News digest – lung cancer rise, ancient cancer case, #nomakeupselfie craze and more

• Lung cancer rates have risen by three quarters in women over the last 40 years, while halving in men over the same period. This is largely down to smoking patterns. The BBC and our press release have more info, and this graphic shows just how important it is that we work to find better treatments for lung cancer:

• Children say a product’s packaging is more likely to influence whether they purchase something than if it’s endorsed by a celebrity. The results from our survey highlight the power of the packet, at a time when standardised cigarette packaging is under independent review. The Huffington Post and our press release have more details.

• US researchers linked smoking to an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The Guardian has more.

• Using a combination of advanced imaging techniques, our researchers developed a new way to test the effectiveness of a drug used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. Our press release has more info.

• Radiotherapy after mastectomy may benefit more with breast cancer than previously thought. The Telegraph and our news story have more info.

• The earliest confirmed case of human cancer was found in a skeleton in northern Sudan. Dating back to around 1,200 BC, the skeleton could provide clues about the evolution of the disease. The BBC has more on the discovery.

• Research presented at a conference this week bolstered the evidence that keeping active can help reduce the chance of developing breast cancer. The Daily Mail has more info.

• This article in The Conversation about the nitty-gritty of clinical trial design is fascinating, particularly if you’re interested in learning more about how scientists find out if drugs work.

• Talking of fascinating, this Mosaic article about the “killer dust” asbestos is well worth reading. If you want to know even more, the author hosted a Q&A on Reddit.

• IBM supercomputer Watson is to help find the best treatments for a common type of brain cancer, according to the BBC.

• The Guardian met three of our scientists who are supported by our Women of Influence initiative.

And finally

• We can’t leave out the biggest, most unexpected news item of the week: the #nomakeupselfie trend took social media sites by storm this week, as hundreds of thousands of people snapped and shared pictures of themselves to boost cancer awareness. We didn’t start the trend but we’re utterly thrilled to have received over £2 million (and counting) in donations in just 48 hours thanks to the flurry of goodwill. The Telegraph has more info.