Cancer

A new NHS gene database of 120 cancer-linked genes will help patients in England and their families assess their cancer risk, the health service says. People will be able to have their genetic information compared with the register, which NHS England has described as a world first. Those identified as having an inherited risk will [...]

A simple DNA test using circulating tumour DNA could forecast how advanced breast cancer responds to treatment, enabling earlier switches to options more likely to work, researchers say. The test analyses circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) (tiny fragments of cancer DNA in the blood) to indicate whether a patient is likely to benefit from a specific [...]

The Femtech World Awards are set to recognise the people, organisations and innovations revolutionising how we treat and diagnose cancer in women. Now in its third year, the Femtech World Awards celebrates the very best of female-led and focused health innovation, spanning menopause, fertility, cardiovascular disease and beyond. The Women's Cancer Innovation award will honour [...]

Chemotherapy may reduce ovarian function and fertility in women, a recent study suggests. The research examined how cancer treatment affects ovarian tissue, hormone production and ovarian reserve (the egg supply available for reproduction). The authors found that some chemotherapy drugs can trigger oxidative stress (cell damage from unstable molecules) and apoptosis (programmed cell death) in [...]

The Magtrace lymphatic tracer has become the latest Endomag device to receive EU Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR) certification, marking the final step in securing approval across the full Endomag surgical platform. This announcement follows the approval of the Magseed marker in October 2025, meaning that all technologies across the Sentimag portfolio have now been [...]

Researchers have identified a potential treatment target for triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive form of breast cancer. The study found that PUF60 helps cancer cells grow and survive by controlling how key genes are spliced (the editing of genetic instructions before proteins are made). In models of triple-negative breast cancer, disrupting PUF60 caused widespread [...]

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has proposed age-based thresholds for ovarian cancer screening to help identify women at higher risk earlier. Previously, testing has used a blood test for cancer antigen 125 (CA125), a protein marker linked to ovarian cancer, with women showing 35 IU/mL or above referred for checks regardless [...]

Analysis of fluid flushed through a fallopian tube holds promise for providing insights into molecular changes linked to early ovarian cancer development, new research has revealed. The University of Manchester analysis revealed molecular signals that in one case prompted re-examination of archived fallopian tube tissue and led to the retrospective identification of a pre-invasive or [...]

Megestrol, a hot flush drug for breast cancer patients, may also curb tumours when added to standard hormone therapy, an early trial has found. The PIONEER trial tested megestrol acetate, a synthetic form of progesterone, alongside anti-oestrogen treatment in post-menopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer. After two weeks, patients on the combination saw greater falls [...]

A combination of THC and CBD derived from cannabis was shown to kill ovarian cancer cells without harming healthy cells in laboratory studies. The findings suggest that drugs made from these compounds could be developed to fight ovarian cancer in future, though researchers caution that much more work is needed before results can be translated [...]