A new study has found that a combination of two drugs could enhance the immune system to treat one of the most common types of cancer in the world, bowel cancer. Also known as colorectal cancer, despite its widespread presence, the treatment options for this condition are limited. What the study specifically found was that this procedure could shrink the tumours caused by this condition by around 60%.

What Are The Drugs Involved

The trial involved the use of two immunotherapy drugs, botancilimab and balstilumab. It is a monoclonal antibody that works to stimulate the body's immune system to attack cancer. The study is a rather significant find, as it’s the first time that a consistent and durable response to immunotherapy has been reported in patients with solid MSS mCRC tumours.

The study was divided into several phases for more than 6 months. In the US trial, around around 101 patients with microsatile stable metastatic colorectal (MSS-mCRC) tumours showed a decrease . Around 61% of the patients experienced tumour shrinkage or stabilization after combined treatment with votancilumab and balstilumab. When it comes to downsides, diarrhea and fatigue were found to be the most common side effects or side effects of this drug.

These results are interesting and open to exploration. To date, immunotherapy has not been effective in patients with CNS-mCRC tumors. This study demonstrates the potential of the combination of botenlimab and balstilimab in the treatment of CNS mCRC, providing new hope for people diagnosed with colon cancer.

What Could This Mean For Bowel Cancer Treatment In The Future

The study is currently in the final stages of clinical trials, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hopes to quickly gain approval for its use because of the importance of this area that affects many people. The efficiency shown demonstrates the potential of botansilimab to contribute to broad antitumor immunity.

All in all, the combination of botensilimab and balstilimab represents a promising new direction in the treatment of colorectal cancer. This breakthrough could improve conditions for many patients worldwide and lights a new hope in the fight against this common disease. The results of this study show the effectiveness of immunotherapy in this field and how its potential to transform cancer treatment can only grow in the years to come.

Flu activity is rising unusually early in parts of the US, UK and Japan, while COVID-19 cases are also increasing in the UK. Health experts are urging eligible people to get vaccinated ahead of winter, when respiratory infections can add to pressure on hospitals.

According to Nature, flu tests are returning positive at unusually high rates for early fall on the US West Coast and in the UK. In Japan, outbreaks in August and early September forced some schools to close as students returned from summer break.

“It would be an incredibly early season” for the US if cases on the West Coast continue rising at their current pace, Scott Hensley, a virologist at the University of Pennsylvania, told Nature. US flu activity typically peaks in December and January.

H1N1 Dominates Flu Cases In The US

Also read: ‘American Covid’ Strain Drives 50% Surge in UK Hospital Admissions: XFG Symptoms to Know

H1N1 accounted for 96% of US flu cases tested for type in the week ending September 26. H3N2 accounted for nearly all the remaining cases, while no influenza B was detected, Nature reported, citing federal data.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified the 2025–2026 US flu season as moderately severe, with more than 32 million cases, 390,000 hospitalizations and up to 81,000 deaths. Cases rose in November and peaked in December.

This season, flu activity began rising in August and September in western states, including California, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii.

“We’re looking at an early flu season this year,” James Watt, deputy director of infectious diseases at the California Department of Public Health, said at an October 6 briefing, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Danielle Zerr, an infectious diseases specialist at Seattle Children’s, told The Washington Post that the early spread was concerning because many people had yet to be vaccinated.

“The way flu is circulating now, you wanted that vaccine in you two weeks ago, if not even a little before that,” she said.

UK Reports Flu And COVID-19

Read More: XFG COVID Variant: What India Should Watch As Cases Rise In UK And France

In the UK, around 6.5% of flu tests were positive in the week reported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), up from 5% the previous week. This compares with 3.3% at the same point last year.The early rise has raised concerns that flu could add to pressure on the National Health Service (NHS), which has already experienced a busy summer. University students returning to campuses may also be contributing to the spread.

COVID-19 activity has increased as well. Reported infections rose from 1,374 in August to 4,589 in September, the highest monthly total since October last year, according to figures cited in reports. However, officials said levels of both infections remained within the expected range.

