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These women had their breasts removed to thwart cancer. Then came the pain.
Post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, is estimated to afflict tens of thousands of U.S. women each year. It is not well understood.
Scientists discover hidden gut signals that could detect cancer early
A new study reveals that gut bacteria and metabolites may hold the key to detecting serious digestive diseases earlier and more easily. Using AI, scientists found that biomarkers linked to one condition can often predict others, showing these diseases are more interconnected than previously thought. This cross-disease insight could lead to faster diagnoses without invasive procedures.
Sexual Healthcare for Cancer Survivors
Pelin Batur, MD, advocates for clinicians to help patients with cancer by prioritizing the sexual-health treatments supported by strong data.
Targeting βiii-Tubulin and the roots of science: An interview with Richard F. Ludueña
Professor Emeritus Richard F. Ludueña discusses his novel theoretical framework for cancer chemotherapy, utilising CRISPR-Cas9
The Rest Is Science: how evolution is shaping cancer research
In a special episode of The Rest Is Science, Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens discuss the story behind cancer’s rapid evolution and how it is helping scientists backed by Cancer Research UK to beat the disease at its own game
Cardinal Health expands Actinium-225 production capacity to support growing demand for novel cancer therapies
/PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) today announced a significant expansion of its Actinium-225 (Ac-225) production capabilities at the company's Center...
Pesticides and cancer: Study reveals the biological mechanisms behind an environmental health risk
A new study, published in Nature Health, reveals a strong link between exposure to agricultural pesticides in the environment and the risk of developing cancer. By combining environmental data, a nationwide ...
Durham family turns leukemia journey into mission to house pediatric patients’ families
The Durham nonprofit, started by a 12-year-old cancer survivor and her mom, provides housing to families with kids at Duke Children’s Hospital.
Eliminating Cervical Cancer Is A Global Health Equity Challenge
Cervical cancer should no longer be killing women. It is one of the few cancers that we already know how to prevent, detect early, and treat effectively.
Mapping pesticide mixtures to cancer risk at the country scale with spatial exposomics
Nature Health - Using an integrative spatial Bayesian framework that merges high-resolution environmental pesticide risk modelling with comprehensive cancer registry data, this analysis reveals...
Scientists discover hidden “winds” inside cells that could explain cancer spread
Cells aren’t as passive as scientists once thought—they actively create internal currents to move proteins quickly and efficiently. These “cellular winds” push materials to the front of the cell, enabling faster movement and repair. Discovered by chance and confirmed with advanced imaging, this system challenges decades of textbook biology. It may also reveal why some cancer cells spread so rapidly.
Title X funding for reproductive health care could lapse due to Trump admin delays
Some clinics that rely on Title X grants to provide birth control, cancer screenings and STI testing are making contingency plans as the government appears likely to miss its deadline.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney apologises and seemingly rectifies life insurance situation of laid off worker with terminal brain cancer
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, has responded online to messages about an ex-employee with terminal brain cancer that was laid off last week.
UNC Health tool helps families talk about cancer
WRAL Health Reporter Grace Hayba introduces us to the new tool by UNC Health, helping parents like her navigate the hardest conversations.
The surprising health benefits of everyday herbs
These leafy greens are loaded with flavor and nutrients—and studies show that even small doses are filled with compounds that reduce inflammation and even protect against cancer.
CEO of Epic Games apologizes after laying off employee with terminal brain cancer
Tim Sweeney, chief of firm that created Fortnite, received backlash after worker’s wife revealed loss of life insurance
When a parent has cancer, this UNC Health tool helps guide conversations with kids
A North Carolina mom diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38 shares how she navigated telling her children. Now, a new UNC Health tool is helping more families have those difficult conversations.
Atlantic Health Reduces Colonoscopy Screening Gaps Using Artera's AI Agents
/PRNewswire/ -- Colorectal cancer is expected to claim the lives of more than 55,000 Americans in 20262. Despite the fact that early-stage detection carries a...
Epic's mass layoffs left a programmer with terminal brain cancer without life insurance, but Tim Sweeney says the company will "solve" the problem
A programmer with terminal brain cancer lost his life insurance due to Epic Games' mass layoffs, and Epic are now helping his family out.
