News digest – Frozen needles, a smokefree UK, microbubbles and… breaking cancer’s ‘legs’?

• For the first time, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is being used to guide ‘frozen needles’ to tumours in patients with prostate cancer. Using MRI will help improve how accurately these needles target tumours and destroy cancer cells, the Express reported.
• Figures released by the NHS and reported by the Telegraph show that the prevalence of obesity and being overweight in people aged 16-24 has risen since 1993 and 2015. After smoking, obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer. Read about the three main theories on how obesity causes cancer in our blog post and advice for keeping a healthy weight here.
• WIRED featured a study by our researchers, who are looking at using microbubbles to deliver chemotherapy drugs more precisely. Read our press release and our website research feature to find out more.
• A genetic test called MammaPrint, which analyses a specific genetic ‘signature’ in cells, could help work out which women with breast cancer are at a low risk of their cancer coming back after surgery. According to the US study, featured in the Telegraph, this could help spare many women chemotherapy they wouldn’t benefit from, and the side effects that come with it. But it remains to be seen if this test is better than current, cheaper methods.

• We’re excited to announce that Professor Charles Swanton has been appointed as the new Cancer Research UK Chief Clinician. He will succeed Professor Peter Johnson who, during nearly 10 years in the role, has made an immense contribution to the charity. Read our press release for more information.
• Cancer Research UK has extended its drug discovery collaboration with Merck, reported BioPortfolio. Together we hope to discover new cancer drugs targeting the Hippo pathway, which plays an important role in cell growth. Our press release has the details.
• A decade has passed since the smoking ban came into force across the UK. The BBC reported on some of the benefits we have seen over the past 10 years. Our press release details the impact the policy has had following our successful petition and campaigning.
• Our scientists revealed that more than a quarter of those women who don’t not attend cervical screening are unaware the programme exists. As BBC News and the Express explained, it’s not that these women are deliberately deciding not to attend, suggesting more needs to be done to raise awareness of cervical screening. Read our press release for more information.
• Cancer Research UK, NHS England and the Met Office are in agreement: suntans are a sign of damaged skin, not a healthy glow. But, as reported by the BBC and Telegraph, a third of parents mistakenly believe going brown is good for children. Check out our sun protection myths blog for how to enjoy the summer safely.

And finally

• The Independent and Medical News Today  featured research that targets the way cancer cells move. The study found that breaking cancer cells’ ‘legs’ – using tiny gold rods – reduced their ability to move. This could offer scientists and doctors a potential way to stop cancer spreading. The work is still in the early stages, so more research is needed before we can say if the approach would work in people.

Catherine