantly improve how well an important class of cancer therapies works,” said Curiel.

Exploiting cancer’s weakness

PARP inhibitor drugs, such as olaparib, work by exploiting weaknesses in how some cancer cells repair damaged DNA. PARP inhibitors are particularly effective in tumours with certain gene mutations. However, many tumours lack these mutations, limiting the number of patients who can benefit from these drugs. Cancers can also eventually develop resistance to PARP inhibitors.

In early studies, Curiel’s team discovered that when combined with olaparib, telmisartan can make tumours more vulnerable to PARP inhibitors, even when the tumours lack the gene mutations that usually make this type of drug effective.

The combination also stimulated an immune response within the tumour. Specifically, the combination of the two drugs fuelled the production of a type of molecule that helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer.

“This immune activation appears to be a key reason the combination works so well,” Curiel said.

Unique among blood pressure drugs

Telmisartan belongs to a class of medications called “angiotensin II receptor blockers” (ARBs), commonly prescribed to treat hypertension, or high blood pressure. But the DCC study found that the cancer-treatment-enhancing effects were unique to telmisartan among all of the ARBs tested.

Telmisartan also reduced levels of a protein inside tumour cells that cancers use to evade immune attack – further increasing its therapeutic potential.

“This study was about PARP inhibitors,” Curiel said. “But we also have a lot of evidence that telmisartan makes certain other chemotherapies and immunotherapies more effective through related mechanisms. Its potential could therefore extend to many other types of cancers and treatments.”

Bench to bedside: clinical trials

Telmisartan’s widespread use and high tolerability, even in people without high blood pressure, make it ideal for clinical use. Curiel’s team is already using the combination strategy in patients through two ongoing clinical trials at DCC.

One trial is for men with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. The first patient enrolled in the study experienced what Curiel described as an exceptional response to treatment. The second trial is in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, which just enrolled its first patient.

“We are encouraged by what we are seeing so far,” Curiel said. “We have multiple trials in development to determine whether this approach can help more patients benefit from more effective cancer treatments.”

Source: Dartmouth Cancer Center

Categories : Cancer Surgeries & ProceduresTags :

Liquid Nitrogen Saves Teen’s Leg in SA Medical First

On By ModernMedia

Patient’s own bone treated and reimplanted in breakthrough procedure

Medical first: Dr Herman Breet, Dr Jadine Du Plessis, and Dr Jaco Viljoen (left to right) performed South Africa’s first liquid nitrogen limb salvage surgery at Netcare Unitas Hospital this week.

Thursday, 16 April 2026: In a South African first, a Centurion-based surgeon has successfully performed a hip and limb salvage procedure using a liquid nitrogen dipping technique.

This pioneering approach, performed at Netcare Unitas Hospital in Tshwane this week, could significantly expand treatment options for certain patients with orthopaedic cancers, particularly those who would typically require removal of the affected bone and its replacement with a large prosthesis.

The operation saved the leg of a 15-year-old boy with Ewing’s sarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer. Standard treatment usually involves removing the cancerous section of bone and replacing it with either a large metal prosthesis or the patient’s own bone after irradiation to destroy cancer cells.

“When I explained that conventional surgery meant no more contact sports, I saw the devastation in his eyes – and in his father’s. That’s when I knew we had to try something different,” recalls Dr Jaco Viljoen, an orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in orthopaedic oncology.

“I’d been prepared for this exact scenario for ten years. When I mentioned there might be another way – a chance he could play sport again – their faces lit up,” says Dr Viljoen.

During the four-and-a-half-hour procedure, Dr Viljoen led a skilled team in removing a 24-centimetre section of the teenager’s femur (thigh bone) where the cancer had developed. Working alongside Dr Viljoen were assistants Dr Jadine Du Plessis and Dr Herman Breet, anaesthetist Dr Bianca Brits, and scrub nurses Registered Nurse Gloria Kgwete and Enrolled Nursing Assistants Leah Lekoane and Mahlatse Motheta.

The team treated the removed segment by immersing it in liquid nitrogen at -179°C to destroy cancer cells. The bone was then reimplanted, marking the first time this technique had been performed in South Africa.

“This kind of complex surgery is only possible with an exceptional team. Every person in that operating theatre played a crucial role in giving this young man his future back,” Dr Viljoen said.

Ewing’s sarcoma is the second most common bone tumour in children and adolescents, according to a recent study in The Lancet Oncology. This aggressive cancer primarily affects individuals aged 10 to 20, with about 80% of cases diagnosed before the age of 20. It most commonly arises in the long bones of the legs and arms, as well as in the pelvis and chest wall, accounting for 10 to 15% of all bone cancers. Without treatment, the disease progresses rapidly, making early intervention critical.