The list of people hit by recent Epic layoffs has been turned into a dedicated portal for recruiters
Google sheet turned into dedicated website, while Tim Sweeney steps in following outcry over laid-off worker losing cancer treatment
Which local politicians attended Trump's event in Memphis?
Also in the past week, UTHSC got a grant from the National Cancer Institute for breast cancer research.
Epic Games layoffs: developer with terminal brain cancer loses life insurance
Epic Games’ latest round of layoffs, which cut roughly 1,000 roles, has drawn renewed scrutiny after reports that a longtime programmer with terminal brain cancer lost his employer-sponsored life insurance immediately upon termination. While the company offered severance and six months of continued health coverage, the employee’s family says a pre-existing condition prevents obtaining new coverage, prompting outreach to Epic executives and an update that discussions are now underway.
Health Policy Watch: Available cervical cancer vaccines fail to cover the HPV 35 genotype common in Africa
HPV 35, globally associated with only 2% of invasive cervical cancers, has a disproportionately higher prevalence in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Private equity is eying Asia’s healthcare funding gap as countries get wealthier and older
“Asia has more diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular patients than anywhere else in the world,” Abrar Mir, co-founder of Quadria Capital, says.
Like ‘driving to San Francisco and back, every week’: In rural America, cancer patients face tall hurdles to get care
As cancer care becomes both more advanced and more specialized, options in rural areas have shrunk.
LSU Health Shreveport hosts 5th annual Cancer Survivorship Walkathon at Betty Virginia Park
LSU Health Shreveport hosted its fifth annual Cancer Survivorship Walkathon at Betty Virginia Park, bringing together cancer survivors, students, healthcare professionals and community members.
'Bridging the gap': WSSU gathering addresses rural health disparities
The university is using outreach and mobile health services to try to reduce cancer death rates in rural North Carolina.
To protect public health, California must embrace clean transportation
“Diesel pollution is linked to asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, premature death and harm to children’s developing lungs and brains.”
'The best of both worlds': New prostate cancer treatment arrives in Pittsburgh
When George Dorkhom found out that his prostate cancer had advanced, he researched his best option for treatment. He was drawn to a new ultrasound procedure...
Mom, 36, Had Health Symptoms Dismissed for Years. Then, She Was Diagnosed with One of the World’s Rarest Cancers (Exclusive)
A woman was diagnosed with one of the world’s rarest cancers, neuroendocrine cancer, after her health issues were dismissed over the years by multiple different types of doctors. Ashleigh Smith, a mom of two, worked a second job as a food delivery driver to help raise funds amid rising costs tied to her cancer treatments, she tells PEOPLE exclusively.
This Week in Iowa Politics: Iowa's cancer crisis report, bills on Gov. Reynolds' desk
Scientists discover why cancer drugs don’t work for everyone
Scientists have uncovered a hidden reason why cancer treatments don’t work equally well for everyone. Certain drugs can become trapped inside lysosomes within tumor cells, forming slow-release reservoirs that create uneven drug distribution. This means some cancer cells are heavily exposed while others are barely affected. Understanding this process could help doctors better tailor treatments and improve outcomes.
The Women's Health AI Trap: Designed To Engage, Not To Cure
Is your women's health app designed to solve your problem—or profit from it? Two cancer survivors deliver a warning the industry needs to hear.
Trump EPA relied on industry science to weaken formaldehyde cancer rules, documents show
Papers reveal how chemical lobby influenced policy, reversing Biden-era limits on a common carcinogen
The Startup Selling Full-Body Scans as the Future of Health Care
Step into the machine at Neko Health or one of its rivals to check for skin cancer, diabetes or stroke risk. Is this the next frontier in preventative health care, or something your primary care physician would rather you avoid?
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Disney executive shares story to encourage people to get screened
Disney VP Mitch Gubin shares his experience with colorectal cancer, highlighting why it's important to get tested at any age.
‘Beyond the Gates’: Tamara Tunie on Anita’s Devastating Cancer Low Point
Tunie opens up about the emotional and physical toll of the 'powerful' storyline, as well as how viewers have responded to Anita's cancer experience.
