Cancer

Lobular breast cancer affects 15 per cent of patients but rarely forms lumps, meaning symptoms are often missed or misdiagnosed until later stages, experts have warned. Also known as invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), the disease begins in the lobules—the milk-producing glands—and spreads in a spider’s web pattern. This growth makes it difficult to detect through [...]

A new ovarian cancer drug has been approved in the UK for patients whose tumours no longer respond to platinum-based chemotherapy. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved mirvetuximab soravtansine—sold as Elahere—for certain types of ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers. The treatment is for adults whose cancer cells are positive [...]

A new device could detect a key endometriosis biomarker in menstrual blood within 10 minutes, researchers have found. The test identifies HMGB1 – a protein linked to the development and progression of endometriosis – and showed 500 per cent greater sensitivity than current lab-based methods. It works similarly to a pregnancy test. Dr [...]

Eight tech startups have joined an accelerator programme developing tools to tackle women's cardiovascular and brain health conditions. The firms have been selected for the American Heart Association Heart and Brain Health Accelerator, which offers mentoring, funding opportunities and industry connections to healthcare startups. The accelerator is run through a collaboration between American Heart Association [...]

More than 30 MPs have urged the health secretary to act over DES, a pregnancy drug linked to cancer and fertility problems in children exposed in the womb. The letter, coordinated by Bournemouth MP Jessica Toale, calls for a formal apology and improved cancer screening, after an ITV News investigation found DES was still being [...]

Around 5,700 breast cancer patients will now be eligible for ribociclib after NICE widened access to the combination therapy. Ribociclib will be available on the NHS for people with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer, even if their disease hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes. The drug is used with an aromatase inhibitor to help [...]

Targeted radiotherapy is as effective as full-breast treatment for low-risk breast cancer but causes fewer side effects, a decade-long UK study has found. Partial-breast radiotherapy, which directs radiation only to the area around the tumour rather than the entire breast, reduced long-term complications while maintaining a 3 per cent recurrence rate. More than 9,000 women [...]

Mounjaro may significantly reduce breast cancer tumour growth in obese patients, according to early-stage research in mice. The weight loss drug, which contains tirzepatide, showed what researchers described as a “beneficial impact” on cancer outcomes, though they stress more testing is needed. In a study involving 16 nine-week-old mice with breast cancer tumours who were [...]

Femtech World explores the latest developments in women’s health research - from overcoming EGFR-targeted therapy resistance in breast cancer to understanding obesity’s role in triple-negative breast cancer, and more. EGFR-targeted therapy resistance in breast cancer Researchers have reviewed current research on why Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies often fail in breast and head and [...]

New research suggests that one in three eligible women in the US skip recommended mammograms - leading to late-stage breast cancer diagnosis, doubling treatment costs and increasing risk. Dr. Rani Aravamudhan, senior medical director at Nomi Health, speaks to Femtech World about addressing the problem, by helping employers and healthcare providers to reach women eligible [...]