Frankie Swords, national medical director at NHS England, warned of early signs of winter pressure on hospitals. Around two in every 100,000 people in England were being hospitalized with flu, while overall hospital capacity was approximately 95% occupied in September.

Swords urged eligible people to get vaccinated early, warning that pressure could increase as temperatures fall.

Since the start of September, around 3.9 million people in the UK had received a flu vaccine, while approximately 730,000 had received an autumn COVID-19 vaccine.

France is also reporting a rise in COVID-19 cases as the government prepares to launch its autumn COVID and flu vaccination campaign on October 13.

Flu Symptoms You Should Know

Flu often begins suddenly, causing fever, chills, body aches and extreme fatigue.

Common symptoms include:

• Fever and chills
• Body aches
• Extreme fatigue
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Cough

Children may also experience vomiting and diarrhea. Flu symptoms can overlap with those of other respiratory infections, so testing may be needed to confirm the cause.

Do Flu Vaccines Protect Against All Circulating Strains?

Seasonal flu vaccines are designed to protect against selected influenza strains, including H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B viruses.

However, influenza viruses can undergo genetic changes known as antigenic drift, which may reduce vaccine effectiveness against circulating strains.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccines target different viruses. A flu shot does not protect against COVID-19, so eligible people may need separate vaccinations to reduce their risk of severe illness from both infections.

Cancer is a dreaded diagnosis. Along with the physical and emotional toll, patients and their families face the financial burden of treatment, as cancer medicines can be extremely expensive. In a major relief for patients, India has approved a cap on the trade margins charged in the supply and sale of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.

According to the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, these margins will be capped at 30% of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

“The measure is expected to reduce medicine prices by up to 70% and help cancer patients save Rs 2,500 crore annually, significantly reducing the amount they pay from their own pockets,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Essential cancer medicines included in the scheduled list are already subject to government-mandated ceiling prices. The new decision extends price protection to non-scheduled cancer medicines, which fall outside that list, by limiting the trade margins added as medicines move through the supply chain.

Rising Cancer Burden And Drug Costs

Also read: Indian Medical Industry Backs Maharashtra FDA Crackdown On Device Markups

Cancer treatment places a substantial financial burden on patients and their families, who often have to pay significant amounts out of pocket. In India, approximately 60 people per lakh population are affected by cancer.

According to a National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) analysis of market data, non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines carry an average price markup of approximately 170%, reaching 700% or more in some cases.

Prices can rise sharply as a medicine moves through the supply chain before reaching the patient. They also vary significantly depending on whether medicines are purchased from retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies or online pharmacies.

The new cap aims to curb excessive trade margins, address unfair pricing practices and help ensure fairer prices for patients, particularly those who require expensive cancer medicines.

Supreme Court Flags Steep Markups On Cancer Drugs

Read More: Antibiotic Costing ₹86 Carries MRP Of ₹4,528: Karnataka FDA Flags Massive Drug Price Gaps

State authorities, including those in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka, along with patients and civil society groups, have raised concerns about excessive medicine prices.

Recently, the Supreme Court also questioned the Centre over the steep prices of life-saving medicines, particularly cancer drugs.

The Court pointed to the absence of adequate price-control mechanisms and sought to know why certain medicines remain outside the scope of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO).

During the hearing, Justice Sandeep Mehta highlighted the significant markups on cancer medicines, citing an example in which a drug supplied to retailers for approximately Rs 3,000 was being sold at an MRP of Rs 27,000.

“27,000 MRP of a cancer drug, price to retailer is around 3000. Just see the drastic difference,” Justice Mehta stated.

The Bench also questioned the government over the absence of a uniform criterion of 16%.

The Court had previously flagged a similar instance involving a cancer medicine priced at Rs 2,700 but sold for Rs 27,000, raising concerns about the financial burden on patients who require life-saving treatment.

In February 2019, at the government's direction, the NPPA capped trade margins on 42 selected non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines under Paragraph 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.

