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.

The UK's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program, initiated in 2018, has achieved a remarkable milestone: no women aged 20 to 24 died from cervical cancer in England between 2020 and 2024, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet.

England introduced the HPV vaccine for girls in 2008 and expanded the program to boys in 2019. By 2024, vaccine coverage among women aged 20-24 had reached nearly 90 per cent.

Researchers found that there were no cervical cancer deaths in this age group during the five-year period, compared with an estimated 23 deaths that would have been expected based on historical trends.

The study also estimated that HPV vaccination has prevented approximately 200 cervical cancer deaths among young women in England since the program began.

"It's amazing news that no women aged between 20 and 24 died from cervical cancer in the whole of England between 2020 and 2024," said Peter Sasieni, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology at Queen Mary University of London.

"That remarkable fact is thanks to nearly 90% of Gen Z women having received the HPV vaccine through the school vaccination and catch-up programs," he added.

This marks the first time that zero cervical cancer deaths have been recorded in this age group and provides compelling evidence of the vaccine's life-saving impact.

Children Vaccinated At 12-13 Had Near-Zero Risk

Read More: HPV Vaccine Can Help Curb Rising Head And Neck Cancers, Says Top US Doctor

The study found that girls vaccinated at ages 12-13 had an almost zero risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30, highlighting the success of the school-based vaccination program.

While several countries have reported declines in cervical cancer rates following HPV vaccination campaigns, evidence linking vaccination programs directly to reductions in cervical cancer deaths has been limited.

"This is the first national-level evidence, albeit observational, linking high HPV vaccination coverage to a major reduction in cervical cancer deaths," the researchers noted.

How The Study Was Conducted

Researchers analyzed HPV vaccination rates and cervical cancer mortality data among women in England between 2001 and 2024.

In addition to recording zero cervical cancer deaths among women aged 20-24 between 2020 and 2024, the study found an 80 per cent reduction in cervical cancer deaths in the same age group between 2015 and 2019.

The findings underscore the importance of achieving high vaccination coverage against a disease that remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among younger women worldwide.

"We estimate that since its introduction, HPV vaccination has prevented nearly 200 young women from dying from cervical cancer in England," said Sasieni.

"But that's just the tip of the iceberg. As vaccinated generations grow older, we'll see many more lives saved from cervical cancer. It is incredible to think that a single jab can almost eliminate a particular type of cancer."

What Is HPV? How A vaccine helps?

Also read: Affordable India-Made HPV Test Offers Hope For Early Cervical Cancer Detection

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral infection worldwide, with more than 200 known types. While some types lead to benign skin warts, others are responsible for severe health threats, such as cervical, throat, anal, and penile cancers. The HPV vaccine provides strong protection against the most lethal strains, avoiding long-term health complications.

The HPV vaccine helps the immune system recognize and fight off high-risk strains of the virus before they cause harm. It protects against:

• Genital warts
• Cervical cancer
• Vaginal, vulvar, anal, and penile cancers
• Mouth, throat, head, and neck cancers linked to HPV.

Have you been popping omega-3 pills hoping to improve your memory or keep your brain sharp as you age? New research suggests they may not deliver the cognitive benefits many people expect.

A clinical trial, published in the journal eBioMedicine, found that omega-3 supplements did not improve memory, cognition, or brain health in older adults at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Omega-3 fish oil and algae-based supplements have long been promoted as a way to protect against dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, the new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial — considered the gold standard in medical research — found no evidence that these supplements slowed cognitive decline or protected the brain.

The study was led by researchers at the University of Southern California and included 365 adults aged 55 to 80 who rarely consumed fish, a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids.

"We all wish there was a silver bullet for preventing Alzheimer's, but our findings showed that fish oil supplements do not appear to protect brain health," said Hussein Naji Yassine, director of the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health and lead investigator of the study.

"While omega-3s play an important role in forming brain cell connections needed for cognition, our results do not support fish oil supplements as a preventive measure against Alzheimer's," he added.

How The Study Was Conducted?

Also read: Kim Kardashian Says She Takes 35 Supplements Daily, Suffers From 'Pill Fatigue'

Researchers recruited 365 adults who were considered at elevated risk for Alzheimer's disease. Nearly half (47 per cent) carried the APOE4 gene, the strongest known genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a daily omega-3 supplement or a placebo.

The supplement contained 2,000 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain function.

The researchers first examined whether DHA from the supplements could reach the brain. By measuring DHA levels in cerebrospinal fluid — the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord — they found a 17 per cent increase after six months, confirming that the nutrient successfully reached its target.

The team then assessed memory and cognitive performance at the beginning of the study and again two years later.