Tampa General, USF Health earn cancer center of excellence designation
State recognition boosts Tampa General’s push toward national cancer designation
Glyphosate: A story of science, risk, and nuance
In the summer of 2014, a California groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson started noticing patches of raw, weeping skin spreading across his body. He had spent years applying Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, for a school district, sometimes drenched in it when equipment malfunctioned. By 2014, he had a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2018, a jury awarded him $289 million in damages, later reduced on appeal. Tens of thousands of lawsuits followed. The story hasn’t quieted down. It’s all over the internet, swinging between “this will kill you, buy organic” and “relax, you’re fear-mongering.” Some of that recent chatter stems from an Executive Order protecting glyphosate and its production, which set off intense infighting within the MAHA movement. Some of it reflects a deeper truth: Americans genuinely care about harmful chemicals in their environment (see poll below). And the conversation isn’t going anywhere, with a Supreme Court case involving Monsanto set for this April. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. But does glyphosate cause cancer? And how much exposure is actually risky? With so much mistrust in institutions and corporations (and some genuine conflicts of interest), making sense of the actual scientific evidence is genuinely hard. Here is a translation of what the scientific evidence actually says. Does glyphosate cause harm? Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills most plants it contacts rather than targeting specific species. It works by blocking an enzyme pathway (EPSPS) that plants and many microorganisms need to produce essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, the plant can’t grow and dies. Glyphosate was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and became ubiquitous after the company introduced “Roundup Ready” crops in the 1990s. In 2024, Bayer removed glyphosate from residential Roundup-branded products due to litigation pressure. But today it is still the most widely used herbicide in the world. Farmers also discovered they could spray it directly on crops like oats, lentils, beans, and peas just before harvest to dry them out faster and make harvesting easier. Because of its widespread use, it’s obviously really important to understand if it’s harmful to humans. The key principle: The dose makes the poison The most important concept in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison.” Sixteenth-century physician Paracelsus articulated what remains the foundational principle of toxicology: sola dosis facit venenum. Water will kill you if you drink enough of it. Aspirin saves lives at 81 milligrams and causes internal bleeding at higher chronic doses. So, at what dose is glyphosate poisonous? The LD50 in rats (the dose that kills half the test animals) is around 5,600 mg/kg body weight. Table salt is roughly 3,000 mg/kg. By that classic measure, glyphosate is less acutely toxic than salt. But some people are exposed to a lot of glyphosate through their work. And among the general public, there are many questions about low-dose, cumulative exposure from multiple sources over long periods. Does glyphosate cause health problems? Cancer Correlation maps are striking, with one analysis finding that 60% of counties that spray the most glyphosate have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates above the national average. But correlation alone doesn’t establish cause, which is why animal and human studies matter. In animals: Rat studies are typically what most fear is rooted in, but most people don’t know the study details on the dosage given to rats. A pooled analysis of the 13 most rigorous rat studies found evidence that very high doses, around 55,000 times greater than typical food residue exposure, can cause certain cancers. In humans: One of the strongest studies followed 55,000 herbicide users over 20 years and found no overall increased cancer risk. There was one signal: among those with the highest use, rates of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared elevated. A broader meta-analysis of 18 human studies also found no overall cancer risk, though a separate meta-analysis focused specifically on non-Hodgkin lymphoma found that people with high cumulative glyphosate exposure faced a 41% higher relative risk compared to those with low or no exposure. These human studies are observational studies (randomized controlled trials would be unethical), and meta-analyses are only as reliable as the studies they pool. But the story seems consistent: at very high exposure levels, there may be some cancer risk. But that’s about as far as the science currently takes us. Emerging research: gut and reproductive health Gut: Because glyphosate targets a pathway that exists in some gut bacteria, scientists have questioned whether it could affect the microbiome. In mice, a 2023 University of Iowa study found that glyphosate altered gut bacterial composition and raised markers of intestinal inflammation. A 2024 systematic review found similar patterns: disrupted gut bacteria and problems with the mucus layer that protects the intestinal wall in mice. Whether this translates to humans is an open question. The human gut is highly variable and resistant, and we don't yet have strong studies confirming the same effects in people. Reproductive health: Animal studies have found that glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with reproductive hormones, including disrupting egg cell development in mice and reducing