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.

Kerala is grappling with a triple public health challenge as cases of Shigella infection, West Nile fever, and Nipah virus disease are being reported across the state.

While Kerala has faced outbreaks of all three diseases in the past, their simultaneous occurrence has put health authorities on high alert, prompting intensified surveillance, contact tracing, and disease-control measures. The officials have urged people to remain cautious while avoiding unnecessary fear.

Shigella Cases Rise To 16

Seven more students recently tested positive for shigellosis in the northern district of Wayanad, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 16.

According to District Medical Officer K.T. Rekha, symptoms have been identified in more than 500 people, most of them children. Around 45 patients are currently undergoing treatment, while 174 people have been admitted to hospitals since the outbreak began.

Health authorities have intensified surveillance, visited more than 2,200 households, chlorinated over 1,300 wells, and distributed ORS packets across the district.

Common symptoms include:

• Loose stools or diarrhea
• Stomach pain and cramps
• Fever
• Nausea
• Blood in stools

Nipah Patient Critical; 77 Contacts Identified

The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, has confirmed Nipah virus infection in a 43-year-old man from Ramanattukara in Kozhikode district.

The patient remains in critical condition on ventilator support at a dedicated Nipah isolation facility in Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.

Health officials have identified 77 contacts through tracing efforts:

• 15 priority contacts
• 2 highest-risk contacts
• 13 high-risk contacts
• 58 healthcare workers

Early symptoms often resemble common viral illnesses and may include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Weakness

West Nile Fever Claims Two Lives

Kerala has also reported two deaths linked to West Nile fever in Ernakulam district within a week.

Health officials said the mosquito-borne disease is caused by a flavivirus commonly found in migratory birds and transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes. The disease does not spread from person to person.

Symptoms can include

• fever,
• neck stiffness,
• confusion,
• behavioral changes,
• in severe cases, encephalitis or meningitis.

The elderly, pregnant women, children, immunocompromised individuals, and people with underlying health conditions are considered at higher risk.

Why Kerala Remains Vulnerable

Researchers have suggested that environmental changes, habitat disruption, and increasing interaction between humans and wildlife may be contributing to the repeated emergence of zoonotic diseases in Kerala.

A recent study titled "Two Geographies, One Virus: What Recurrent Nipah Spillover in India Reveals" found that deforestation, habitat loss, and increased human activity in biodiversity-rich regions could create more opportunities for viruses to spill over from animals to humans.

How to Stay Safe

Health experts recommend:

• Washing hands thoroughly with soap and water
• Drinking safe, treated water
• Consuming freshly prepared food
• Keeping food covered
• Using mosquito repellents and protective clothing
• Seeking medical attention promptly if symptoms develop

The monsoon season creates favorable conditions for waterborne, foodborne, and mosquito-borne diseases, making vigilance essential for both health authorities and the public.

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to expand, with the virus spreading to three new health zones in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, according to government officials.

The country, which is battling its 17th Ebola virus disease outbreak, has now recorded 676 confirmed cases and 136 deaths, Health Minister Dr. Samuel-Roger Kamba said in a post on social media platform X.

Ebola Spreads To 3 New Health Zones

Kamba informed that the virus has spread to three new health zones in the country. They are:

Masereka (North Kivu)

Vuhovi (North Kivu)

Kambala (Ituri)

“#EbolaBundibugyo: As of June 10, 676 cumulative confirmed cases — 629 in Ituri, 44 in North Kivu, 3 in South Kivu. Forty-one new cases reported today,” Kamba wrote.

“Three new health zones affected: Masereka and Vuhovi in North Kivu, Kambala in Ituri. Our teams are adapting, surveillance is intensifying. The response follows every signal, in every zone,” he added.

Ebola Recoveries Offer Hope

Also read: Expert Explains Science Behind Patient Recoveries

The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was officially declared on May 15.

There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain.

The minister also reported total 10 recoveries from the deadly disease.

“#EbolaBundibugyo: Two newly recovered today in the Bunia Health Zone. They are returning home. Every recovery is a victory, a message of hope for our communities. Come get treated quickly — early care saves lives,” Kamba said.