Despite higher DHA levels in the brain, participants who received the supplements performed no better on memory and cognitive tests than those taking the placebo. Brain scans also revealed no difference in shrinkage of the hippocampus, a memory-related brain region that commonly deteriorates with aging and Alzheimer's disease.

What Works Instead? A Healthy Lifestyle

The researchers emphasized that maintaining overall health remains the most effective strategy for preserving brain function and reducing Alzheimer's risk.

"Staying healthy throughout life remains the most powerful tool we have for reducing Alzheimer's risk, including regular exercise, quality sleep, and a balanced diet," said Yassine.

He compared brain health to maintaining a vehicle.

"Living a healthy lifestyle is the brain's equivalent of getting regular car maintenance and high-quality oil changes. The brain is more likely to lose function if health issues elsewhere in the body go unaddressed, just as an engine eventually fails without proper maintenance."

Read More: Sickle Cell Disease: Why India Must Add Curative Treatment to Meet Its 2047 Elimination Goal

What's Next?

Yassine and his colleagues are now investigating why omega-3 supplements can successfully reach the brain yet fail to produce measurable cognitive benefits.

The team is also exploring new therapies that could help the brain make better use of omega-3 fatty acids and potentially preserve cognitive function as people age.

A parliamentary committee in Canada has recommended that the country's assisted dying laws continue to exclude people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness.

According to the committee's report, Canada's assisted dying framework should "indefinitely exclude" individuals whose only medical condition is a mental illness.

Canada first passed its assisted dying legislation, known as Bill C-14, in 2016, marking a significant development in healthcare and personal autonomy.

Officially known as Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), the law initially applied only to adults who were terminally ill. However, eligibility for MAID has remained one of the country's most contentious healthcare issues over the past decade, with plans to expand access delayed twice.

Committee Recommends Permanent Exclusion

The 98-page report by the joint House and Senate committee on Medical Assistance in Dying contains a single recommendation: that Canada "indefinitely exclude persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness from eligibility for medical assistance in dying", according to the BBC.

The report noted a "divergence of perspectives" on the issue and highlighted concerns raised during testimony about the "pressing need for increased and more equitable access to adequate mental health services".

However, some committee members disagreed with the findings and published a dissenting report, arguing that the process was "fundamentally flawed", "biased", and favored testimony from those opposed to expanding MAID. Canada's government must respond to the report by July 11.

Also read: Noelia Castillo: 25-year-old Spanish Woman Dies By Euthanasia After Long Legal Battle

What Does Canada's MAID Law Say?

When MAID was introduced in 2016, it was available only to adults who were terminally ill.

The eligibility criteria were strict. Individuals had to be suffering from a "serious and incurable illness", be in an "advanced state of irreversible decline", experience "intolerable suffering", and have a natural death that was "reasonably foreseeable".

This legal pathway became known as Track 1. Modelled on end-of-life care, it primarily served people with terminal cancer or other severe illnesses who wanted greater control over the dying process. Track 1 remains a relatively swift procedure, with some patients receiving MAID within a day of applying.

Expansion Beyond Terminal Illness

Read More: Passive Euthanasia: Harish Rana’s Case May Reshape End-of-life Protocols, Say Experts

However, many Canadians living with severe non-terminal conditions argued that they were excluded from the law. These included people with degenerative diseases, chronic pain, or spinal injuries who experienced significant suffering but were not nearing death. Many requested MAID but were routinely denied.

In 2019, the country introduced Bill C-7 in 2021, creating Track 2 and extending MAID eligibility to people with serious, incurable conditions causing enduring suffering even when death was not foreseeable.

Track 2 includes additional safeguards, including a 90-day assessment period, evaluation by two independent clinicians, and consultation with specialists when necessary.

Ongoing Debate Over Mental Illness Eligibility

Despite its stricter safeguards and ethical complexities, Track 2 MAID has steadily gained use. In 2023, there were 622 deaths under Track 2 compared with 14,721 under Track 1.

Supporters view Track 2 as a compassionate option for people living with severe, non-terminal suffering, while critics argue it risks exposing vulnerable populations to premature death.

In 2023, Canada first delayed eligibility for MAID for people whose sole condition was a mental illness by one year, citing concerns that the healthcare system was not ready for the expansion. The government later delayed implementation again until March 17, 2027.

Along with the second delay, the government recommended that a parliamentary committee undertake a comprehensive review of the proposal.

MAID Accounts For About 5% of Deaths in Canada

According to the latest available figures from 2024, MAID accounts for around 5 per cent of all deaths in Canada. About 96 per cent of MAID cases involved people whose deaths were reasonably foreseeable, most of them terminal cancer patients.

The remaining 4 per cent involved patients whose deaths were not imminent but who had a "grievous and irremediable medical condition".