The decision reduced MRPs by up to 91%, with reported annual savings of ₹984 crore across 526 brands. It significantly eased the financial burden on cancer patients.

Which Cancer Drugs Will Be Covered?

The intervention will cover non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines across categories, including branded and generic, domestically produced and imported, and patented and non-patented drugs.

An expert committee under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will finalise the list of medicines to be covered. The NPPA will then take a decision and issue the notification.

The Ministry said manufacturers of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines will be required to maintain their current production levels to ensure that these life-saving drugs remain available.

Shigellosis, an intestinal infection caused by Shigella bacteria, is becoming harder to treat as drug-resistant strains spread in the US and UK.

Although the infection can spread through contaminated food and water, sexually transmitted Shigella has become an established part of transmission in some communities, particularly among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).

An estimated 450,000 people acquire shigellosis each year in the US. While the infection can affect anyone, some strains have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, making treatment increasingly challenging.

Drug-Resistant Shigella Rising In The US

A CDC analysis published in April 2026 found that extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Shigella isolates increased in the US between 2011 and 2023. Among 16,788 isolates analyzed, the proportion classified as XDR rose from 0% in 2011–2015 to 8.5% in 2023.

The CDC report found that 86.2% of XDR shigellosis patients with available sex data were men. However, sexual exposure information was not routinely collected, so the findings do not establish that these infections were sexually transmitted.

Molecular biologist Shangxin Yang said healthcare workers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), are now seeing roughly one case of extensively drug-resistant Shigella a month, compared with just one case throughout 2022.

"It's almost like an explosion of this pathogen in the community," Yang told CIDRAP News at the University of Minnesota.

The CDC has warned that XDR Shigella infections pose a treatment challenge because these strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics, and no FDA-approved oral antimicrobial treatment is available for them.

Sexually Transmitted Shigella Spreading Faster In The UK

A July study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that sexually transmitted Shigella strains are spreading faster than non-sexually transmitted strains in the UK and developing resistance to key antibiotics.

Over an evolutionary period of about 2.5 years, sexually transmitted strains spread an average of 117 kilometers between related cases, compared with 46 kilometers for non-sexually transmitted strains.

“Many men who have sex with men are unaware of the serious and increasing risk posed by sexually transmitted Shigella,” said Professor Kate Baker, senior author of the study from the University of Cambridge's Department of Genetics.

Baker said sexually transmitted shigellosis should be treated as a distinct public health threat requiring different surveillance, prevention and treatment strategies.

Why Is Sexually Transmitted Shigella Becoming Drug-Resistant?

Cambridge researchers found that antibiotic-resistant sexually transmitted Shigella strains were spreading 71% faster than drug-susceptible strains. More than 70% of sexually transmitted strains were resistant to at least one clinically important antibiotic.

“This isn’t just one form of sexually transmissible diarrhea. This is multiple overlapping variants emerging that are all quickly becoming resistant to the drugs we use to treat them,” Baker said.

They believe the rise in resistance may partly be driven by antibiotics prescribed to treat or prevent other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhea.

“Our evidence suggests that the variants of Shigella transmitting in sexual networks were actually getting resistant against treatments for other STIs, like gonorrhoea, so people need to remember that when they’re taking antibiotics they’re treating their whole body,” Baker said.

Another possible factor is bystander resistance, in which antibiotic exposure affects bacteria other than the intended target and can favor the survival and spread of resistant bacteria.

How To Prevent Sexually Transmitted Shigella

Precautions to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted shigellosis include:

• Avoiding sexual activity during illness: Do not have sex while experiencing diarrhea or recovering from a recent diarrheal illness.
• Waiting before resuming sexual activity: Wait at least two weeks after fully recovering before having sex again.
• Telling your healthcare provider about possible exposure: Mention your sexual history if you seek care for diarrhea or related symptoms.
• Asking about testing: Seek advice on appropriate testing and sexual health screening if you may have been exposed.

People experiencing symptoms should seek medical advice. Because some Shigella strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics, treatment should be guided by a healthcare professional, who can determine the appropriate approach based on the infection and its resistance profile.