DRC World Cup Team Reaches US

Also read: Ebola Survivors May Face COVID-Like Memory Loss and Brain Issues For Over 7 Years: NIH Study

Meanwhile, the Ebola outbreak has also disrupted the preparations of the Democratic Republic of Congo national football team ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

The squad arrived in the United States after spending three weeks in isolation in Europe due to the outbreak in their home country. US authorities required the team to complete the quarantine period in Belgium before being allowed to enter the country, AFP news agency reported.

DRC cancelled a planned pre-tournament training camp at home and instead based preparations in Belgium.

In addition, a scheduled warm-up match against Chile in Spain was also cancelled over concerns about the spread of the virus.

“We adapted to the situation,” said head coach Sebastien Desabre. “We had to focus, as we have had to adapt often.

“That is what we did. We worked well, we played two tough friendlies, and here we are. Now, it is another step for us.”

The team will be based in Houston during the tournament and is scheduled to play its opening Group K match against Portugal on June 17.

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and deadly disease caused by a virus mostly found in Africa. The spread of the disease happens through contact with infected body fluids.

Symptoms includes fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death.

Ebola is a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Over the past five decades, it has caused over 30 outbreaks, primarily in Central and West Africa. The virus takes its name from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Three strains of the virus — Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus — have caused the largest outbreaks in Africa. Among them, the Ebola virus is considered the deadliest, with fatality rates reaching up to 90% without treatment.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have released the world’s most detailed 3D atlas of the human brainstem.

Called ANCHOR (Atlas of Neurochemical Characterization of the Human Brainstem with 3D Reconstruction), the atlas was developed using a high-throughput brain imaging and computing platform that transforms whole human brains into 3D cell-resolution atlases.

It provides comprehensive multi-modal 3D maps of the human brainstem across the lifespan, covering the prenatal period, childhood, and adulthood.

The atlas includes more than 200 brainstem nuclei and fiber tracts reconstructed from hundreds of serial sections. To identify distinct neurochemical cell types, researchers overlaid eight complementary immunostains across more than 500 sections, enabling detailed mapping.

Developed by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre (SGBC) at IIT Madras, ANCHOR has been made publicly available to researchers, clinicians, and patients worldwide.

“This is a significant accomplishment in the field of neurobiology. This is a multimodal framework integrating MRI, histology, and detailed chemo-architecture. It will be the most detailed and comprehensive maps of the human brainstem, and made available publicly in digital form. These maps will help in identifying specific cell populations affected in brain stem lesions, which could be critical for clinical applications,” said Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, during the 3rd BRICS Neuroscience Symposium 2026.

Prof. Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Head of SGBC, IIT Madras, said the atlas uses a multimodal image visualization framework that integrates volumetric MRI data with cellular-level images.

“By establishing precise spatial correspondence across these modalities, the atlas enables a seamless transition from gross brain structures in the MRI to cellular-level features. We envision that these maps and atlases will have significant implications for neuroscience and neuromedicine,” he said.

Also read: India AI Summit: Union Health Minister Nadda Launches SAHI And BODH Initiatives To Boost AI In Healthcare

What Is ANCHOR?

The human brainstem contains more than 200 nuclei and fiber tracts and plays a vital role in regulating essential body functions.

ANCHOR is an online platform featuring more than 800 serial histological sections stained for Nissl and seven immunochemical (IHC) markers from three human brainstems representing different stages of life:

• 25 fetal gestational weeks
• 9 years old
• 54 years old

The atlas also describes catecholaminergic groups across all three age groups, identifies the protoplasmic commissural dendrites of the hypoglossal nucleus, and describes the pretectal nuclei in the fetal brainstem.

Read More:79th World Health Assembly: India Created Over 880 Million Digital Health IDs, Says J P Nadda

Integrated Online Viewer

ANCHOR includes an online viewer that integrates:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Block-face imaging
• Nissl-stained serial sections
• IHC-stained serial sections
• 3D reconstruction of the entire brainstem.