the number of eggs available in sheep’s ovaries. However, the doses used in these experiments were high, so it’s not yet clear whether the same effects would occur in humans. On the human side, a 2021 pilot study led by Mount Sinai researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women across the U.S. and found glyphosate in 95% of them. The study also found a possible connection between higher glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and a subtle physical difference measured in female newborns. That said, some connections weren’t statistically reliable and this was a small study. The researchers themselves said more and larger studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. What do regulators say about glyphosate safety? In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The classification is worth taking seriously. But, there’s an important distinction: IARC classifies hazard, meaning the potential to cause harm under some conditions. It does not assess risk, which accounts for actual exposure levels and the real-world probability of harm. The U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and regulatory agencies in Australia and Japan have all concluded that glyphosate is “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans” at realistic exposure levels. They’re asking a different question: given how much of this people actually encounter, what is the probability of harm? Your actual exposure is what determines your actual risk. What does glyphosate mean for your daily life? At the grocery store: Food residues are small. The EPA’s acceptable daily intake is 1.75 mg/kg of body weight per day. To hit that threshold from oatmeal alone, a 150-pound adult would need to eat roughly 50 pounds of oats every day. But this calculation addresses only one pathway (food), and we don’t yet have robust tools to measure people’s actual total exposure. If reducing exposure matters to you, organic certification prohibits synthetic herbicides, and organic oat products generally test at lower or undetectable levels. Either way, a diet rich in whole grains, conventional or organic, is far better for your health than one that omits them out of fear of residues. On the farm: Occupational exposure is orders of magnitude higher than consumer exposure. Farmers and farm workers who mix, load, and apply glyphosate-based herbicides, especially without protective equipment, face meaningfully different risk profiles. Proper PPE isn’t optional. Integrated weed management strategies that rotate chemical modes of action are also worth taking seriously, both for health and for long-term effectiveness. If you live near a farm: Spray drift is real. Concentrations near field edges can spike during and after application, particularly on windy days. This is an area where I think public health could really step up and empower rural communities with buffer zones, rather than placing the onus on individuals. But for now, knowing your local agricultural calendar and keeping windows closed during application are the first steps. Bottom line Dewayne Johnson was exposed to glyphosate at levels most people will never encounter, and a jury decided he deserved compensation. That outcome is not evidence that the oatmeal in your pantry is dangerous. But it is a reminder that the dose, the context, and the person doing the exposing all matter enormously. Glyphosate is a chemical tool with benefits, trade-offs, and genuine open scientific questions. Learning to hold that complexity without collapsing into panic or dismissal is, honestly, one of the most useful and hardest things to do in navigating modern health science. Love, YLE Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Hannah Totte, MPH, is an epidemiologist and YLE Community Manager. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
Wisconsin passes legislation requiring insurers to cover supplemental breast imaging
Dubbed "Gail's Law" after a breast cancer care advocate, the passage follows years of advocacy from radiologists and patients.
Scientists discover why this deadly lung cancer keeps coming back
Scientists have discovered that losing a key protein in small cell lung cancer triggers inflammation that actually helps tumors grow and spread. Even more surprising, it pushes cancer cells into a more aggressive, neuron-like state linked to relapse.
New research sheds light on a common risk factor for colorectal cancer
New research clarifies the risk of colorectal cancer among people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital treats first clinical trial participant in novel cancer study - UT Health San Antonio
Milestone paves the way for advancements in cancer care, innovation and patient care in San Antonio and South Texas. UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty and Research Hospital has enrolled and treated its first clinical trial participant in a novel cancer study, marking a pivotal moment for science and patient-centered cancer care in San Antonio and […]
Meet the 2026 Influential Women in Business and see the Women’s Leadership Symposium lineup
They run hospitals, build companies, fight cancer and welcome visitors to the Capital Region. Now, nine of the area’s most accomplished women are being recognized as 2026 Influential Women in Business by Baton Rouge Business Report. The honorees will be recognized May 19 at the Influential Women in Business Luncheon, which follows the fourth annual […]
The Morning After: WWDC 2026 is happening June 8th
The biggest news stories this morning: Wing expands its drone delivery service to the Bay Area, Billionaire OnlyFans owner Leonid Radvinsky has died from cancer at 43, Apple will reportedly start stuffing ads into the Maps app.