“A day after surgery, the patient was alert and showed good neurovascular function in the affected leg – promising early signs. He even managed a few assisted steps with his physiotherapist, Leonie De Lange. Follow-up tests will monitor how well the treated bone integrates, and we’re cautiously optimistic about his progress,” comments Dr Viljoen.

“This technique marks a significant departure from standard treatment. The traditional approach would have involved the complete removal of the affected bone, followed by a complex prosthetic reconstruction of the hip, which often limits long-term mobility and rules out a return to contact sports. A second alternative – irradiating the patient’s bone before reimplantation – can compromise bone integrity and increase the risk of non-union, often requiring further surgery. For this keen young rugby and cricket player, preserving his natural bone and joint function was a critical consideration,” he adds. 

The ideal solution stemmed from a Japanese technique Dr Viljoen had been holding in reserve. The sophisticated procedure, though developed by specialists in Japan more than a decade ago, is rarely performed worldwide – particularly not in patients with Ewing’s sarcoma – and requires exceptional precision. The extreme cold destroys cancerous tumours while preserving the bone’s architecture, allowing it to heal naturally once reimplanted and secured with surgical pins.

“We’ve effectively preserved his bone and hip joint. His own bone will regenerate and integrate with the surrounding tissue. For a young person, that’s game-changing, as his leg can continue to develop normally.

By preserving his natural anatomy, this procedure offers him the possibility of returning to full activity once healed. This technique offers hope of avoiding amputation in other clinically appropriate patients,” explains Dr Viljoen.

Dr Viljoen previously headed the Tumour, Sepsis and Limb Reconstruction Unit at Steve Biko Academic Hospital. A graduate of the University of Pretoria, he completed his orthopaedic specialisation in 2015 and now practises privately at Netcare Unitas Hospital and Netcare Montana Hospital.

“Dr Viljoen and his colleagues have added another chapter to South Africa’s legacy of medical excellence. But, this is about more than innovation – it’s proof that worldclass orthopaedic care happens right here at home, offering hope to patients facing life-altering conditions such as Ewing’s sarcoma,” adds Dr Erich Bock, managing director of Netcare’s hospital division.

“This is what sets exceptional healthcare apart – seeing the whole person, not just the disease. Dr Viljoen and his team haven’t just treated cancer – they’ve preserved a young man’s dreams. That is the true essence of person centred healthcare,” concludes Dr Bock.

Categories : CancerTags :

Anaemia Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

On By ModernMedia

Anaemia detected in healthcare is associated with an increased risk of both cancer and higher mortality. This is shown in a new population-based study from Karolinska Institutet, published in BMJ Oncology. The findings may help guide clinical follow-up of patients with anaemia in routine care.

Anaemia is common among patients in healthcare and is defined by haemoglobin levels below the normal range. In this study, the researchers analysed the association between newly detected anaemia and the risk of cancer and mortality, and examined whether different types of anaemia, classified by the size of red blood cells, play a role. 

The study is based on register data from the Stockholm Early Detection of Cancer Study (STEADY‑CAN) and includes almost the entire adult population of Stockholm County between 2011 and 2021. In total, just over 190 000 adults with newly detected anaemia were included, along with an equal number of age- and sex-matched individuals without anaemia. All participants were over 18 years of age and cancer-free at study entry. 

The participants were followed for up to 18 months after anaemia was detected. During this period, 6.2 per cent of men and 2.8 per cent of women with anaemia developed cancer. The corresponding figures among individuals without anaemia were 2.4 per cent and 1.1 per cent, respectively. Mortality was also higher in the group with anaemia. 

“We found that both the risk of cancer and the risk of death are highest during the first months after anaemia is detected, but that the increased risk persists later during follow-up as well,” says Elinor Nemlander, researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, and first author of the study. 

Type of anaemia matters 

The study also shows that the type of anaemia is important. Individuals with small red blood cells, known as microcytosis, had a particularly high risk of cancer, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract and the haematopoietic system. By contrast, individuals with large red blood cells, macrocytosis, showed a stronger association with increased mortality, but not with cancer to the same extent. Red blood cell size is measured using the laboratory value MCV, which is included in routine blood tests. 

“Our findings suggest that anaemia may be a sign of underlying disease rather than a condition in its own right. Blood tests that are already part of routine care can provide important information about which patients need closer follow-up,” says Elinor Nemlander. 

Source: Karolinska Institutet

Categories : Cancer ExerciseTags :

Metformin May Echo the Benefits of Exercise in Prostate Cancer Care

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

A new study has found that metformin may mimic one of exercise’s core biological effects in men with prostate cancer, raising levels of a molecule tied to energy balance and weight control even when patients are inactive. The findings suggest that metformin could help counter the metabolic strain of hormone therapy, when fatigue and other side effects often limit physical activity.

