Extrachromosomal DNA has emerged as a key driver of cancer evolution, with recent studies showing it is widespread, highly adaptable, and targetable for treatment. Vulnerabilities created by ecDNA-driven molecular processes are now being exploited in a first clinical test of whether these rogue genetic loops can be drugged for therapeutic gain.

The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines is designed to deliver childhood cancer medicines to low- and middle-income countries. Organizations leading this initiative, the World Health Organization and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, recently announced that they are distributing therapies in Ecuador, Mongolia, Nepal, Uzbekistan, and Zambia, with subsequent shipments planned for Jordan.

The NCI–Cancer Research UK initiative Cancer Grand Challenges has once again set out a range of topics for international, multidisciplinary teams of researchers to probe. Teams selected for an award will receive up to $25 million to pursue work addressing one of the challenges.

A new study in mice shows that COX-1 inhibitors, such as aspirin, block a platelet-mediated pathway that cancer cells use to evade immune detection and spread to other tissues. By reducing TXA2 production, aspirin enhances T-cell activity, leading to fewer metastases in the lungs and liver—a finding that could inform treatment.

President Donald Trump has issued a number of executive orders (EO) focused on healthcare for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual or gender minority. While some of the EOs have been temporarily paused in federal court, members of the oncology community say they could harm an already underserved population and worsen disparities.

The EZH2 inhibitor mevrometostat, in combination with the androgen receptor signaling inhibitor enzalutamide, improved progression-free survival and objective response rates in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer compared with enzalutamide alone.

LY3866288, an FGR3 - specific inhibitor, led to an objective response in 42% of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma in a phase I study. The drug did not induce adverse events more commonly seen with erdafitinib, a drug typically used to treat the disease that targets all four FGFR isoforms.

The former head of President Joe Biden's signature effort to "end cancer as we know it," Danielle Carnival, PhD, reflects on the Cancer Moonshot's accomplishments, the challenges of sustaining momentum across presidential administrations, and what might lie ahead in the fight against cancer.

The NIH recently announced a cap of 15% on indirect costs for new grants. This plan has been temporarily blocked in federal court with a hearing scheduled for February 21. If cuts are implemented, they would slash investment in cancer research and reduce access to clinical trials.

Research shows that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells can endow other immune cells with their cancer-killing abilities through trogocytosis, the exchange of cell-surface proteins with neighboring T cells. The process is mediated by proteins’ transmembrane domains and may have significant applications for CAR T-cell therapies.

The HER2×HER3 bispecific antibody zenocutuzumab demonstrated efficacy in treating rare cancers driven by NRG1 fusions, leading to its accelerated approval for certain pancreatic and lung cancers. Additional testing is needed, however, to assess the therapy’s potential for broader, tumor-agnostic use and to determine whether dual HER2–HER3 targeting offers distinct benefits over HER3-specific agents.

Mirdametinib earned FDA approval for the treatment of inoperable plexiform neurofibromas associated with neurofibromatosis type 1, marking the first on-label option for adults. The decision highlights the potential of precision-repurposing strategies, through which abandoned cancer therapies find new life in treating rare or pediatric tumors.

A small clinical trial of a peptide-based personalized vaccine found that it elicited robust immune responses and prevented relapse in patients who have undergone surgery for renal cell carcinoma. Now, researchers are testing mRNA-based alternatives to determine whether they can provide similar protection while offering faster, more scalable production.

A study of more than 460,000 women shows that AI assistance can help radiologists spot nearly 18% more breast tumors on mammograms. The study also found that AI does not increase the recall rate for further screening, and that it can reduce the amount of time it takes radiologists to read mammograms.

The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research issued its annual report on the approval of drugs, which announced that the agency OK’d 50 novel drugs in 2024, 15 of which were related to cancer care and treatment.

An investigational blood test accurately detected colorectal cancer in a study involving  more than 27,000 participants. If widely implemented, the test could increase screening adherence among those hesitant to receive a colonoscopy.

Aspirin reduced the risk of colorectal cancer recurrence by more than 50% in patients with PI3K -mutated disease who took a low dose once a day for 3 years, according to newly released data from the ALASCCA study. The findings may have a significant effect on the treatment of this form of disease, which accounts for about 30% of all colorectal cancers.

Seeking to understand why the lungs are a favored organ of metastasis, researchers have uncovered a signaling role for the classical metabolite aspartate. In lung-disseminated breast cancer cells, aspartate induces NMDA receptor activity, subsequent eIF5A hypusination, and translational reprogramming that promotes collagen synthesis and aggressive lung metastases.

Two CRISPR-based studies systematically evaluated more than 6,000 BRCA2 mutations, reclassifying most ambiguous variants as either cancer-promoting or benign. The combination of genome-editing and functional assays provides a practical framework for improving genetic testing and risk assessment in hereditary cancer care.

The Palisades and Eaton Fires affecting the Los Angeles, CA area have not significantly impacted cancer care or research, but patients, faculty, and staff of cancer centers have lost homes. Nevertheless, caregivers have shown a selfless dedication to patients.