UCLA Health podcast shines a light on colorectal cancer prevention, early detection and rising risks
UCLA Health's podcast episode on colorectal cancer, featuring Dr. Eve Glazier, Katie Couric and Dr. Fola May, highlights the critical need for prevention and early detection amid rising risks, particularly among younger adults. The discussion focuses on cancer screening, lifestyle modifications and advocacy to reduce the incidence of this disease.
Bluffton business delivering support to cancer patients
But at one Lowcountry hospital, patients are getting a boost from an unlikely source.
A promising fatty liver treatment may raise cancer risk
A surprising new study reveals that blocking a supposedly protective enzyme, Caspase-2, could actually backfire—raising the risk of chronic liver damage and cancer over time. Researchers found that without this enzyme, liver cells grow abnormally large and accumulate genetic damage, leading to inflammation, scarring, and eventually tumors, especially with age. While inhibiting Caspase-2 may offer short-term benefits, such as reducing fatty liver disease, the long-term consequences appear dangerous.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Amanda Peet Shares Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Amanda Peet detailed her recent breast cancer diagnosis in a new essay, sharing that her health battle coincided with both of her parents' final months in hospice care.
Katie Couric on aging, being a grandmother and the importance of early cancer screenings
Katie Couric tells USA TODAY about the joys of aging, being a grandmother and why early cancer screening is important – so others can age well, too.
At age 41, a Westmoreland mom of 3 is diagnosed with a cancer that's rising in younger populations
When Misty Ament felt sharp pain in her right side last August, the 41-year-old assumed she was dealing with appendicitis. Instead, doctors discovered...
Department of Health retracts claim sunbeds are as dangerous as smoking
DHSC corrects statements after regulator intervenes as experts say smoking causes far more cancer cases
New AI tool predicts cancer spread with surprising accuracy
Researchers have discovered that cancer spread isn’t random—it follows a kind of biological “program.” By studying colon tumor cells, they identified gene patterns that signal whether a cancer is likely to metastasize. Their AI model, MangroveGS, can predict this risk with about 80% accuracy and even works across multiple cancer types. This could transform how doctors decide who needs aggressive treatment and who doesn’t.
Scientists turn probiotic bacteria into tumor-hunting cancer killers
Scientists have engineered probiotic bacteria to act as tumor-seeking drug factories. In mice, these bacteria infiltrated tumors and produced a cancer-fighting drug right where it was needed. This targeted approach could make treatments more effective and reduce side effects. More research is needed before it can be tested in people.
Chadwick Boseman's widow shares details of his cancer journey and death: 'A betrayal of faith'
'Black Panther' star Chadwick Boseman died in August 2020 following a private battle with colon cancer. His widow is sharing new details of the actor's cancer journey and death.
Letai: “From this point forward, it really is much more like business as usual at the NCI.”
NCI Director Anthony Letai appeared before the National Cancer Advisory Board Committee March 17 to maneuver through thorny topics while reiterating his message of reassurance: Stability. Stability. Stability. NCI is sturdy and will weather the storms. “The mission hasn’t changed at the National Cancer Institute,” Letai said in his remarks to the committee. “The resources […]
Six avoidable factors that increase your risk of breast cancer
A healthy lifestyle without smoking, but with plenty of exercise and a healthy weight, can help avoid losing healthy years of life to breast cancer, the study led by UW scientists says.
Sports writer and photographer win Quill awards for work for Guardian Australia
Jonathan Horn scooped best sports feature prize for a series on AFL, while Chris Hopkins won for pictures of a cancer sufferer caring for her son
Men are losing a key chromosome with age and it may be deadly
Aging men often lose the Y chromosome in a growing number of their cells—and it may be far more dangerous than once believed. This loss has been linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and shorter lifespans. Researchers suspect Y-less cells may grow faster and disrupt normal body functions. What seemed like a minor genetic quirk could actually be a major driver of age-related disease.
Temple Health Appoints Robert A. Winn, MD, as Cancer Center Director for Fox Chase Cancer Center
Temple Health today announced the appointment of Robert A. Winn, MD, as the next Cancer Center Director for Fox Chase Cancer Center, marking a defining moment that will shape the future of one of the nation’s leading National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.
'In Good Health': Why Is Colorectal Cancer Affecting Generations Differently?