Led by physician-scientists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the study appears in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.

Exercise is one of the most reliable ways to support health during cancer treatment. It helps regulate weight, blood sugar, and cardiovascular health – factors that shape how patients feel during therapy and how well they recover afterward.

For many people with cancer, however, regular exercise isn’t always feasible. Fatigue, hormone therapy, pain, or advanced disease can limit physical activity precisely when metabolic health becomes most important.

That reality has led researchers to ask a practical question: If exercise confers its benefits through specific biological signals, could some of those signals be activated in other ways?

According to the research, the answer may be yes. Sylvester investigators report that metformin raises levels of a naturally occurring molecule involved in how the body manages energy and weight in prostate cancer patients.

The finding does not suggest that a pill can replace physical activity. Instead, it offers insight into the internal pathways that underlie exercise’s metabolic benefits – and how those pathways might still be engaged when movement is limited.

“This study reflects what’s possible when laboratory science, metabolic biology, and clinical investigation are intentionally brought together for transdisciplinary studies,” said Sylvester researcher and first author, Marijo Bilusic, MD, PhD, genitourinary medical oncologist and professor of medicine and medical oncology at the Miller School. “The result isn’t a new cancer biomarker, but a clearer understanding of how a widely used drug may support metabolic health during prostate cancer treatment – an outcome that matters to patients and clinicians alike.”

The molecule at the heart of the study

At the center of the collaborative, team-science study is a molecule called N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe). While its name is technical, its role is relatively simple.

Lac‑Phe is produced when the body is under metabolic demand. It forms when lactate, which accumulates during exertion, combines with phenylalanine, a basic building block of protein. Scientists first took notice of Lac‑Phe because its levels spike after intense exercise, coinciding with shifts in energy use and appetite regulation.

In preclinical and early human studies, higher Lac‑Phe levels have been associated with reduced appetite and improved weight control – two effects commonly linked to regular physical activity.

Lac-Phe does not rise only with exercise. Scientists observed elevated Lac-Phe levels in people taking metformin, even in the absence of physical activity. That overlap raised an important question for cancer care: Could a pathway typically associated with exercise be activated pharmacologically in patients whose treatments limit movement?

Why prostate cancer patients are a focus

To explore that question, the Sylvester team focused on prostate cancer, where hormone-based therapies are known to disrupt metabolism, contributing to weight gain, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk.

Notably, Lac-Phe levels in patients treated with metformin approximated those previously reported after strenuous exercise. This occurred even though patients were not exercising at the time of blood collection, and the effect persisted after hormone therapy began.

“From a clinical standpoint, seeing a metabolic signal that mirrors what we associate with intense exercise was striking,” said Bilusic. “For patients whose treatments or symptoms limit physical activity, that kind of effect could be especially meaningful.”

Higher Lac-Phe levels were not associated with anti-tumour response to metformin. The metabolite did not correlate with changes in prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a standard marker used to monitor prostate cancer.

What Lac-Phe might mean for patients

That distinction is central to the study’s interpretation. While more expanded studies are needed to determine the utility of Lac-Phe as a marker of anticancer efficacy, it appears to reflect how the body manages energy, weight and metabolic strain during treatment. These results were confirmed to ensure the findings were not limited to one clinical setting. In fact, increases were also observed in patients receiving other metabolic therapies, suggesting Lac-Phe may reflect a broader metabolic response rather than a drug‑specific effect.

“Cancer therapy often affects the body in ways that go beyond the tumour,” said Sylvester researcher Priyamvada Rai, PhD, co-leader, Tumor Biology Program and professor of radiation oncology at the Miller School. “Supporting metabolic health can influence how patients tolerate treatment and how they feel over time, even if it doesn’t directly change tumour growth. This study was an opportunity to investigate molecular pathways that can be therapeutically activated for better outcomes to treatments that induce metabolic stress.”

Metformin raises a stress hormone called GDF‑15, but this study found that Lac‑Phe was more closely tied to weight changes. Because the two didn’t rise together, metformin likely affects weight through multiple pathways, with Lac‑Phe playing a bigger role.

Taken together, the findings offer a clearer picture of how a widely used diabetes medication may influence metabolic health during prostate cancer care.

“What’s encouraging about this work is that it reminds us cancer care isn’t only about targeting tumours – it’s also about supporting the whole patient,” said Rai. “By better understanding how treatments affect metabolism, we can begin to identify ways to help patients maintain strength, resilience, and quality of life throughout their care.”

Source: University of Miami