Physical fitness and increasing muscle strength could reduce the mortality rate for cancer patients by between 31% to 46%, new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found.

Around 20 million new cancer cases were reported in 2022, with 9.7 million cancer deaths reported world-wide during the same period, with experts expecting the trend to increase in the coming decades.

Patients who have been treated for heart failure and experience an improvement of their pump function, are still at higher risk of heart-related death or hospitalisation if they stop taking heart failure medications. This is according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the top-ranked journal Circulation.

"Our finding raises awareness about the importance of implementing and not withdrawing medical treatments in daily clinical practice even if patients with heart failure experience an improvement in symptoms and pump function," says the study's last author Gianluigi Savarese,

A previously unknown protein in a family of bacteria found in soil and the human gut microbiome has been discovered - which could help drug delivery in cancer treatment.

In a paper published in PNAS, researchers at King's College London and the University of Washington describe the unique 3D structure of this protein, which is now being used to develop cancer drug delivery systems that can target drugs to tumour sites.

The human gut is home to trillions of bacteria that play vital roles in digestion, immunity, and overall health. When this microbial balance is disturbed, it can contribute to the development of chronic diseases like ulcerative colitis (UC), an inflammatory condition of the large intestine. For some patients, current treatments offer limited relief or carry significant risks, including immune suppression. Researchers are now exploring alternative ways to restore gut health, focusing on the microbiome’s ability to heal the intestinal lining.

A common perception is that not all alcoholic beverages are alike. Red wine, for instance, is often considered a healthier choice, with many believing its high resveratrol content - an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties - offers protection against cancer. Researchers from the Brown University School of Public Health and the Warren Alpert Medical School, however, have put this assumption to the test.

The herb rosemary has long been linked with memory: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance," says Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. So it is fitting that researchers would study a compound found in rosemary and sage - carnosic acid - for its impact on Alzheimer's disease. In the disease, which is the leading cause of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the US, inflammation is one component that often leads to cognitive decline.

Innovative insights into the role of ferroptosis, a unique form of programmed cell death, are reshaping the landscape of disease treatment. This growing field highlights how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can effectively modulate ferroptosis, offering novel therapeutic approaches for various conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and organ injuries. The powerful bioactive compounds in TCM have demonstrated the ability to regulate iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and redox balance, positioning them as key players in advancing modern medicine.