Cases of colorectal cancer in young people have risen nearly 60 percent since the early 2000s. That’s according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute. And a new study out this month by the American Cancer Society found that colorectal cancer is now the deadliest kind for those younger than 50.But this rise isn’t being felt across all generations in the same way. People born around 1990 are four times more likely to develop rectal cancer than those born around 1950. And for those 65 and older, colorectal cancer rates have actually decreased.So, what’s going on? And what can you do to protect yourself and your gut health? For those answers and more, we turn to a panel of experts.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
FDA pulls proposed rule barring teens from indoor tanning
The notice, signed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said the move “does not mean that exposure to UV radiation does not cause skin cancer.”
Colon cancer leading cause of cancer-related death for people under age 50
Thymus may be critical to adult health
Research indicates the often-overlooked organ can be key predictor in longevity, disease risk, and cancer treatment outcomes.
9 Fruits To Reduce Inflammation In The Body
Fruits are one of the best sources of anti-inflammatory nutrients, helping to reduce chronic inflammation, which has been linked to heart disease, cancer and cognitive decline.
What to know about Bill Gates’ nuclear science company planned for the former South Philadelphia refinery site
TerraPower Isotopes will manufacture a rare, radioactive isotope for use in developing cancer treatments.
Thymic health and immunotherapy outcomes in patients with cancer
Nature - A deep-learning approach applied to routine CT scans is used to quantify the health of the thymus in a cohort of patients with cancer, and shows that thymic function is associated with...
Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles Is Working Through Cancer
Wiles, who is the first woman to serve as chief of staff, has been diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer.
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, has breast cancer, Trump says
The president announced the White House chief of staff’s diagnosis Monday, saying she has a good prognosis and will continue to work while receiving treatment.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has early stage breast cancer, Trump announces
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, President Donald Trump announced Monday.
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has early stage breast cancer, Trump announces
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, President Donald Trump announced Monday.
Lee Health: Colorectal cancer awareness: Why screening matters
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month — a timely opportunity to learn about colorectal cancer, understand your risk.
Cells can sense 10x farther than expected and it may explain cancer spread
Scientists have discovered that cells can sense far beyond the surfaces they touch. While individual cancer cells can probe about 10 microns ahead by tugging on surrounding collagen fibers, clusters of normal epithelial cells can combine forces to detect layers as far as 100 microns away. This long-range “depth sensing” helps cells decide where to migrate. Understanding how it works could reveal new targets to stop cancer from spreading.
Inside MPTF's Star-Studded 'Night Before' Oscars Party — Including an Exclusive Performance and an Attention-Getting Photobooth
PEOPLE Editor-in-Chief and General Manager Charlotte Triggs takes you inside the A-list-packed party hosted by the Motion Picture & Television Fund. See all the stars mingling the night before the Academy Awards and get a look at the glam-bot booth in support of Novartis' "Your Attention, Please" campaign in support of breast cancer screenings.
Can a groundbreaking cancer therapy help people with multiple sclerosis?
A handful of small, early-stage clinical trials are investigating whether CAR-T therapy can improve symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients.
Scientists discover ALS protein that links DNA repair to cancer and dementia
A protein tied to ALS and dementia may have a much bigger role in disease than scientists realized. Researchers found that TDP43 controls a key DNA repair process, but when the protein becomes imbalanced, the repair system can spiral out of control, harming neurons and destabilizing DNA. The team also discovered that high levels of the protein are linked to increased mutation rates in cancer. The discovery places TDP43 at the center of both neurodegeneration and cancer biology.
Utah mom, breast cancer survivor turns hardship into hope through permanent jewelry business
A Lehi mom and cancer survivor finds hope after divorce and health challenges in new permanent jewelry business.
Ed Sheeran gives update on his wife's health following cancer operation
Ed Sheeran gave a health update on his wife, Cherry Seaborn, after her 2022 cancer diagnosis and operation: 'It was f---in' scary.'
From rockets to cancer research, here’s how the number pi is embedded in our lives
As people celebrate Pi Day this March 14, the mathematical constant continues to be part of everyday life for scientists and engineers.
The impact of social drivers of health on delayed time to breast cancer surgery
British Journal of Cancer - The impact of social drivers of health on delayed time to breast cancer surgery
Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL embrace Brad Larsen after wife's death
Brad Larsen and his family are receiving condolences throughout the NHL and hockey world after his wife, Hannah, died following a battle with cancer.
