News and features

Thousands of women with breast cancer could be spared unnecessary treatment, thanks to a simple test which can identify whether or not their cancer is likely to return – just two weeks after starting treatment.

Thousands of women who undergo radiotherapy for low-risk breast cancer could be spared some of the side effects of treatment after a study confirmed that more targeted treatments are just as effective at controlling the disease in the long term.

Scientists have uncovered a protein that acts like a ‘suit of armour’ for cancer cells, shielding them from hostile environments and allowing one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer to spread through the body.

Researchers have tracked how the most common form of oesophageal cancer and its immune environment change during a standard form of treatment – offering vital clues that could shape future therapies, so they work for longer.

Cell biologists have made a significant advance, uncovering the key role of an enzyme in determining the physical structure and behaviour of cancer cells, including how they spread.

Dr Maggie Cheang, a breast cancer researcher at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has been awarded the prestigious CL Oakley lectureship.

Scientists from The Institute of Cancer Research, London, have developed a tool that can predict how bowel cancer adapts to treatment – helping researchers to design new personalised drugs that will keep patients living well for longer.

Dr Stephen John Sammut, a Clinician Scientist at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has been awarded one of the eight 2025 research prizes from the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.

Scientists have discovered clues which may explain why some treatments stop working for people with bowel cancer – causing around 16,800 deaths in the UK every year. The study, led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, could help clinicians make better use of current treatments and develop more targeted therapies for bowel cancer in the future.

Thousands of patients with a common type of blood cancer could benefit from a new drug combination, while others could see their disease kept at bay for longer.

A new study suggests that silencing CXCL12, a gene involved in tissue scarring and repair, could help reduce the formation of scar tissue that can caused by radiotherapy. Ultimately, the researchers hope this approach could improve treatment outcomes for breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and reconstructive surgery.

A one-time immunotherapy treatment using a patient’s own immune cells has shown long-lasting benefit for people with advanced melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, according to new five-year follow-up data from a pivotal clinical trial.