The US slashed research for cancer, Alzheimer’s, mental health — and nearly everything else
Revealed in one chart.
Baystate Health doctor on probation after lewd behavior inside his office
The neurologist was caught masturbating in view of the hospital’s cancer center, according to state regulators.
Scientists find a new therapeutic target present on up to half of all tumors
For five decades, scientists have known about a notorious cancer-causing enzyme called SRC. But they always assumed it only appeared on the inside of cells, where it sent signals that fueled tumor growth ...
Personalized support program improves smoking cessation for cervical cancer survivors
UCLA study shows that a personalized counseling program helped twice as many women quit smoking compared to women who had standard smoking cessation support.
Dick Vitale, before calling March Madness game, says return 'a miracle'
Dick Vitale missed calling games for years due to cancer. Now, he's back and getting ready to call his first March Madness game on television.
From cancer to Alzheimer's, high school students seek science solutions
Woo! Science is honored to present the Community Impact Award to winners at the Worcester Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
UMass Memorial Health - Milford Regional Medical Center and Shields Health Announce New Partnership for MRI and PET/CT Services in Milford
UMass Memorial Health – Milford Regional Medical Center and Shields Health announced a new joint venture partnership to provide advanced imaging services at two locations in Milford. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) services are available at Milford Regional Medical Center, located at 14 Prospect Street, and both MRI and Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) services are offered at the Cancer Center at Milford Regional Medical Center, located at 20 Prospect Street.
A “Win-Win” For Cats And Humans Alike: Giant New Study Busts Open The Mystery Of Feline Cancer
Unfortunately, your cat will still hate going to the vet.
High schoolers are using AI to tackle cancer and build robotic surgeons
Finalists in the Society for Science and Regeneron $1.8 million science competition are increasingly turning to machine learning, and organizers are balancing innovation with misuse.
Regeneron Science Talent Search 2026 Recognizes America’s Top Young Scientists, Awarding More Than $1.8 Million to High School Seniors for Innovative Research in Computational Mathematics, Neural Science, and Blood Cancer Treatment
$250,000 top award goes to Connor Hill in America’s longest running and most distinguished science and math competition Top $250,000 Regeneron Science Talent Search Winner Named Regeneron and Society for Science announced that Connor Hill, 17, of State College, Pennsylvania, won the top award of $250,000 in the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), a program of Society for Science. TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, March 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Societ
Smart Plants in a Changing World Science
The Salk Institute is teaming up with the Del Mar Foundation for a three-part webinar series to highlight Salk's foundational research in brain health, cancer, and agriculture. Join us on Wednesday, March 11, at 10 a.m. to learn directly from Salk scientist Lucia Strader about how plants sense and respond to their environments, and how understanding these natural survival strategies can help us develop crops that thrive in a changing world. The Del Mar Foundation is offering a 1:1 Challenge Match through June. Gifts made during the webinar series will be matched dollar-for-dollar, doubling your impact on critical research. Donors who give $1,000 or more to an area of greatest need will also join the Discovery Society, with special access to Salk news and events. Salk Institute on Facebook / Instagram
Scientists discover molecule that stops aggressive breast cancer in its tracks
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a new molecule that could open the door to treating triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of the disease. The compound, called SU212, targets and disables a key enzyme that cancer cells rely on to fuel their growth. In tests using humanized mouse models, the molecule caused tumors to shrink and slowed the spread of cancer by forcing the enzyme to break down.
Dear Abby: I’m sure friend is milking her health issue for fraudulent GoFundMe money. Should I report her?
She opened a new fundraising page with an untrue sob story about her cancer returning and being hospitalized about a week.
Cancer Haunts Neighbors of Canada’s Oil Sands Wastelands
Though high rates of the disease persist among the nearby Indigenous communities, the Canadian government is weighing rules that may allow energy giants to release treated mining waste into the river system.
Poe Hall employees had higher rates of cancer, federal health report says
On Monday, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the CDC, found that employees inside NC State's Poe Hall had heightened rates of melanoma and possibly breast cancer.
Health Care Roundup: Market Talk
Find insights on Roche’s breast-cancer drug, the partnership between Hims & Hers and Novo Nordisk and more in the latest Market Talks from the health-care sector.